# Holding Back . . .



## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I feel my FF nubian doe (2.5 weeks fresh) is holding back on me, I can practically see the milk in her udder and she won't give it to me. (udder doesn't deflate enough to be truely empty) 

What can I do to bring that milk down? I wash the udder before starting, and I massage it several times as I milk. Udder is in good shape, no knots or hard spots or anything like that. Pliable. 

She is giving a decent amount for a FF nubian I feel, but I don't think she is giving me what she has.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

does she still have kids around? I have found that some like to hold back their milk if they still have kids.


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## Steph (May 7, 2009)

Some FF need to be bumped more to train them to let down their milk. If she is feeding kids she will with hold from you.


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

Mine is a second freshner and at 5 weeks fresh I am just starting to notice an increase that she is letting more milk down for me. She isn't kicking as much, finally getting her back into the routine.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I guess our goats do not read the books cuz mine says, "Goats cannot deliberately hold back milk." :laugh: 
I got into a bit of a tussle with Star this morning so I got a bit rough with her and did not let her have her grain on the stand. She would not give me anything!!(Well, a few squirts but that was it.) I did all my usual tricks and I still think I only got about half.
I just hope she has learnd her lesson and will behave tomorrow.

I know that the more relaxed they are and the more you stick to a routine (something I am terrible at) the easier it is to get them to let down. Sometimes it takes some real perseverance. ChaCha only gives about half the first try. I sometimes get a whole 'nuther quart with the second let down.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Binkey does great always has...however, Penny is just a 2nd F and had quads and with me retaining one, the moment Foxy starts chattering for breakfast is when I swear Penny literally sucks everything up! Bumping, massage and talking to her seems to help a little...I still get 3 cups from her in the mornings.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

LOL! Glad to know I am not the only one who's goat plays keep away with. 

She does have kids, but they have never been allowed to nurse because we didn't get the results back on the CAE test until after she kidded (we just didn't get it done on time!) 

So basically, just keep at it, and hopefully she gets into the routine and relaxes, huh?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes, be persistant and she'll get it, won't be overnight but she'll get the point.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

She FINALLY let down tonight!!!! Totally milked out, and she gave a really good amount for a FF Nubian!!! Now hopefully she continues to let down! LOL! It kinda drives me nuts to see a half full udder and I can't get anything out!


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I just had the same problem with my ND FF. She was only giving me about a shot glass full of milk once a day in the evening, even after massaging and using warm compresses. A couple things that have really helped me (thanks to a lot of people on this forum)- I use dynamint udder cream, seems to help relax the udder. I also started seperating the kids for 4 hours before milking (although I would do it longer if possible). Putting a radio on seems to help too, although it seems stupid I seem to get more milk when its on! I've been milking the doe for about 2.5 weeks, and shes finally relaxed enough to where I get about a pint or more from her every night. Hope that helps a little, don't give up I know it can be frustrating, but once you start getting more milk from her you'll be so happy with all the work and time you put into it!


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Thanks!

Back to old habits this morning! GRRRR! I got less than normal and her udder was only half empty! So frustrating! I now know what her udder looks like when empty so I REALLY worked and worked at it this morning, and she just would NOT give it to me . . . Maybe she is not a morning "person" lol! She always gives more at night than in the morning.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

She milked out again tonight . . . Seriously, I think she may not be a morning "person" :laugh:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I'm finding that to be going on with my 2nd F Penny...I retained a doeling and she'd had quads 11 weeks ago, I just started to put Foxy in a crate tonite as I had been taping Pennys teats but the crafty little Foxy figured out how to get past the tape...anyhow, Penny lets down more in the afternoon than what she does in the mornings and I do think it's because Foxy incessantly chatters the entire time Penny is on the stand! In the afternoon, baby has a full belly so mama gives it up to me.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Crafty little Foxy! LOL! :shades: 

I am finding that the faster I milk the more she will give me as well. Maybe I milk to slowely in the morning (I'm not a morning person either!) Maybe she just gets tired of being up there LOL! I milked so fast tonight that one of my hands still has a cramp in it ROFL! :laugh:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I hear ya there! I usually milk around 4:30 am and the only doe I have who IS a morning person is Binkey...impatiently waiting for me once she see's the kitchen light go on. I've been running behind on occassion and end up milking so fast that I have a cramp til I milk again and work it out.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

Oh, my goodness . . . Thank the good Lord that I milk at 7:30 ROFL!


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

OK, this was 3 nights in a row she let down, but 3 mornings in a row she did not . . . I honestly don't know how to get her to let down in the morning, I milk the same way :? At night I feel I am getting it figured out, but then she holds back again in the morning . . . I don't get it. I milk at 12 hours each time. 

On the bright side she gave more tonight than any other milking :greengrin:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I will milk Penny out in the am...and she does hold back and then I'll milk again at 2:30 when I get off work and get almost a pint...then I strip her at bedtime and get another cup +...in the mornings it's after a 7-9 hour separation and get 3 cups....I find that I get more from her if I milk her often.
With Binkey it's almost the same way...of course though, she has no kids here and when I have to adjust the milk schedule due to me working a bit later on Sunday mornings..I milk at 4:30 am Saturday and get 3 cups, milk again at 2:30 and get 2 1/2 cups...I milk her again at 7pm and get 2 cups so that she's not filled longer than neccesary when I milk at 6:30 Sunday mornings. IDK...Maybe my girls are just odd.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

I was milking 3 times a day at first, but just couldn't keep it up . . . I have wondered it milking her 3 times a day on days that I CAN would throw her off on days I can't? I don't know if inconsistency would bother her?? I decided to go to 2xs because I could be consistent.


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