refreshened nubian goat giving us poor tasting milk? No changes were made, last time she gave great milk?!


Question: Refreshened nubian goat giving us poor tasting milk? No changes were made, last time she gave great milk?
We have no bucks on the property anymore, our feed is still the same so I don't understand. unfortunately she birthed during the night on the coldest day of the year and her triplets did not survive till morning. However we began to milk her right away (after all thats why we breed her) We know goats will mourn and if stressed milk taste will be off but its now been 11 days. Could it be that she is still upset because she is seeing the other does kids? It has gotten just slightly better from day 1. We have had 3 seperate milking does in the past and all have always gave us yummy milk and we haven't changed a thing. Barn is nice and clean. we feed grain in the morning and now they are out all day in the pastures ( I know spring grass isn't completely grown yet) We have 12 does that were breed and I am terrified that they all will be off and undrinkable.. the only thing we haven't tried is freezing the milk immediatly, which I plan to do tonight. But we never have so I just didn't figure we needed to. She is not presenting any signs of an infection at all either. I don't know if I should just wait it out for a bit longer or call in a vet. I have read so much and nothing seems to be the right answer here. thanks ahead of time. God Bless

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

You bred her knowing she would give birth in the cold winter? No heat of any kind for the triplets or the Mother? was anyone with her when she gave birth to help and at least make sure mother and babies were warm enough to survive the ordeal not only has she been traumatized but giving birth to 3 babies on a bitter cold night with no help no heater nothing !! that is bad!it is surprising she is still alive at all She needs extra nourishment and top quality feed she is also in mourning after all this poor thing has been through Of course her milk is off it is to be expected she also needs to regain her strength I do not have any goats but have had animals all my life and good common sense and compassion is what is needed ... Also this is a cooking & recipe forum go to the pets forum and click on other pets.



I've raise meat goats since 1999. I use to live in the high mountain desert area of Idaho. I've had my entire herd giving birth during blizzards, and NEGATIVE 50 degree weather, in three sided shelters, with NO heat lamps. Kids born in winter weather are usually amazingly robust. I usually loose no kids born in winter weather. However when I have a kidding taking place during warm and "gentle" summer weather, my kid loss can be as high as 50%. In the winter the diseases and worms are frozen, so it's a far easier time for newborn kids. In warm weather diseases, and worms abound, causing significant kid and lamb loss.

When a doe (or any animal) gives birth, there can be changes to the mothers body chemistry, and blood sugar. Do your does have access to trace mineral licks? Do your does have access to molasses licks (for blood sugar, and the good vitamins in molasses)?

I've never had even the most maternal of does mourn a kid for more than four days. Are you sure there are no plants coming up right now that are tainting the flavor of the milk? Are the goats eating bark, or pine needles, or old dead leaves?

You should keep her milk separate from other others and use it to make cheese with strongly flavored herbs. Or make yogurt from it, where the tart flavor might cover it, or you can mix in sweet fruit and totally cover any off flavor.

Her milk will probably go back to normal in a while, but make sure she has the minerals and molasses would be good too.

~Garnet
Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years




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