Milking more than one doe ??'s

christij · #1 03/24/08, 01:58 PM

Okay I have milked for one plus season - but that was just one doe. Now I'm looking at milking 2-3 and I'm trying to figure out do's and don'ts.

Cassie kidded last Wed and her bottle babies could leave this Wed - so I will be able to start using her milk Thursday am. All traces of colustrum should be gone, correct?

Mayflower kidded yesterday - one doeling - so I need to milk her to keep udder balanced. She will have colustrum that can be saved or fed to chickens. Then next weekend we will be in milk.

So questions ---
1 - you milk out goat A pour milk into container and then proceed to milk goat B - can these two milks be combined since they are from the same milking time strained and stored?
2 - if still bottle feeding milk should be kept seperate so mom A is fed to babies A, etc ?

Am I missing/overlooking anything?

deafgoatlady · #2 03/24/08, 02:07 PM

U can mix it up BUT u cant right now until 7 days after Mayflower's milk went normal then U can mix it up. That what I had do that for 7 days before I can use the rest of the goats milk in one big jar..

deafgoatlady · #3 03/24/08, 02:08 PM

I forgot to mentioned I dont keep the milk seperate while bottle feeding the babies. But i am sure some people do that.

pookshollow · #4 03/24/08, 03:45 PM

I'm milking three does right now - two twice a day, and one once a day. I combine the milk. There's no reason not to, unless somebody has an infection (eg. mastitis). Once the babies (and mom!) are past the colostrum stage, it doesn't matter whose milk they get. Just make sure that you like the taste of the milk from the doe that just freshened. Sometimes it takes a few weeks for the milk to "come right".

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #5 03/24/08, 03:49 PM

You also might want to put a couple soda pop bottles of colostrum into the freezer for an emergency next year. But yes, colostrum rarely lasts for 3 days in the udder, you can test it easily by milking into a coffee cup and microwaving to boiling. If it's got bits and pieces to it than it is still colostrum. Just boiled milk with skim on the top than it's milk.

Yes, just milk your does, pouring it all into a container to bring to the house. Strain and chill. Vicki

christij · #6 03/24/08, 04:30 PM

Good to know. I think my overworking brain was trying to make it harder than it needed to be! I am so excited to have fresh milk again. Maybe this year I will actually have a chance to try making cheese.

BlueHeronFarm · #7 03/24/08, 04:43 PM

It doesn't take any of our does a week to pass colostrum.
When it foams, it's milk. Ours is usually good and drinkable by day 3. I suppose it could vary, but you may as well just taste it tomorrow to see. You may not have to wait so long to start combining and/or using it.

christij · #8 03/24/08, 05:01 PM

I will have to try that. Mayflower will probably be raising her doeling - she has a parrot mouth =( - but she's still going to need milked out.

Minelson · #9 03/24/08, 05:23 PM

What are you going to name the cute little parrot mouth?

christij · #10 03/24/08, 07:40 PM

I don't know -- I think she will end up in the freezer so I don't know that I want too.... darn parrot mouth!

Minelson · #11 03/24/08, 09:49 PM

Is she going to freezer camp becuz of the parrot mouth...just curious and learning

christij · #12 03/25/08, 05:28 AM

Yes, because of the mouth. It's a genetic trait.

Minelson · #13 03/25/08, 08:45 AM

oic...I'm sorry...Gol Darn Parrot Mouth!

deafgoatlady · #14 03/25/08, 10:29 AM

WAIT A MIN!!! Christie Let me take the doeling home.. I will keep her and make her grow up so she can keep Mora a company since Mora cannot have no more babies.. She is done for good. I am looking for a goat cannot have no more babies so I can put them together and leave them in the BIG pasture. So they can enjoy..

Minelson · #15 03/25/08, 10:47 AM

Yeahhh!!! I hope you guys can work that out!!

christij · #16 03/25/08, 03:36 PM

Holly - if you want her she's yours for $25. I haven't started her on a bottle since I wasn't sure what was happening with her.

deafgoatlady · #17 03/25/08, 04:32 PM

Alrighty. I will get 25 dollars this week or next week or two weeks. U might want to start the bottle becuz I will bottlefeed her so she can eat and live. U know..

Minelson · #18 03/25/08, 05:05 PM

You guys have made my day!! I'm so happy little parrot mouth is going to find a home instead of going to freezer camp:banana02:...I think she is so cute

deafgoatlady · #19 03/25/08, 05:16 PM

OHH LOL. Glad to hear that..

christij · #20 03/25/08, 05:26 PM

Minelson - she is a cute calm doeling.

Holly - I know you are good for it. Let me know when you think you want to pick her up and I will start her on the bottle. I will let her finish her colustum on Mayflower.