# Lactating mom of triplets



## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

I have a 3/4 Nubian that had triplets end of December. Third freshening. She is feeding all three and now they are 3.5 weeks old. Started separating at night to get milk in the am. Kids have her all day. I'm concerned cause she has drastically dropped weight, looks thin to me and maybe no wonder if I'm milking and she is feeding babies. It's her first set of triplets. Am I asking too much from her with milking? I thought I would try Newcells for five days and see if that helps her. Is this okay for a lactating doe, that we are milking for human consumption and for nursing kids. I thought maybe she is anemic, her inside eyelids are pink but not red but not pale. She is eating alfalfa hay and drinking lots of water and has a mineral block. She gets two 500 ml tubs of a mixture of alfalfa pellets/goat text/boss in the am while I'm milking and I give 500 ml in the evening when I put the kids to bed. It can't hurt to give the injection for the recommended five days? or not, or should I be doing something something else? Thanks to anyone who has advice.


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

I would get a fecal done. Kidding takes a lot out of them and sometimes there's a parasite bloom shortly after


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What is newcell?


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

Newcells is an injectable mineral and vitamin supplement.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is that something that is ok to give multiple days in a row? She is probably putting everything in the milk pail.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

It's to help build red blood cells and its says for five days straight.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

Is it safe to worm with ivomec now while she is nursing and we are consuming her milk? If so what is the time laps for not drinking her milk?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

500mL equals approximately 2 cups - so you are feeding about 6 cups of grain per day? That is not enough for a lactating doe feeding triplets and being milked. Forget the NewCell and forget the Ivomec. She needs to be fed POUNDS of grain a day, start increasing slowly every day. I would say she needs at LEAST 2 pounds of grain a day, if not more. Any particular reason she is getting both alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets? I would probably skip the alfalfa pellets if she gets alfalfa hay free choice and just increase the goat grain.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

Thanks, will try to get more in her. She actually just stops eating before its all gone, like she's full. You say grain? I'm feeding goat text and black oil sunflowers seeds mixed in. Should I be using straight grain? Ya on the pellets as she doesn't like them anyways.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Oh I was using grain interchangeably as in "goat feed" or pelletized feed or textured feed is fine - they are all made of grains! Sorry for the confusion!


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

Update on Molly. She seems to be doing better. Have managed to up her grain mix by a couple of cups. Did the Newcells too for five days. She still looks like a bone rack but is very alert and peeing/pooping and eating well.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad she is better. How many cups are you feeding now?


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

I'm still using the 500 ml container, so I start with one of those. I use an EZ hand held milker. So when I change teats I give her another full container, towards the end I give her another but she rarely finishes that one. Then I give her another full and a half more in the evening when I separate the kids for the night and put everyone in the barn. The routine seems to work. She is outside all day with the kids and has free access to alfalfa.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

I don't milk her in the evening.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

She's giving me almost a gallon every morning.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Many mammals, including humans, get quite thin while nursing babies. (Oh how I loved getting to take in those extra calories!!) Same for her. The grain mix will help her with extra calories. My goats often look quite thin for a few weeks and then they start filling back out. Sounds like you are doing the right things.
A gallon in the morning is a lot of milk. I have only had a few give that much at one milking. Average is about 1/2 gallon.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Well, I'm not sure if it's good to have her feed triplets and then to also milk a gallon of milk out of her every morning. Her health will be compromised and she will not be able to keep up. The kids at this age are growing into big saps and will take as much as they can at their stage of growth and knowledge of getting milk from mom. So I'm not very knowledgeable of milk farms but it just seems to me that a Doe with dam fed triplets is already a drain on a mother to give that much milk.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

Well so far so good, she is doing well and yes she is thin but happy and alert and sassy. The kids are sold, end February, they will be 10 weeks old by then and I'm sure Molly will be happy to have them go. She is five years old. Last year after her twins sold, I was getting two gallons per day, two milkings. I would not compromise her health for milk and will continue to watch her carefully. She is 3/4 Nubian, 1/4 Alpine.


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

Just my $.02, throw in a bit of Calf Mana to make sure she's getting everything she needs.
My NDs get about 1/3 cup 2x a day when in milk. I haven't had any crazy weight loss.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

What is that, a supliment? Vet or feed store? Thanks!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It is a feed you can get at the feed store.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

Thanks, I'll check it out.


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