# How do YA'LL dry up your does?



## still (Apr 20, 2013)

I have a doe that has been raising twins for the last 3 months. I just sold the babies last night







and am wondering what the best way to dry her up is? I am trying to get some weight back on her because they have "sucked the life out of her" so I would like to do it as quickly as possible. Do I just milk her once per day for a couple days then slowly do it every other day and so on? or can I do it "cold turkey"? I was planning on letting her wean them herself and didn't think the boys would go so fast! I am feeding her twice per day and hate to cut back on this since she is very thin at this point. She is current on deworming and is otherwise a healthy girl! Any suggestions?


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## Greylady (Mar 28, 2012)

Are you not keeping any milk? We haven't had a problem keeping weight on. On milkstand they get their grain, little beet pulp, occasionally boss and vitamin c. This is what we do right now. All the alfalfa pellets, hay they want and some browse. From what I understand the does sometimes put their all into making milk and therefore look "dairy", sunken in some.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

I'm not keeping any milk. My girl had kids 6/2012 then turned around and kidded again 2/2013! She had twins the first time then quads the next time. I feel that it has been way too taxing on her and am thinking about giving her a break. She is getting a mix of crimped oats/BOSS/Calf Manna/Beet pulp which is mixed in with alfalfa pellets and I'm giving her 5-6 cups twice per day! I just can't put any weight on her so I don't want to compound the issue by milking her anymore. I am also thinking of not breeding her this next fall because of her condition.


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## Greylady (Mar 28, 2012)

Copper bolus, BoSe up to date? When mine got real poor it was due to needing worming.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

Greylady said:


> Copper bolus, BoSe up to date? When mine got real poor it was due to needing worming.


Actually I have never heard of Copper bolusing until I started on the Goat Spot Forum and I have not given BoSe injections either. Deworming is up to date and her poo is pellets. I just dewormed the weekend before last with Cydectin and then one month before that because we have been having major problems with worms. Fecals have been better.

Would the Copper or BoSe make a difference on her weight? I didn't think those had anything to do with that but I could be wrong


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

The copper can help lower the worm burden. Keep up on the fecals to ensure she doesn't have a burden. What kind of numbers are you seeing on fecal? What kind of worms? What is her eyelid color?

Also, what kind of hay are you feeding?


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Personally, if she's a good milker, I would not dry her off at this time of year only being 3 months fresh. Too many potential problems with mastitis, plugged ducts, etc. I've found my does will gain weight even while milking, especially during the late summer and fall. Getting her healthy, wormed, bo-se and coppered will be more beneficial. Dairy goats are bred to milk and unless she is very unhealthy, she is going to hard to dry off at this time of the year.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

The vet hasn't given me numbers and I didn't think to ask. I will next time. We've been dealing with strongyles so they are on a deworming schedule of cydectin once per month. I am not feeding hay right now but have fed alfalfa in the past but it's so darn expensive! ($19/bale) so I've actually been looking into giving her Chaffhaye? They have four acres of mixed forage. It's only been maybe a month since they've had hay. It looks like the copper bolusing is going to be my next move. Is it the copa sure from Jeffers? Thanks for everyone's help!


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Yes, it is from Jeffer's..


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

If she were mine, and she had been bred that close together and I thought she needed a break, I would just keep milking her and milk her through for the year, and breed her to kid either fall 2014 or spring 2015. After she has been in milk for awhile and production eases off a bit, she will gain back condition, so long as she is well cared for. I would NOT be deworming all my goats once a month! If you need to do it that often, I would guess that there is something lacking in management or the dewormer you are using is not working. Copper bolus should hopefully help ward off worms, too. Don't buy alfalfa from a feedstore, get it from the farmer if you can. Or feed pellets, or the chaffehay.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

fmg said:


> If she were mine, and she had been bred that close together and I thought she needed a break, I would just keep milking her and milk her through for the year, and breed her to kid either fall 2014 or spring 2015. After she has been in milk for awhile and production eases off a bit, she will gain back condition, so long as she is well cared for. I would NOT be deworming all my goats once a month! If you need to do it that often, I would guess that there is something lacking in management or the dewormer you are using is not working. Copper bolus should hopefully help ward off worms, too. Don't buy alfalfa from a feedstore, get it from the farmer if you can. Or feed pellets, or the chaffehay.


I'm wanting to breed her to kid for spring 2015. I have been working with my vet as far as the worm problem and this regimen seems to be working well. The worms have been VERY bad this year but hopefully will be getting better I'm not sure what I could possibly be doing wrong as far as management goes but I haven't had goats for a really long time. I think the deer that come through don't help the situation either Copper bolusing is going to be my next to do.....thanks for your input!


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

I feed Chaffhaye and love it. I agree with Anita and Nancy- my milkers tend to start putting condition back on later in lactation. It doesn't happen overnight but takes consistency with excellent feed, minerals, enough fat in their diet, and being up to date with the regular management stuff like parasites, copper bolusing, and BoSe.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

smithurmonds said:


> I feed Chaffhaye and love it. I agree with Anita and Nancy- my milkers tend to start putting condition back on later in lactation. It doesn't happen overnight but takes consistency with excellent feed, minerals, enough fat in their diet, and being up to date with the regular management stuff like parasites, copper bolusing, and BoSe.


I thought BoSe was something you give prior to kidding? If it's something I need to give regularly when do I need to give it? I've got it on my to order list


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## happy vagabonds (Jun 24, 2012)

The problem with worming once a month with Cydectin is that you are quickly breeding superworms on your property. Cydectin is currently THE MOST powerful wormer that we have at our disposal. Once your worms are resistant to Cydectin, what will you do then? Just something to think about...


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

happy vagabonds said:


> The problem with worming once a month with Cydectin is that you are quickly breeding superworms on your property. Cydectin is currently THE MOST powerful wormer that we have at our disposal. Once your worms are resistant to Cydectin, what will you do then? Just something to think about...


I have thought about that.....I'm not sure what I would do short of getting rid of my goats  I do feel like I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. I guess I could just raise the goats in the house LOL


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

BoSe is Rx, so you'll have to talk with your goat vet. If you hit a dead end with your vet, talk with local producers and see where they're getting theirs- maybe there is another local vet that understands how it is used in dairy goats and will sell you some. It is not given only pre-kidding, but not "regularly" as in once a week either. I'll bet there is something in GK 101 about how, when, and why it is used.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

smithurmonds said:


> BoSe is Rx, so you'll have to talk with your goat vet. If you hit a dead end with your vet, talk with local producers and see where they're getting theirs- maybe there is another local vet that understands how it is used in dairy goats and will sell you some. It is not given only pre-kidding, but not "regularly" as in once a week either. I'll bet there is something in GK 101 about how, when, and why it is used.


I have an account with Vetserv and can order it through them. I'm not sure if my vet would give it to me....I think they would rather SEE a problem than just give me something because I want it. Through vetserv it is $34.99 for 100mL bottle(I think it's 100mL's). Anyway I'm going to get some.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

You are obviously trying to help your goats by coming here, so I'm sure there probably isn't anything Terribly wrong with management. There are lots of little things you can do to decrease parasite problems. Feeding with feeders that don't let poopy feet in, keeping water super clean (and I just read something about keeping down grass around water troughs because there is going to be a lot of poop around them, and therefore more parasite eggs), keeping the goats immunity up very well with minerals and good food. I bet keeping hooves well trimmed even helps-so that those feet can't hold as much poo to put into feed containers, etc. Also, if you have pasture, not letting the grass get too short will help too. The closer to the ground they eat, the more prone to parasites they will be. If you are "dry lotting" them, be sure it is an actual dry lot and not just super short clumpy grass that they're eating.


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## still (Apr 20, 2013)

Well I just placed my first order of herbal dewormer from Molly's Herbals. We will see and it was cheap enough so if for some reason it doesn't help I'm not out of a lot of money. I think it will work. It seems like there are a lot of good reviews and it definitely can't hurt. I feel better already:whew

As far as pasture the grass isn't too short. I didn't know that about the water troughs and grass so I'll have to fix that. I keep their hooves trimmed(I do it every 2 weeks or so)and I will be changing their feed regimen just a little bit. I think I'm gonna start feeding Chaffhaye.


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