Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[Mini Horses]

Yeah, milking start up needs a mental adjustment at first for us humans. . But I enjoy it after that. It's after you fill every inch of frig space with milk and eggs that you think -- maybe I should cut back . I'm thinking 2 is perfect.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yeah, milking start up needs a mental adjustment at first for us humans. . But I enjoy it after that. It's after you fill every inch of frig space with milk and eggs that you think -- maybe I should cut back . I'm thinking 2 is perfect.

Definitely have to get your head in the game. I do love milking - even my mixed breed junk goats, lol!

I used a half gallon last night to make yogurt. Like always, kinda runny but tastes great. Also used another gallon to start some chevre. Maybe flavor half of it with some roasted garlic. Yum! I WILL use this milk that my goats so generously bestow upon me.

Started weaning the boys which means I've got another doe whose supply is not being utilized unless I start milking her too. Geeze - somebody stop me!

 

[baymule]

Do you freeze milk for when you aren’t milking?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Do you freeze milk for when you aren’t milking?

If I have room in the freezer, lol. Tried canning it once. There's a reason I only did it once!

 

[Mini Horses]

I've tried three "suggested" methods, temps, times -- none are drinkable. Poor tasting. A can of condensed, bought, tastes better & uses less space.. What's aggravating is not being able to can it and it's so plentiful! A challenge for sure.

 

[flowerbug]

how long can you milk them before they go dry?

 

[Mini Horses]

@flowerbug Average for good dairy is 10 months lactation. But I've got some who will milk way longer. You can stagger kiddings to have some milking. But you dry off to rest before next kidding. So those who milk thru longer, miss a year of kidding. Most dairy are seasonal breeders....some not...generally Aug/Sep to Feb/Mar. Part of dry off is to rest people doing milking!

FEM have your kikos & myos had different breeding, lactation results?? I know you have some Nubian influence, too. I'm anxious to see how a Boer/saanen/Nubian does with it prep me.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Since the Kiko breed has a high dairy influence I'm getting great milking results from Kiko/Nubians. My Kinder (Nubian/Pygmy) also milk great! Smaller goat - eats less - milk great.

I'm getting my first results of Kiko x Kinder this year. First lactation for these gals so only "preliminary" results. I'm milking one of them, Poppy, daily at this point. A little less production, but she's a FF who kidded with a single baby so not surprised. She has a beautiful high/tight udder and wonderful fine skin that is super easy to hand milk.

Another doe that I'm not milking yet, Punkin, because she's still got two doelings on her has a great udder and looks to have higher capacity. She's out of one of my highest volume Kinder gals (Lucy) and Frankie (registered Kiko) that produced over a gallon a day. Sold Lucy as a family milker and they love her!

Nothing to report from the Myo's at this point as far as milking. I do have some Myo cross doelings born this year - so stay tuned until next year for a report, lol. The registered Myo doelings that I bought last fall will be bred in May for purebred Myo babies. Don't know, but don't really expect the Myo's to contribute to milkier babies. My expectations from them are for meatier babies.

Despite some snobbery toward crossbred junk goats - mine are fulfilling everything I ask from them. All are from registered purebred beginnings. Registered Nubians, Registered Kiko's and Registered Pygmies - and now the Registered Myotonics.

Registered is good if you're looking for mainly one characteristic from that breed. Be it milk, be it meat. Crossbreeding brings in, for one thing, hybrid vigor. What I'm striving for is a medium size, dual purpose goat with parasite resistance. I'm getting that.

Hello, my name is FEM, and I'm a junk goat lover, lol!

 

[Mini Horses]

call it what you want -- I guess I junk breed here, too!

Registries are fine -- I have both reg & not. One of my BEST milkers is cross bred and has an ugly udder. . Her kids are perfect and well fed. After years of reg paperwork, DNA & expense...with mini horses, donkeys & goats...I'm pretty "over" it. Not downing it, just limiting it. I spend on good bucks, 50% of a herd...some excellent does, to make more good replacement bucks. Then I "junk breed".

Im not getting any younger -- not changing the world!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm not the one that labeled them "junk." LOL - just responding to reading that somewhere else. I was, quite honestly, slightly offended that not everyone sees the wonderful qualities of mixed breed goats - so I decided to defend them. I think my crossbred goats are pure royalty! I'm sure yours are too.

I've also done the registration game... for years and years and years. Registration papers mean nothing to me at this time. However, I will probably register the offspring of the Myotonic/Myotonic breedings. I will want to sell them that way. Depending on how well they sell, ($) will determine if I keep the does. I surely cannot breed them to my larger bucks.