Goat udder...too big?

[txchickie]

Not to add to the confusion......but the more you milk out, the more her body will make. It's a supply and demand thing. Just try to find a balance!

 

[hcammack]

Quote:
Save the milk and feed it to them so they do get their colostrum

 

[calgal98]

Fold the baby down on its knees, front and back. Rather than push baby to the teat bring the teat to the baby. Open its mouth and put the nipple in it. Squeeze some milk into its mouth. It will figure it out. Don't waste the colostrum. Freeze it. Or put it into a syringe and slowly syringe it into the slow baby's mouth. You need to get food into the baby NOW! Don't wait for it to get it figured out. They don't have a lot of reserve to keep going. I sometimes put a nipple on a 60cc syringe and feed that way. I've had good luck with the folding thing. My nigi's are close to the ground and the baby's can be taller than the teats.

 

[citrusdreams]

I would milk her out completely, or almost completely, in one milking. Milking her a few times a day will make it fill up faster.

Keep the milk for the kids. Put it in the freezer until (and if) you need it.

once the udder is much smaller, the teats will elongate and be easier for the kids to latch on to.

Keep us posted and good luck

you're doing a great job!

 

[freerangefreaks]

I've been helping the babies eat every two hours. They seem to be in good condition and they are even trying to play. I'm not worried about them eating because they take the teet when I help. I'd just rather them be able to nurse without assisstance. I tried to give one a bottle but he does not like it at all. One little guy has actually started lieing down on his own to drink. The other still needs me to help him eat. If I don't help him, he just pushes momma's udder with his face and sucks on her belly.

I'm having trouble milking one side of her. The flow is pretty slow and it is hard to get a good grasp. Do you think I could use warm compresses to help get this side flowing like her other side?

 

[freerangefreaks]

I would milk her out completely, or almost completely, in one milking. Milking her a few times a day will make it fill up faster.

O.K. I will try that instead of milking her every time before I feed the babies.​

 

[Whispering Winds]

Could you put the mama on a small "stage", just enough to raise the udder up where the little ones can reach it without having to get down on their knees?

 

[freerangefreaks]

I just fed the babies. They already know what's coming when they see me. They both ate when I helped them get to their knees. Then I milked Lisa (momma). But I only managed to get 1 litre of milk out of her before she started trying to lay down. She won and I couldn't get her back up again. Her milk is definately flowing better and faster but her udder was almost unchanged after me milking her. Is it normal for her to want to lay down. I need another pair of hands to keep her standing.

Here are some pictures
This is Lisa right after feeding the babies and being milked.

This is the bigger baby after his meal

This is the smaller of the two

I think he has something wrong with one of his eyes. It is pretty watery and sometimes he doesn't open it all the way. Any thoughts?

 

[citrusdreams]

Can you milk her when she's lying down? Stripping might be easier if she's laying down and won't get up. I wouldn't say it's "normal" but she probably doesn't want to be fussed with. She's probably sore.

Try messaging her udder with a peppermint udder cream. Or you can mix Bag Balm, udder butter, or some other udder cream with peppermint oil. That usually cuts down on edema. It works well on my cows when they have edema. Plus it gets warm and I think they really like it.

If you don't have anything and can't get it until later, try massaging when you're washing down the udder.

You're doing a great job! Those kids are gorgeous!

 

[dkluzier]

Was she bred to a nubian? The babes look like a different breed. Just wondering. They are sooo cute!