Doe not milking out the whole way...

stanb999 · #1 04/27/09, 07:51 AM

Our one doe always "keeps some back" for the baby after milking her. This hasn't been an issue due to the fact that the baby is still on her. But we are getting to the 2 month mark and would like to ween the baby soon. So do you all have any insight on how to get her to milk out the whole way? Do I just keep milking at her even tho it goes to just a trickle?

Here is how it is going now. She is bulging first thing. She milks out about half of what she is gonna give in the first 3-4 minutes. Then I have to massage and get a bit, massage and get a bit. I do this several times. Then the milk flow really slows. When we put her out with the baby within a few minutes the baby has her totally drained and empty... I went to check a few times.

So do I just need to spend more time on her? Should I leave the baby and just take what we get? Or does any one have Ideas that may work?

Alice In TX/MO · #2 04/27/09, 08:11 AM

Take what you can get for now, then when the kid is weaned, you will become the new baby, and she will let down more for you.

Are you penning the baby at night and milking once in the morning or milking twice a day or what?

stanb999 · #3 04/27/09, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Take what you can get for now, then when the kid is weaned, you will become the new baby, and she will let down more for you.

Are you penning the baby at night and milking once in the morning or milking twice a day or what?

Yes, we are separating at night.

It's not so much that I'm worried about how much we are getting. It's just that I don't want her milk to slow and slow from not being able to milk her all the way out.

DQ · #4 04/27/09, 05:22 PM

think. we are squeezing and depending on gravity babies are creating suction. try sucking the air out of a plastic bag and watch how it deflates and starts to crumple up. now try to make it crumple like that by just squeezing it with one hand. not happening.

my obnoxious opinion is that it is a myth that they can hold back milk. the let down reflex is a physiological response. they can't stop or start it any more than you can stop or start salivation on purpose. if I could have prevented let down when I was nursing I most certainly would have! it can come at very inoppurtune times! baby goats can always get more milk out than human hands. baby mammals have evolved for many years to be good at extracting milk

. that is imo why people think that the doe is holding back milk. its just that our hands will never be as effective at extracting every last tiny drop as a baby goat.

Shazza · #5 04/29/09, 06:53 AM

I personally think too that it is too early to wean at 2 mths....at least leave it till the kid is 3-4 mths....here in Oz we do it very differently, we mostly bottle raise and we feed till the does are at least 9 mths old and the bucks we feed longer if'n they'll drink it....helping the bubbas reach their full potential growth.

DairyGoatSlave · #6 04/29/09, 10:27 AM

Im haing teh same problem with one of my does, hes not with her durring the day so i get what I can durring the night milking....brat