Goat with irritated udder and teats?

[CrabbyGoatFarm]

Hey everyone. I've got a 3 yr old boer doe, 2nd kidding, twins, 2 wks old. They've been heavily nursing, constantly going back and forth between the teats, as if maybe there is a slight shortage of milk (not a problem last year, but she had only one doeling then). Suddenly yesterday she's not letting them nurse. Teats are slightly pink and the color goes up an inch or so onto the udder. No heat or hard spots, goat is otherwise normal, no signs of infection. Her udder isn't attached well, it does hang from a narrow base, I'm guessing I'll eventually cull her from the herd before my others if I have this same problem next year.

Could her teats just be irritated from the kids? What can I do to manage this? Has anyone else had a problem like this?

In the meantime, as she is a tame goat, I've been just holding her to let the kids have a chance to nurse, and she allows it. For now, anyway. I don't want her to be hurt and then get completely turned off to nursing them.

 

[sourland]

@Capricorn farm, can you help here. OP, you may want to post in the goat forum over at our neighbor site - backyardherds.com. Good luck in finding a resolution to this problem.

 

[cassie]

Her teats may be chapped. If she were mine I would get a good udder cream and apply it at least twice a day. You can get some that are non greasy and are readily absorbed. BTW, those udder creams are the best hand creams you will ever find.

 

[CrabbyGoatFarm]

Her teats may be chapped. If she were mine I would get a good udder cream and apply it at least twice a day. You can get some that are non greasy and are readily absorbed. BTW, those udder creams are the best hand creams you will ever find.

Thanks... yeah, that's where I was going. A good udder cream after I have them nurse.

I had been doing all sorts of looking through my books and the internet, but couldn't find anything about a chapped udder! I figured it had to be a thing, just wanted to see if other people had that problem with their goats, too.