# Lactation Curve and Bloodlines..



## ETgoatygirl (Mar 23, 2012)

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with this.. I have 3 Nigerian Dwarf does in milk right now. My best doe and her daughter are great producers!! This year, I have noticed that my First Freshener makes a solid quart a morning every day since I started to milk her. My other two does seem to make a nice amount, peak, and then drop off pretty quickly in the milk production department. They still make a lot, just not as much as at their "peak". Has anyone else run into this? I don't really mind that their milk production curve differs, I'm just curious. This has to do with their genetics, right?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Genetics as well as how they were "trained" to milk.... my senior doe Binkey is milked once a day from 3-4 weeks fresh and gives almost a quart, at her peak at 7 weeks fresh on a 9 hour fill she gives 4 and a half cups...that lasts for 2-3 weeks then it's back to 3 1/2 cups, after 8 weeks I milk 2x a day and she stays at a steady 3.5 cups per milking for a month then tapers to 2 per milking. I dry off my does the month they are bred so mine average a lactation of 8 months......normal for a dairy goat is 10 months with a dry off 2 months before kidding again.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Yes...i'd have to agree...and also add overall health and feed will very much effect this as well.


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