# milk production question



## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

I'm mainly concerned with Nigerian Dwarfs if it matters at all when I ask these questions, I understand that first fresheners always produce less milk than they will in following freshenings, but how many freshenings does it take before a doe reaches her maximum production? Can that happen as early as their second lactation, or does it normally take 3, 4, or more freshenings before they are at their peak production? And also, for how many years will they normally keep their production at or near that maximum once they reach it?

thanks


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## bornagain62511 (Mar 3, 2015)

bornagain62511 said:


> I'm mainly concerned with Nigerian Dwarfs if it matters at all when I ask these questions, I understand that first fresheners always produce less milk than they will in following freshenings, but how many freshenings does it take before a doe reaches her maximum production? Can that happen as early as their second lactation, or does it normally take 3, 4, or more freshenings before they are at their peak production? And also, for how many years will they normally keep their production at or near that maximum once they reach it?
> 
> thanks


anyone with experience, even if it's with a breed other than Nigerians, please share. I'm sure it's very similar regardless of the breed of goat. For how many freshenings do you typically see increases in milk production before they reach their maximum and level off? Reason I ask is one of my goats is a 4 year old 3rd freshener. Is she likely to produce more milk in her 4th and 5th freshening, or do they typically top out in their 2nd or 3rd freshening, and then maintain that amount of milk production until they get near the end of their lives?

thanks


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Usually around their 3rd lactation. But no guarantees. There is no hard and fast rule.


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## afullacre (Mar 17, 2015)

Good to know they produce less if they are a first freshener...but how can I keep her at the 12 oz I was getting a week ago...she is already down to 7 ozs....what do I need to be doing to ensure her production increases at least back up to the 12 oz we did get?
We got 12 oz the two days after we sold her little buck at 8 weeks old...but production is at such a decreased # I am worried.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You have to milk twice a day and feed them for production.


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## afullacre (Mar 17, 2015)

We feed her correct. ..so we'll have to go to twice a day milking. Do you guys think her production will increase back up to the 12 ounces when we go to twice a day?


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

If you're milking once a day now and you increase to twice a day you will be increasing the demand on her mammary system for more milk, so her production WILL go up. She may even give you more than 12 ounces! 

My Nigey is also a 4 year-old 3rd freshener and she gives roughly 3 cups per milking - sometimes more. (We milk twice a day and bottle fed her kids...)


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## highpockets (Jan 30, 2014)

Mine is a 3rd freshener and give a quart. I milk once a day


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

My FF nigie gives about 3 cups a day. A few days ago, she went off her feed for a couple days and her production was about 1/3 what it had been. When she recovered, she was giving a little less milk, but her production did go up again to close to what she was producing before. Hopefully you will be able to bring her production back up with milking twice a day.


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## jmez61690 (Jun 16, 2015)

Just a related question, not meant to hijack the thread, but if you milk 3,4,5 times a day and increase feed will their production increase as well? Is it like humans where it is a simple supply-demand system?


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## afullacre (Mar 17, 2015)

Ok so we didn't milk last night and we waited until this morning to start fresh on the twice a day schedule & I got about 13 ounces. I venture to say that when we try to milk her tonight we won't get too much but I will make sure to get all we can to get her back into the mode of producing. I'll keep y'all posted I hope it all comes true that we will get at least 12 ounces twice a day. Thank you all


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