# Milking problem



## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I have a FF nigerian dwarf. She kidded about a week ago (May 2nd). She ended up rejecting one of her kids, so now we're letting her raise the one kid herself, while we have the rejected kid inside. We let the rejected goat feed off of mama 4 times a day or so, and I started milking the doe 5 days ago, for some bottle milk (for late at night or babysitting purposes). I'm a first timer so I'm definitely not as experienced as I'd like to be. The thing is, I'm only getting about 1/8 cup from her. I've tried washing her udder with a warm cloth, and I got 1/4 cup last night, but I feel like i should be getting more than that, especially with just one kid nursing off of her. I do bump her udder to get her to let her milk down. I just don't know what else to do. Any advice?


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## ETgoatygirl (Mar 23, 2012)

Hmm. I'm no expert either, just to let you know.. If you think she should be making more milk than that she may be holding a lot of her milk back when you try to take it. What works for me is letting the kid (the one she likes) nurse on her for a few minutes once you aren't getting any more milk from her. Then try to milk her again. This seems to help her to let her milk down. Hope this helps..


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## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

Have you tried separating the kid she is feeding for 2 or 3 hours before milking? The kid she still has could be keeping her empty. My girls make a LOT of milk but if I left the kids with them I'd never get any. At 2 weeks old we separate for 12 hours at night, milk in the morning and then return the kids. 

Does her udder still feel full and firm? Or is it empty/deflated looking?

I also found a firm massage works better on my girls instead of bumping it. I massage all around the udder. Front, back & sides. I noticed that gives me more milk then bumping it. When they start getting low or try to hold back I will massage, milk, massage,milk,massage, milk. 

2 weeks after kidding my FF nigerian was giving me a quart every morning after being separated from her single kid for 12 hours.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Separating at night is a great way to go... after a couple weeks, also the mommas will definitely hold back milk for the kids. They need to get used to the milking too. Good luck!


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

Thanks for all the feedback, I think once the kid gets about a week older I will separate him from her. Maybe that's why she isn't giving me much. Tonight I milked her and got about 1/8 of a cup. Shes gotten used to the milking stand, shes actually not too bad about it. But she doesn't seem to be distraught or stressed out about it, in fact when I'm milking her she stands completely still. I read that goats can't actually hold milk back, but from what I've been dealing with, it MUST be whats going on. I suppose I'll just keep trying the massage/bump/warm compress and keep at it. It takes me about 30 minutes to just get that from her. I'm trying to not get discouraged! Has this happened to any of you, only getting about 1/8cup per milking?!


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

Update: I've tried seperating the kid about 4 hours before I plan on milking her. She still didn't give me much today, about a shot glass full. I've tried warming her udder with a warm cloth, and applying dynamint too, maybe helping to relax her udder. Not much has been helping. She comes from great dairy lines too, the breeder (and my close friend) says she gets around 4 lbs/goat per day! I understand that these goats have been milking for a few years, but I feel like my baby shot glass isn't even CLOSE to what I should be getting. When I do milk, I get a good stream for a couple of squeezes, but it slows and then stops then I have to massage again, and I'll get like 4 good streams, then I have to massage again. After all that it takes me about 30 minutes just to get a small amount. It's getting very frustrating, and I've been milking her for almost 2 weeks now. Sorry I'm just so frustrated! I've seen nigerians give SO much more milk. Maybe it's something I'm doing? Any more advice?


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

Don't stress about it too much, and i will tell you why: I have the same issue with one of my full sized Toggenburgs. She only has one kid and every once in a while when I milk I get a good amount but generally that baby keeps her reallly empty. I started separating for just 4 hours and barely got anything. It was pretty much just like what you describe. Even the first day i had her separated from her kid for 12 hours I got maybe a pint and a half out of her (her full sister gives me almost a half gallon on a 12 hour fill, just to put that in perspective). But after just over a week of her spending 12 hours of each day away from her kid I am now getting almost as much from her as from her sister (her sister kidded 6 weeks before she did, and her kids just went to their new home so I get allll her milk).

So it probably isn;t anything you are doing, it's probably just her giving everything to her kid, and then not letting down her milk when you got to milk her because she is keeping it for her kid.


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## rssgnl27 (May 9, 2012)

I wanted to give everyone an update... my goat seems to be relaxing more and I'm getting about twice as much out of her as I was a couple days ago. I had purchased Dynamint, hoping it would relax her udder, and I think it's really helped. I just wanted to let everyone know in case they were having a similar problem. I think also maybe she has been getting a little more annoyed with her kid (since it's not BRAND new to her anymore) maybe shes not holding back as much milk for him? Who's to say! Anyways, it's looking up so I'm happy with that.


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## fcnubian (Oct 23, 2007)

Also something to keep in mind for next time, some does will have congested udders. And it just takes time to for that to go away.


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