Hello, I have a question about milk production. I have 4 FF that were not milked while we were away. They are way down on their milk now. They weren't milked for 36 hrs and are 2.5 months fresh. Can I get their production back up by milking them or should I dry them off? Thanks in advance!
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You should be able to get their production back up, but you will probably find that some rebound better than others. Years ago, we had a FF that we didn't milk for a few days because we sold her last kid but didn't realize it was her last kid. I felt horrible when I realized our mistake! She comes from a line of very good milkers, and she rebounded completely.
Keep in mind this is NOT something you should do regularly as it could wind up causing mastitis. Also, this is why I like to let moms raise their own kids. If I don't have time to milk some days, I can just leave the kids with them, and they'll take care of it for me.
I'm still new to milking myself, but I bet you could get it back up some (though probably not to where they were) by milking frequently (3+ times a day). I've read (though not tried) that giving dillweed, fenugreek seed, fennel seed and flax with their grain will help bring up milk supply. Human women take those supplements for increased lactation with great success.
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You should be able to get their production back up, but you will probably find that some rebound better than others. Years ago, we had a FF that we didn't milk for a few days because we sold her last kid but didn't realize it was her last kid. I felt horrible when I realized our mistake! She comes from a line of very good milkers, and she rebounded completely.
Keep in mind this is NOT something you should do regularly as it could wind up causing mastitis. Also, this is why I like to let moms raise their own kids. If I don't have time to milk some days, I can just leave the kids with them, and they'll take care of it for me.
I'm still new to milking myself, but I bet you could get it back up some (though probably not to where they were) by milking frequently (3+ times a day). I've read (though not tried) that giving dillweed, fenugreek seed, fennel seed and flax with their grain will help bring up milk supply. Human women take those supplements for increased lactation with great success.