# My Nigerian Dwarf does not producing milk for me!



## Natalia Richards (Sep 29, 2020)

Hi everyone! I am new to your group. I am so glad to have found you! I started raising NDG about two years ago. I first acquired Hansel, (buck,) and Gretel, (doe), and a few months later Glenda, and more recently Gloria. All NDG. Previously I didn’t care milking the does when they had babies but this time we want to so I ordered a electric pump for small farms. 

A week ago Gretel and Glenda had both twins, boys, they have blue eyes like the father. I decided to give them a week of kid feedings without milking to get babies and milk established. 

Two days ago I tried to milk them and Gretel gave me about a cup worth and Glenda didn’t. We assumed kids drank it all. 
Yesterday, one barely gave me 1 tbs the other one zero. 
Seeing this we assumed the babies were drinking all the milk so we separated the babies from moms at 9am today and after feeding the rest of the flock and animals, around 11:30 am we tried to milk them and zero again. Barely a tbs between them. 

So...what am I doing wrong?The babies are super healthy, jumping, running and playing. The mothers seem healthy too, I had the vet checking them! Thank you ahead for any help you can give me! 
I included a picture of the milking machine I bought.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Is the milker a pulse milker? Have you tried milking by hand? If so... are you pulling on the teats or squeezing? Most people do not separate overnight until the kids are two weeks old. What is your “procedure” when milking? Are they getting grain? Do they have free choice loose mineral? Hay and water all the time?


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## Natalia Richards (Sep 29, 2020)

The Milker worked the first day. And it has been able to extract some drops from the udders. They have a very good feed, corn and sweet feed. In the proper amounts. They also have for treat good scratch seed combination. My osteoarthritis makes it very hard to milk by hand although years ago I was able to milk by hand. 
And the kids were only separated from 9am to 11:30 AM in the morning. I also thought they were to young to be separated all night.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

What kind of hay are you feeding? Milking does need lots of calcium.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Natalia Richards said:


> The Milker worked the first day. And it has been able to extract some drops from the udders. They have a very good feed, corn and sweet feed. In the proper amounts. They also have for treat good scratch seed combination. My osteoarthritis makes it very hard to milk by hand although years ago I was able to milk by hand.
> And the kids were only separated from 9am to 11:30 AM in the morning. I also thought they were to young to be separated all night.


Ok what specific brands of feed? How much? Corn is not so great to add in the diet. Does need quite a bit of good calories and calcium rich things for milk making.

Scratch seed combo?

Is the milker a pulse milker or continuous suction type?


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## Natalia Richards (Sep 29, 2020)

Sfgwife said:


> Is the milker a pulse milker? Have you tried milking by hand? If so... are you pulling on the teats or squeezing? Most people do not separate overnight until the kids are two weeks old. What is your "procedure" when milking? Are they getting grain? Do they have free choice loose mineral? Hay and water all the time?





Sfgwife said:


> Ok what specific brands of feed? How much? Corn is not so great to add in the diet. Does need quite a bit of good calories and calcium rich things for milk making.
> 
> Scratch seed combo?
> 
> Is the milker a pulse milker or continuous suction type?


my three does get only a half a cup of cracked for mixed with the regular goat feed for the three of them. It's not the main course. I know the corn by itself is not nutritious. They also get fresh hay everyday and Bahia Argentinian grass growing fresh in their enclosure.

Is the milker a pulse milker or continuous suction type?[/QUOTE]as to what kind of milker; the description in amazon say it's a vacuum pump? I hope that helps.

How much? Feed? 
Aside from the fresh Bahia Argentinian fresh grass and hay, each doe also get 1 1/2 cup of the special goat feed, 1 1/2 cup of the sweet stuff for the three of them and the half a cup of cracked corn. All mixed together before we feed it to them. This blend is given to them in the morning and evening.

My question now is: Do I need to separate the kids from the does longer that the time I mention from 9am to 11:30 am? 
Should I wait until they are at least two weeks old? How many hours should I keep them separate? Before milking the does? 
Thank you for your help.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

No alfalfa? If not definitely get some for them

The one cup per day for a FF nigi is quite normal. People rave (weed em and reap) about the nigis and their milk production, and bla bla bla, but truth is that they are a mini breed and a good preforming nigi doesnt stand a chance against a good preforming full breed, and due to this info and lack of research from new goat owners, they are left discouraged and disappointed by the results that they dont get a full gallon of milk a day from 2 goats, but instead, if your lucky, just a few cups. 

Cracked corn is no good, all calories. I have no idea what grain you are feeding, so theres not much we can help you with feeding wise unless you share brand/ingredients label. We are happy to help in any other way. Pictures of the goats would be most helpful, because we can help you pin point exactly what the problem is, wether that be diet, mineral deficiencies, etc.


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> The one cup per day for a FF nigi is quite normal. People rave (weed em and reap) about the nigis and their milk production, and bla bla bla, but truth is that they are a mini breed and a good preforming nigi doesnt stand a chance against a good preforming full breed, and due to this info and lack of research from new goat owners, they are left discouraged and disappointed by the results that they dont get a full gallon of milk a day from 2 goats, but instead, if your lucky, just a few cups.


Very well said!

Before the kids are old enough to be separated overnight I have never gotten even a full cup. So, congratulations! 
You can keep doing it to get them used to being milked.
I don't have any experience with milking machines, so I cannot comment on that.

They do need calcium, and alfalfa has lots of it!


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

And if the genetics aren't there.... they may not produce enough to milk for you and the kids. Separate overnight beginning at 2 weeks, increase the calcium, post your feed here..... sweet feed and corn does nothing but provide calories and a potential for acidosis.... unless you're trying to pack the weight on, try going over to pelleted feed, great alfalfa or pellets. Make sure her famacha is good - did you check after kidding if not? Most does need wormed because of kidding stress.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

You got some good advice so far on this and feed IS important. Also how much you feed of it. When i could separate and milk a single doe usually eats at least three cups of feed twice a day on the milk stand. But we use a good grain for them.... no corn or sweet feed. Then they also get alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellet along with loose mineral and hay. 

The milker.... a vacuum milker is NOT good at all for goat teats. That is why i kept asking what kind it was. It will ruin your does teats because of the continuous suction. They need the pull and release type milkers.


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## Natalia Richards (Sep 29, 2020)

goatblessings said:


> What kind of hay are you feeding? Milking does need lots of calcium.


Coastal hay, it's what's popular in this area of Florida. And they get to graze all the time Bahia Argentinian grass and other greens and edible weeds.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Unfortunately, coastal hay does not provide enough calcium for milking goats - nor the grasses or weeds if you look at the analysis. If you want milk, you do need to find a way to get more calcium into her. A good goat pelleted feed would also help - not sweet feed or corn.


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## Natalia Richards (Sep 29, 2020)

goatblessings said:


> Unfortunately, coastal hay does not provide enough calcium for milking goats - nor the grasses or weeds if you look at the analysis. If you want milk, you do need to find a way to get more calcium into her. A good goat pelleted feed would also help - not sweet feed or corn.


Thank you. I will also check the nutrient content of their unmedicated feed for goats.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

Is it possible that they are not letting down their milk for you, instead, keeping it all for their kids? I have a couple that do that, so I just take the kids at birth and bottle them.


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

Your feed while not perfect, is not why you aren't getting much milk. The kids are drinking it all.
You aren't going to be able to tell much until the kids are old enough to seperate for the night.

Coastal bermuda is our primary hay and our does earn milk stars on it. We do supplment the coastal hay with alfalfa pellets and a 18% protein dairy goat feed.
Also, in Florida you can get perennial peanut hay which is going to be cheaper for you than alfalfa hay, and it pretty darn close to alfalfa nutritionally.
You could feed coastal in combination with the peanut if you can find some.
Good luck.


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## Gooseberry Creek (Jun 3, 2020)

Our Florida goats think the Peanut hay is goat crack lol. If I put out all 3 hays..Coastal, Alfalfa & Peanut..they all fight over the Peanut and ignore the rest.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

My guess, a few things going on... Separating between 9 am and 11:30 am won’t do a whole lot, people usually separate at night and milk in the morning... Start with 6 hrs, and then 8 hr separation.

Not sure the % of protein in your grain, but for milking does it needs to be 14-16% protein... preferably 16% They should also get some kind of alfalfa. Hay, Chaffhaye, or alfalfa pellets... 

The milk machine you bought unfortunately looks to be a non pulsating one, which means it can hurt your does utters. It will work, but it’s not a pulsating one... Pulsating is when the teat cups suck in and out just like a kid is sucking on them. I will never use a non pulsating machine again.


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

janeen128 said:


> My guess, a few things going on... Separating between 9 am and 11:30 am won't do a whole lot, people usually separate at night and milk in the morning... Start with 6 hrs, and then 8 hr separation.
> 
> Not sure the % of protein in your grain, but for milking does it needs to be 14-16% protein... preferably 16% They should also get some kind of alfalfa. Hay, Chaffhaye, or alfalfa pellets...
> 
> The milk machine you bought unfortunately looks to be a non pulsating one, which means it can hurt your does utters. It will work, but it's not a pulsating one... Pulsating is when the teat cups suck in and out just like a kid is sucking on them. I will never use a non pulsating machine again.


Agree with Janeen and would never use a non pulsating milker. I did buy a hand one when I first got the nigerians but after a couple of uses I stopped using it. We converted one of the older surge cow milkers for the nigerians and am very happy with it . My husband did a bypass on it for me to milk into a half gallon jar and not into the big pot. I show that on my web page Windingrvrfarm.com It was pretty reasonable and the most expensive part was a pump. I think all the prices and where we got things is on the webpage. 
I separate moms and babies at about 4 weeks for the night and milk moms in the morning. We love their milk and the small breed but if you need a lot of milk a couple of big girls do a great job. I had nubians when I was raising my children.


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