# When to start milking



## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

Our nubian doe just kidded two days ago. Twins. I am in no hurry to start milking her, but I don't want to miss her milking cycle either, so how long can I let the kids nurse unrestricted before I step in and start milking her regularly? Thanks


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## Frosty1 (Jul 12, 2011)

Well, peak milking production is at 3 to 4 months into her lactation.  Don't know if that helped you or not, but....


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Not sure how it is for full-sized goats, but for Nigerians, you want to wait 2-4 weeks or so before separating during the night and milking in the morning, then you wean completely at 3 months or so. Depend on how well the kids have grown.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

My doe had twins this year, second freshning. I let the kids have her 24/7 for the first two weeks. I then started milking her in the mornings, left the kids on her. At week 4 I started seperating th kids at night as they were munching hay and grain. Mine doe is a Saanen. I will depend too , I think, on when the kids start eating.


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## billmac (Sep 8, 2008)

Well, as I say, I'm in no hurry to begin milking. This was an unexpected pregnancy and I'm not keen to milk in the winter, so I'm content to let them nurse as long as I can, but I do want decent milk production when I start milking.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

I would wait a few weeks...let kids stay with her fulltime for the first few weeks then separate at night, milk in morning like the others have said.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Actually...I've found peak production to be closer to 6-8 weeks fresh and I do separate starting at 3 weeks fresh and milk once a day in the mornings til the kids are sold at 8-10 weeks then I move to 2x a day......at peak however, I find that I need to milk my one older doe at least 3x a day for the first week or so after kids leave because she's so full.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

It depends on the doe and how much milk you're wanting from her later too. I have one that start out producing a gallon a day. She would have to have 5 or 6 to use up what she makes. I start milking her on day one. I never have to seperate her kids from her and still get almost a gallon a day. Her mom milked 2 gallons a day. My others are FF this year but still, I always empty them everyday right from the begining asking them to produce more and making sure that their udders are staying even and are being cared for.


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

Yes, even if you leave the kids with her all day; you should milk her out once a day to keep her in best production. I have some who get drained dry by their kids and others who have a good half-gallon at the end of the day. So it will take some trial and error to know what is right for you and this particualar doe.
As long as the kids are nursing she will keep producing but only as much as they demand.


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## salviadorii (Jan 3, 2011)

I would like to chime in with a question.I have 2 FF Nigerians and with kids at 5 and 6 wks now,have been separating at night for 11 days.I have been wondering about bringing them to the milkstand in the evening too ,even though the kids have been nursing throughout the day.Like I may not get much milk but would it encourage any more production?and another question ,since I have been only doing the morning milking I only give grain than(on the milkstand).Would giving evening grain (as I will do when I begin to milk am and pm)help out with milk production?Right not I give 1 c. and 1 single handful rolled barley,and a small handful of BOSS when I milk and some alfalfa pellets to keep them busy long enough to milk.thanks!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I would say that as long as they are putting their grain in the pail and not getting fat, the added grain and especially more alfalfa would help your production. Emptying them out in the evening will ask them to produce more and will also set them up for the 2 milkings a day routine when their kids are weaned and taken away. The routine may help relieve some of the stress of that time and prevent them from fighting that evening milking because they will already be used to it.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

I start milking 24 hours after they kid. The first day that I milk them (which would be day 2 after their babies have 24 hours of colostrum all to themselves) i milk them 4 times or so and freeze that up in case I have orphans in the future. I continue to milk them out every time I go outside and check on them for the next week to two weeks, depending on when all the colostrumy taste is gone from the milk. Until then it goes to the other animals. At two weeks in I milk twice a day whether the kids are with them or not. At 4 weeks I start to separate over night but i still milk twice a day.

BUT, so far my does have all had singles, once I get some multiples I may handle things differently. 

My doe has her kid on her all the time right now but the kid was only nursing one side so I have taped that side so she has to nurse the other side. So I pretty much get that side all to myself and she is giving me a half gallon a day from that side alone. I just don't know if the other side will match production because it fell behind when the kid wasn't using it.


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