Worldwide Beekeeping

Sustainable Living => Farm Livestock => Topic started by: addame on April 09, 2014, 12:27:39 pm

Title: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: addame on April 09, 2014, 12:27:39 pm
I have a goat that is pregnant for about 4 months.
I stoped milking her but there is still milk. Do I have to continue to milk her or not?
Will the milk left make here sick?

By the way, I applied the following strategy before stoping milking her: for one week I milked her once a day for another week I milked her once for each two days than three days and I then stoped.

Thanks
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: iddee on April 09, 2014, 01:38:46 pm
Just watch her close. If you start to feel knots in her teats, milk her. If they remain soft, all is well. Mastitis is the only problem I know of that will come from not milking.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: LazyBkpr on April 09, 2014, 06:04:53 pm
Just watch her close. If you start to feel knots in her teats, milk her. If they remain soft, all is well. Mastitis is the only problem I know of that will come from not milking.

   Not sure about goats....   with a cow she will complain a lot when her udder is tight.  Tapering off is the best way, as it seems you have done, though we used to do it over a little longer time frame. we still milked every day, but didn't milk as MUCH each day. Enough to relieve the pressure only.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: addame on April 10, 2014, 10:36:34 am
Thank you @iddee and @LazyBkpr for your advices! 
They are a precious help for me ... and for my goat too :-)
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: blueblood on April 10, 2014, 10:41:46 am
I'm glad you received some good answers.  I was gonna say when the goat udders, "stttttttop."   :laugh:
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Slowmodem on April 10, 2014, 10:59:00 am
I'm glad you received some good answers.  I was gonna say when the goat udders, "stttttttop."   :laugh:

Udderly pun-ny!
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: BoilerJim on April 10, 2014, 12:54:28 pm
WoW...........I am finding I am learning a lot more than just bees. This is cool.  :thread:

I was not raised in an urban area and nor was I raised on a farm.......so this is neat to read about.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: LazyBkpr on April 10, 2014, 12:58:18 pm
Stand by Jim.. I am sure SOMEONE will have to post An udder pun soon!
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: apisbees on April 10, 2014, 04:39:56 pm
What Lazy said, the father in law had both cows and goats and would milk less each day so she would produce less but would do it over 3 weeks to a month.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: mamapoppybee on January 25, 2016, 09:11:14 am
So we all know my mind runs a mile a minute and I have been giving more and more thought to goats. I think I would like nigerian dwarf. I'm thinking with small size and a tall fence my chances of scape goats are less. Any advise for some one who is thinking long and hard befor leaping?
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: brooksbeefarm on January 25, 2016, 10:03:51 am
I don't remember that much about Goats? I think it takes almost 6 months for them to kid? Why did she come to her milk 2 months before she Kid?? Jack
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: iddee on January 25, 2016, 12:01:36 pm
Five months, Jack. I would taper off 30 days before delivery date, but others may do it at other times. Sometimes we never quit, but fed the last week of milk to the other animals. It may contain colostrum.

To quit all at once may lead to mastitis.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: tedh on January 25, 2016, 12:26:26 pm
The only thing I've heard about goats is that your fence has to be able to hold water!  Ted
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: iddee on January 25, 2016, 12:54:43 pm
Ted, I've seen goats climb fences like a ladder. The best thing to do is feed them at the exact time every day. Then you can lock them back up and patch the new escape route at that time. They will be there waiting.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Perry on January 25, 2016, 03:29:12 pm
Sounds like goats are a lot of work, something I am allergic to. ;D
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: tedh on January 25, 2016, 06:08:17 pm
Iddee,  I sat in my chair and laughed till tears rolled down my cheeks when I read that!  The more I thought about it the harder I laughed!      My chest hurts!  Ted
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: brooksbeefarm on January 25, 2016, 06:47:41 pm
Hey perry, my goat had a gray beard, can't put my finger on who he remind me of. ;D Jack
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: lazy shooter on January 25, 2016, 08:02:32 pm
My lil old lady friend that has kept goats most of her 80 years does as Iddee.  She feeds every day at the same time.  The goats will be there waiting on feed.  They are smart animals, and they are escape artists.  The not only break out, they also break into things like gardens and young tree orchards.  I wouldn't have one of the nasty creatures, but I do like goat cheese on Mexican dishes.  My gal keeps Nubians for milk and cheese and Spanish goats for meat.  Texans eat a lot of goat meat, especially cabrito.  I don't care for goat meat.  I'm a beef and pork guy.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: lazy shooter on January 25, 2016, 09:37:46 pm
To the question of when to stop milking a goat, I don't have a clue.  When a youngster, decades back, mom did like Lazy.  She slowly milked less each day for three or so weeks.  We kept three milk cows and two of them well always producing milk.  Sorry my last post did  not address the question. 
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Gypsi on January 25, 2016, 10:03:00 pm
I miss my goat. They built new houses near me and I'm already over number on chickens if you count my new hatches, so I probably had better not indulge.  I used to have a nubian. She escaped one time too many and it was fatal. Hugely pregnant. Broke my heart.  If I did it again I would go with a very small dwarf breed but I think I have some fencing issues to address first.  and city limits?  probably I will have to wait til I can move.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: apisbees on January 26, 2016, 01:21:19 am
If you have a large enough area to keep the goats in they are less likely to want to escape. The father in law used 4ft wide stucco wire around the 1/2 acer area that housed the chicken coup and goat field. We put a 2x4 on top from post to post and stapled the wire up to it to keep them from stretching it down. 
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: mamapoppybee on January 26, 2016, 07:40:34 am
How often would you all recommend milking a goat? I remember mom having them as I was a young in but don't remember details. The one we had would come up to house same time every day prop herself on side of trailer and watch soap operas.  She liked the young and restless for some reason.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: brooksbeefarm on January 26, 2016, 10:42:20 am
Females will be females no matter what kind of package they come in. :laugh: :laugh: Jack
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: apisbees on January 26, 2016, 11:55:10 am
That will depend on how much milk you want. the more you milk the more she will produce. if all you want is a quart and that is all you milk out, dhe will adjust the production to that output.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Retroguy on January 27, 2016, 09:43:12 pm
As I recall, we'd dry our cows off about 3 months prior to due date for calving.  This was done to give the cow a chance to "fatten up" which helps with milk production after freshening.  If I had goats I'd do the same thing.  Taper her off over about 3 weeks.

We used to treat the udders with an antibiotic to prevent the possibility of mastititis but I realize a lot of folks might want to avoid that practice.  I would, however, use a teat dip after milking to keep her from developing mastitis during regular milkings.  I'm talking about the doe's comfort here; a young friend came down with mastitis while nursing her first baby and she asured me that it HURTS.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: apisbees on January 28, 2016, 09:15:12 am
We used to treat the udders with an antibiotic to prevent the possibility of mastititis but I realize a lot of folks might want to avoid that practice.
Are you talking about utter balm? It is a mentallatom rub. Like the one your mom use to rub on your chest to loosen mussels and relieve congestion. Not only is it good for the animals utter but also leaves you hands skin soft and moist. And stinking pretty.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Retroguy on February 03, 2016, 03:35:20 am
Nope, I'm talking about teat dip.  Usually this activity involves a cloverleaf shaped set of cups with a handle.  Teat dip is poured into the 4 cups and then raised to cover the bottom inch or so of the 4 teats.  Usually contains an iodine solution of some sort (at least in my day it did).  This kills any bacteria near the teat entrance, hence the mastitis prevention.  You have to remember that you're moving that milk machine from one cow to another.  If one has mastitis the others can catch it from the teat cups on the milker.

Udder cream is for keeping the udder and teats moisturized.  Cows with chapped udders & teats are no fun to milk.  Been there, done that, got the switch in the face and the hoof in my lap, ruined the T-shirt.  LOL
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: brooksbeefarm on February 03, 2016, 10:58:11 am
Ahhhhh, i remember Retroguy, there's nothing like the swinging tail full of chuckle burrs or burdock slapping you up the side of the face while stripping out a cow, while setting on a 3 leg stool to start or end the day. :no: Jack
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Retroguy on February 05, 2016, 02:36:39 am
Since we milked in the barn (no parlor) the worst thing about getting slapped in the face was a wet tail full of pee.  One also learns not to stand behind a cow when she coughs, especially if she has developed a loose stool.   :laugh:

My first job was at the ripe old age of 3 years and involved holding the tail of a first-calf heifer while Dad hand milked her.  We kept the "springers" and dry cows on a farm with no milk machines so we used to truck them over to the dairy farm within a few days of freshening.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: apisbees on February 05, 2016, 04:01:04 am
Had a piece of bailing twine tied to a nail on the wall and would tie the tail to it with a bow knot. No tail on the side of the head and when done, pull the end and it comes undone like a shoe lace.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Zulu on February 07, 2016, 12:27:02 am
As others have said goats do like to escape, difference between sheep and goats, one sheep will get out and run up and down the fence looking at the others inside.
Goats, the one who got out will teach all the others where the hole is ,so they all escape.

Spent many a sunset in winter looking for the darn herd.
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: lazy shooter on February 07, 2016, 10:15:24 am
I have a friend that told me how to build a goat proof fence.  He said; "build your fence and throw a bucket of water on it.  If any of the water goes through the fence, it will not hold a goat."
Title: Re: when to stop milking a goat
Post by: Gypsi on February 07, 2016, 04:01:05 pm
Actually I should have left my goat in the chicken pen I started her in.  It was built when I had a weasel problem, so it had 1 inch chicken wire aproned out and pinned all around it for a couple of feet, no top rail to keep the birds from flying to perch, and it wiggled anytime she tried to climb it. But she was pregnant and I was worried about her being warm enough. So I made her a new pen with a warm shed and gave the old one to chickens. She escaped hers, and I guess I had let the chickens free range, she got in her old pen, filled up on Layena and that is what killed her.