The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Thrift Bee on January 05, 2014, 07:20:54 pm

Title: Managing milk production with minimal head count.
Post by: Thrift Bee on January 05, 2014, 07:20:54 pm

Confused as to how to approach this.

We are currently getting a litre a day from our 5yr old doe Betsy.

She kidded last March and her kid Buttercup (as some of you already know) has just kidded yesterday.

So now we potentially have two milkers, and one boy and one girl kid.

In an ideal world we would only keep two goats as we really don't have enough room for anymore.

Things i am trying to factor in are,
1. It may not be in Buttercups interest to continue to milk her as she is so young?
2. Betsy would milk through the summer and then we should give her a break?

So....what are some sensible options?  What would you do.?

Title: Re: Managing milk production with minimal head count.
Post by: Lesley Silvester on January 05, 2014, 09:55:02 pm

I usually run mine through for two years but it does depend how much she is giving. A litre a day at this time of year will probably equal more than two pints next summer. Is this going to be enough?


As far as Buttercup is concerned, common sense may say that she is too young but I know someone who bought a kid who had kidded and was advised to dry her because of her age but she produced so much that it wasn't feasible so she continued to be milked. She kept her weight up and appeared to be happy and healthy. I think you just have to play it by ear.