Is it safe to milk yearling FF goat?

[User635240]

Hi, one of my goats' was accidentally bred by her brother at age 7 months. She kidded a billy goat, both were healthy, and small. I sold the Billy goat today. The dam is now about 13 months old and I assume still has some growing to do, judging by the size of her brother and parents. Would it be recommended to dry her off so she can focus on growing this year?

 

[lomine]

If you don't want/need the milk, let her dry off. If you want the milk, I don't think it would be a problem if she is otherwise healthy. Just make sure she has access to quality hay/alfalfa all day and balanced grain while on the stand.

 

[cassie]

When I had my dairy, we routinely bred well grown doelings to kid at a year. Which means we started breeding them at seven or eight months. As long as they were well nourished, they continued to grow. If you don't need the milk, go ahead and dry her off, but you don't need to. I did not milk the doeling that kidded at eight months of age though. Her name was Yoletta. I named the baby Yoletta's Surprise. I don't know who was more surprised, me or Yoletta.

 

[NatJ]

I she already rebred? That would probably make even more difference than whether you keep milking her. Of course milking + pregnancy would have a bigger effect than either one alone.

 

[Goat LOVER]

I bred at 7-8 months old to kid as a yearling. If you think she is way too small and really just want her to grow there is nothing wrong with drying her up however if she doing fine and is healthy I see no reason why you couldn't milk her.