# How many of you just milk once a day?



## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I have 5 does in milk and I get anywhere from 5.5 gallons to 6 gallons of milk a day... So, I really don't need that much milk so I decided to try to switch these girls to evening milkings only.... They got their Chaffhaye this morning but no grain.... I know they are full and that's one reason they are crying but I'm hoping it's more for they didn't get grain this morning.... I know I tried this last year and had several leaking milk all over the place, I think I made it 2 days, the felt bad for them.... Will they get used to this? Is it a bad idea? I was contemplating selling 3 of them, but I just can't, too attached to them...


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I only milk once a day. Yes, they will get engorged and leak but it slows down as excess milk is absorbed.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I milk once a day. When transitioning to once a day it took about 5 days for them to even out and be okay with it.


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## snrsfarm (Jul 2, 2013)

We milk only once a day in the evening as well. We started ours out at once a day when we pulled kids for weaning. So they are used to it. They look like they could be milked in the am too but don't seem to complain about it. They are happy to get on the milk stand at milking time though for relief and for grain.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Thanks everyone....


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Oh ps. Lol I milk in the morning because I pull kids at night


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Well, I will probably wait until October to go to once a day milking..... I had 3 leaking milk all over the place, they were obviously miserable... All 5 try to get to the stand at once.... I think I'll get 1 or 2 feeder calves..


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Dayna said:


> Oh ps. Lol I milk in the morning because I pull kids at night


The kids all left a few weeks ago..., I actually used to do that...


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

Before we dried off our Alpines we switched to once a day for a while. If they're in pain you can just milk them enough to get them comfortable again during the skipped milking time. After a couple days you'll probably notice she's doing better & ready to be milked once a day. You can try giving them sage to lower supply. We have wild sage around here-I don't know if its range is as far north as Washington state.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I only have one with a kid left now. Everyone else just transitioned "ok". I mean I had to do some mid day milking for comfort to begin with. It takes time but I think all but really really heavy milkers do fine with once a day.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

Well, I decided I was going to make it easier on myself, and have done once a day milking for a few days... They are now used to it and no more leaking teats... So, YAY


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

:applaud:


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I milk once a day when the kids are still on the does. I milk twice a day when the kids are too young to empty the udder and again after they are weaned. Then, in the fall, I will go to once a day for a couple of months before I dry them off for kidding.


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