# Doe Still in Milk a Week After Miscarriage?



## Goat_Newb (May 6, 2015)

Hello!
First time milking goats, so I apologize in advance for any obvious questions I have....
Had a vacation scheduled and our doe (first timer) went into labor a good month premature the day before we had to leave. She delivered stillborn twins, very tiny and very early. She was in good hands, so we decided to continue with our trip and just let her dry up since we obviously wouldn't be around and didn't want to commit our house sitter to milking...
A little over a week later (we had returned at this point) I noticed that she was really bagged up and seemed very uncomfortable, so I tried milking her. I had assumed she would no longer be producing at this point, so I was fairly surprised at the amount I got from her. I thought "hm...maybe it's not all lost? Maybe I can still milk her?"
So here I am, milking this goat twice a day and I'm not really sure it's good for the doe or worth our time...she is still consistently producing milk about a week later, but not nearly as much as that first milking. Maybe a quarter cup and I don't know if the volume will eventually increase, stay the same or disappear altogether? Should I keep up with this or just leave the poor girl be?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

For that little bit, I would stop milking.


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## janeen128 (Dec 31, 2012)

I agree with Ksalvagano...


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## Goat_Newb (May 6, 2015)

Yeah, that's how I've been feeling...time and effort aside, does anyone think her production will go up if I continue milking her out? She's our only milking goat, so I was really hopeful that this season wouldn't be a bust...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You would have to milk multiple times per day. Give her alfalfa and red raspberry leaves. That won't guarantee anything but that is your best shot.

By the way, that first milking was from her initial bag. Not milking for a week with a full bag told her body to quit producing. The milk you milked out the first time was over a week old.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

My goat did the same thing. I wanted her in milk so I milked her from the beginning after she aborted 4 weeks early. The first few days I got a cup, then a pint then I wormed her and she went to a quart, not she is quart and a half each milking at least, so if you want milk from her milk her. I was able to bring in my girl, she will be bred this fall as usual, but for now getting at least part of what she would have done had she carried to term.


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## Goat_Newb (May 6, 2015)

Thanks for the advice. So I guess I'll have to either add a third milking or quit altogether...already giving alfalfa and production is going up, but slowly...I guess if nothing else it's been a good learning experience for both of us.


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

It took my girl a couple weeks but it seemed like every couple days it was more and more. Keep trying, like I said mine gives me 3/4 gallon a day, not her usual production but much better than nothing from her.


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## Goat_Newb (May 6, 2015)

Started milking 3x a day and production does seem to be increasing  it's a bit of a pain, but I won't mind doing it for a week or two. I noticed one teet is giving significantly less than the other (I can milk it out in half the amount of time). Any advice on evening them out other than just making sure I really empty that side out every milking? Will they eventually even out on their own? I'm not sure what would cause it since she never had a kid nursing unevenly or anything...doesn't feel like there is anything wrong with that side of her udder, just very soft and empty feeling long before the other side... :/


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Is the udder actually lopsided? One hand usually milks different than the other. My left hand milks out that side faster but both sides of the udder are even.


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## Goat_Newb (May 6, 2015)

ksalvagno said:


> Is the udder actually lopsided? One hand usually milks different than the other. My left hand milks out that side faster but both sides of the udder are even.


My right hand is slower but milks out her left side FASTER as it is producing less milk. The stream is noticeably thinner/slower much more quickly than the other side...her udder is very small since she isn't producing much yet so isn't noticeably lopsided visually


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