Milk let down Question?

[mrs.H]

When I milk Milkyway I start with a maggidans milker, until the flow stops then I hand milk her. After a little while I can't get any more milk out, but can still feel it in her udder. So I put Heidi up on the stand and let her nurse for less than a minute (which Milkyway really doesn't seem to like) and then I can milk her the rest of the way out. Her teats feel fullt after Heidi drinks. I assume this is because of let down.

So my question is, How do a get Milkyway to let down for just me? I not alway going to be able to let Heidi nurse to get a letdown. After she weans for example. Does anyone have any experienced with this, and how did you fix it? I'm afraid that if I don't milk her all the way out, she will produce less and less. Thereby shortening her lactation period.

Thanks for any ideas,

[Jyllie63]

I can't wait for someone to answer, because I"m having the same problem

[steff bugielski]

Do you bump her udder just like the kid does?
I make a fist around the teat but not closed tight and I bump upwards a few times. This simulates the kid bumping and she should let down the rest of her milk.

[mrs.H]

I'm about to go milk I will try that. Thank you.

When Heidi bumps her udder, it looks really hard, and I've been a little fearful of bumping her that hard.

[LomahAcres]

Most of my girls need to be 're-trained' to let down milk when they kid out. Keep a routine, milk at the same time, the same way, same person etc. When she stops giving you milk, massage and keep squirting for a minute or two and she should let down the rest for you. Don't stop trying until you get her full amount out. After about 2-4 weeks, they let it all down at milk time.

[ozark_jewels]

And many goats let milk down more than one time. Not really noticable if you are a slow milker, but for a fast milker its very noticable.
Try massaging or "butting" her udder with your hands. Give her a little more time on the stand. Talk to her and pet her......it all helps.

[mrs.H]

Thanks you guys.

Bumping her udder was a little helpful that first day I tried it. Then I watched Heide nursing over the course or the day, and tried to see how she bumped. She is so mean! I bumped a little harder today and we now have a new high day. Get ready... 16.5 oz.! Over a pound I milk in the evening too, but after she has been with her kid all day it's usually just barely over an ounce. So I don't count it. I only milk in the evening to make sure she is in the routine when it comes time to wean. And I figure the extra stimulation can't hurt.

And I am a slow milker. Her teats don't clear my hand so I have to be careful, or I end up squirting the milk down my hand.

[Jyllie63]

I'm glad you're having some success . The bumping and massaging isn't making much of a difference here. The fact that my main milking doe's kid is twice the size of the others (who are only a week younger) explains our lack of milk I think LOL. He's almost 5 weeks so I guess after he's weaned we'll be able to drink the milk. Right now everything we get goes back to the kids.

[garyh141]

I have nigerians so the teats are small also. I'm thinking possibly you do also because of your comment about not clearing your hand. Since I didn't have Maggidan's milker (need to get one!), I found a new trick this week -- I used a soda type bottle. I aimed the teat into the bottle, wrapped my hand around the bottle opening and using my thumb and finger milked like you would a full size doe (only the one finger/thumb was on the teat, the rest were wrapped around the bottle). This made it work, for me anyway, because my fingers were out of the way, they could continue to automatically work if they wanted to (habit) but the finger/thumb combo got the job done for milking that small teat. Just a suggestion.
And yes, those babies bump so hard that sometimes mamas back end lifts off the ground. So if your bumping method is not working, try a little stronger bump.
Sandra

[4piecesof8]

Again. Others with problems I am having! Yea!! Thanks for asking this question and thanks for the responses.