# Length of lactation



## MarthaBella (Mar 15, 2012)

I am wondering if there is anything that I can do to assure my Nubian doe has a nice lengthy lactation? Someone told me once that if you dry her off early in her first freshening she will be a shorter duration lactator (is that even a word? LOL) in future years. Is that even true? 

She was bred later last winter and kidded in May and I was thinking about breeding her for an earlier kidding this year but since this was her first kidding this year (even though she is 4 years old...her previous owner never bred her) would drying her off earlier this year affect the length of time she will stay in milk in the future? 

This doe is the EASIEST girl in the world to milk. She has nice sized and shaped teats (they fit perfectly in my hands!), big orifaces, and never, ever kicks. She loves attention, is not pushy or bossy, and gets along with my other doeling very well.  I would HATE to do anything to mess up her future milk production. 

What have been your experiences?


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## KarmakeeFarm (Jun 3, 2012)

I have a La mancha that is REFUSING to dry off! She is a first freshener that is now in 9th month of lactation and still giving 3/4 gallon each milking! I have always thought that the breeding lines of the does were more important in lactation length... Will be interested to hear what others think!
KarmaKee FArm La Manchas
MN


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## xymenah (Jul 1, 2011)

Breeding has most to do with length of lactation. Beep will and is keeping a good lactation for years. She precociously came into milk at around eight months old and produced milk until she became pregnant for the first time at three nearly four years old. She kid in February and will not dry off. However Candice kid in February as well but she is already fully dry. She just kept producing less and less so I just stopped milking her. They came from the same farm but Beep is from Oak Moon lines and Candice is not. I don't know her exact lines but I know I don't like them.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I have not really found that to be true. Like everyone else has said, it is more in the genetics than the length of time milked. I think if you would continue to milk for a short time year after year, they will probably adjust.


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## goatsntoads (Oct 7, 2008)

I have a doe who I bred and let raise her kids when she was two, but then had too many in milk and chose to dry her off after only about 5 months. Slowly dried her off over about 3 months. She was bred again the next yr and raised two kids, after two weeks I start separating the kids at night so I get one milking per day. Did that until the kids were sold and then continued milking her once a day for over a yr. The only variances in her milk production was due to super hot weather, but once the ridiculous weather ended she started producing better again. I am now trying to dry her off so she can get bred this winter. If you keep feeding them well and always milk on a schedule they will keep going!


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## Ozark Lady (Sep 13, 2011)

Today, marks the 16th month for one of my does.
Her milk does decrease a bit in the winter months, I think she drinks less then, but come spring, she keeps up with the other girls' production.


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