Goat milk production question?

[salshep20]

I have a euro sanaen doe. She just had a baby, she is about 24 inches at the withers. Her eats are kind of small and she only makes 2 cups of milk a day. She is a first freshener as well. Is all of this normal for her breed? Should she be bigger and make more milk? Her udder is small also.

 

[cassie]

I have no idea what a euro Saanen doe is. At 24" she is a mini of some sort. Standard Saanens are big goats. I think Saanens are about 30" at the withers. As to how much milk she should be giving, check out what the expected production of a Nigerian is. I can't help you there because I have never owned a Nigerian. For reference, I would expect a first freshening yearling standard Saanen to be milking a bare minimum of three quarts of milk and over a gallon is more likely. How much mini goats give I haven't a clue.

 

[lomine]

I agree she sounds like she is a mini. My Nigerians are about that height. Two cups might be right if you are milking her while also sharing with the kid. Mine can all hold back their milk if they still have kids.

Might also be diet and/or genetics. Some just don't produce as much no matter what you do. She should be getting enough roughage all day to satisfy her. Mine all get alfalfa, but a good quality grass hay can do as well. Mine also get grains while on the milk stand. There is a huge variety of choices for that, so I'd do more research on that and see what works best for you and the area you live. Also make sure she was access to a lot of clean water. If she's dehydrated, she can't produce much milk.