What's the best way to dry off a doe

[francismilker]

I'm not new to milking, but am new to goat milking. Anyone give me a hint or two on drying off a milk doe? I'm down to once a day and she's giving me 1/2 gallon per day. Seems a little high on the production end of a doe to just cold turkey her. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[steff bugielski]

Stop feeding any grain. Do not milk her at all unless she is engorged. Sometimes I will milk out only a small amount after a day or two and leave the rest. She will stop.
Might I ask why are you drying her up is she due to kid soon? why not just keep milking?

[francismilker]

I'm actually not even sure if she's bred. She has been exposed to a Saanan buck and an Alpine Buck off and on for the past four months. I actually watched the Alpine chase, mount, and mount again on several different occasions. (he's not very picky though. he will mount anything in front of him if you know what I mean. Whether in heat or not.)

She had triplets in March and I didn't buy her until September. Not knowing how far she's bred (if she is bred) I'd like to give her adequate dry off time before starting another lactation. She's not showing any enlarged stomach signs of pregnancy, But I've seen cows and sheep not show too much until right up close to calving time.

I've got two other does that were bred for the first time this Fall and would like to try and milk them all from near the same start date through the same dryoff date next year. That way, it's not going to interfere with deer season and Fall activities with my family.

[mammabooh]

My friend who has had goats for many years likes to dry them off very slowly. After milking once a day for a while, she then goes down to every other day for a bit.

[GeorgiaGirl]

We are at every 4 days and our girls have slowed way down. I imagine we will be able to stop altogether very soon.

[topside1]

Francis, I only read post #1. 90 days before kidding I simply cut their milkstand grain in half and milk once a day. After five once a day milkings I just teat dip and stop milking entirely. Of course no more grain until they are dried completely usually in less than 14 days. Grains re-enter their systems 60 days prior to kidding. Been doing it this way for years now and never a problem or complaint...Topside

[Alice In TX/MO]

Topside - Do you "dry treat" with Tomorrow?

[topside1]

No Alice, just the homemade teat dip I use after every milking. Never had a problem, (six milkers). I do keep the barnyard very clean year round. Love my goats.

[francismilker]

topside, what's your protocol when you don't know the breeding date? (she's been exposed to an Alpine buck since I've had her and was exposed to a Saanan buck when I bought her but I've never actually seen her cycle. The alpine, (who will breed anyone or anything at anytime of the year) has chased/mounted her many times.

I just wanted to sync her with those doelings that I know are bred and would like them to freshen at approximately the same time. I want to dry them near the same time as well so I can use my Fall time for family and deer hunting.

[topside1]

Francis I'd stick with the Approx. Saanan buck breeding date. Once she freshens, let her raise the kids, milk for you, and just dry her up anytime after that...Dry her up early to match your rotation...Each year I dry up a couple once the kids have reached weaning age. Sell the kids and dry up the doe...I am doing this only because my milking hands can't milk them all...Hope this helps...Enjoy your day.

[Pony]

If you're able to draw blood, you can find out if she's pg for sure by sending a sample to biotracking. They get right back to you, so the most you'd be delayed is a week or so.

Hate to see you dry off a doe who's producing so well if she's not settled.

[barngirl]

Maybe you can bring her to the vet and have her ultrasounded for pregnancy? We did that with a few of ours last year and it was less hassle than the blood work plus had immediate results! Another plus to ultrasounds, is that you know how many to expect.

As for drying them off, we have some milkers who practically dry themselves up once they are bred, and others who are very persistent. For those does who want to keep milking, we go down to once a day for a few days, and after they start dropping a bit, then we may milk them once every three milkings until they can just absorb the rest. Some does just love to milk

[Pony]

Originally Posted by barngirl

Maybe you can bring her to the vet and have her ultrasounded for pregnancy? We did that with a few of ours last year and it was less hassle than the blood work plus had immediate results! Another plus to ultrasounds, is that you know how many to expect.

As for drying them off, we have some milkers who practically dry themselves up once they are bred, and others who are very persistent. For those does who want to keep milking, we go down to once a day for a few days, and after they start dropping a bit, then we may milk them once every three milkings until they can just absorb the rest. Some does just love to milk

Out of curiosity, how much does it cost in your neck of the woods to get an ultrasound?

For me, it's more of a hassle to drag the doe to the vet's office: 40 miles one way, and we don't have a livestock trailer, so she has to ride in the back of the Cherokee.

MUCH easier to draw a couple CC's of blood and mail it off.

For her first two freshenings, Trub dried herself off about halfway through.

[chewie]

topside--would like to know your homemade teat dip? is it fiasco's?

second, when you say 'cut grain in half', do you mean portion size or simply cuz you now are only putting that doe on the stand once per day? is she getting the reg. portion or half of that much, only once per day?

[topside1]

Yes just the standard poor mans' dip...water, dishwashing liquid, little bleach...Has never failed me yet. Portion size is cut in half and only milk once per day. This change is all at once. I milk Nubians and generally by October they are bred back and are naturally slowing down in production....Kidding begins once again in December or early January...Love my girls,,,,they make my cereral taste better than ever....Topside

[barngirl]

Out of curiosity, how much does it cost in your neck of the woods to get an ultrasound?

For me, it's more of a hassle to drag the doe to the vet's office: 40 miles one way, and we don't have a livestock trailer, so she has to ride in the back of the Cherokee.

MUCH easier to draw a couple CC's of blood and mail it off.

For her first two freshenings, Trub dried herself off about halfway through.

It cost about $15 for us to get 5 pregnancy checked...and the vet is only about 15 minutes away from us. We just used our old pick up to transport and it worked well However, I can see how in your case, the blood tests would be much easier!!

[francismilker]

topside, thanks for the suggestions.

pony, in my neck of the woods we only have one ultrasound that can be used for detecting goat and sheep pregnancy and it's owned by the local jr. college. They bought it with grant money from the feds and were using it to help the local goat dairyman out when our goat cheese plant was up and running. Sad thing is, it or the person using it failed miserably a couple years back and told the dairyman to dry up a bunch of heavy milking does alleging they were bred. They ended up being open and stayed dry for a long, long time because of the false positive.

I've never witnessed it done or used so I hate to form and opinion about ultrasound. My large animal vet or any in my area don't have one that I know of.

[Pony]

Originally Posted by francismilker

topside, thanks for the suggestions.

pony, in my neck of the woods we only have one ultrasound that can be used for detecting goat and sheep pregnancy and it's owned by the local jr. college. They bought it with grant money from the feds and were using it to help the local goat dairyman out when our goat cheese plant was up and running. Sad thing is, it or the person using it failed miserably a couple years back and told the dairyman to dry up a bunch of heavy milking does alleging they were bred. They ended up being open and stayed dry for a long, long time because of the false positive.

I've never witnessed it done or used so I hate to form and opinion about ultrasound. My large animal vet or any in my area don't have one that I know of.

I don't know of anyone around here who does it, either, but if they did, dragging my does around doesn't work. I did it when Trub was VERY pregnant with quads; never again.

I expect test results on Monday from BioTracking. Pretty sure Trub's bred though. With more experience, I'm better able to see her body changes. This being her third freshening, she's probably "showing" more as well.

[ozark_jewels]

I give my does 2 months dry time. So when they are 3 months bred, I cut all grain from their diet and skip morning milking. I check them in the evening and if they are not that full, I leave them till morning and check again. If she is so full she is uncomfortable, I will milk her out about 1/2 way. Usually that late in lactation, I do not have to milk out at all. So it is basicly cold turkey.

[francismilker]

Thanks Emily!