# once a day milking?



## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

I read an article on a facebook page the other day about milking just once a day. It basically said that you usually get 70 -80 % of the twice a day milking with only half the time involved, and also that it did not increase the mastitis rates once the udder had acclimated to the OAD milking. I am wondering if anyone out there milks only once a day (not kid sharing or calf sharing) and what your results have been. I do not want my goats or cow to dry up, but also have more milk than time most days. Otherwise we are going to have to get 2 more bucket calves to calf share with. Thank you


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

We only milk once a day. Kids get to nurse....if there is anything extra, we milk or separate during the day (when we can KEEP them separated). After weaning we still milk once a day. Never had a problem with mastitis *knock on wood* and Moon, my ND gave a quart last night. We didn't milk her at all until we weaned her trips.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

many do once a day milking...how ever you need to move into it slowly..allow the goat to regulate the milk she makes...you may need to cut back on feed to help her cut back on milk production..


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## mlktrkdrvr (Dec 7, 2012)

I think this is something that we may want to go to after school starts back up. Evening milking always seems to be the same time as little boy bed times. So how would I go about moving it back slowly?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

here is how I would do it..there might be a better way..but I would want to go slow to reduce stress..

I would choose the hour of day most convenient to me...make that my main milking time...then milk less from moms on my second milking..Also reduce feed...

If I want to milk, lets say...9 am....then that is my main milking time..I will milk mom all the way out...then at say 7 pm I will go out and milk about half +/- out of her..after a few days..take even less at night..leaving her udder comfy...then once I go out and her udder is loose without me milking...stop night milkings...check every day to be sure its not too tight....milk to lossen as needed...I know many will just stop milking and mom will reduce naturally but I rather go slow..


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I milk once a day as long as I have the kids on. I don't like weaning and I enjoy once a day milking, so it works for me.

I milk twice a day if I sell the kids.


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## Catahoula (Feb 12, 2013)

I decided to milk her in the evening...so I just stop milking in the morning. Couple people told me to go slow but a few other told not to. The first few days it was hard but I stuck to once a day. She adjusted fine. She didn't have any kids on her either.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

My kinders I milk once a day in the evening. I could get away with once a day for my Nubian, but my Bella, she's a gallon a day... I usually milk at 5am and then again around 7:30 PM, and boy oh boy she is uncomfortable by that time..., so I won't be able to switch her, and my Nubian gives a quart so that isn't bad.


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## Catahoula (Feb 12, 2013)

Brat gave me over a gallon a day when I was milking her twice a day. The first few days she was uncomfortable but she adjusted fine. Now, milking once a day, I get about 90 oz of milk from her. That's about 3/4 of a gallon.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

You will always get less when milking once a day, FYI...


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## melzhippy (Jun 26, 2013)

I milk once per day (in the morning) just because I lack time! My 2 ladies each had a kid in the spring and the kids have been at their new home for about 2 months now... I get 1/2 gal. per day from my 2 girls. They are mini alpine/nigerian dwarf mix.


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

We also milk once a day. 8 a.m. Works great for us. 

Let us know how it goes for you.


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## rebelINny (Feb 7, 2014)

I milk once a day for my Nubian cause she can handle her whole half gallon and then some for that long. My mini-alpine doe i have to milk twice because she is busting the seams with a quart and 1/4 both times.


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