# Production & quantity



## nmabry (Feb 16, 2013)

Ok- I'm in my 2nd year of milking goats and last year I had 2 Nubians and this year i sold those two because of low production and now I have 2 more Nubians and an Alpine. 
I'm really disappointed in the lack of milk production. The Alpine is a FF, so I understand that but my two 3-year old Nubians are not producing what I hoped for. One at 1 1/4 quarts at each milking. Other at 1 quart per milking. I really thought I could get a gallon a day (2 quarts at each milking) or close to that per day. 
I guess I need to give up the Nubians and go with other breeds?

The two Nubians I have were milked last year and they both had twins this January, so they should be in peak production. 

So is a gallon a day too much to expect?


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## still (Mar 16, 2013)

I have two Nubian does that I have milked and definitely got a gallon a day out of them......maybe your girls are holding their milk and not letting it down? Are they getting enough grain/hay? A gallon a day I don't think is unreasonable but it may not be the norm......


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

First, did you buy goats with high milk production genetics? Genetics plays a big role. What do you feed and how much? Their feed intake also plays a huge role.


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## nmabry (Feb 16, 2013)

I feed alfalfa to them after i put them up in mornings and i feed grain morning and night while on milk stand. Usually they get full and don't finish all their grain that I give them. Grain amount is 1/2 of large scoop (pictured) of livestock sweet feed and 1 - 12oz cup full of Dairy Parlor pellets made by Noble Goat (Purina product) at each feeding morning and night.

I think the problem is genetics and newbie ignorance in purchasing. I should not buy until I milk her once or watch her be milked. But being that I'm now on my 5th purchase with no quantity improvement, I was just beginning to think that a gallon a day was like a "fisherman's story".


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would feed just the goat feed. The stock feed probably doesn't have enough protein. They should have 16-18% protein when milking. That might help you a little.

I feed my hay free choice and it is an alfalfa grass mix hay. What kind of minerals do you feed?

Goats peak at about 6-8 weeks after kidding so they are past peak milk production. Having said that, my Alpine/Nubian mix has been in milk since March 5, 2012 and I get 3/4 of a gallon per day from her currently.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

My Nubians average over a gallon a day at peak, but have been bred for it.

I believe that livestock feed is only 11% protein, the purina is 16? If so, the average crude protein in your grain is 13.5%. As was suggested, i would stop feeding the livestock feed and just go with the Noble Goat, even though I personally don't like Purina feed.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

How many kids are they having? that will affect production even if pulled at birth. 8lbs a day is not unreasonable for a Nubian, or any dairy goat, of good breeding. My LaMancha cranks out a consistent 10 # per day. I expect her to peak at #13-14. She's from local lines and has above average breeding. My Nubian cross peaks high but does not have anywhere near as level a lactation as the LaMancha. Maybe your girls have high butterfat? But with their numbers now culling would be appropriate.


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## Hobbyfarmer (Sep 7, 2011)

Oops just read they had twins.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

How long have you had these girls? Did they freshen with you?

As far as production yields.... feed...quantity and quality.... minerals, quality hay and water as well as genetics play a major rule BUT so does the management of the doe from the day she delivers.

My girls here have their udders handled daily from the day after they deliver, those who deliver multiples will have substantially more production than those who deliver singles. On those daily udder checks, I will milk out a doe at least once a day wether I get a few drops or a cup or 2, the more stimulation they get the more their body tells the udder to produce more. Once kids are separated at night I milk in the mornings starting usually at 3-4 weeks, this year I didn't start until they were 6 weeks and my ND doe still put out 5 1/2 cups on a 10 hour fill, kids are with her through the day....eating frequently and stimulating her udder to produce more, once kids are 8 weeks they leave so I milk as much as 3x a day to keep production up then do a gradual move to 2x a day until production starts to fall.
Twice a day my ND does get a quart of 18% mixed with Calf Manna, Beet Pulp shreds and BOSS....Alfalfa mixed hay and alfalfa/timothy crushed cubes... Cargil Right Now Onyx loose minerals free choice, fresh water 3x a day and a salt brick available as well.

4 months into your does lactation, there should be some production loss expected as they peak at 6-8 weeks.... if the kids were pulled at birth and the dams milked once a day, that would set what they produce....even with 2x a day, kids nurse frequently for those first weeks...supply and demand and if the demand isn't there, the doe won't supply it.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Best website:

http://www.luresext.edu/goats/research/nutritionmodule1.htm


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## nmabry (Feb 16, 2013)

Both kidded in Jan; one kidded with me, other at my friends. One here- I started once a day milking when kids were two weeks old. Kids are now weaned and I milk twice a day. Other- not milked at all until kids were 2 months old and weaned and I now milk twice a day. One started here produces more- but still only 1/2 to 3/4 a gallon a day. 
Feed- I need to find a better choice: they don't like the 18% Dairy Parlor, but do like the livestock sweet feed but it is only 12%. Suggestions on feed choices that are easily found to purchase but have the needed protein?

I'm guessing genetics are the main problem. But I've had a hard time finding any to buy locally. I drove 6 hours one way to get these two Nubians that I'm referring to. And was 2 hours one way to get the Nubian I milked last summer. Not to mention price! Part of my goal in starting to milk goats was money. But spending over $200 on initial investment is hard on profits. (My kids are raising bottle calves on the goats milk). 

I thought goats were the "poor man's cow." (Joking)!

(Location is south end of the panhandle of Texas)


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I really like ADM Dairy Goat Power. What mineral are you feeding? Do you supplement with alfalfa pellets?


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## nmabry (Feb 16, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> I really like ADM Dairy Goat Power. What mineral are you feeding? Do you supplement with alfalfa pellets?


A goat mineral block. And alfalfa flakes off bale, not the pellets.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

The blocks don't give them enough mineral. They have to lick too much of it to get the right amount and then they are getting too much molasses.

You really need a good loose goat mineral. Sweetlix Meatmaker 16:8, Manna Pro Goat Mineral or Cargill Right Now Onyx Cattle Mineral are some of the good loose goat minerals.

Alfalfa hay is good. You can add pellets as well.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

You can take the block mineral you currently have and break it up into a feeder so it doesn't go to waste ..... if it is the Goat block made by Dumor, it is a molasses loaded block and likely softer than most mineral blocks.

Karen posted some good choices for loose minerals... I've used the Manna Pro and the Right Now Onyx, as far as the type of feed I use it is Blue Seal Caprine Challenger...it is available at TSC. It's a pelleted textured sweet feed....more pellet than crimped corn and oats but my goats love it and it's all I've used the last 8 years... I've tried the Dairy Goat pellets and they refuse them... I've also tried the Dumor sweet dairy goat and there is entirely too much corn in it for my liking.
Kalmbach is another brand of sweet goat that I've heard good things about but depending on the area you are in there are only so many choices available. You can check your local private feed mills for the brands they carry and if you have an Agway, they most often carry Nutrena and Purina


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## nmabry (Feb 16, 2013)

Ok- ill try new minerals and different feed. Thank you!


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## noteworthy (Mar 11, 2011)

Another question on milk production: I've heard it said that a doe will produce best if she's bred in her first two years. I have a doe from great milking lines who won't be able to kid until she's three (long story). Will she still be able to milk well?


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## trmeyer (Mar 2, 2011)

I didn't see anyone ask but are you separating the kids. I know you said you milked one after the kids were weaned, and when I did that, I didn't get as much as the year when I started when the kids were 2 weeks old and separated at night. I think once they start to wean the kids, and they really do, that their production will drop a lot. I hope you can get some production up. And I would really just hope for a better year next year. Be sure to milk them as long as you can because I hear that if you don't milk them for a long period of time the first freshening, it can cause them to have shorter milking times in subsequent years. But then I'm still learning a ton of information every day. 

Tracy


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## ZiggyNC (Apr 16, 2013)

The problem with many Nubians is that there are many that have bred only for show, or spots, or colors. If you want production look for does (or bucks) from herds that are on DHIR and look at the milk records.


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