How to dry up a dairy goat

[TruthSeeker]

This past Thursday we received news that my husband's mother was dying and we needed to travel North as soon as possible. The lady that normally milks my Penelope was out of town and I couldn't find anyone willing to come to my home twice a day. Penelope was bred last month and I was already not milking her out trying to gradually dry her up. I was down to getting a pint in the am and a cup in the pm. Since I didn't know what to do I ask my husband to give me a few days before leaving to try and dry her up. Thursday I only milked her in the am... Friday I did 8 squirts on each side... Saturday I did 4 squirts... neighbors with boer goats said only milk until the teet was soft... Sunday they were soft so I didn't do anything... Monday she seemed fine and we left Monday evening... My Dad is at my house caring for all my critters and Penelope is eating and drinking and bossing everyone around as usual... I feel confident that she is fine... HOWEVER this was an extremely nerve wracking experience for me... I felt very wretched leaving her not know if she was going to dry up and not develop any issues but at the same time I couldn't ask my husband to wait any longer before coming to see his dying mother. So my question is... is there a shot that can be given to dry up a doe? Is there any special herbs or foods that will dry up a doe? My Dad had tried in the past to milk here but he could never tighten his index and thumb to where he didn't shoot milk back up into her utters.... it's seems crazy that I couldn't find someone competent enough to milk my goat! I'm thinking ahead.... I have 5 pregnant does that will be birthing in March/April and I can't imagine trying to quickly dry up a doe that is giving a gallon a day :(
So, any info you have will be greatly appreciated!

[dilligaf]

you can use the tomorrow/cefa dry stuff they sell for dairy cows. should be able to get it at your local feed store.

http://www.fortdodgelivestock.com/dairy/dairy-production-dry.htm

there are other natural ways but in a hurry and a pinch that is your best bet..

[momof23goats]

the best thing my vet told me, is this, stop milking. she will dry up on her own. and since she is way down now. it will be ok. She should be fine. don't use any thing, nature will take its course.

[Summerthyme]

Umm.... yes, you could use an antibiotic mastitis treatment like ToMorrow, etc... but that won't *dry her up*. All it will do is help prevent her from developing mastitis during her dry period.

We dry up our dairy cows (we have 50 milkers) by simply stopping milking them. We do routinely treat them with a dry cow treatment (usually ToMorrow, unless they have had mastitis problems and a culture shows a different antibiotic is more appropriate). The higher producers (some can be giving 60# a day at dry off) will leak some milk for a few days, and we do everything possible to ensure they stay clean at that time. But there is generally absolutely no problem.

If the doe is otherwise healthy- no signs of subclinical mastitis- simply stop milking her, and to help the process along, pull feed and water back for a couple days. That doesn't mean either starve her, or let her get actually dehydrated, but cut all grain, and substitute a lower quality hay (or turn her out on a poorer quality pasture), and cut back the amount of water by about 1/2.

ONLY for a couple days, then go back to full water and adequate feed for the stage of gestation she's in, but that's usually plenty to really slow down her production.

Really, anything you try to do to "help" her, like milking out small amounts of milk, or even rubbing the udder with salve, etc, only encourages her to continue to produce.

In very cold climates, there can be a risk of frostbite if they do get significant udder swelling or leak milk constantly... I don't see that happening in Alabama! LOL!

If you have fresh does and suddenly run into an emergency where you can't milk them, it's best to put kids back in the pen with them... if the kids have sucked in the past, they'll take care of the problem for you. But you CAN abruptly dry up even heavy milking animals, using the same "cut way back on food and water for a couple days" method.

Summerthyme

[Freeholder]

She should be fine. I've dried does off that were giving a lot more milk than yours, and they were fine. You just have to stop milking at some point, because as long as you keep milking, they'll keep giving milk.

Kathleen

[momof23goats]

She should be fine. I've dried does off that were giving a lot more milk than yours, and they were fine. You just have to stop milking at some point, because as long as you keep milking, they'll keep giving milk.

Kathleen
I agree, and I have also dried them up when giving allot more milk than this.

[KuernoDeChivo]

Well my goats haven't gone through that yet but my wife did.....Since we don't drink I gave my wife a stiff shot of whiskey and it dried her right up! I heard it would work and had to ask a friend to bring some over.... lol :oops:

[Summerthyme]

KuernoDeChivo... LOL!

Seriously, folks... those who are really worried about this in dairy animals are usually women who have experienced the pain of serious over-filling! And truthfully, except in the very beginning (right after birth, or when a newborn-either human or four legged- has been nursing very heavily), it's just not a big deal.

Modern dairy cows often are giving a LOT of milk right up to when they need to be dried off, to give them a bit of a "vacation" before having their next calf. Some big commercial dairies are now trying milking them straight through, but I strongly disagree with that approach. Then again, we often keep cows well into their teens, and the average commercial dairy only gets about 2 years out of theirs.

But in the event of needing a heavy milking cow (or woman) to stop lactating, for whatever reason, the process is basically the opposite of what you do to try to increase milk production- limit fluids, cut down on the protein in the diet, and if possible, increase some harmless stress. (for animals, that can be as simple as changing their routine, or moving them to a new group or pasture)

For human females, the only time you'd need to give hormones would be if she chooses to not nurse right from the start, or if the baby is born dead or unable to nurse... and even then, it's more of a psychological issue. Women have "dried up" naturally for thousands of years after stillbirths, etc... warm compresses can help alleviate any edema and pain, and everything goes back to normal within a few days as long as no infection ensues.

Summerthyme

[cjoi]

IIRC, when I was nursing I was told to avoid sage and a couple of other things as they naturally dry up milk production...maybe the info is around here somewhere.* Sounds like you've already handled it nicely.


ETA- * here is a link with info for humans. Don't see why the info wouldn't apply to other mammals. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Breastfeeding-1764/stop-breastfeeding-3.htm

Information about Lactation helps and hindrances is largely lost but likely to be very useful in days to come, for all mammals in our care and for us human moms, too.

[cjoi]

IIRC, when I was nursing I was told to avoid sage and a couple of other things as they naturally dry up milk production...maybe the info is around here somewhere.* Sounds like you've already handled it nicely.


ETA- * here is a link with info for humans. Don't see why the info wouldn't apply to other mammals. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Breastfeeding-1764/stop-breastfeeding-3.htm

Information about Lactation helps and hindrances is largely lost but likely to be very useful in days to come, for all mammals in our care and for us human moms, too.

2nd ETA - Sorry to hear about your DMIL.

[TruthSeeker]

Penelope is doing fine... for you viewing pleasure... my Penelope

[Yooper]

Awwww TS,

She's beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
I've never met a goat I didn't love.
Yooperwife

[Yooper]

So sorry about your MIL.
Our method is what other's here have suggested...just to stop milking. If they are in heavy milk, I wait 5 days then milk one last time. We've not had a case of mastitis yet.
YW

[momof23goats]

Penelope is doing fine... for you viewing pleasure... my Penelope

she is so nice looking, such a sweet face. nice udder. looks easy to milk.