Udder Development? Updated

I have two does, one purebred pygmy and one Nigerian Pygmy Cross. In December we rented a Nigerian Dwarf Buck and we just put him in the does pen for two weeks. Both does are first timers so neither of them have udders. They are due on May 17 and Mocha my Nigerian Pygmy Mix has already started forming her udder and she has milk plugs. She has two months to go still and she has already started putting on a lot of weight. We do feed our does a cup full of grain for the two girls because we live in Maine and our winters can become very cold. I was wondering if it is normal for her to start forming an udder so early because my purebred pygmy has not started forming her udder and she is not nearly as large as my other doe. Another thing I was wondering is should I take them of the grain because it is starting to warm up and some grass is partially showing.

Update: Both our does have dry flaky skin now, Mocha's is mainly around her new forming udder. Could this be cause by it growing or is it something else? I have read a lot from others having this problem and most people are saying it is because of some mineral deficiency, but we give our does free choice on minerals everyday and we also have a vitamin block available for them everyday. My pygmy has started to have small bald patches around her nose, ears and underneath her legs. It is winter here right now and I don't know if this could be contributing.

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We have laid back a bit on the grain now we only give the two does a half cup, but for almost three years we have been giving them some grain during the winter so I don't think that is contributing to her weight gain, but I could be very wrong. We also give them alfalfa and we have added loose minerals instead of getting the block, I don't know if this well help with their pregnancy or not, but many people have told me that getting loose minerals is more beneficial than the block. Thank you for your help.

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

I wouldn't worry about them getting udders too early. I might wonder if one was due in a month, however, because FFs usually don't get an udder until a month before they're due. But if there wasn't a buck on your farm until December, then that's not possible. If she is that wide, she could be carrying multiples -- or she's overfed. One looks a little shorter bodied, so she's going to look wider sooner than a longer doe would -- and with fewer kids.

We don't give dry does grain here (I'm in Illinois) until they're a week or two before their due date. And I get especially nervous with FFs because they often tend to have singles. If they don't need the calories, they go to the baby, and I don't like huge single kids with FFs. Since you've been giving grain to your girls all along, it's hard to know whether they're just over-conditioned with a single in there or carrying multiples.

Replies

Jenny Welch March 15, 2012 at 5:38pm

We have laid back a bit on the grain now we only give the two does a half cup, but for almost three years we have been giving them some grain during the winter so I don't think that is contributing to her weight gain, but I could be very wrong. We also give them alfalfa and we have added loose minerals instead of getting the block, I don't know if this well help with their pregnancy or not, but many people have told me that getting loose minerals is more beneficial than the block. Thank you for your help.

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

I wouldn't worry about them getting udders too early. I might wonder if one was due in a month, however, because FFs usually don't get an udder until a month before they're due. But if there wasn't a buck on your farm until December, then that's not possible. If she is that wide, she could be carrying multiples -- or she's overfed. One looks a little shorter bodied, so she's going to look wider sooner than a longer doe would -- and with fewer kids.

We don't give dry does grain here (I'm in Illinois) until they're a week or two before their due date. And I get especially nervous with FFs because they often tend to have singles. If they don't need the calories, they go to the baby, and I don't like huge single kids with FFs. Since you've been giving grain to your girls all along, it's hard to know whether they're just over-conditioned with a single in there or carrying multiples.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle March 14, 2012 at 4:05pm

I wouldn't worry about them getting udders too early. I might wonder if one was due in a month, however, because FFs usually don't get an udder until a month before they're due. But if there wasn't a buck on your farm until December, then that's not possible. If she is that wide, she could be carrying multiples -- or she's overfed. One looks a little shorter bodied, so she's going to look wider sooner than a longer doe would -- and with fewer kids.

We don't give dry does grain here (I'm in Illinois) until they're a week or two before their due date. And I get especially nervous with FFs because they often tend to have singles. If they don't need the calories, they go to the baby, and I don't like huge single kids with FFs. Since you've been giving grain to your girls all along, it's hard to know whether they're just over-conditioned with a single in there or carrying multiples.

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