# Saanens and Milk



## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Hey everyone,

I just had the most terrible week. Got a doe with 2 kids being told its a Jamunapari cross Boer. I saw it a week after kidding and its udder was just 3 inches from touching the floor. The kids could not get to them. After I got it home a week later, udder was about one foot above the ground 

3 days later she dries up and now even the kids dont have enough milk. I got her specifically for milk and the owner told me I can get 3 bottles easy. Well, I guess this is how you learn some things

I am thinking of selling her off and getting Saanens. Ive got a few questions on Saanens if anyone can answer:

1) Are the always as mild as they are said to be?
2) Are they calm and do they let you milk them? This doe I got does not even let me touch her udder
3) How much milk does an average Saanen produce?

Thanks in advance for your time


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

(the doe in my avi is a Saanen)

1. Most all the saanens I've met are pretty mild, so long as they're handled. Without being taught basic manners and how to behave around people, they can be as stubborn or wild as any other breed, and not every goat of every breed will act like another one. My doe's sire is a great big sweetheart, but doesn't like being touched, while she herself was wild when I got her and following me around by day 3. 
2. If you teach them to be calm and polite when milking, they will be. Even the doe you got can probably be tamed down to let you touch her udder if you work with her every day.
3. The average Saanen produces a lot. The average listed for 1999 was 2300+ lb of milk, though they can go a lot higher. My doe produced nearly a gallon a day as a FF, and her production's only going to go up.

The best thing you can do is research. Look at all the different breeds available and see what would work for you.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

Most of your big dairy breeds give 1-2 gallons a day. My little saanen doe it the sweetest, but we did bottle raise her and spoil her something terrible. Her mom was a 2 gallon milker and wow what a gal. I haven't been around enough to say they are all mild. In fact I have Lamanchas and they are said to be super mild easy to handle goats. Most of mine are, but a few just are difficult. If you mess with their udders from a young age they will let you touch them. My little saanen doe we started touching her udders at a week old on the bottle. While she ate we messed with her until she stopped kicking up. Now you can touch her anywhere.


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## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Thank you for replying guys.
Yeah I should work on her everyday I suppose. I think shes not letting me do anything because she has no milk. She keeps kicking the kids when thy try to get some milk. What do i give her to increase her milk production?


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

We had an older saanen that we got as a 8 year old. She kidded out an 18lb baby with assistance. We didn't know much about dairy goats back then and she ended up getting mastitis and one of her teats blew. She just became a pet for us and she was very VERY large. She was very tall at the back. She unfortunatley passed away at the age of 12 due to an infection. Her name was Piper

We have a new young Saanen doe that was TOTALLY wild when we bought her at 7 months. We've had her for a few months now and she is getting better by the day. She is completely lead broke and loves the stand. We feed her on it and pet her while she was up there. We still have to catch her while she makes a dive for two little wether's feed but otherwise she's very sweet. Loves to come up and sniff your fingers. Just not pets quite yet.  Her name is Buffy. Or Buffinator. Of Fluffanutter. (Mom used to mess up and call her Fluffy and my farmhand started calling her Fluffanutter xD) She is due in March to a Miniature Silky buck and we are very much anticipating "Silky Saanens"!


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## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Thanks for your replies guys

Yeah, I should probably work on her everyday but she doesnt have any milk on her. She keeps kicking the kids away when they want to drink some milk. What can I do to increase her milk production

Ahh the silkies, good luck with that. I have a silky Jamunapari doe whos very very silky. She is 8 months and takes the life out of everyone when shes hungry. I just have these goats at home, so urban farmer


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Haha. We only have a silky buck. And he will be sold after the winter once we get some kids on the ground. We have two daughters that are older out of him. One looks just like him and has bangs and skirting and a ridge.

What are you currently feeding the doe? Alfalfa hay and Alfalfa pellets will boost milk production. We also used to give crushed calcium pills (human kind). We'd give mini's about a tsp a day in their feed.


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## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Currently I feed them Jack tree leaves and a mixture of rice polish/ punkak (low quality grain)/ dhal seed leftovers. I live in Sri Lanka. We do not have alfalfa hay here. I will check again if we do. Most goats here are fed only leaves and some grain (very low quality).

Theres powdered Animol. I wil have a go with the Calcium


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Oh!! Wow! I was wondering what those breeds were that you were referring too! Thats so awesome 
You will have to show us pics oneday!
Hope she produces some more for you!


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## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Yes, the long eared Jamunaparis are famous here. Google for them and see, beautiful. Theyre very meaty


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Holy goat. I've never seen such LONG ears on a goat!! That is just incredible! And yes, they are beautiful indeed! They look to come from Nubians, or nubians came from them!! Or something along the way! They are just stunning!!!!


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## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Yes Sir! Doesnt it make you want them?
Ive always wondered why the west has not seen Jamunaparis. Adults grow to the size of a cow sometimes and theyre beautiful. You should see Saanen cross Jamunaparis. A 6 month Jamunapari is as big as a 2 year old Saanen and as heavy as well

No connection with Nubians, these come from India.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

OMG! I want one.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

meat breeds arent designed for milk production so your chances of getting a nice milk doe from a meat breed are slim. Their milking cycles tend to be shorter as well.

what part of the world are you in?


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

I looked up the Jamunaparis and it said they are a versatile breed, and that the Nubians actually come from them. 

Stacey- he said hes from Sri Lanka.


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## goatlk (Nov 21, 2010)

Yes, Im from Sri Lanka.
You see, we have Nubians here, cross bred with local wild goats and no ones even heard of a milking line here. Goat milk is just catching up in Sri Lanka. That is why Im thinking of getting Saanens. 

What most people do here is get a male and female Jamunapari. Maybe 2 kids cost around $200 to buy. In 6 months, the male would have grown so much that you can sell him off for meat for more than $200, so they have theyre investment covered. Most people are low income farmers here.

@Coyote - you bet, everyone loves them. Very friendly too. Until they get older and bigger.


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## SweetSaanens (Mar 6, 2011)

I have 2 saanen does that just had their first babies, one on the 3rd and one on the 4th of April.

They have always been very well mannered but were also spoiled rotten bottle babies. They never cause any trouble or fight with the other goats. I got them up on the milk stand today (April 5th) to give them a much needed hoof trim.......What a disaster!!! only got 2 feet on each doe. But while I had them up there I milked them a little just to get them used to it........Didn't move a muscle! just stood there looking at me a little confused with eyes half closed chewing a cud, stopping every so often to burp in my face.....may not have anything to do with the breed but they where MUCH MUCH easier to milk than the Nubian I had to milk last year.


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

i wonder if you can get jamunaparis in the US. They sound like they would make very impressive work goats  I'll trade you for a saanen


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

I have two Saanen does. My older one will be a 2nd freshner this year an was not really milked last year, She had one buckling and a huge udder. Her dam produced a gallon of milk a day in her peak periods...even with triplets!

My olser doe was pretty much wild when I got her. She will now come up to me to eat treats. Have yet to pet her unless she is on a leash and forced to comply! She has been in a stantion and sort of milked by the previous owner. I imagine she will be a bit fussy at first but will calm down quickly. Especially if her udder is full! She has gotten her head stuck in my fence a few times and patiently waits for me to get her out. That of course gave me an oppotunity to pet her! :laugh:

My younger doe is just a year old. She was bottle fed as her damm was killed by a dog. She is super friendly of course. I do not think she was bred this year so I do not know how she will be to milk.

In my experience the Saanens are friendly and will follow you around. I can walk my older doe on a leash now and the younger one wants to be where I am at all times! They are a milk breed, altho my friend does eat them too. Just not alot of meat. Lots of milk tho!


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