I bought a doe in milk and have been milking at least twice a day. Every milking I have gotten no more than 1/2 cup. I am certain I empty her out. She was dry on one side when I got her. Anyways I'm selling her as a pet to a petting zoo. They don't want to milk her. I wanted to know if it would be ok just to stop milking her alltogether? And also when I stop milking does she need grain? And do I change her feed from alfalfa? I looking forward to making a better purchase soon. You learn big lessons when your a rookie.
Thanks,
Trisha
Comments
Deborah,
Thanks for your help! The person I bought her from told me she was a good milker and that the previous owner milked her for 10 months. When I got there to pick her up she mentioned that one of her kids died and she was dry on one side. I should have said no right then. I asked her after taking them home if she bagged on both sides and she kept avoiding answer me. I confronted her about not answering that question and she said she didn't know what that meant because she doesn't milk, but she breeds goats and sells them. She had 2 kids and she seperated the last kid the day before I went. She didn't bother to milk her and I think that was part of the problem. After taking her home I learned that she didn't have good udder attachments. She also sold me another kid that was not from that doe. She was really mean to him but got better with time. I contacted the seller a few times concerned about seperating her from her kid at 2 weeks. I tried to buy her kid but she wouldn't sell him to me. She was selling him for more because he had blue eyes. She gave me paperwork saying that she is registerable. But she wasn't that didn't end so well either. In the end she wouldn't take the goats back and I think she is still bottle feeding my doe's kid because she still has him listed. She told me she sold him and the next day re-listed him. I called her on that too. I was really bummed because I put a lot of money and sweat into building my pen, hay feeder and stanchion. And I was really limited in space because I live in an urban area. Anyways I learned a lot of good lessons and lost a few hundred dollars. But I wouldn't do that to another person. I think she got stuck bottle feeding a wether that she didn't want because her greed got the best of her.
Hi Trisha! Welcome to the group! I just noticed your post down here in the blog area. You probably would have had several responses by now if you'd put it in the forum, but I know it can be a challenge figuring out exactly how the group works!
As for your question, if she is making 1/2 cup, you can just go to once a day, and within a day or two, she probably won't be making more than 1/2 a cup at that single milking, and you can just stop. She should not fill up again at that point. A dry doe only needs pasture or grass hay, so no alfalfa and no grain.
Did you know her history when you bought her? Like when she kidded and how many kids she had? Did they sell the kid a few days and not milk her before they sold her to you?