Milk Drying up suddenly!

[Ubar]

I have a 5 y/o nanny whom I have been milking with great success the last month getting 6 cups in the morning and 4 or 5 in the afternoon (no kids, removed last month when I started milkin...Just bought her). About 4 days ago I started getting a cup less, but she still seemed full and tight when I started. Yesterday morning I went out and she is not even tight or full and only got 2.5 to 3 cups...same last night and this morning.
No changes in feed or water.
any ideas?

 

[OneFineAcre]

I have a 5 y/o nanny whom I have been milking with great success the last month getting 6 cups in the morning and 4 or 5 in the afternoon (no kids, removed last month when I started milkin...Just bought her). About 4 days ago I started getting a cup less, but she still seemed full and tight when I started. Yesterday morning I went out and she is not even tight or full and only got 2.5 to 3 cups...same last night and this morning.
No changes in feed or water.
any ideas?

I don't know what your temps are like, but sometimes hot weather can make output decrease.
Parasites can too.
What kind of goat? Year round breeders if they are in heat can make output decrease.
Could be any number of things.

Also, some animals have shorter lactation cycles. This is particularly true if animals have been dried off after a short time in the past, it conditions them to dry off early.

 

[Ubar]

Thanks One Fine Acre,

I don't know what your temps are like,

We are warmer than usual, in the high 80 and low 90's - Would that make her dry up so suddenly? and Now I am wondering if I should, or when I should stop milking her completely...How dry is dry enough? I am down to a cup off each teat last night...and that's pushing it, wringing out every last drop she will allow.

What kind of goat? Year round breeders if they are in heat can make output decrease.

Shi is a Kiko/Nubian cross, 5 y/o, had trip's last year and they were removed the day I picked her up, (May 27, 2015) she won't let either of the two doelings nurse,as they have tried, (they are 3 months old).
We don't have any males on the property so would she still dry up so fast if she was in heat this time of year? From the breeder I get that she will come into heat in the fall, but also in the spring, a little. I'm a little confused as to when they come into heat, actually.

My main concern with her drying up is hoping that I didn't do anything that will lead to illness...I am sure she does not have mastitis, very pliable sack, but she dried up over night! Is this normal? And to repeat myself, how long should I keep on milking her so as not to cause problems?

The breeder raised her from kid, breed 4 times, multiples each time with trips this last year, never been milked before, (she took to it easily, and kicks only occasionally now), I started milking her the night we picked her up.

Not really sure if I answered all you qualifying questions or if you have more, but I am worried. It is just something new I am not sure of...That's what you get when you start a goat herd on knowledge gained from childhood memories and internet searches and bulletin boards like this one!

Thanks in advance guys and gals!

bob

 

[OneFineAcre]

Since she's never been milked and dam raised her kids, it may be that she is just used to weaning them and drying off about this time.

However, it is not going to cause her any harm if you want to keep milking her. Her production may stay like it is now for a while. But, if it's worth it to you to milk her for what you are getting, it isn't going to cause her any harm.