Need Help! Nanny goat with huge Udder

[Trux]

Maybe you could build her a bra or a udder sling. Saw it done with a cow

 

[cassie]

Look. That doe needs to be milked. Period. If you do not do so you are just asking for trouble. You say the kids aren't nursing. Why? Are they weak? Are they nursing OK from the bottle but can't seem to nurse from the teat? Or are they having trouble with the bottle too? It might be a very good idea to get some BoSe from the vet and give them a shot. BoSe is for white muscle which is caused by a selenium deficiency. Selenium deficiency is very common because a lot of soils are deficient in selenium which means the hay or pasture is deficient in selenium. Kids with white muscle lack muscle tone and are often unable to nurse.

What does that udder feel like? Is it soft? Hard? Hot? Full of milk? Or just hard and engorged with little or no milk? If you think the kids might be nursing on their own, but you are not sure, you can put them in a box in the doe's pen. That way she can nuzzle and talk to them but they can't get to her. After a couple hours or so take the kids out of the box so they can get to her udder and see what happens. If they nurse then you are OK. If they don't and they can't seem to grab hold of the nipple, then I would suspect white muscle.

 

[ShannonR]

How much colostrum did the kids get, and how soon after they were born?

 

[Samgoat]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I was advised while I was at work today that at least one of the kids has learnt to get down and drink. They aren’t our nanny’s so hopefully after these kids are weaned they will go back to their owners.

 

[ShannonR]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. I was advised while I was at work today that at least one of the kids has learnt to get down and drink. They aren’t our nanny’s so hopefully after these kids are weaned they will go back to their owners.

Sometimes little goats are like baby rabbits-- they only nurse when you aren't looking!

In all honesty, I wasn't too concerned about it because in your initial photo the doe's udder didn't look all that full. I raise dairy goats and have seen far worse.