drying up

I'm trying to dry up my doe because she might be pregnant due in May. I was only milking once a day. Then I milked every other day. Now it's been 3 days without milking her. Her udder is really bagged up. I felt last night and it wasn't warm. What should I do? Should I continue milking her every other day? or just stop? its really hard to see her so bagged up because I'm really missing the milk already.

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  • On our farm, if a doe is pregnant, she has always been easy to dry up two months before kidding. My daughter and I used to argue about this endlessly, and I'd always insist on drying up the doe, even though my daughter would insist she was not due in two months if she was still milking well. Daughter was always right. Of course, there are a few goats out there like Kailyn's but they're quite rare.

    Milking her once a day would be fine. Don't do every other day though. According to a dairy vet I know, that just confuses her body. She is going to be full after 24 hours. I also think it's kind of "eeeyew" to drink milk that's been sitting in the udder for two days.

  • Yes, it would to me anyways. I am sure that I have heard that and it would generally decrease production! I hope my goats produce that well!

  • Would it make sence to milk her once  a day but never totally empty , so that you are not asking her body to produce so much? 

     

  • In my own personal experience, if you just keep milking once a day, her milk supply will decrease and eventually dry up on its own. I tried everything to dry up one of my does 2 months before she kidded one year and just had to give in and keep milking once a day. She dried up on her own about 5 weeks before she gave birth. I know this sounds like not enough time, but that's all the time her body wanted. She is quite a persistent milker. So my advice would be go back to once a day and her body will do what it needs to in preparation for this year's kids on its own clock!

  • OMG! Wish I knew sweety! She must be a real milker huh? Someone will know more than I would about this one!

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