Drying up a heavy milker

[trailrider]

I know I shouldn't complain, I have the doe everyone wants. She is a wonderful mother, raised three sets of triplets and one set of twins while making more than enough milk for my household. She had mastitis one time in 6 years so is not really prone to it....but I do worry about mastitis while trying to dry her up. Right now if I separate her from her twins overnight I will get a gallon of milk in the AM. If I leave her with them I'll get a quart. Her FF 2 y.o. Daughter gives a half gallon twice a day as well. Next month their kids will be sold. I will be swimming in milk! It would be nice to dry up one or the other and let them have a rest for the year. But I am so,afraid of causing a problem like mastitis. And no, just stopping the milking and giving them no grain is not an option. My older doe will continue to milk and just take it out of her condition. She puts everything she eats straight into milk. Does anyone else have a doe like this? She has milked through for two years before without being bred. Then I was able to almost dry her up. I think she wasn't milked for three months before her next kids were born. She has been milked almost daily for six years. Surely she should have a rest?

[mzgarden]

I don't have answers, but I'm following. I too am swimming in milk (not legal to give away or sell it here).

[trailrider]

Mzgarden, it's illegal here too (KY). It's a shame....it's very good milk. I may stop at my vets office and let them know I have milk for foals, kids lambs etc.

Thanks Redfish. Those were my thoughts too. I will be selling her twins mid June. Think I might let her feed her kids but not milk her til then. She won't be getting grain if she's not on the milk stand. It will be tough though! The FF will make all the milk we need.

[junaleefarm]

It definitely is something to be concerned with she needs a rest!!!. We always slowly dry up our girls so as not to cause them much stress. We milk twice a day during milking season but will slowly switch too once a day for two weeks and then once every other day for a week and then once every 3 or 4 days for a couple of weeks. Never had any trouble and our girls seem pretty happy.