# Drying Off Girls, They Look Very Uncomfortable!



## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

With the intention of drying off my two girls, I stopped milking this past weekend... Saturday was the last day I milked. 

They look SOOO uncomfortable!!! Should I relieve some of the pressure? I feel so bad I really wish I hadn't stopped, or at least waited awhile longer.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

How much were they milking per day when you stopped?


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

I was getting a little over a quart per day, like a quart plus a cup, (milking once a day) from the both of them put together.... Neither of them were ever 'gallon a day' milkers.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can milk a little to relieve pressure.


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

Thanks Karen, I think I will in the morning.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

You probably have already cut any grain, but if you haven't, cut the grain back.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice.


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

Yes, I started cutting back their grain about a week before... They aren't getting much grain at all right now. They have grass hay 24/7, Kent goat minerals and baking soda. Only giving them a tiny bit of grain in the mornings just because they are so used to getting fed. They don't actually need it tho, they are all ummm... well conditioned???

_But, I think I did a bad thing this morning_... I didn't just relieve a little pressure, I went ahead and milked them out. I thought I'd do a mastitis test on them using the Dr. Naylor test card thingies... Neither of them had normal results. It scared me enough that I milked them completely out, then milked again in the afternoon and rubbed herbal mastitis salve from Molly's Herbals on their udders. Thinking I will milk them out again in the morning.

I screwed up, didn't I?  Why are goats so complicated???? :question: One of the reasons I haven't dried them off before this was a fear of them getting mastitis because I did it wrong! Ugh!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If they have mastitis, then you should get Tomorrow. Don't mess around with it.


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

This morning their udders look deflated.... so does this mean they are drying off and maybe I didn't screw up as bad as I originally thought? 

When I milked them yesterday, their milk was normal looking and smelling. I didn't taste it or keep it tho. 

Also, I haven't read anywhere to do a mastitis test during the drying off process... Is it possible that ALL does would have abnormal test results, it's just that people don't do the test during this time? 

Karen, I don't have any Tomorrow on hand other than some very outdated tubes I got to have on hand in case I needed it. Would have to order it online as they only sell it by the case in the local farm store here.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You could probably get Tomorrow online. I don't know about testing when drying off.


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## Darlaj (Dec 10, 2013)

All my does test positive for mastitis when drying off there somatic cell count goes up as the milk sits in udder creating a false positive. I am not saying your does don't have it. But if the udder is soft and pliable, there are no lumps and bumps and the milk is a good color and smell then I would say they are just fine... That being said I know a lot of people will treat with the dry cow ( can't remember if it today or tomorrow) the last time they milk out for the season. Also I know that the girls are uncomfortable looking when full from drying off ... But being full is one of the things that tells there body to stop making milk. They will start to reabsorb. When I see that they are reabsorbing then I milk out I am a meanie though I pull all grain and alfalfa about a week before I stop milking and offer only good grass hay. I reintroduce one week after I stop milking.... So two weeks they are off alfalfa and grain. They do lose a bit of weight but the drying off process is much smoother and faster


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

Darlaj said:


> All my does test positive for mastitis when drying off there somatic cell count goes up as the milk sits in udder creating a false positive. I am not saying your does don't have it. But if the udder is soft and pliable, there are no lumps and bumps and the milk is a good color and smell then I would say they are just fine... That being said I know a lot of people will treat with the dry cow ( can't remember if it today or tomorrow) the last time they milk out for the season. Also I know that the girls are uncomfortable looking when full from drying off ... But being full is one of the things that tells there body to stop making milk. They will start to reabsorb. When I see that they are reabsorbing then I milk out I am a meanie though I pull all grain and alfalfa about a week before I stop milking and offer only good grass hay. I reintroduce one week after I stop milking.... So two weeks they are off alfalfa and grain. They do lose a bit of weight but the drying off process is much smoother and faster


This makes sense to me! I don't think they have mastitis as you have described it. No lumps, heat, smell etc... I'd rather not use the Tomorrow if I can help it, but will if necessary.

They are filling up a little bit since I milked the other day, but don't look as full as the first time. I will wait about a week or so and milk out again for hopefully, the last time.


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## cfish001 (Sep 1, 2015)

I am in the process of drying off my girls right now. I think all of them are pregnant and will have kids due in January. 

I do not stop milking them. I take a whole month or more to dry them out slowly decreasing milking. I am also watching closely to make sure no mastitis issues happen.

I first cut out evening milking. I then start milking every other day, then every 2 days, then every 3. This is just my method. By the time we get to every 3 days, it seems is is really easy to dry them out and I can easily stop milking them.


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## Blackbird (Oct 10, 2015)

I also dry off slowly. I was milking once a day, so I just started by milking about 1/2 the udder content for a week then went to the half milking every other day. Just a couple of days into that every other day routine they hardly had any milk so I just stopped. I check their udders every day to. Be sure there are no lumps or hot spots. We're in the third week and everything I'd fine.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I also dry off SLOWLY and give vitamin C. So far, no mastitis. I just give chewables, they eat them like candy.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

When a goat (or cow) starts to dry off, mastitis tests don't work well. Their somatic cell count goes up and their milk gets thicker as the body absorbs the fluids, leaving a higher concentrate of solids. This is normal. It does not mean they have mastitis. It doesn't take long for their body to start absorbing any excess milk.

If they are deflated the next day, yes they are starting to dry off. If you want them dry, don't milk them again.


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## fcdairygoats (Jun 24, 2013)

When I dry off the milkers I cut their grain out a few days before and switch from twice a day milking to once a day milking and when I see a drop in production I go to every other day milking. Once I see they are not full or uncomfortable every other day I will milk every few days for a few times then quit. I always milk them out completely any time I milk. I was always told to never partially milk them...not sure why.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

goatblessings said:


> I also dry off SLOWLY and give vitamin C. So far, no mastitis. I just give chewables, they eat them like candy.


I know this is an older Thread, but the extra info is helpful.

Curious, how much Vit C do you give, Milligrams, is it human kind, how much per lb of goat, is it daily and for how long?
Thank you for any information.


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