# Bringing a doe back into milk



## thomcarol (Feb 3, 2012)

We bought a doe last weekend that had been dried up at the end of last month. I want to bring her back into milk again since she just kidded 4 months ago. I get her up on the stand and milk out clear liquid, I get maybe a tablespoon out of each side. If I keep going should she come back in? How long should it take? We stagger breed our does and for her to fit in our herd she would need to be milking now.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I am not a dairy goat person but I am not sure you will be able to. If she is not giving you any milk I think your only option will be to breed her again in a few months.


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## TeriA (Apr 29, 2012)

I am not sure you can. I have a doe that kidded end of August. I did not milk this winter so she should have dried up when we sold her kids in December. When the other does had their kids in April she came back into milk, but only enough to milk every 3 days or so. If I try to milk her more I just don't get anymore.  I'm letting her dry up now.

There may be herbs or hormones you can try.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If she was still working on drying up, you may have had a chance. But fully dried up would be a lot harder. Even if you did get her back in milk, it probably wouldn't be at full force.


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## Hollowdweller (May 5, 2011)

You could try oxytocin.

However if the doe was able to be dried up at only 4 months I seriously doubt she has the will to milk enough to be re started.

I have a doe that's still milking 9 lbs and she was fresh 4/12. During the coldest part of winter she dropped down to about 5 lbs but then when the days got longer she came back up.

I have had does I milked for 3 or more years before and a few that actually milked more into their second year of lactation. But those were sired by or related closely to goats that had extremely high PTAM's (Predicted Transmitting Ability For Milk) 

Generally speaking here, but I've found any does closely related to bucks on the USDA Sire Summary will usually have the will to milk to where they cannot be dried off before 10 months.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Actually I do agree with the oxy suggestion. Try just once and see if there is anything in her that she'll let down. If she lets down some, she's not all dry. But obviously if there's nothing to let down, shes dry-dry. Is there a reason she's dry at only 4 months in, like did they say why? Mastitis or just because babies are weaned? If she does come back up in milk I doubt she'll be a real good milker. It is possible and I have heard of it though. Frequent stimulation is key. You can trick her body into thinking she still has mouths to feed.


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