babsbag
Herd Master
From what I have been told it is the length of lactation as a FF that can supposedly set the stage for life. I have also read that that isn't true. I would just love to see the science behind all of this. I just read this.
If a doe is dried off either longer or shorter than 2 months between cycles, it will affect her next, and ONLY her next, cycle negatively. Drying her off for less that 2 months before she freshens again doesn't give her enough time to shed old cells and make new ones. Drying her off for longer than two months before she freshens again causes some of the new cells to atrophy, again reducing production. In either case, it ONLY affects the cycle following THAT dry off period.
Does shed, and grow, new milk producing cells every cycle.
If a doe is dried off either longer or shorter than 2 months between cycles, it will affect her next, and ONLY her next, cycle negatively. Drying her off for less that 2 months before she freshens again doesn't give her enough time to shed old cells and make new ones. Drying her off for longer than two months before she freshens again causes some of the new cells to atrophy, again reducing production. In either case, it ONLY affects the cycle following THAT dry off period.
Does shed, and grow, new milk producing cells every cycle.