Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Drying up dam  (Read 2017 times)

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Drying up dam
« on: January 15, 2018, 10:20:18 am »
Hi can anyone please give me advice as to the best way to dry up my dam so she doesn't become susceptible to mastitis.

Many thanks in advance

Angie

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2018, 12:01:54 pm »
Only hay and water, with limited supplies of the water for a while.

Make sure the kid is unable to suckle.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2018, 02:13:21 pm »

If she is in-kid and already in the last 8 weeks you may have to give her more than hay and water, but I would keep it to readigrass or Alpha, oats, sugar beet shreds rather than high protein mix.


Also, don't milk her out, just ease out until udder feels soft, after a couple of days of that move to easing out every 24 hours, then onto 36 hours, two day etc etc... if she goes very full in-between you may have to take it slower. But at this time of year it shouldn't be too difficult, especially if she is not in-kid and therefore does not need any concentrates at all.

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2018, 05:37:30 pm »
Thank you both

Anke dam is only producing between a litre litre-half. She started to refuse beet in her course goat mix and now only has goat mix.

,dam is in kid,last time she had triplets. Should I stop hard feed until dry and then put her on 250 maintenance feed?

Angie

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2018, 05:50:27 pm »

When is she due?


With only a litre you can probably just reduce the amount you take (until udder is soft, so maybe half a litre) and reduce her concentrate, she should be less and less soonish I would think.


What's her body condition, and did she have pregnancy toxaemia before?

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2018, 06:43:45 pm »
Hi Anke

Her body condition score dropped a month ago when she had bronchitis and was diagnosed as having lungworm nematodes in her fec test
, been treated for this, but still coughing due to get rid of the dead matter. Managed to improve body score by encouraging her to have her hard feed.

Not due til April, don't know if she had pregnancy toximia as she had triplets when with previous owner

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2018, 08:45:29 pm »
I would leave her on the concentrates as she is now and just not strip out, then increase the interval between milking. You don' want her to drop more in condition.

angie

  • Joined Jul 2016
Re: Drying up dam
« Reply #7 on: January 16, 2018, 08:52:33 pm »
Thank you Anke for all your helpful advice, really appreciate it

Angie

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS