05-12-2013, 06:07 AM
Blessings,
I just purchased a mother nubian dwarf with 8 month old baby that is still sucking REGULARLY. The owners kinda let her go to seed, and so she and the baby have been each others' emotional support. The prior owners didn't milk the mother, although from milking her myself, I can tell she has been milked before. Prior owners say they purchased her last year and she was two years old at time of purchase.
The 'baby' female goat is very controlling with the mom. She cries a lot, doesn't let the mother get very far from her, but when she wants to roam, she cries for the mother to follow. This whole interchange can be quite devastating to the both of them. I have tried keeping them in the goat lot, and have let them free range, all with the same outcome of emotional outbursts from baby and mother.
I really like the mother, and feel that I can overcome this situation to my advantage. I really need the milk from the mother, since my chihuahua female is pregnant and needs the milk. So, I have been milking the mother, but getting only 2 ounces per milking, since the 'baby' is taking so much of the milk. I have encouraged the baby with bananas, alfalfa, barley, corn and oats in an attempt to get her weaned, but the emotional bond is too tight.
I guess I have 3 options:
1. I can sell the baby goat. I do not prefer this option, since leaving the mother alone until I could purchase another milking goat would not be good for the mother. Milking goats are getting harder to find on Craigslist.
2. I can mate the baby goat; she is old enough, and it should stop both the sucking and give her the courage to break the tight emotional hold on her mother.
3. I can swap the baby with another baby from some other farm, and this should provide fresh emotional support for both the baby and the mother.
I would be interested in some feedback on my dilemma.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post,
Deborah
I just purchased a mother nubian dwarf with 8 month old baby that is still sucking REGULARLY. The owners kinda let her go to seed, and so she and the baby have been each others' emotional support. The prior owners didn't milk the mother, although from milking her myself, I can tell she has been milked before. Prior owners say they purchased her last year and she was two years old at time of purchase.
The 'baby' female goat is very controlling with the mom. She cries a lot, doesn't let the mother get very far from her, but when she wants to roam, she cries for the mother to follow. This whole interchange can be quite devastating to the both of them. I have tried keeping them in the goat lot, and have let them free range, all with the same outcome of emotional outbursts from baby and mother.
I really like the mother, and feel that I can overcome this situation to my advantage. I really need the milk from the mother, since my chihuahua female is pregnant and needs the milk. So, I have been milking the mother, but getting only 2 ounces per milking, since the 'baby' is taking so much of the milk. I have encouraged the baby with bananas, alfalfa, barley, corn and oats in an attempt to get her weaned, but the emotional bond is too tight.
I guess I have 3 options:
1. I can sell the baby goat. I do not prefer this option, since leaving the mother alone until I could purchase another milking goat would not be good for the mother. Milking goats are getting harder to find on Craigslist.
2. I can mate the baby goat; she is old enough, and it should stop both the sucking and give her the courage to break the tight emotional hold on her mother.
3. I can swap the baby with another baby from some other farm, and this should provide fresh emotional support for both the baby and the mother.
I would be interested in some feedback on my dilemma.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post,
Deborah
