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In Reply to: Dairy doe questions? posted by Cygnet on August 21, 2001 at 08:02:58:
Twice a day milking is important in the beginning of her lactation, once she has been milking for a couple of months you can go to once a day milking, but you have to go about this slowly if she is a good milker, or her udder will overfill. Milking is supply and demand, don't demand all the milk out and she will make that much less, so keeping milk in the udder longer will make her overall milk less, but she will keep milking as long as all the milk is taken out at least once a day.
Most folks breed their does, they kid and you start milking them. Breed her back when she has been milking for 7 months, milk for 3 months of the pregnancy and dry her up, she has 2 months dry and then she kids again and it all starts over. In some of the swiss breeds, notably LaMancha's and Saanens, I am sure there are more, but easily done in these two breeds, once freshened they can milk forever, never having to kid them out again, we eaisly did this for 2 years and in one case more.
You also need at least 2 does, one to be milking now while the other is bred, and is milking while the other is bred :) Plus....though we all have a doe who really needs to live alone, because she is mean to other goats, or is very timid, most goats need company, and actually live healthier lives for having company, more competition at the feed trough, someone to get them up and moving, and to keep warm in the winter.
I am a huge fan of folks starting off with LaManchas. They are sweet, quiet, eat less feed and give more milk. Can have as high a butterfat as Nubians with a will to milk that runs circles around most Nubians. They milk when its hot, they milk when they are in heat, they milk and milk and milk, and because they are realtively a new breed they are also very hardy. On the other end of the specturm is money, Nubians every day of the week will make you more money than any of the other dairy breeds, except in the high end show stock trade. Everyone who comes to your farm to buy a pet is going to want a spotted Nubian, you have to talk folks into LaManchas :) Vicki
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