Weaning...is it a must??

farmerjan

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Weaning is a necessity. You can do it forcefully, early, and then keep milking for awhile, or you can cut out all the rich feed that helps to sustain the production and let the doe wean off naturally..... TO A POINT. But they need a break.

Are you going to continue to nurse a 2 year old when you have a brand new 2 week old baby. USE SOME COMMON SENSE.

Once the baby is weaned they need to stay separate from the momma. Until they are old enough to have their own baby, or until you can put them all back together while the dam is dry, months later. And if they try to go back to nursing when she has a new baby, then they need to be removed permanently.

None of our weaned calves will get to have contact with their mothers until after they have raised their first calf. We eep all our first calf heifers in a separate field from mature cows. When they are confirmed pregnant and their calf is weaned, they will often get integrated back into the main herd as we decide who will go where. And I once had a heifer that became a self sucker and after a couple of months of trying to straighten her out, shipped her.

And as @frustratedearthmother said, some will go back to nursing and you have to decide which ones get the benefit. Piglets will try to go back because when the sow does her little grunts, it is a signal for the pigs to nurse. Once we weaned the pigs, they were done until the gilts were bred to have their own litters. Pigs will always want to drink milk.
 

Ann B

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Today I started weaning my 6kids. They are 7 1/2 weeks old. One is being sold next week. Today has been one of the most stressful days of my life.the bawling is nonstop. I don’t think th3 kids are eating. I really need them to eat because I out the dewormer pellets in the feeders. Probably a dumb move until the6 we’re settled down. These are things a newbie just doesnn know. I was on BYC, there are a few goat people on there. We have our own thread. We talk only about goats...leave the feast of the yucky junk tha5 happens over there, we stay out o& it!! Well, the one woman has had goats a long time. She’s in her mid 60s. She said she’d sell them at 8 weeks..the left overs weaned naturally. Is that a thing? Could that really happen here? I kind of doubt it since I’m only selling one. Keeping five.it would sure be easier one, if I let it go back as it was...but, I want to rebreed the moms this fall..and maybe two kids later in the year? Depending on growth rate. So, kids nursing up till then, simply jus5 forces weaning, but when the6 are much( older? I guess I was confused, because she was the only one I ever heard say she didn’t wean.
I let the mom wean naturally when she's ready. If I'm bottle feeding I don't wean until 12 to 16 weeks old. At that age I've cut them back enough and it doesn't really bother them when they no longer have it.
 

Heart of the Matter Farm

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They should have been eating grain sence 3 weeks old-4 weeks old. I wait till 9 weeks old to start weaning so at 10 weeks old they are full off mom and can go to new homes. I even do it for the ones I keep. I feel it helps them grow better.
 

Duckfarmerpa1

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Yes...I’m letting them wean naturally. I tried to separate them for two days because I was selling one...it was torture....the people that bought him, came and got him early...he was doing fine...8 weeks...only one not crying!! It is much more peaceful now, except when I am milking, and I have to lock up the kids...but they are getting better... :love
 

Jesusfreak101

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The one i use is 15% protien with my last goats i mixed a feed because they wouldn't eat this one. But the mix was 2 parts oats, 2 parts barely, one part black sunflower seeds, one part calf manna. They did really well on it just wast pricey for us.
 

B&B Happy goats

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Right, but, Dumor only has 16%......but, I can look and find something with more protein I’m sure....
Add some BOSS to it when you feed, it will raise the protien level up :) ...you are better off under feeding than over feeding...over feeding will cause them to get fat , and put pressure on internal organs etc.
 
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