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Hard Udders

Posted by Nicki Zoda on January 28, 2011 at 11:50am in Introductions

When milking my girls I'm noticing udders that seem to be hard (kinda meaty feeling).  I put the babies up at night and milk in the morning.  Milk tastes fine and babies all seem to be getting enough to eat - any suggestions?

  Or is this just their way of holding back milk from me to feed those babies?

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Replies

  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle January 28, 2011 at 5:18pm

    That's why I said "almost never," although I've never had it happen in nine years with more than 100 freshenings now, so that's less than 1% here so far.


    Dianea Fay said:

    Does do get mastitis with kids nursing. Some does just are more suspictable to getting it. Especially if you are letting them nurse and trying to milk too.
  • Deborah Niemann-Boehle January 28, 2011 at 3:04pm
    A lot of goats will hold back milk when they have kids on them, at least in the beginning. Most of them stop after a few milkings or a couple weeks. If you put a warm washcloth on it, that usually causes them to let the milk down. Does with kids on them almost never get mastitits because the kids are constantly nursing. Check the udder when you first separate her from the kids. It will probably be soft then. If so, you know she's holding back on you.
  • Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres January 28, 2011 at 12:58pm
    Yeah, seems like the hardness you're describing is more than it should be...
  • Nicki Zoda January 28, 2011 at 12:10pm
    Yeah - but they shut me off when they want to.  I have one doe that as soon as her babies are weaned she will dry herself up - no matter how hard I try to keep her in milk.  Needless to say - she's being retired this year and sent to a pet home.

    Rachel Whetzel said:

    That doesn't sound like Mastitis to me. I think I have read that does do have some "control" over their milk letting down. When you milk, do you imitate the way kids butt their mom's udders? I've found that usually helps me get more milk out.

     

  • Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres January 28, 2011 at 12:07pm

    That doesn't sound like Mastitis to me. I think I have read that does do have some "control" over their milk letting down. When you milk, do you imitate the way kids butt their mom's udders? I've found that usually helps me get more milk out.

     

  • Nicki Zoda January 28, 2011 at 12:05pm
    When I'm done milking they feel "meaty" - kinda like a ripe orange.  Hard to describe. lol  Wish I could feel a really good udder to see what my does should feel like.  Guess maybe I'll have to wait until the next show - maybe the best udder winner will let me feel up their doe. lol

    Rachel Whetzel said:
    What do you mean when you say hard? Hardness can be a sign of mastitis... but usually it's accompanied by other symptoms too. Like heat. When you're done milking and once they are "empty", their udders feel like a human breast does. When they are full and ready to be milked, they are much larger, and more firm.
  • Rachel Whetzel at MigMog Acres January 28, 2011 at 11:56am
    What do you mean when you say hard? Hardness can be a sign of mastitis... but usually it's accompanied by other symptoms too. Like heat. When you're done milking and once they are "empty", their udders feel like a human breast does. When they are full and ready to be milked, they are much larger, and more firm.
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