Milk Production

I tried to get a picture of all three goats on the spools, but when I come near the fence they usually stand up and run towards me. They are so cute each laying down on a spool. It took PJ a week or ten days to figure out that one could be hers, but she's up there just as much as Tigger and Una now.

Earlier this year (when I just had Tigger and Una) my milk production seemed to really be plummeting. I posed my question on a Nigerian Dwarf yahoo group I belong to and the consensus was either a copper deficiency or subclinical mastitis. I thought the copper deficiency, or perhaps just a general mineral deficiency made sense, but decided to pursue both a copper deficiency and subclinical mastitis as possibilities. Several people on the group recommended that I contact Kat at Fir Meadows (www.firmeadow.com) to get some recommendations.

She recommended that I start with a liver cleanse, and then for the copper use kelp with an herbal blend high in copper and selenium. She recommended a salve for the possible subclinical mastitis. I purchased all of these items and began using them around July 20. Within about two weeks there was a marked improvement in my milk production. Tigger, my best milker, is up about 30% and holding nicely at that new level. Una is up just a slight bit. I haven't noticed any change in PJ. PJ is not receiving the salve or the liver cleanse. She does get the free choice kelp with herbal blend. I decided to kind of use PJ as my control goat. I don't want to experiment with her anyway, since she belongs to someone else, so that works out nicely.

I know that Tigger and Una have not been eating the minerals I have had out all Spring and Summer. I've replaced them several times, but they just aren't eating them. I think the whole bag is stale. All three goats have been gobbling up the kelp like they are starving for it, but especially Tigger and Una. I've gone through five pounds of kelp since July 20 with just these three little goats. I think Tigger and Una especially were mineral depleted and that may have been what caused the drop in milk. Una never really got up to where I would have expected her to be, she's still at her maximum production. Tigger is now, according to the charts I've seen, about where she should be when starting her sixth month of lactation.

So, I'm thrilled with these results. I'll continue the liver cleanse through the Fall, as Kat has instructed. I've used up all of the mastitis salve. I'll continue with the kelp with copper and selenium herbs. Kat has also made some other suggestions about feed in answer to my questions. When I get rolling on that I'll post that too, but enough for today.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: Uncured Bacon, Eggs Scrambled in Butter with crumbled Ricotta Salata, Gogurt with Blueberries
Main Meal: Fresh Garden Tomatoes drizzled with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, italian seasoning and crumbled Ricotta Salata; grilled Red Peppers, Carrots, Onions, and Eggplant; Marinated and Grilled Sirloin Steak
Evening Snack: Fresh Garden Melon, Manchego Cheese dipped in Tapenade, Wine, Dark Chocolate