Milk production reduced by half overnight

[mom25kiddles]

My doe, Center, kidded in mid June w/ triplets (2nd freshening), and has been milking at a bit over a gallon per day since. All of a sudden, she is only giving about 30 ounces each milking. She doesn't seem at all ill, looks real good, acts fine, eats as much as ever, etc... ???? Is this a normal reduction in production? It has been hotter than normal here the last week or so... but certainly not any warmer than it was in July and August. Ack!!! Please help!!

Thanks so much ~
Carmen

[deafgoatlady]

Try this. Give her very warm water everyday. She will suck it up. Try that. I have been hearing that and it does help. Who knows. But You may wanna to check the worms. Sometimes if they have parasite and it can cause the milk production go down. Do u have loose mineral for them as free choice and how much do you feed them?

[Lizza]

Did you switch her hay or anything? My milk production dropped once and my daughter reminded me we had run out of alfalfa and were only feeding orchard grass for the previous couple of days, stocked back up on alfalfa and milk production went right back up.

[farmmom]

I've also had dramatic drops if there has been a stray dog in the yard, or a new animal on the farm, anything that makes them nervous. The drop has continued for up to a few days, then once they got used to whatever it was, the milk came back.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Hormones!

[rosawoodsii]

Is she in heat?

[mom25kiddles]

Thanks for all the advice!!! She isn't in heat and we haven't switched any of the feeds. She is given Purina *goat chow* at each milking (about a pound each time), alfalfa (one large flake in am, one in pm for her and other dry doe), water and has loose minerals out all the time. Apples on ocassion, but none lately. She was given Ivermectin for parasite prevention in June... I hadn't considered parasites as a problem. I'll take some samples to the vet for testing. I will totally try warm water!! Any reason they enjoy warm water over cold?

Thanks again for all the advice!!

Carmen

[mom25kiddles]

Oh, one other thing... our golden lab year old puppy is in his kennel for the last couple of days... which is located right next to the goat pen. And neither of the does like Toby one bit. I normally only put him in his kennel out back if we are going away for the day, but when my husband is out of town (like this week), Toby goes ballistic and won't stay in the yard. So, that could definitely be part of the problem as well... I never thought about *goat irritation* as a hinderance to their milk supply but it certainly makes sense!!!

Carmen

[susanne]

this is the reason for the drop milk production. she is very stressed with the dog next to her. i would give her b comp and bo-se to boost her immune system and take the dog away from her.

[grandmajo]

Hi Carmen,

I would suspect that Susanne is probably right, the dog may be irritating her.

Couple of ideas too:
When you gave her the Ivermectin in June, did you repeat the dosage again in 10 days? And I'm not sure where your located at, but there are a lot of places that Ivermectin doesn't work anymore. Excellent idea of having the fecal done, that will tell you if you have a parasite problem or not.

Also, might want to take her temp, just to make sure that she's not running a fever, although if she's eating ok, I doubt it. But, better safe than sorry.

[cjb]

I would suspect that Susanne is right, as well. Mostly because she's brilliant and always right Also, I've seen our does' production drop drastically with changes in their environment. Also, even if she isn't in heat, this is definitely breeding season so her hormones may be raging. The other cause I've seen is any kind of drop in calories or change in diet but that doesn't sound like the case here.

[susanne]

Originally Posted by cjb

I would suspect that Susanne is right, as well. Mostly because she's brilliant and always right Also, I've seen our does' production drop drastically with changes in their environment. Also, even if she isn't in heat, this is definitely breeding season so her hormones may be raging. The other cause I've seen is any kind of drop in calories or change in diet but that doesn't sound like the case here.

oh no, i would love to be always right but i'm not. ask my husband

[steff bugielski]

Originally Posted by mom25kiddles

. I never thought about *goat irritation* as a hinderance to their milk supply but it certainly makes sense!!!

Carmen

I live just outside of the town Woodstock was held at. Did you know farmers sued the producers because their cows did not produce milk for 3 days. No joke.