How long to dry off?

[hammerithot]

Now that the weather has gotten milder, I can finally separate my doe from her doeling to dry off.  The only trouble is, they've gotten quite accustomed to going with me for a walk in the mornings, and I can't let them be together at all while I'm drying the doe!  So, I'd like to know how long I should expect it to take for her to dry off.  She's not giving much at all.  I don't know how much the doeling is nursing, though.  Doeling is 7 months old.  When I milk, I get less than 8 oz.  I've been considering it practice for the future.  I stopped milking her completely today.  They're going to be utterly miserable and unhappy.  I'm hoping this won't take too long!

[Sondra]

stop feeding her grain now too.  and shouldn't take long for her to dry up  however doeling will probably still try to nurse her

[hammerithot]

Forgot to mention I'd taken her off the grain.  I'm just hoping to minimize the misery!  I had two days I couldn't walk, so didn't take them out, and they were very unhappy.

[Sondra]

they both will be unhappy for quite a bit I am afraid.

[linbee]

Sondra,
Does she only get grain when in milk?  It's a good thing I don't have my goats yet with all there is still to learn.

[Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians]

Is she bred?  There isn't any reason at all to seperate her from her mom unless her mom is due to kid within about 30 days.  Vicki

[stoneyheightsfarm]

You can also tape the dam's teats for your walks.  If the daughter tries to take the tape off, mix up some cayenne pepper and olive oil, and paint the tape with that.

[Hollybrook]

Yeah I agree with Vicki why are you drying her off? Is she pregnant if not I'd leavem together she'll wean and dry naturally

[LamanchaLover]

This is just a question. Why is the doeling still nursing at 7 months?

[Cotton Eyed Does]

The milk tastes too good to give it up.  HA HA.   Some will let their babies nurse as long as they want to.  Other does will start butting the babies away and jumping away from them at 2 -3 months old.

[Squires]

    Do larger kids ever damage an udder from aggressive nursing? (It happens in dairy sheep).

[hammerithot]

I'm drying her more because it's just not worth it to keep milking her.  She is not bred yet.  I want to get her cancer lesion treated more aggressively before I consider if I will breed her or not.  She doesn't mind her baby (who is bigger than her at this point) nursing.  They're the only two goats I have, so I don't want to keep them completely separate.  I did notice, though, that even though I've been dithering on actually separating them in the pen, the doe appears to be drying off anyway.  I have found a buck to breed to, just have to make a decision on whether and when.