Not much milk

mammabooh · #1 03/16/13, 08:06 AM

This is Mudge's third freshening. She has been a pretty good producer both other years, but this year, she is hardly producing at all. She kidded Thursday morning with a single doeling and I milked her for the first time this morning. I got maybe 3 tablespoons. The baby seems to be getting enough, but it seems like she is nursing constantly.

Mudge is CAE negative and I'm not feeding her any differently than in years past. I don't think it's mastitis..her teats aren't hot or anything. Could she possibly be low on calcium? Would that do it? She was shivering just a tiny bit before she kidded, so I gave her some Oral CalMPK. She wasn't shivering after that, but I don't know if it's related or not. If I take her temp and it's low, does that mean she needs more calcium?

Should I try milking her three times a day for a while to see if that helps bring her milk in? Any other suggestions?

JBarGFarmKeeper · #2 03/16/13, 08:14 AM

If milk is down...worm the goat. I know if she just kidded that you probably just did. Furthermore, if it has only been 3 days she really hasn't had time to fully "come into her milk" yet. Also, the number of kids she has DOES make a difference. If you have done the above don't worry.

Is she eating feed? If so, her calcium is likely fine. It is usually heavy producers that have those issues after kidding. The first sign for me for calcium deficiencies after kidding is if a doe refuses grain or her head hangs.

mammabooh · #3 03/16/13, 08:21 AM

Yes, I wormed her orally with Ivomec the day she kidded. She is eating just fine and doesn't seem depressed at all.

JBarGFarmKeeper · #4 03/16/13, 08:55 AM

Just give her a little time. Has the edema gone down yet? I'm sure she will pick up but with a single, she may not produce like last year.

mammabooh · #5 03/16/13, 09:18 AM

She doesn't have any edema. She did with her first freshening, but not since then. Her udder is only about the size of a grapefruit this year...very odd.

Edited to say that it's more the size of a small cantalope instead of a grapefruit.

Cyngbaeld · #6 03/16/13, 10:12 AM

Does she have a fever? What color is the discharge?

mammabooh · #7 03/16/13, 10:59 AM

Just took her temp...101.5, which is a bit low for her. The last time I took it (about 3 weeks ago), it was 103.

Discharge (what there is of it) looks normal.

Does the low-ish temp say she needs something?

trnubian · #8 03/16/13, 12:03 PM

I would give her some calcium. That temp is getting too low. I would give it to her at least twice a day for a couple days and see if that helps. Low milk production is a sign of milk fever. She might produce less this year because of the single. Milk fever can hit any doe no matter how much milk she gives. It is just more common in heavy producers.

mammabooh · #9 03/16/13, 12:39 PM

I gave her about 25 ccs orally a few minutes ago. I'll take her temp again in a couple of hours.

trnubian · #10 03/16/13, 01:44 PM

Hope she does ok for you.

JBarGFarmKeeper · #11 03/16/13, 03:18 PM

101.5 is within normal range for temp. They say to get an accurate read take the temps of 2-3 herdmates.

mammabooh · #12 03/16/13, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBarGFarmKeeper

101.5 is within normal range for temp. They say to get an accurate read take the temps of 2-3 herdmates.

I was planning to take it again in a bit, so I'll take the others' also.

Mudge acted like she wanted to go out to the pasture, so I let her and the baby out of the stall for a few minutes. I think Vinnie and Winnie (Mudge's girls from last year) are offended that they have to share their mom with the little pipsqueak.

mammabooh · #13 03/16/13, 04:43 PM

Mudge's temp was 102.3 and Snicket's was 102.5 few minutes ago.

trnubian · #14 03/16/13, 07:26 PM

Thats good! Maybe the calcium helped!

mammabooh · #15 03/16/13, 07:38 PM

I just hope I go out there and find a nice full udder tomorrow. I'm hoping to milk her and freeze some in case I have issues with Vinnie when she kids.

mammabooh · #16 03/17/13, 07:45 AM

Woohoo...more milk today! Only about two cups, but that's a lot more than the 3 tablespoons I got yesterday.

trnubian · #17 03/17/13, 07:57 AM

Yay! So glad she is doing better! I would still keep up the calcium for a day or two.

mammabooh · #18 03/17/13, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trnubian

Yay! So glad she is doing better! I would still keep up the calcium for a day or two.

I will.

Backfourty,MI. · #19 03/17/13, 10:16 AM

What about alfalfa pellets on the stand? Mine get their grain but on the milk stand I give all the alfalfa pellets they want while I'm milking them.

mammabooh · #20 03/17/13, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

What about alfalfa pellets on the stand? Mine get their grain but on the milk stand I give all the alfalfa pellets they want while I'm milking them.

I do just the opposite! They get grain on the milk stand, but alfalfa pellets in the pens.