Is this a lot for a Nigerian? Or Pygmy for that matter since that's what I am milking. I have one doe that just freshened and is giving me at least a quart a day just by herself. What is the most your best doe has given in a day.
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A quart a day during the first two months is not good if you're milking twice a day. They should be close to 3 pounds minimal, which means you should be getting a gallon a day from three does at this stage. If you were only getting six ounces a day from a doe, then you were probably not getting all of the milk. During the first few months, you have to milk twice a day, or the doe's supply will be dreadfully low. Even a pygmy should have been giving more than six ounces a day. This is why I recommend that people who are new to goats don't pull kids and bottle feed.
I pulled the babies and are bottle feeding them. The does are getting milked 2x a day. I get over 2 quarts a day out of 3 does now. Dried one off after only milking her once a day and only getting 6 oz. The one doe is giving me a quart of the 2 quarts on her own. I'm sure she will go up a bit and then slack off.
"They" say that a quart a day is average for a Nigerian over the course of a lactation. Most will peak closer to half a gallon around 6-8 weeks fresh, and then they gradually decrease in production over a ten-month lactation. If you're only milking her once a day (assuming kids are nursing for 12 hours a day), that would mean her 24-hour production is 2 quarts, which is good for a pygmy, especially since they're not bred for production.
April, check with your local extension office... I found out about a cheese making class (specific to goat cheese) through mine, and the instructor owns a reputable dairy I would not have known about otherwise. I'll have to travel a bit to go to it, but I'm a see and do learner. I need to be in the room watching it to be able to understand the instructions most the time. lol
I tried years ago to make cottage cheese once.... did NOT turn out right and have never tried again. I need to watch someone make it before I try again. Dont know anyone in my area that I can watch though.
I was thinking that too, Adrienne... That, and being pygmy goats, even though they can be good milkers, it's not what they are bred for specifically, so I would imagine that production might not be AS high as NG?
@April, you should consider learning how to make cheese and butter with your milk! Pygmy goats have high butter fat (like NG do) and you'd be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor too!!
Adrienne said:
My best doe is about 4 and gives roughly 2 quarts a day at her peak. It could be something like what happened to me...when I first started milking I was not that good at it and I was not getting all the milk out which caused her to get mastitis, but since then I have become so much better at milking.
My best doe is about 4 and gives roughly 2 quarts a day at her peak. It could be something like what happened to me...when I first started milking I was not that good at it and I was not getting all the milk out which caused her to get mastitis, but since then I have become so much better at milking.
This older doe just freshened the 16th so I figure she will lay the milk on even more.. My hubby loves the milk and drinks it. Told him he needed to hurry cause they where giving more milk then he is keeping up with! I personally do not like milk of any kind. He keeps telling me its really sweet and uses it in his coffee. told him as long as he wanted to drink it I would milk the goats for him.
Right now I am getting about a quart and 1/2 a day from one milker at the end of her lactation. I have two that have just freshened and anticipate that the two together will give me at least 3 quarts a day.
Replies
April, check with your local extension office... I found out about a cheese making class (specific to goat cheese) through mine, and the instructor owns a reputable dairy I would not have known about otherwise. I'll have to travel a bit to go to it, but I'm a see and do learner. I need to be in the room watching it to be able to understand the instructions most the time. lol
I was thinking that too, Adrienne... That, and being pygmy goats, even though they can be good milkers, it's not what they are bred for specifically, so I would imagine that production might not be AS high as NG?
@April, you should consider learning how to make cheese and butter with your milk! Pygmy goats have high butter fat (like NG do) and you'd be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor too!!
Adrienne said:
My best doe is about 4 and gives roughly 2 quarts a day at her peak. It could be something like what happened to me...when I first started milking I was not that good at it and I was not getting all the milk out which caused her to get mastitis, but since then I have become so much better at milking.
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