Yet another goat question....milk and udders

[freemotion]

Just checked on Mya and baby. She has one side of her udder VERY full, poor girl. Junior doesn't need a fraction of what she has in there, and he seems to favor one side.

I milked about 1/2 cup from the other side before she got annoyed with my fumbling.....I didn't tie her up, either. Wasn't sure how much to take, I could just see that she had too much and it didn't look comforable.

I tried to get Jr interested in the other side, but he couldn't figure it out and gave up. Probably wouldn't be an issue with multiple kids. She has quite the udder for a mostly Boer (I'm guessing.....) If so

Should I continue? If so, how much should I milk out? My original plan was to let the kid(s) nurse for two weeks, then do the Fiasco Farm method of once a day milking, then go to twice a day when I wean in two months. Of course, my plan also called for two doelings!!!

What would you do?

 

[enjoy the ride]

You really need a dairy goat person but you do need to keep that side milked down. It is not that unusual to have a lopsided udder when there is only kid.
If you don't, the most likely and best thing that will happen is that half of the udder will dry up. What also could happen is that that side of the udder gets swollen and tight and causes the doe distress. She might not want the kid butting her even on the good side. It could possible cause a problem with mastitis. It depends on the udder.

It is really unlikely that one kid will be able to use all the milk she will be producing from two sides- that milk will be increasing as the kid grows. So the lopsidedness will continue to be more obvious.

Even though she may not produce much right at this moment, you should milk her if you intend to do that long term. That should keep her milk coming on both sides.
Re: how much- that is something out of my experience- I have only take out enough to relieve the pressure a bit and allow the side to dry out as I don't milk.
I think (and make no pretense to know) that you probably should take it all the way down to keep the milk volume increasing for later.

 

[freemotion]

That's kinda what I was thinking. It would be sort of nice if Junior and I could share this way! I would never have to worry if I was taking too much or too little.

Thanks for the input and reassurance. I hope one of our experienced goat people chimes in.

I did find a local goat dairy person, who doesn't want to be bothered....in her defense, she probably is harried and overwhelmed like the rest of us and doesn't have time for the likes 'o me.

So it's y'all!!!

 

[kstaven]

If the baby continues to nurse on one side only (which may be very likely) and you plan to milk her for yourself after weaning then milk that side out twice a day if you can. If you don't later volumes will be severely decreased.

 

[freemotion]

Wow, poor girl was so lopsided this morning. I milked a quart out of that one side. What a sitcom that would've made....I've never milked! My plan was to learn and strengthen my hands gradually, and then in two months, I'd be ready to do full milking. Nope. Thrown in head first.

I did not get all the milk, my hand gave out! And she did not stand for my fumbling. She probably hurt, too. I tied a lunge line around her body to hold her to the wall. Once I relieved some pressure, she stood better. And I got bolder and was figuring out how to get more milk on each squirt.

Sorry for making all you farmer-types cringe! I am open to any input!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

free, goat kids only nurse on one side. We had to milk Nan starting almost immediately because Nugget would only nurse on the left. If she'd had twins, one would probably nurse on each side.

 

[freemotion]

Wow, really? Well, my milking career has begun. I will have to milk at 10 AM and 10 PM because that is what my strange schedule will allow me to do consistantly. I work some afternoons into the evening. DH will toss food their way, but I won't even ask about milking!!!!

 

[kstaven]

I wasn't cringing at all ... I was remembering the first time I milked a cow. My grandfather set me up, after my mouthing off, with a first time freshener. Needless to say it was a comedy in the making.

 

[freemotion]

I tried to use my left hand last night, so I will be able to milk both sides when the baby is weaned. I ended up covering him with milk, while he was on the other side. I thought I wasn't getting any, since I couldn't hear it hitting the pail!!

 

[Sebrightmom]

Welcome to the wonderful world of milking. I joined this world last Fall. Right now, I have one Nubian that I am milking. I get around a gallon a day from her. I milk around 7:30 in the morning and at 6 at night. She does pretty good with this. I did let her raise the kid and milked her at the same time. I liked how it worked out. I didn't get as much as I do now, but I only had one kid and didn't want him away from his mother.

You are doing the right thing milking her out. I am not sure if you are milking both sides or just one, but what I did was milk her completely out on both sides. This will help keep her milk production up for when the kid is weaned.