I am currently milking a neighbor's Nigerian yearling doe while they are away and this doe gives about 3/4 cup each milking. They she isn't the best milker and so that leaves me wondering --- how much do Nigerians typically give anyways? I never bred my does, but I often get asked that question about Nigerians in reference to how dairy goats can be so small. For those of you who have bigger herds and breed for milk production, how much would you say a ND gives? Just out of pure curiosity.
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Thanks Deborah! :) Wow! That's a lot! So impressive --- I had no idea. A whole world of Nigerians I didn't know about.
The average is often quoted as being a quart a day, which would be two cups per milking. That is usually what most level out to in mid-lactation, but my better does peak at 1/2 gallon to 3/4 gallon per day. I generally go to only one milking per day when they get down to 1 cup per milking, and when they get to 1 cup at the once-a-day milking, I just stop. That does not usually happen until they are 3 months pregnant, which hopefully happens when they're in milk for about 10 months. I have three does right now that have been in milk since Feb. 2012, and I'm about ready to dry up two of them. One, however, is still producing about 3 cups a day.
Keep in mind that first fresheners are generally the worst producers. They improve with each lactation until about age 4 or so, although I had one doe that kept improving until she was 6!