I've made an appointment to go see the yearling milker at milking time Saturday night. I told the lady that the doewould have to be a lone doe for awhile but that I would be interested in a gal friend for her later when one was available. That is if this one checks out as she has said. She says her reason for parting with her is that they show in alot of national shows and she just isn't that quality. She says she would have a good chance in a 4H ring but not for her purposes. She isn't crazy about the shape of her udder but everything works fine and she produces about a gallon of milk per day. The lady seems concerned that the doe would be stressedin new surroundings without other goats. I prefer that she have company also, but what am I to do if she is the only one available if I wnat to stay dealing with the same farm. Then she told me that she would also sell the yearling's pen mate which is a 2yr. old first freshener. I don't think she is manipulating me, just coming up with a solution. I am one to go into things full force so I'm not afraid to go ahead and get started. She will hold onto them for 2 weeks while I get set up. My husband is handy and has access to alot of wood and building supplies for free. I am ordering goats 101 today. I worry a little about all the extra milk. Is there a big market for it? How much do you sell it for? How much does cow milk cost in your area? I realize things may not be as great as I expect once I get to see them, but want to have a clear line of thought about what to expect. Any thoughts?

-- Denise Hammock (jphammock@earthlink.net), May 05, 2000

Answers

Is it possible that this person would sell you a wether to keep the doe company? I have sold several that way and have given the buyer the option of selling it back to me at the same price when the doe kids and makes her own company. Of course, I make sure the buyer understands that the wether has a limited future. I get something for the wether, someone else raises it and I get him back for what I sold him for. I do get the benefit of all the feed they put into him and since I usually mentor a person buying their first goat from me, I know how he's been handled. Just a thought. I don't sell milk often as it's a liability I don't care to risk. If someone gets sick and blames milk I sold to them, I have to prove it wasn't the milk rather than their having to prove it was.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), May 05, 2000.

Denise, remember that you have hundreds of other options out there! Whats the herd name? If you do decide on this doe in milk, you can easily milk her once a day, just the stress of the move from home to your place will make her decrease in amount milked. You could also dry her up, or if she is not being picked up for 2 weeks, and you have payed for her, ask the gal to dry her for you. Lots of options on milk, feed your other animals, healthy bacteria for your septic, fertilize the garden, make cheese, drink milk, get a few private customers, make candy, raise a pig, calf, chickens. You have lots of options here! Vicki McGaugh

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 05, 2000.

Denise, Ohio has pretty strict laws concerning the sale of milk. You would need a certificate from the state and the cost to pass their inspection isn't "friendly." There are ways around it, but we'll save that for a future discussion! :-) I agree with Vicki, just have her dry one of them up.

Check their feet and ask her to trim them up for you before you take them; watch her and learn plus, save yourself that fun job for a month or two until you get comfortable with them and they with you. Good luck.

-- Jim Roberts (jroberts1@cas.org), May 05, 2000.

I wouldn't dry a first freshener off early, the first year of milking tends to set the pattern for future years,I have had friends who raise many breed leaders tell me this, it's not just my idea. A first freshener doesn't give as much milk as she will in later years. Most first fresheners will give about 3 qts, some really good ones will give a gallon. The 2 year old, in particular, should be milked as long as possible, she has had an extra year to lay on fat and needs to be milked if she is to develop into a lifelong producer.I still think that if the 8 week old kid isn't hers, and has been bottle raised, you should be able to keep it in a pen where they can see each other without any problems. After they get used to one another, you could try letting them out together for a few hours and see if they get along alright. This would allow you to move into milking more gradually than jumping into milking two. There are some breeders who have CAE positive does running with CAE negative does, but raise all the kids on a prevention program, and don't let them near the older does. I would ask what this ladie's CAE management is like,she might try to talk her way out of it, but if she has ANY positive does running with negatives, don't buy from her. I knd of suspect that this is why she doesn't want the doelings to be with the older does, but I could be wrong. What it would mean is that the first freshener has been exposed to a contaigious disease and could come up positive anytime. Bottle feeding is no prevention for CAE if they are allowed to run with the positive does.What is her herd name?

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transport.com), May 05, 2000.