# Supposed to be pregnant but won't dry up???



## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

What should I do? I waited too long to dry her up, but she isn't wanting to dry up. Her due date is supposed to be June 29th, but I am not even sure if she is pregnant. Will it hurt her if she doesn't dry up? I am not graining her but milking twice a day...I can't feel anything in there, but she was this size when she aborted..I would have never felt that kid either. If she is pregnant and due in June...than what should I do??? :help:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If she's due in 2 weeks time, how long ago did she freshen before this pregnancy? Most does will slack in production on their own 2-3 months into pregnancy


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If she might be preggo and due that soon... I would stop milking her..... so she can have colostrum for her babies in case..... You can get a preg test done on her...so you will know for sure.....


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

If she is for sure bred then you need to dry her up now unless you have access to other colostrum for when the kids are born.


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## aussieheelr (Jul 29, 2011)

Well I've not expierenced this. I imagine Doing what you can to wean "youself" off milking her as if she's bred she would need to have that colustrom for the babies... but I'm not sure how that all develops at this time. And I think it might be late to send off BioTracking to get results before the due date. I think at this point it would be a good idea to get some colostrum since the kids will have to have that when they're new on the ground. If you have some frozen from another goat in your herd that would be best, but if not farm supply stores should have it (TSC/Murdochs/COOP etc). 
Or at least that's what I would do :shades:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

For a doe to be producing so much this late in pregnancy to warrant milking 2x a day, you've either got a great producer or she's not pregnant, if she isn't pregnant and you do dry her off you'll lose her production til she's bred again.

If you do think she is though, dry her up now and have a back up source of colostrum for her kids


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

thanks guys. She gives about 5 cups a milking without grain. I personally don't think that she is pregnant. She came into milking back in January. Long story short...I had given her something to bring her into heat because her previous owner had assured me that she wasn't pregnant. hence she miscarried, the fetus looked to me to be about 3-four months along. Full hair and sex was boy, everything was perfectly devoloped that I could see. Needless to say I was :sigh: :sigh: and felt horrible. But than she came into heat the next day, so I put her in with the buck. It looked to me like he bred her, but I wasn't certain if that was true heat. So after I thought she would just dry herself up because there was no baby, but no, she didn't. So that is why I started milking her. She hasn't really dropped in her production since then. Maybe a cup pr two because I stopped giving her grain. I feel really bad for all the stuff I put her thru and don't want to stress her out more. Can you tell me how you dry up your goats? Maybe you have a better way..


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't think she would have had time to prepare eggs for fertilization with aborting and coming into heat within 24 hours...it's likely she didn't settle. If you want to continue milking her, do so but please have colostrum on hand around the expected due date...just in case.

As far as how I dry mine off...I let them tell me, when milking them twice a day shows a drop in production, regardless of how much grain they get, I go to once a day for about a month to 6 weeks then will start the dry off process once they aren't producing as much. It's easier to dry off a doe at the end of her lactation than it is earlier... I cut all grain and milk once a day every other day for a week then stop altogether and just watch the udder for sign of engorgement...it's the back pressure of the milk that tells them to stop producing but being full to the point of pain isn't good so if mine get to that point I only milk enough for relief..usually just a squirt or 2.


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

thank you liz. that makes me feel better. Are we saying that if she isn't dried off in time than the milk doesn't turn into colostrum? This is very good to know. Also, I'm thinking of miking her once a day without grain to lessen the demand of milk..is this a good idea?


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

Is cow colostrum fine for baby goats?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Fresh cow colostrum is fine, even the powders you can get are derived from cows.

If she is pregnant and you do milk her through, I'm not sure if there would be any change in her milk... maybe someone else will know?

If you go to once a day, she will adjust, be sure to watch for engorgement though.


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

Thank you Liz. My cow is supposed to calf soon so I will put some a side. I don't think that she is pregnant.  Will have to breed her in fall.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If she isn't preggy now...enjoy the milk! Most does do start to dry off on their own right before fall breeding season, by that time it will be easier to dry her off.

And, if you do collect colostrum from your cow, you can put it in an ice cube tray to freeze then place the cubes in a ziploc freezer bag...it will keep well for 6 months...up to a year it's still better than not having any in an emergency.


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## Shazzles (Apr 28, 2012)

What a champ little milker!! Sorry no other advise but saying that LOL


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

actually if you.milk them through they will still make colostrum  it just isnt as thick a.d yellow. many goats here in australia wull refuse to dry up if rhey are high producers, it isnt worrh the mastitis riak so we just continue milking them through kidding.


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

That is good to know. Thank you Karen.


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## Betina (Nov 16, 2012)

i have a goat that is due in Feb..has a kid on her that i keep them separated at night..trying to dry her up so she will have colostrum for her babies..the problem is she is not drying up..she gets engorged and i milk her out..in two days she is engorged and i start over again..what am i doing wrong..do i not need to milk her out completely or just keep this procedure up..this is my first goat. Please help


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