# does anyone milk a precocious goat?



## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

I have a goat who bags up with milk in half of her udder hormonally (no breeding), and I just read something about a woman who milked a precocious goat for seven years. Does anyone here do that? Is the milk any good? I thought the milk would get too strong or something if you didn't freshen it with breeding. Her udder got smaller over the winter (not completely empty, but not enough to milk) so she could be normally dried out between milking cycles every winter.


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## crazygoatgal (Jan 15, 2008)

I know someone who has a Nubian that is the same way, but she called it a "perpetual milker". And it was only one side that filled as well. She would just milk her out every couple of days year round and this goat is 12 or more years old. I know that they don't drink the milk but I don't know why.


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## MsSybil (May 20, 2008)

I had an alpine doe who I never could get completely dried up. Would come back into milk when the other does kidded. Could bring her back into milk just by milking. Never was a show doe but an excellent reliable milker to have around without having to have kids to worry about!
Sue


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

Seems to me the book Natural Goat Care mentioned an Alpine who milked for nine years on one freshening. I can't find it at the moment.


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## Corky (May 11, 2002)

I just happen to have one right now.

I have a doe that was supposed to kid on the 9th. She got big enough to look like she might have twins and she got a nice udder on her.

She was x-rayed today and she is NOT pregnant.
She is having a false pregnancy.

I am milking her and will milk her as lone as she has milk.

I also have another doe that has always been precocious.

I did breed her every other year but she came into milk every Spring whether I bred her or not.

I started just milking her through. She would slow down on production in the winter but pick right back up in the Spring.

If you have one, milk her.

You will want to toss that first milking because some of that milk has been in there a while and she will not produce much milk for a while as she has not been milked. Just milk out whatever she has at each milking and her production will improve.


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

Thanks guys. I'm going to get the first milking tested to make sure everything is OK as far as possible infection goes, and then will continue for my own usage. I'd like to milk her out just because that big heavy bag looks so uncomfortable. I've really missed having fresh milk for cheese, and didn't want to breed my girls to keep milking. So this is quite a benefit for me if it's good milk. She will give me a lot more milk from one teat than I got from two teats on my Nigie. I hope her milk tastes as good as the Nigie milk.


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## needstoknowmore (Feb 6, 2005)

Hum!!! If you start milking them they will produce milk?? You got me wondering on this one. I have one, she has been this way for years. I was told not to milk her. And when I did take milk from her, it was not milk, more like water. Last year she did have a kid, first and only one ever. And then she had plenty of milk. But I have always left her alone, other than checking her. If I start milking her will she start milking and not water like stuff??


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## naturewoman (Nov 12, 2002)

needstoknowmore said:


> Hum!!! If you start milking them they will produce milk?? You got me wondering on this one. I have one, she has been this way for years. I was told not to milk her. And when I did take milk from her, it was not milk, more like water. Last year she did have a kid, first and only one ever. And then she had plenty of milk. But I have always left her alone, other than checking her. If I start milking her will she start milking and not water like stuff??


This is what I'm asking for. I read on one "ask the expert" site, that it is only serum until a few days before delivery and then it turns to milk...so can you actually milk them and get milk, or just serum?

Some people say they milk them and get milk. Now I'm really confused. I don't want to break her teat plug and expose her to possible mastitis if there is no milk in there. :grit:


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