Milk Production dropping

[christij]

I am milking 2 does once a day and was bringing a little over a gallon 5 months into lactation. I rotated the girls from where they were on 1 1/2 acres with about 1/4 acre untouched browse that they loved clearing out. Now they are on 1 acre pasture clover, fescue, weeds and a little browse here and there about a week ago.
Since Saturday I am seeing a drop in production. Down to 3/4 a gallon. The girls started coming in heat last month and I noticed a slight dropped as they were pining at the boys gate, but it went back up. It was warmer this past week to and now we are getting some much needed rain.

What can I do to up the milk out put?

Thanks. CJ

[susanne]

we had very hot temps the last couple of days. how about at your place?
hormonal change will also influence milk production.
depending on your lines, they might get over this hurdle and pick up again in fall, or??????
you could try and milk three times and see if they increase production again.
breeding time is just around the corner and goats start to built up to get in best shape for pregnancy, why they drop in production too

went to your website, love your greenhouse

[Alice In TX/MO]

The change from lots of browse to not much browse is a huge change in their digestion.

That and coming into heat would have a big impact.

[christij]

That's what I am afraid of.... but I really needed to pull them off so they don't kill everything so they have it for future use.... what to do....

[susanne]

feed them extra.
you can not expect hi production from browse only

[christij]

Ooh, they get grain on the stand. Oats, the local sheep& goat combo from the feedstore, alf pellets, minerals and fastrack on the stand. I am thinking of giving them extra pellets in the afternoon.

[susanne]

you need to give them alfalfa either hay or pellet form not only on the milk stand. that is what makes milk
how much alfa pellets do you feed them? here, they get at least 3 pound per day/head

[christij]

I don't give them that much. I was meeting our needs. But I will be upping it. The hay they were on up until the first part of June did have some alfafla but they weren't that interested in once things greened.

[christij]

Okay, while I need the recent rain for the gardens it's not going to help with milk production... my girls do much better on the greens!