two questions about goat behavior

[tonto]

Hi,

I have two goats. I've had them about 3 years.

One is a female Toggenberg that is a retired milker. My understanding
is that she had some sort of problem (mastitis?) and had to be retired.
She is approximately 8 years old.

The other is a La Mancha wether. He is about 3 years old.

Recently I noticed a change in behavior and a change in her bag that
bothers me.

She really, really likes rubbing her head against my legs, butt and stomach.
Her bag has always been lopsided where one teat is much larger than the
other. Recently, both sides have increased *a lot* in size, but they
are still lopsided.

I know the male is a wether because he still had his bands when I got
him (he was about 3 months old), and his "parts" fell off the first week
or so I had him.

He still mounts the female, when she permits it, and he seems very
frustrated that he can't, um, finish.

She won't let me handle her bag, but she doesn't appear to be in any
pain or distress.

There is no way another goat could get in their pen.

Any ideas as to why she wants to rub against me or why her bag
has changed in size?

-tonto

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Mastitis stays in the udder, even of a destroyed udder. Hormones, she is still coming into heat every 21 days until this month or March, and the light changes to longer days as spring comes, can bring her into milk, and can also stimulate the mastitis in her udder. Watch her carefuly, if she starts gimping in her rear legs (usually because it hurts to walk around a painful udder) her temp goes up (depressed, head down, laying around, ears warm) she will need to be treated again for the mastitis. It's the reason does with chornic mastitis are put down, because just not milking them or not breeding them does not make the mastitis go away. Does with excellent pedigrees who are important to a breeding program can have their udder removed, which then cures the problem for good. Vicki

[BlueHeronFarm]

I'm no expert, but I think the head rubbing is just them scratching - she's rubbing against what she can reach. My goats will use whatever is avaialable to scratch - whole body on the fence, head on their "playground", head on me, feet on the fence...you name it.

[FalconDance]

The rubbing might just be scratching, but it might also be 'marking'. As long as she doesn't stink, it's harmless. Just love on her and she'll be happy.

As to the udder, as Vicki said, mastitis can and does stay in the udder. If it were me, I'd have her checked or go ahead and treat her pre-emptively.

The wether: just 'cause he can't 'finish' doesn't mean necessarily he has lost the interest in a female coming into season! Frustrating for both of them, to be sure, but at least it's safe sex .

~Falcon

[tonto]

Thank you all for your replies. I didn't realize that the mastitis could come back.
I will watch her behavior and her udder.

I thought she might be marking me too, kind of like a cat does. In fact that's
what it reminded me of. She doesn't smell, so I will just let her continue.

And yes, my dear wether is *always* interested in her. I have to be careful when
the doe is in heat and I'm in the pen. They are so interested in each other that
they could easily run me down and not notice.

thank you again
-tonto

[Hawkfamily]

Goats can come into milk without being pregnant, too. Our two female pet goats (saanens) live with our sheep, and got in with our ram a number of times last year. Both of them completely bagged up - we panicked completely, thinking they had bred with the ram, and got them to the vet. I had no idea that this would happen without being pregnant. Could be the situation with yours.....?

Jodi