Needing some clarification

[Tamar]

Hi all,

After reading through various posts, I see advice given on separating kids from their Momma's overnight for milking purposes.

Emah kidded on July 29, making her triplets 6 weeks old today.
Peace kidded on Aug 27 making her twins 2 weeks old tomorrow.

Emah never let her triplets nurse, so I have been milking her out three times a day. Her milk production has not been great of late. She hates rain, and will fret all day long in rainy weather, to the point she doesn't eat much, as she is busy complaining about the rain. She doesn't even like to get out right after the rain like the rest of the herd, because she hates "wet". She gets plenty of alfalfa pellets, dairy goat ration...hay etc. But this last week, she went down from 28+ ounces per milking..to between 15 and 20.
Peace is doing wonderful with her twins, and gives me a kick. She has never been milked, but as soon as I am done with Emah, she jumps up on the milking stand and lets me milk her. I don't take much at all...just enjoy that she wants to be milked and am getting her used to my touch.

Here is one question. Are the twins ready to be separated at two weeks of age overnight, so I can use some of Peace's milk to feed Emah's triplets?

My other question is..
I have been feeding the triplets, thee times a day, 16 ounces per feed. I just dropped them from 20 ounces three times a day.
I was told to put them on twice a day, milk Emah only twice a day, but obviously she doesn't have enough milk for three kids.

It is okay at 6 weeks to drop them to twice a day..say 20 ounces twice a day? The doeling is 21 pounds, the bucklings are 27 and 29 pounds. They are nubian/alpine mixes.

I noticed that the twins who started off much smaller than the triplets are still tiny. I want them to get what they need. I'll get a weight on them. Peace is a FF, she is just over a year, and not huge herself.


For now, I'l post this ...and try get the weight of the twins to you asap.

Thanks for reading through and for any advice you have to share.
Blessings,
Tamar

[LomahAcres]

Originally Posted by Tamar

Here is one question. Are the twins ready to be separated at two weeks of age overnight, so I can use some of Peace's milk to feed Emah's triplets?

Yes, if we leave kids on the mom, two weeks of age is when we start pulling kids at night for morning milkings.

Originally Posted by Tamar

My other question is..
I have been feeding the triplets, thee times a day, 16 ounces per feed. I just dropped them from 20 ounces three times a day.
I was told to put them on twice a day, milk Emah only twice a day, but obviously she doesn't have enough milk for three kids.

It is okay at 6 weeks to drop them to twice a day..say 20 ounces twice a day? The doeling is 21 pounds, the bucklings are 27 and 29 pounds. They are nubian/alpine mixes.

I noticed that the twins who started off much smaller than the triplets are still tiny. I want them to get what they need. I'll get a weight on them. Peace is a FF, she is just over a year, and not huge herself.

I like my kids to get a *minimum* of 60 oz a day (in 3 feedings), until about 6 months old (or 75lbs). They are usually up to this amount by 2 weeks of age.

If you don't have enough milk for everyone (and don't want to get rid of the boys), I would at least give this much to the doe kids. I would still then try to keep the boys on 48 oz a day (three 16 oz feedings a day) if you are keeping them.

This is just how we do it, everyone seems to have their own way. Good luck!

[Tamar]

Thanks for your input!

I would like to know if any others have suggestions too?

What time of day do you separate them for the night?

Thanks all,
Tamar

[Blossomgapfarm]

If you end up needing to supplement and do not have enough goat milk, you can raise baby goats on whole cows milk from the grocery store. I raised 2 bottle babies this year and would mix enough cows milk with my goats milk to make their ration when low on the goat milk. I have heard of too many problems with the powdered supplements to want to risk trying it though some have great success with it. Being new, just scares me and I have never read of a problem with the grocery store cows milk.

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by Tamar

Thanks for your input!

I would like to know if any others have suggestions too?

What time of day do you separate them for the night?

Thanks all,
Tamar

You separate the kids 12 hours before you want to milk the momma.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Nobody is there to see how tiny these babies are but you, some triplets out of first fresheners, or even some babies out of young first fresheners, simply need more time than 2 weeks to go 12 hours without milk. Make sure they are eating something, alfalfa hay, grain etc...before you decrease milk to the kids. Two bottles a day is fine as long as they are getting calories elsewhere. The same with weaning, if house milk is needed, or milk for sale is critical, than weaning at 12 weeks is optimal, but like above, they have to be getting all their calories from their grain, and all their calcium from alfalfa....why kids stunt and are small is because they move from milk to grass hay and browse, there is little fat or calcium in either.

Not all kids need to be kept, certainly not boys, getting rid of kids young gives you more milk to raise out the doelings you need as replacements, and gives you more milk to drink and sell. Taking away milk from your kids because you don't have it, is making the whole group less than what they could be . With a goal of getting these kids up to 100 pounds so they can be bred next July on their first heat, sell the group down now to the amount you need to freshen next year, and that you can afford to overwinter, and have the milk to raise them well. Vicki

[Tamar]

Thank you everyone!

I think I'll stick with what I have been doing for another week, and then re-evalute. I will be getting rid of one of the bucks, but I thought I had to keep it till 12 weeks.
Right now all I desire is healthy kids and Nannies.

The kids that are 6 weeks old are eating hay and goat ration and seem to be grazing all day with their Momma. The twins are 2 weeks, they are just starting their nibbling, but nothing worth calling food...just taste testing lol

Thanks again,
Tamar