kidding/lambing has officially started...so/so start!

[ONThorsegirl]

I had a FF Nubian Doe kid 2 days a go, I checked on her at about 6:00am and she had 1 dead kid in the pen, assuming it was born dead. I figured that was all, I heard bawling from the other end of the barn expecting to see a lamb, nope I guess the doe had another kid that decided to go for a walk....the opposite end of the barn, it got out of a small space in the door. and went on a tour. I brought the kid back to momma, and it was up sucking away. I left, I had to be at work for 7. In the pen with the doe was a ewe that is heavy in lamb, due anyday.

I get a phone call at 9:00, the kid is down, wont stand on its own, really weak...HUH it was fine when I left, and it wasn't that cold. By around 1:00 the kid was dead. My Grandma was able to milk the doe out a bit and try to give it to the kid, but he wouldn't drink.

I'm now guessing that the kid was stepped on, or bunted by the ewe, because it was really good when I left. I'm a little ticked off, but what can I do now. The doe is so good, good amount of milk and nice little udder. I oly have the 2 FF due this winter, so it was a bummer to loose one set of twins already.

Question: I milked the doe out the day she lost the kids, and yesterday evening. She stand great, and eats her dairy ration quietly as I milk her, I got about 4 cups out of her last night? Is that ok? But the real question. CAn I continue milking her only once per day, to have some milk if we need it for the lambs? I don't have time in the mornings, up at 5, check things in the barn and work for 7, and its a 45 minute-1 hour drive to work. So I have been milking her at night. Is this ok?

On the up side, we had a set of triplet lambs bron last night, I had enough time to make sure they were looking good and healthy, which they were, and headed to work...I will be happy once this afternoon comes, OFF FOR A WEEK!! I scheduled it so I would be in the middle of lambing, nothing like a barn holiday eh?

Anyways, any info would be appreciated!

Melissa

[goatkid]

If you want her to milk to her full potential, she should be milked twice a day. Once a day should keep her going for a while, but you won't be getting as much milk. With my FF I like to set a good lactation curve.

[Minelson]

So sorry you lost the twins

[ONThorsegirl]

Thanks for the info... it really is a bummer, I'm now starting to wonder if the ewe was a bit ticked off, and may have hurt both, she is normally very docile, but who knows, I wasn't there.

AS for milking. if I milk her it can only really be once a day, so I may just milk her for a little bit and dry her up.

Melissa

Of course there will be less milk if you go once a day, but it's considerably more that if she were dry I don't have the report, but there was a study done on dairy sheep comparing groups milked 3 times a day, twice and once over a full lactation. If I recall it right, the volume was lower on the 1x milkers but the butterfat was highter... reverse on the 3x milkers and the 2x milkers were in the middle.

I know a few people that milk 1x/day... one went to 1x late afternoon because that was what the cow wanted. A little less milk, but still more than enough.

Once a day will do just fine.