# How much milk does your Nigrian Doe give?



## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

This may have been talked about, but I couldn't it anywhere. 

So for those who have experienced milking your Nigerian, how much do you average a day at her peak and later after her peak? How long does her peak last? And when does she reach her peak?


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

Hmmm. Trying to remember. I've only milked a FF Nigerian for a full 10 months. She peaked around 2 months and gave, if I am remembering right, 2 cups each milking (2x a day). She kept this up for 4 months and then I dropped down to milking her once a day. She gave 3 1/2 cups the first week or so then went down to about 2 1/2 cups. When she came into heat, she dropped to 1.5 cups and then back up to normal when she came out of heat. Kept this amount up until I bred her in December and then I just gradually dried her off. Cannot wait to see how she does this year!


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

my older does i'd milk 9 months.. they give from 1-2 quarts a milking


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Thanks for the reply's... my doe as a FF gave me about 20 oz a milking (twice a day) but I don't really remember when she peaked. I didn't get to see how long she would milk because the buck broke into her pen at 5 months and so I quit milking at 7 months... I separated the kids last night and now that she is a second freshener nursing triplets and 2 weeks postpartum, she gave me 28.9 oz, but I didn't milk her all the way out because not only was she holding back, I didn't want to take it all. I had just hoped someone could tell me when to expect her to peak and how long the peak lasts.


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Mine is giving almost a full quart (about 29-30 oz) but I'm only milking once a day. So, it would be almost 2 quarts a day. Her kids are a month old today, so she's not peaked yet.

She's a first freshener, so hopefully this pattern keeps up! I'm really happy with her. :angelgoat:


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

fruittartcaprines said:


> Her kids are a month old today, so she's not peaked yet.
> She's a first freshener, so hopefully this pattern keeps up! I'm really happy with her. :angelgoat:


So when do you expect her to peak?


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't have nigerians, but as a general rule they will peak 6-10 weeks after kidding


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Thank you goathappy!!! At least that is a start...


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Cali's last lactation, in the beginning I didn't keep very good records. Last time at about five weeks I was only getting around 11 oz, at the morning milking then it went up to 26 oz at seven weeks, then down to 20 oz pretty much until I quit milking. So would the 20 oz be considered her peak? She only gave the 26 once... and 23 oz a couple of times after that.


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## Shelly Borg (Nov 2, 2009)

My girl is a 2nd F but first time milking. We are on our 3rd day milking and she gave me 24oz this morning. She had F with quads.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My 4th freshener is giving 3 & 2/3 cups twice a day now at 4 weeks fresh...I've milked her the last 2 freshenings and know that she peaks at 8 weeks and gives 4 1/3 cups 2 x a day for 8 weeks then will drop back down to the original amount til I dry her off in October.


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## mikenandrea (Oct 21, 2009)

liz said:


> My 4th freshener is giving 3 & 2/3 cups twice a day now at 4 weeks fresh...I've milked her the last 2 freshenings and know that she peaks at 8 weeks and gives 4 1/3 cups 2 x a day for 8 weeks then will drop back down to the original amount til I dry her off in October.


WOW liz!! what do you do with all that milk


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Thank you Liz and that is a very nice amount of milk! So at around seven to eight weeks I should expect her to reach her peak, and that the 26 oz was her peak last time. I am going to keep very good records this time so I know what to expect from her. I'll tell you what, getting almost a quart from my SF the first time I milked at 2 weeks is a very satisfying feeling! I hope she goes up to at least a quart twice a day, after she peaks, and I think she will. A friend has guessed she could be a 3 quart a day milker in this or her next lactation... I can hope! I really hope that her daughter does as well as she has. Her daughter is due in 9 weeks...


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

> WOW liz!! what do you do with all that milk


Well, between making soft cheeses, yogurt and drinking it....doesn't last too long!

My niece and nephew enjoy it when Aunt Liz takes them a gallon of chocolate goats milk...they literally fight over who gets the last glass!

I measure Binkey's milk output, I don't weigh it and I do have a barn sheet that I write down the amount, it's sad but it seems that unless I can get her on milk test, my barn records aren't believable :sigh:



> A friend has guessed she could be a 3 quart a day milker in this or her next lactation... I can hope! I really hope that her daughter does as well as she has. Her daughter is due in 9 weeks...


I hope she hits those expectations for you! Also, if her daughter is a FF it is important that you milk her throughout this first freshening, the "schedule" you set for her now will follow her through her next freshenings. Milk her for as long as she is making enough worthy of taking.... most dairy goats will go a full 10 months giving with a dry off a month before the next freshening.


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Ya that is what I want my milk for also, and I want raw milk to drink, but to get it around here I really have to make it myself. I love drinking my goats milk!

I am very interested in milking through and I was disappointed that the buck got in with my doe last time. Both of them can be very persistent! But I will try again this freshening with both my does and see what happens.


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## fruittartcaprines (Mar 3, 2010)

Wow liz...would you believe I never even thought of putting chocolate in my goat milk? LOL! I can't even believe that I didn't think of it. We love chocolate milk from the local dairy...I would imagine that chocolate goat milk would be even better!!!

Sorry, slightly off topic...


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Milk is milk...no reason why the "good stuff" can't be used the way store bought milk is used :wink: 

Warning though.... do not use a blender to mix the chocolate syrup into the raw goats milk, did it once and hubby didn't care for the butter lumps in it! :ROFL:


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Oh I never thought of making chocolate milk either! That actually sounds so good. I haven't had chocolate milk in forever...

Cali gave birth March 19th. She was two weeks postpartum April 2nd. She gave me 30 oz this morning!!! And she is just starting! Also, she was holding back still. According to what I have read here, it should just keep going up until around the eighth week and then go back down some. After her last lactation, it was very nice to see the quart jar fill up! In two days I almost have a half gallon milking once a day. Here's doing the happy dance! WhooHoo! Hehe...

The kids are dam raised and last night I milked after I put the kids up for the night - I got 3 tablespoons! Her udder was very soft and I know I got it all. I will keep it up. This morning I could feel milk still in her udder, she just was not going to let me have it all!

My biggest concern is being bred again at 5 months past birth at her last lactation, I will probably have to work hard at keeping her from drying up shortly after that. We will see...


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## mikenandrea (Oct 21, 2009)

liz said:


> Milk is milk...no reason why the "good stuff" can't be used the way store bought milk is used :wink:
> 
> Warning though.... do not use a blender to mix the chocolate syrup into the raw goats milk, did it once and hubby didn't care for the butter lumps in it! :ROFL:


 :ROFL:


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## smwon (Aug 3, 2008)

Cali's udder... but first I got 31.45 oz of milk this morning and I decided to measure it in cups also; results 3 2/3 cups.

Her right side is quite a bit bigger than her left side and is always fuller when I go to milk. I believe it is because the kids favor the right side. She never lets me have all the milk in her right side in the morning, only at night. But then her udder is almost totally empty at night now that I have been separating the kids, they eat more during the day I think. She does not have good teat placement, they are like wings on each side! But that is ok with me, she milks very nice.

Sorry the pictures are blurry.










Her teats really are not difficult to milk and they are not a bad size now either.


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