Oh, I'm sorry to do this, but I'm quite inexperienced and I want to make sure my Nigerian Goat doesn't have Mastitis and is just pink and drying off. Her teats feel a bit like rubber (sounds crazy but true). Her udders seem hard or lumpy. Maybe because she is new?? When I have tried to milk her, it feels there is nothing coming down or in her. Her doemate gives me 6 cups of milk a day, but this one came home and yesterday I got a squirt and today I just decided to let her dry up. She has been milked inconsistently since Saturday. Would one of you experienced goatherder/herdesses help me out and let me know if you think these are healthy. She is also a first time fresher (hope that's the right term). She had one baby this past winter. She only has been milked once a day by previous owner and only gave maximum 20 ounces if that. Is this all normal?
Unfortunately pictures are not usually a help in determining if a goat has mastitis. If her udder is hard or has lumps in it that is potentially mastitis - but not always. Is her udder hot? Feel her udder and your other does udder... is hers hotter? Do have access to a mastitis kit? That would tell you immediately. If not you can use this method to check: http://thegoatspot.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6356&p=79647&hilit=soap+mastitis#p79647 It's not unusual for a doe to have some lumps after kidding. It should go away with consistent milking and using warm compresses on it.
Hmm I wish I could be more help, but I can't. I agree, get a mastitis test to know for sure on that. None of my girls have ever had lumpy teats but some get hardish spots in their udder when they're especially full. Her teats are a very nice size...her udder should catch up with more freshenings and production will get better with consistent milking next time. I agree, dry her off.
Inconsistent milking is a No No. If her udder felt lumpy and hard she should have had it massaged and milked completely dry at least twice a day. Mastitis creates quite a bit of fever and this should have been noticable. That looks like a healthy udder to me.
I agree with Kate and I would milk her out and try to dry her off slowly...milk her out and strip the teats and when it fills again only milk out half and continue doing that untill she isnt producing . This is how I dry mine .
Thanks soooo much for your input. I've been waiting for my mastitis kit from Hoeggers, but I appreciated that home made kit with Dawn liquid detergent as well. I'm thankful for all of you willing to give me feedback because I'm so new at this. I've read all the books! I've got the "book know how" but not the "lived it out" know how. I get no milk from this little doe now. She is eating and is spritely. They both just started to warm up to us and have accepted out treats (animal crackers). This was new. They both converged on my little three year old who is not much taller than they are. Thanks for everything
