How can you increase the milk yield of dairy goats? Try these tips

Timing of first mating The first mating should be arranged when the doe is 12-14 months old and weighs 40 kg. At this point the doe is fully mature, and after mating and kidding the milk yield is high.

Suitable season Arrange mating in September-October each year, with kidding in early spring of the following year in February-March, so that the lactation period falls exactly in spring, summer and autumn. During lactation, green fodder is abundant, which helps increase the goat's milk yield. In addition, by the time of the next autumn mating, 200 days of the 300-day lactation period have already passed, so mating does not affect milk production or fetal development.

Feeding by stages In the first 3 months after mating, the fetus in the pregnant doe's belly grows slowly and does not have high nutritional needs, but in the last 2 months the fetus develops rapidly and needs higher nutrition; at the same time, the doe also needs to recover her condition and store nutrients for the next lactation period. In practice, pregnant does should be guaranteed a 2-month dry period, during which they should be given extra concentrate. Feed can be supplied according to the standard for a daily milk yield of 1-1.5 kg, with 1 kg of hay, 2 kg of silage and 0.3-0.4 kg of concentrate per day. Generally, in does 30-40 days after kidding, and in high-yielding does 40-70 days after kidding, the daily milk yield reaches its peak.

At the peak of milk production, in addition to ensuring the supply of concentrate and high-quality hay, as much green fodder, silage and some root and tuber fodder as possible should be fed. Generally, feed 2.5 kg of hay per day, and feed 0.4 kg of concentrate for every 1 kg of milk produced. The concentrate formula is 60% corn, 25% wheat bran and 15% soybean cake, with an additional 3 kg of salt and 2 kg of bone meal per 100 kg of feed. Lactating does must be supplied with sufficient clean drinking water; otherwise appetite will decline, lactation will be affected, and the goat's mucous membranes will become dry and disease resistance will decrease. The amount of drinking water is generally 3-5 times the milk yield.

Master milking Before milking, wipe and massage the goat's udder with hot water, first kneading left and right together, then massaging from top to bottom. Generally, the grip method is used for milking: first fix the base of the teat with the thumb and index finger to prevent milk from flowing back, then in turn press the middle finger, ring finger and little finger toward the palm to promote milk ejection. Milk 2-3 times a day. In addition, goats like a clean, dry environment with fresh air, and the optimum temperature is 12-18°C. In summer, pay attention to heat prevention and cooling, and in winter, protect against cold and keep warm. Brush the goat's body regularly to promote blood circulation and reduce the occurrence of disease.