?'s on drying does up and rebreeding

Mrs_stuart · #1 08/23/05, 11:47 AM

I have a few questions...
we have a 2 year old oberhasli...she was bred for the first time, last fall...and had 2 kids in middle of march (2005)...
My dd is wanting to dry her up in November/early Dec...what is the best way to do that? Cut her grain...milk less...when would we do that? My dd wants to make sure her goat will not suffer any problems.
Second, My dd is not wanting to re-breed her this fall...is this going to be bad for the doe? how will this affect the drying up process? What about milk production in the following years?
Any suggestions?

Belinda

trnubian · #2 08/23/05, 04:12 PM

To dry up your doe you will want to milk less and less and then eventually stop. DO it over a period of time. Depending on how good of a milker she is it could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. Some just never dry off, but I have never heard of that problem in Obs.

Start by cutting her feed in half for a couple days. Then start milking her once a day. Yes, she will be REALLY full after that first 24 hours. But as long as she isn't streaming milk, rock hard and shiny, if you can pinch any skin on her udder at all, she will be fine. Milk her once a day for 2-3 days. Then go to once every other day for 2-3 milkings. After that she should dry off with no problem. Just stop milking her and don't give her any grain. Give her high quality hay and losse minerals availabe at all times, along with free choice baking soda and free choice water.

Remember to alway dip her teats very well while drying oof, and don't just milk a little out of her as this can cause mastitis.

It will take awhile for her to look completely "dry" as the milk is reabsorbed back into her body. If she is the type of doe that needs grain even when she is not milking, you can give her some about two weeks after you have completely topped milking her. Other than that she shouldn't need grain unless it gets REALLY cold outside or she is bred again.

Not breeding her won't hurt her at all. It may hurt her milk production in the future however. This is because she will have missed a year of milking and udder development. Each milking year a does udder matures more. She will ose one year of maturity and therefore will not milk up to her maximum capability.

Is there a reason you don't want her bred this fall? If you just don't want the milk leave her kids on her and let her wean them and she will just dry off, with a little help from you.

Mrs_stuart · #3 08/23/05, 05:40 PM

trnubian,
thanks for all the info.
My dd is the one with the goats. She has been milking for several years now, and she is 13. She wanted a break but wants to keep her goats. We live on just one acre and it is hard because we have to "buy" all feed for them, there is just no pasture and no place to move them to. My dd takes great care of them. This year was the does first time and she had twins and she would not take care of them at all...she head butted them, pulled their hair out and refused to let them nurse and I am not sure she would be any better next time (of course, i could be wrong) but dd doesnt want to bottle feed all spring again. She is a very responsible child, she is up every morning at 6:30 and milks and then again at 6 pm. she has miss only 1 day, when she was sick and dad milked for her. I dont want her to have to do it if she doesnt want to. but we havent decided totally...thanks again.

Belinda

Caren · #4 08/23/05, 06:08 PM

Hi

I don't have any experience with kidding goats but I grew up on a hog farm and noticed that our first time farrowers (gilts) were often afraid of their babies. I think the maternal instinct had not kicked in yet. (Not to mention she had just went through an agonising pain.) But the second time around the gilts/sows did just fine.

It's just a thought. Could be right could be wronge. But me I would chance it.

Also I would like to know the age of your daughter and what did you do to get her so responsible. Of my four people kids I can only see my son Kristopher getting up early to milk the goat.

trnubian · #5 08/24/05, 02:00 PM

You did it fine, she should be just fine from here on out. No, she probably isn't happy. Less attention, less grain. Go figure.