# how much difference between a FF and subsequent freshening?



## kachikachiyama (Dec 19, 2013)

Hey goat folks!
how much is a quantity difference have you experienced in your dairy goats between their first freshening and subsequent freshenings?


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## Casa_la_Palma (Oct 15, 2013)

Great question! I haven't a clue, my two are due to kid for their first time in April. Very interested in what folks have to say.


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## Cadence (Jul 20, 2013)

Lots of differences between their lactations.

Some differences between their ability to mother their kids and understand what is going on.

Assuming the doe is young, lots of difference between their ability to keep weight on during early lactation

Some difference in delivery depending on the size of the doe. We've had does with hard 1st kiddings and easy subsequent kiddings and some where the first kidding was fine and the second one had triplets who were all tangled (much more difficult).

Do you have a specific topic you are asking about because I can expand if you want.


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## kachikachiyama (Dec 19, 2013)

I am interested in the volume/#s of milk given in the first lactation as compared to subsequent lactations. How much odd an increase have you experienced?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

For my does, it varies. It be be anywhere from 2lbs more, to 8lbs more.


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## Cadence (Jul 20, 2013)

I pulled up one of my doe's DHIA information so you have an idea of what increase you will see. We milked her longer in her yearling lactation than the next lactation but you can see the individual increase in monthly milk weights.

I've put the milk weights in red (they are weighed in lbs). You can see that she increased each year she has been milking. We have also found that multiple fetuses in a preg tend to increase lactation that year. So a lactation on single birth tend to be lower than a lactation on triplets.

Yearling Lactation: 
DIM Milk Fat% Prot% SCS Freq Test Date
1 19 7.3 3.2 2.4 6.9 2 2011/03/20 
2 49 7.7 2.6 1.9 6.6 2 2011/04/19 
3 84 7.7 3.5 2.0 6.7 2 2011/05/24 
4 112 7.3 2.3 1.8 5.5 2 2011/06/21 
5 142 5.4 1.6 1.9 5.3 2 2011/07/21 
6 173 5.7 2 2011/08/21 
7 208 5.2 3.0 2.2 6.2 2 2011/09/25 
8 238 3.2 6.4 3.5 6.4 2 2011/10/25

Two year old Lactation: 
DIM Milk Fat% Prot% SCS Freq Test Date
1 22 9.7 2.4 2.2 6.6 2 2012/03/25 
2 47 10.4 2.6 1.9 4.6 2 2012/04/19 
3 70 8.6 2.4 1.8 3.8 2 2012/05/12 
4 93 8.6 2.9 2.0 6.2 2 2012/06/04 
5 119 7.6 2.6 2.0 5.2 2 2012/06/30 
6 190 6.0 3.1 2.2 3.8 2 2012/09/09

Three year old Lactation (she went to a 4Her's house to help feed their calf, so she didn't have as many test this year):
DIM Milk Fat% Prot% SCS Freq Test Date
1 35 11.5 2.3 2.4 4.1 2 2013/04/27 
2 82 9.5 1.7 2.0 2.7 2 2013/06/13 
3 126 7.5 2.3 2.1 5.0 2 2013/07/27 
4 155 8.1 2.8 1.9 5.2 2 2013/08/25

Does that make sense or is just more confusing


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## Hollowdweller (May 5, 2011)

I usually want my yearlings to milk 8 to 10 lbs.

A 2 year old 12 or above.

A mature doe 14 and above.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Wish we could speak in gallons/quarts


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

8lbs is roughly a gallon, so 2lbs would be about a quart ^^


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## Hollowdweller (May 5, 2011)

NyGoatMom said:


> Wish we could speak in gallons/quarts


Serious goat people usually speak in pounds because that is how official lactations are measured.:thumbup::crazy::lovey:


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