# when to stop milking



## ms_mac (Oct 7, 2012)

I am new to milking my Nigerian Dwarf. She had a little buckling about 8 weeks ago. We found a new home for him about 2 weeks ago. We paused with the milking about 24 hours because we were unsure what to do next. We decided to milk because of her discomfort and have tried to milk her twice a day since then. She has dwindled down to about 2 cups a day and I am glad to have that but wonder when it is time to let her rest a few months before re-breeding her. I have learned that there are no "dumb" questions on this site and look forward to the wise advice of others.
Ms_mac in East Texas


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## kc8lsk (Jan 10, 2014)

I milk right up till about 2-3 months before delivery. I usually don't dry up my does to breed them.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you don't want the milk then go ahead and dry her up. How long has she been in milk?


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## ms_mac (Oct 7, 2012)

*when to stop milking my nd_newbie*

She has been in milk since she gave birth about 2 months ago. We did not collect any milk as long as she had her kid. We only started doing that after we re-homed him two weeks ago and she was getting miserable after 24 hours with no kid. We know better now for milk gathering purposes. I read that people remove the kid for 12 hours and milk. I know there are many goats in our future and we want to start out right next time. I have an opportunity to buy a pregnant Nubian and was told she would work well with breeding later on with my Nigerian Dwarf buck. What do you think?
Ms Mac


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

6 weeks seems awfully early to give a baby away. Was he weaned and fully eating solid food?


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## ms_mac (Oct 7, 2012)

*6 week old buckling*

Elchivito
He was eating grain and seemed pretty content. He would nurse when the opportunity arose. I felt like he would do well with the place where I sent him. I am the easiest person in the world to be made to feel guilty, so please know I felt really good about his new home and his well being.


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

It is a bit too young but if he is eating grain and hay, he should be fine. We keep our babies till at least 10 to 12 weeks. We had an oops baby from a Nigerian dwarf buck and our 2 year old Nubian. The little doeling is mid size between the two breeds with blue eyes and a wonderful disposition. I just wonder about resale and of course you would have to continue your breeding program with Nigerian dwarf sire. I have Nigerian dwarf does and a buck. Although very cute I could never get much milk from them. The teats were too small to grasp and I tried a hand pump milker (the one that is attached to a mason jar) and couldn't get that to work either. My Nubians are much more worthwhile as far as milking.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

6 weeks is young but shouldn't harm him at all. You can definitely breed your nigerian buck and nubian doe....you would have a first generation mini nubian which a LOT of people do want. They should give a little more milk than a straight nigerian and a little less than a nubian. Some people really like that midsize milker. We have a nigerian that we just started milking this year after we weaned her triplets. She's giving almost a quart on once a day milking. That's plenty for us. I still have to make cheese at least once or twice a week to use up the milk.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

we stop milking when our girls are 3 months bred...but you can dry her up before that if you want to stop milking...

how we work it is we let mom have the kids the first two weeks...we will milk the extra milk from mom while kids are on her 24/7....at two weeks we put babies to bed at night, milk mom in the AM then let the kids run with mom all day...this seems towork out just fine...


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## Ziegen (Sep 22, 2014)

Do you want to milk her, or did you just do so because she needed it?


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## LewisFamily (Mar 10, 2013)

MS.Mac what part of East Texas?


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## justamerefarm (Sep 2, 2014)

LewisFamily said:


> MS.Mac what part of East Texas?


Happy Bleats: this is what we do too, no matter the breed.


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## LewisFamily (Mar 10, 2013)

justamerefarm said:


> Happy Bleats: this is what we do too, no matter the breed.


Im not sure I follow :-(


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## ms_mac (Oct 7, 2012)

At first it was to relieve her discomfort but it developed into a new avenue with the lovely milk. She is almost not giving anything (1 cup or so) and I am watching her to re-breed with my buck ND. I am about to purchase two bred does that are La Mancha. One is a mini-la mancha and the other is standard. I have made a tablespoon of butter (ha ha) from my doe and frozen lots more to make soap. I have made soap twice and it is so much fun. I recently retired and this looks like my next career. I appreciate all the responses on this forum. Makes me feel like part of a larger family that loves goats like I do.


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## ms_mac (Oct 7, 2012)

*location Ms Mac*



LewisFamily said:


> MS.Mac what part of East Texas?


We are in Alto, Texas on 60 acres.


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## LewisFamily (Mar 10, 2013)

Awesome. We are not far from you! Hawkins, TX.


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