[Roxy]

I was looking forward to having goats milk again, but not having much luck this year so far!!  The little pygmy female lost her kid, and she only had a diddy udder so let her dry off.  Molly, the sannan x Anglo Nubian who had twins, but one died, has never had much milk .....had the other twin survived I think we would be bottle feeding.  I know the kid is probably drinking plenty, but all the other goats I have milked (the larger dairy breeds) have had plenty of milk for twins, and some for me as well.


Hopefully, Jasmine the larger sannan who is in kid to our British Alpine billy will produce more milk.

Molly is having plenty of feed, and twice as much hay as the other goats, so its not lack of feeding.  Its surprising how much a goat feeding a kid will eat - she always seems very hungry, although she is being fed three times a day.

The kids ears, although long and floppy, have now gone like his mums long ears - half mast.  He is light brown with a white face, and a dorsel strip down his back, like my two Anglo Nubians.  Looks nothing like mum, who is white with a brown head, and dad who is the black and white hairy pygmy.

[ballingall]

Hi Roxy,

Is this the first time she has kidded? Sometimes they just don't have much milk first year round. My Anglo-Nubian last year was disappointing, she never gave more than 4 kilos, and because she kidded in February her milk was dropping off again by July!

It is still only January, its hard for them to produce lots of milk when there is no lovely fresh greens to eat which there will be in April time. And remember their milk doesn't peak until they have been kidded for 6 weeks.


Beth

[Roxy]

Hi Beth,

I have never had a goat kid this early - usually April/May, so never experienced a winter kidding in 35 years of goat keeping, and like I say, always had goats with full udders.  I have considered that she is inot on grass, but even so, I would expect her to have a little more milk.  I will have to be patient, and hope things improve when she goes out.  This is her second kidding.  My best milker was a non registered Toggenburg who peaked at 11 and three quarter pints a day.  Had twins every year in the 5 years we had her, then one set of triplets, every one a  billy.  So maybe I am expecting a little too much of Molly in that respect!!