# How much milk do your goats give?



## minifarmer (Mar 28, 2008)

Please sound off: How much milk are you getting from your does. How long have they been fresh? What are you feeding? I think my girls are below par and need to compare feeds to see if we are missing something.

1. 15 weeks fresh 5 pints per day
2. 3 weeks fresh 3.5 pints per day
3. 1 week fresh 6 pints per day
4. 3 days fresh 4 pints per day (plus nursing 1 buckling)

Days total for 4 goats: 2 gallons plus 1-2 pints

Feed: Unmedicated Show Goat
Unlimited browse/shrub
Corn while in the stand (approx 1 - 2 cups)
Free choice goat mineral block
Alfalfa pellets 
Hay


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

Firstly, I wonder what breed(s) your goats are. Minifarmer leads me to believe they are smaller breeds. If that's the case, your amounts sound about par. I'm sure there are individuals in the miniature breeds that give more (but mine don't!).

I also wonder if you are in a copper and / or selenium deficient area. Both could make a difference. 

Hope this helps, and I hope I'm not all wrong!


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I can see that your goats need a better mineral. See if you can find Cargill's Right Now "Onyx."

My one teated Alpine is giving 3 qts per day
LaMancha (who is milked once in AM, with kid during day) 1/2 gallon
Mini-Mancha (once a day) just under a quart

They all kidded late winter.

I feed alfalfa pellets, Kent 16% protein dairy feed, and just a top sprinkle of corn, oats, and black oil sunflower seeds. They also have access to alfalfa hay, grass hay, and I take them for a browse walk every afternoon.

They get the Cargill "Onyx" mineral, are copper bolused regularly, and a blue cobalt mineral block I put out occasionally, too.

Two of the milkers get "Mo Milk" herbal supplement. The Alpine won't eat it.
http://fiascofarm.com/herbs/formulas.htm#mm

(In the winters, we are in Texas, and they get Noble Goat 16% Dairy Parlor. I like it better.)


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## minifarmer (Mar 28, 2008)

My goats are not minis They are Nubian. I will check into the Cargil Onyx. l Maybe it will help


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

It won't make a dramatic change. The main problems are the move and changes in her feed.

Milk her three times a day for a week or so, if you can. Get her a companion.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

only 1 goat in milk right now (she has twin bucks nursing)
I milked her at first because the boys were forgetting one side. Then we switched sides or I should say they did so then I had to  now they use both sides and they are keeping Sugar level(?) 2 weeks and weening starts.
But she has consistently given me 2 quarts a day from 1 side afternoon milking.

goat chow(not pellets) mixed with alfalfa pellets mixed up with BOSS (I like the texture, smell and look-so do my goats)
dumor goat block(my goats love this they can nibble it)
mineral block(my goats wont touch this)
loose goat minerals
baking soda
protein bucket lick
brome/orchard/clover hay
browsing


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## QoTL (Jun 5, 2008)

I don't have top of the line milkers, but here's what I'm getting from my 2 girls:


Nubian (kidded early March): 1/2 gal a day. She's a FF.

AlpineX (Kidded June 4): 20oz per day while feeding her buckling. Mostly just milking to get her in the habit and to keep her even. 2nd kidding, she stinks to milk, but her production is about 5x what it was last year.


Mine get 16% dairy goat feed (looks like granola), loose minerals, lots of hay and some browse.


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## Cliff (Jun 30, 2007)

Our 3/4 nubian 1/4 kiko gives 1/2 gal. a day with once a day milking with not feeding her a great deal. She does have excellent pasture with tons of white clover.


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## hoofinitnorth (Oct 18, 2006)

All NDs here - herd average is over 1/2-gallon per day per goat for 13 goats in milk. Several are first-fresheners, all but one are only a couple months (or less) fresh. Several were nursing 0-2 doe kids prior to complete weaning (bucks weaned earlier).

I have one girl that posted 6.5 pounds on test at about 6 weeks fresh. She's a second-freshener who had quads - three bucks and a doe. Can't wait to see what she does on test #2 this weekend!

My complete herd milk test results are on my website, if you want to see more detail: http://FairSkiesAlaska.com/dairyproduction.htm

Forgot to add what we feed. Milkers get:

imported, dairy grade alfalfa hay

some local grass hays (mostly timothy, brome)
if we are low on local grass hay, sometimes imported timothy or imported orchard grass (orchard grass is not my preferred feed)
grass hays are fed more frequently in the winter and hardly at all in the summer

limited local browse during the summer months, only when supervised due to heavy presence of wild predators

whole local oats & whole local barley in a 2:1 ratio, ~1 pound per day, split between two feedings

a small amount of loose cattle mineral (no added salt) in their grain ration (we use Lact-O-Min because it's what we can get here on a reasonably regular basis)

a small amount of brewer's yeast in their grain ration

a small amount of kelp in their grain ration

free-choice fresh water

copper bolus every 5 months (I slacked last time and was 2 months late but they all still look amazing and better than ever before)

Bo-Se every 5 months (I slacked last time and was 2 months late but they all still look amazing and better than ever before)

We tried all sorts of other things but this works well for us. If we have a skinny mini (lol), we give them a little beet pulp, but it's not my preference to feed it.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

Our highest is a 2nd freshener Alpine who kidded about 3 months ago and gives 1.5 gallons a day.

Our lowest is a FF Alpine who about 3 months ago and gives 1 gallon a day.

We feed free choice alfalfa hay and coastal hay. Give a grain we mix (mostly 50/50 barley and oats, with BOSS, beet pulp, yeast). They have loose minerals and baking soda free choice as well. Browse is


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## copperpennykids (Sep 6, 2004)

We just finished our 3rd milk test this year:

Doe........................Days in Milk...................Milk Amount......Age

Tatsinda....................90.................................16.8 #..........3 yrs
WinCharmer...............90.................................15.0 #..........4 yrs
Victoria.....................95..................................11.9#..........5 yrs
Kementari..................99.................................12.5#..........2 yrs 
Vienna......................96..................................13.5#..........2 yrs
Amethyst..................68...................................11.9#.........2 yrs
Tabbitina..................68....................................11.9#........1 yr FF
Peaches....................48....................................10.0#........4 yr 
Trixie.......................51.....................................12.3#.......2 yr FF

We feed:

Free Choice 2nd cutting alfalfa hay
16% Dairy Grain on the milk stand with a hand full of BOSS
High Quality minerals, free choice
Free Choice Baking Soda.
Plenty of fresh clean water

Yes, these are Saanens and yes we breed for milk production and high components. We also want long level lactations - our does slowly drop to 1 gallon/day - usually at about 9-10 months into their lactation.

Oh, 1 gallon of milk = 8.2 lbs.

Loose minerals are definitely better than a block. Otherwise your management sounds good. You may need to bring in milkier genetics.


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

The two I'm milking right now freshened in February. 18% Kent Goat Milker on stand, FC Alfalfa hay, FC Onyx Mineral, FC Baking Soda, browse. The six year old gave 11# yesterday, the two year old 9#. These are LaManchas.


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## bluefish (Jan 27, 2006)

I have one 3yr old who freshened for the first (and so far only) time 15 months ago. She gives me 7-8 lbs a day. 
I have another 3 yr old 3rd freshener who freshened May 23 and gives me 3 1/2 lbs a day, milked once a day. She has more but holds back for the kids. She has a history of 8 lbs a day after freshening, but drops rapidly after 6-7 months and absolutely will not milk for the full 10 months. She's out of here next year when my new doeling freshens.


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## LomahAcres (Jan 21, 2007)

I also don't see if you said what freshening these girls are in and if they have been milked through in previous freshenings? As that will also play a roll in how much they give you.

We have Nubians & Nubian crosses 8 goats in milk and are getting between 6-7 gallons a day - here's the low down.

FF Nubian (from Ozark Jewels  ) 5#'s a day 10 weeks fresh
Kinder 5thF - 5# a day 12 weeks fresh
Alpine/Nub cross 4thF - 10#+ a day - 10 weeks Fresh 
Saanen/Nub 4thF - 6#'s a day at 15 Months fresh
Nubian FF - 2.5#'s a day at 14 Months fresh
Nubian 4thF - 9#'s a day at 12 weeks fresh
Nubian 5thF - 8#'s a day at 14 weeks fresh
Saanen/Nub 2ndF - 9#'s a day at 10 weeks fresh


Feed:
Free choice Alfalfa 
Grain mix - rolled barley 50# BOSS 20# Cracked corn 10#
Girls get 2-4lbs of grain a day depending on the goat.
Copper bolus 2-3X's a year + Mineral. I just started using the Cargill Right Now Onxy, but my girls don't like it enough to eat it on their own so I'm just mixing it in with the grain. I also add in Diamond V Yeast culture and Kelp - 1 part of each to 4 parts mineral. I pour on 1/2 cup over each grain dish, sometimes they eat, sometimes they don't, goats are sooo picky.


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## Eunice (Feb 9, 2005)

I am milking three goats at this time - free choice alfalfa hay and 3#of Nutrena Top Goat daily.
9 yr. old Alpine, fresh 11 weeks, 8# 
Yr. Saanen, borrowed, fresh 12 or so weeks, 6#
5 yr. old Alpine, fresh 10 wks. 18#, just weaned huge twins.


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## shiandpete.1 (Aug 13, 2008)

We are milking 2 Lamanchas and 1 Lamancha Tog right now:

Carla(Lamancha/Tog): 90 days fresh 3 yr 2nd freshener: 13.2lbs a day
Gloria(Lamancha):90 days fresh 3 yr 2nd freshener 10lbs a day
Billie Jean (Lamancha): 30 days fresh 1yr 1st freshener 5lbs a day

We feed a mountain meadow Grass Alfalfa mix, Noble Goat dairy parlor, Free choice Ranchway goat mineral, Free choice Baking soda, and the Blue cobalt block. We will not push the FF because she is still growing and producing milk, she gets 2 cups of her own milk fed back to her.


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## HillsideWayCSA (Feb 22, 2010)

My old gal alpine gives me 7-8lbs a day and my ff alpine gal gives me 5-6lbs a day but I only milk them once a day and they don't get suckled or anything otherwise just milking. When I was milking twice a day my old gal gave me 13-15lbs a day and my ff gal gave me 12-13lbs a day. 

I just feed two quarts of goat chow and a quart of alfalfa pellets while they're in the stand. Hay the rest of the day. My old gal has a liking for milk and tends to get her nose in it before the kids get it all gone.


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## mylala (Jun 3, 2008)

1 year old FF Saanen I got a week ago, freshened 2 weeks ago is giving me half gallon in the morning, and I milk about a pint in the evening just to relieve her some. She is also nursing 2 doelings that I haven't started separating at night yet.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

My gal is a second freshener. I milk her once a day; she has three kids on her the rest of the day.

She's now 13 weeks fresh, and gives an average of 6# per day. Don't know how much that will increase when I go to twice a day milkings once the kids are weaned.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

LomahAcres said:


> I also don't see if you said what freshening these girls are in and if they have been milked through in previous freshenings? As that will also play a roll in how much they give you.


Can you please explain that? I'm interested in milking through...


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

This is our first year with goats. We have one Kinder doe - FF last June. She is still producing avg 4+lbs/half gallon or more per day (2.4 per milking or a bit over 1 quart). 

She is fed a quart of Nutrena grain mix dressed w/BOSS twice daily (on stand), and free choice alfalfa/grass hay. She also gets roughly 2 cup of timothy/alf pellets twice daily _(meant for the kids, but she surely gets her share)_, and we keep Goldenblend mineral free choice. We will be milking through.

Edited to add: Didn't realize this thread was from last year, but interesting none the less. My two cents stays.


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## LomahAcres (Jan 21, 2007)

smwon said:


> Can you please explain that? I'm interested in milking through...


First fresheners give less. Some give way less, some just a little. So much can change the first year and second freshenings as well. With udder shape, quantity, and length of milking. 

Daily(2x) milked does can double their first freshening peak in or by their 3rd freshening peak. The more demand there is for milk, the more the does will produce â or âtryâ to produce â they can only do so much. Keep them going and stretching them out makes for a longer stronger next freshening. For many does - If you dry them off- say at 8 months fresh, her first freshening, she will want to dry up again next year at 8 months fresh. We milk our FF out at least 9/10 months, even if they give us just a cup of milk a day in the end. Weâve had higher peaks with longer holdings doing this.


This topic was from last year, I am so happy with milking through. This year my Scarlet, who was milked through 18 months as a FF, kidded out 3 week ago at 9#âs a day, after not even hitting 6lbs as peak her FF. She was down to just a quart in the winter months and we didnât really see a rise in the summer, but as a FF I was just glad she was still going. We hope to milk her through again this year. 

Naomi was milked through 20 months (5th freshening), her first winter she dropped to 4lbs a day, and climbed back up to a gallon a day the following summer. Normally, if weâd dried her off to kid, should would peak at a about 13#âs.

Another doe Latte â were milking through this year (6th freshening), she is at 12 months fresh now and milking 5lbs. Her and Naomi had previously been milked through 12 months but then dried off to kid again in 2 months.

We are not seeing the high peaks we see the same year as kiddings with milking through, but this is just our second year doing it, and it takes longer to see the results. Ask me next year when Naomi is milking through her second 20 month long freshening and we'll see.  

Because our milk sales are so much better then our kids sales itâs defiantly worth it. Iâm aiming to get at least 8 milking-through does out of my batch of 19 and I think that's very do-able. I measure out holding lengths over peaks - some does peak high but then fall quick, other does never peak as high but milk the same month after month. This way I can get the idea of the best candidates. Some of them I donât think would make it the full 20 months, but if I milked them long enough they go dry, that may stretch them out to it in a few more freshening. I have some decent linage and everything would peak at at least 5lbs as FF and 8lbs as 2nd F. Some goats just might not be able to do it, but I would put at least a freshening of stretching them out to the test to see the improvements the following freshening.

These are all Nubians and Nubian crosses.


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## GeorgiaGirl (Jun 1, 2009)

I usually don't measure the milk but decided I would last Friday morning.
I have Nubians and only milking one at the moment. The morning milking she had gave over 6#. I was shocked! She is a 2 freshener and freshened on Feb. 27.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Thank you Kristen, you sound like Pat Coleby! But it is nice to hear from those that actually do milk through and now I know what you do. I have a 3rd freshener ND, that I have intended to milk through, but she always had other ideas. I have a FF Nubian that will birth here in a few weeks that I am seriously thinking about milking through.


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## T.Miller (Dec 1, 2006)

Right now I'm milking one 6 year old Lamancha doe. This is her 5th freshening and she's only 11 days fresh giving 10#'s a day.

I feed 18% Noble Goat Dairy Parlor, Alfalfa Pellets, and Grass Hay.

Terry


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

I'm milking a FF Miniature Alpine and averaging 5lbs per day (little over 1/2 gallon)

I feed free choice coastal hay, free choice Right Now Onyx minerals and free choice Standlee Alfalfa pellets. On the milk stand I was feeding a grain mix.. 6 parts whole oats, 2 parts BOSS, 1 part cracked corn....Last week I added Purina Dairy Parlor 16%. Now my feed mix is about 3/4 Dairy Parlor, 1/4 grain mix. Milk production went up, Tootsie eats this better and she eats less. On the grain only mix I was having to feed 3 1/2 of my scoops (3 1/2 lbs) to keep production over 4lbs and most times I couldn't get her to eat all of it (and milk would be about 4oz shy of the 4lb mark)...On the mix I'm giving now I give 2 1/2 of my scoops per day & get 5lbs of milk a day 

We also give Bo-Se and Copper Bolus. 

When was your doe last dewormed and with what? Did you repeat deworming 10 days later to ensure you got everything?


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## RedSonja (May 16, 2010)

Are these goats you have owned through several lactation cycles, or did you buy them already freshened? I ask because I just recently learned that moving a doe in milk to a new home can decrease their production for that entire lactation cycle. (Actually was relieved to learn that as we bought two Nubian does in milk last spring and I was very disappointed with their production. But I'm hoping that they were low because they were moved and that between them they were nursing five bucklings during the daytime. I suppose I'll find out in June because they are hopefully bred and due to freshen again then.)

-Sonja


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