The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on July 30, 2011, 12:15:03 pm

Title: Milking question...
Post by: plumseverywhere on July 30, 2011, 12:15:03 pm
Hello  :)

Just got a couple of perhaps dizzy questions re:my milker!

Savannah is a maiden milker and currently producing between 4 and 5 pints a day. The milk came in along with the new and lush grass in spring so I'm making something of an assumption here that it will naturally dry up come autumn?
As she is only producing this much, could she be milked once a day rather than twice? her udder is never overly hard, hot or tight come second milking of the day but I obviously don't want to make her ill by not milking often enough  :-\

thank you!
Lisa 
Title: Re: Milking question...
Post by: tizaala on July 30, 2011, 01:11:52 pm
I would continue with twice a day just to keep the milk coming and to prevent mastitis, are you going to mate her  this Autumn ?
Title: Re: Milking question...
Post by: plumseverywhere on July 30, 2011, 01:22:51 pm
no. she's being joined in the autumn by a pregnant (new) friend.  so I'll keep going with the twice daily  :)  is there a point in time where I should only do it once a day?
Title: Re: Milking question...
Post by: tizaala on July 30, 2011, 09:04:22 pm
If the yield starts to drop off drasticaly then you can dry her off , but as long as she is giving , keep taking.
Title: Re: Milking question...
Post by: katie on July 30, 2011, 10:27:47 pm
When my goats' yield fell towards Autumn I would go to once a day milking. Have a look at the fiasco farm website - they have some good tips.

Katie
Title: Re: Milking question...
Post by: plumseverywhere on July 31, 2011, 08:34:29 am
Thank you  :)

will keep taking and freezing then to see me through winter.
We might get a few days away with the children and am hoping that the yield drop will fall in line with then so my milking friend doesn't have to drive over twice a day, although I know she won't mind too much if she does need to as she's in love with these 2 goats  :love: