can a person have a dairy goat and only milk once a day,,say pull the kids off in the evening,milk in the AM and then put the kids back on for the day..I am really think I want one,BUT not sure I want the extra work involved.Its the time for me I guess more then the work.
goat question
- Thread starter lorieMN
- Start date
ksalvagno
Almost Self-Reliant
I know some people only milk once a day. You can definitely do that while the kids are nursing. I'm guessing that there is a chance that the goat would dry up sooner if only milked once a day once the kids are off but I'm not sure. I have always milked twice a day. I think it is great that you are researching it before you buy. Milking one goat doesn't take a lot of time once you get the hang of it. Also, I'm not able to stick to a strict 12 hour schedule so there can be up to an hour wiggle room in my milking schedule.
MsPony
Lovin' The Homestead
That's what we did. Mommas were put in the backyard area and once a day we milked them. Otherwise there babies milked and we would offer bottles too.
However I don't know if that's the "correct" way to do it, but its been working for years for us.
However I don't know if that's the "correct" way to do it, but its been working for years for us.
glenolam
Lovin' The Homestead
You could even do the opposite and milk in the evenings.
There's no way you'll catch me up at 5 am to milk the goat, sorry, just aint going to happen. I work from 8-4:30 so what I'd do is go out right before I left for work and tape up my does teats with regular 3M bandage tape. By the time I got home and was ready to milk (around 6-7) she was nice and full.
Now, the only realization I'm having was that it took me about 5 minutes to tape her up every day and I had just started out milking so I wasn't good or quick. Now that I have one season of milking under my belt I'm wondering if I could milk in 5 min thus being able to separate the kids overnight...
There's no way you'll catch me up at 5 am to milk the goat, sorry, just aint going to happen. I work from 8-4:30 so what I'd do is go out right before I left for work and tape up my does teats with regular 3M bandage tape. By the time I got home and was ready to milk (around 6-7) she was nice and full.
Now, the only realization I'm having was that it took me about 5 minutes to tape her up every day and I had just started out milking so I wasn't good or quick. Now that I have one season of milking under my belt I'm wondering if I could milk in 5 min thus being able to separate the kids overnight...
- Thread starter
- #5
thanks guys,,it does look like something I could do then,,but on the other hand I can buy fresh milk pretty reasonably I just have to freeze some.I will research some more,I have had meat goats and sheep in the past so that part of owning them doesnt bother me,and I had a cow dairy in the past also,and I just dont want to be THAT tied down..
Bubblingbrooks
Made in Alaska
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Milking once per day with kids separated at night works quite well.
But to keep production up, once the kids are removed fully, you would want to milk twice per day.
But to keep production up, once the kids are removed fully, you would want to milk twice per day.
freemotion
Food Guru
www.fiascofarm.com has some articles about this. You will get a bit less milk, but it can be done.
lwheelr
Lovin' The Homestead
We milk our goat twice a day, and the kids are still on her. We do not remove them at night, and she always gives more in the morning anyway - we didn't want to have the kids and the mom bawling all night, since we live in town. We do not supplemental bottle feed the kids at all. We do give them fresh veggies, and the kids started eating hay, and nibbling at the mom's oats by the time they were 1-2 weeks old.
The biggest issue is going to be feed. A mom with kids, and milking takes a LOT of feed. If you can feed her enough, she can produce even if nursing kids - you'll get 1-8 cups a day, depending on the goat type, how many kids she has on her, and how much you feed her.
Best if you have lots of forage for her, plus grain her twice a day. The amount of grain will depend entirely on how much forage or fresh veg you can give her.
If you milk once a day, you will get less, and it WILL be harder to keep things going. She'll dry up sooner. But you can still get enough, for long enough, to make it worth it.
Milking twice a day isn't that awful. We still sleep in for an hour on Saturdays, sometimes we are late milking them at night (I mean REALLY late), and they put up with us. If you have a goat with a large udder and are maintaining peak production, then timing of the milking is important or you'll end up with a goat that is in pain if you go much past milking time. But if your goat is not maintaining peak production, you have more flexibility.
The biggest issue is going to be feed. A mom with kids, and milking takes a LOT of feed. If you can feed her enough, she can produce even if nursing kids - you'll get 1-8 cups a day, depending on the goat type, how many kids she has on her, and how much you feed her.
Best if you have lots of forage for her, plus grain her twice a day. The amount of grain will depend entirely on how much forage or fresh veg you can give her.
If you milk once a day, you will get less, and it WILL be harder to keep things going. She'll dry up sooner. But you can still get enough, for long enough, to make it worth it.
Milking twice a day isn't that awful. We still sleep in for an hour on Saturdays, sometimes we are late milking them at night (I mean REALLY late), and they put up with us. If you have a goat with a large udder and are maintaining peak production, then timing of the milking is important or you'll end up with a goat that is in pain if you go much past milking time. But if your goat is not maintaining peak production, you have more flexibility.
Shiloh Acres
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I had two milking does, and more freedom than I expected.
I DID normally milk the better producer twice a day, and she had no kids of her own here. However, she would allow ANY kid to nurse, even purchased weanlings who had been bottlefed but figured out quickly enough what was in those pointy-out things when she stood up to eat leaves, LOL.
If ever I was late, or sick, or whatever, I knew she would be ok. I could put kids in with her and they'd take care of it. In fact, if I planned to milk, I had to separate the kids (never was successful at taping).
The other doe (also a FF) wasn't producing much and had a HUGE kid that refused to wean, so I'd milk her from time to time when I wanted milk, and to keep her used to being milked. She actually might have produced a lot (I did get my best milking from her -- once) but her kid nursed constantly. She was so hard to milk (tiny teats) and I got more than enough from my easy milker that I didn't bother with her much.
I'm sure with high production and to keep things at a maximum it would be different, but I found it possible to be somewhat laid-back about it. Especially with the 2nd doe.
I DID normally milk the better producer twice a day, and she had no kids of her own here. However, she would allow ANY kid to nurse, even purchased weanlings who had been bottlefed but figured out quickly enough what was in those pointy-out things when she stood up to eat leaves, LOL.
If ever I was late, or sick, or whatever, I knew she would be ok. I could put kids in with her and they'd take care of it. In fact, if I planned to milk, I had to separate the kids (never was successful at taping).
The other doe (also a FF) wasn't producing much and had a HUGE kid that refused to wean, so I'd milk her from time to time when I wanted milk, and to keep her used to being milked. She actually might have produced a lot (I did get my best milking from her -- once) but her kid nursed constantly. She was so hard to milk (tiny teats) and I got more than enough from my easy milker that I didn't bother with her much.
I'm sure with high production and to keep things at a maximum it would be different, but I found it possible to be somewhat laid-back about it. Especially with the 2nd doe.
lwheelr
Lovin' The Homestead
The other issue to letting the kids nurse, is that for sheer freedom and time saving, it sure beats having to bottle feed the babies!
My sister started raising goats the way we had been taught when we were growing up - bottle feeding the babies. But she soon started leaving the kids on the does, saying that it was far easier, plus the kids ended up measurably healthier.
I also just really like to let the moms be moms. I don't think a person can raise a baby animal as well as a momma animal can raise the baby.
My sister started raising goats the way we had been taught when we were growing up - bottle feeding the babies. But she soon started leaving the kids on the does, saying that it was far easier, plus the kids ended up measurably healthier.
I also just really like to let the moms be moms. I don't think a person can raise a baby animal as well as a momma animal can raise the baby.
