# Milk let down



## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

So, I'm getting all signed up for DHI and thinking about my one fresh doe. She does not let down her milk, I do not get all of her milk in each milking. You can feel her udder and know she hasn't let down. She just turns her head and looks back at me while I'm milking and says, "OK, that's enough. Not another drop for you". I will have 9 in milk this year, she's just the first and only so far.

Last year, I didn't milk her until her kids were about two months old, she had quads and I wasn't on test. She milked down to a glove. This year she has one living kid, and the stinker is hanging tight to her milk. I give her a vigorous bump to her udder frequently while milking. She only gets grain on the stand, so she is good for me, she just won't give all her milk.

Suggestions?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Just commenting to bump this post up for you! Hope someone can give some suggestions.

When is the test?


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## CrazyDogLady (Aug 9, 2014)

I'll do my first one this upcoming weekend. I'm doing OS AR. We'll see how she does when I separate her from the kid. She'll be more full, and will hopefully let down.


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## SolidRockFarmTX (Apr 12, 2016)

Oxytocin (sp?) is the hormone that's responsible for milk letdown, so you might try looking up how to stimulate that if you haven't already. I think it's also largely responsible for starting labor so things (I'm thinking natural not-as-drastic things like herbs, not shots) that work for inducing might help?
Not at all an expert, just a thought


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Do you massage the whole udder and not just bump it?


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I had a goat that was doing that, the naughty no-no! I ended up having to massage her udder with a warm wash cloth, very very warm (almost hot) when I first started milking, and then again half way through. It worked like a charm. Someone on here suggested it.. I can't recall who.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

You cannot give oxytocin many days after kidding. It is dangerous to the doe.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, do not give oxytocin now.


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