Daisy drying up on one side??

[jil101ca]

Daisy is 1 week fresh tommorrow. I have been milking her on the really big side (her right) and leaving the small side alone. Tonight when I checked her udder the side (her left) that I thought the doeling was nursing is all shrivelled up and looks like it is drying up.

the right side is very soft and huge. When I tried to milk the left side I managed to get 2 very small squirts of milk out.

A bit of background. I bought Daisy the beginning of March from a man who I feel didn't give proper food. She was thin and had lost her first kid in Feb. From what I do not know. She is in good condition know, has gain weight and looks good.She gets free choice hay and minerals and I give her 1/2 lb of grain twice a day. I'm slowly bringing her grain up until she will be getting 1 1/2 lbs twice a day.She has 1 kid nursing which is 1 week old.

Do I need to increase her grain faster and milk her out completely on both sides? ( even though she has been on the stand since I got her for practice she is a serious kicker) Is there something specific that would cause this? Not milking both sides perhaps?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am quite worried as I don't know why she lost her first kid.

[Chaty]

If the baby is only nursing out of 1 side I usually will tape the side that they love the most and that way they will nurse the side that isnt taped. I use teat tape I get for Hoeggers...Sounds like the baby is nursing out that side and needs more. Is she a milking goat or what? I usually wiat for a week or so before starting to milk when the babies stay on them.Yes she needs aome more grain and alfalfa pellets or hay for her to make more milk. I give my milking girls grain, whole oats and alfalfa pellets when milking and all my goats get this. They need lots of calcium to make milk or you can get into problems. Good luck and I hope this helped some. Also does the baby act hungry? Did you worm the doe when she freshened?

[Alice In TX/MO]

You can also use the paper bandage tape from the pharmacy or health care aisle in the grocery store. It's the same stuff.

[jil101ca]

The baby is doing well, gaining weight good, very playing and very happy so I am assuming she is getting what she needs. Daisy is a Boar croosed with a dairy breed, i don't know what breed. Yes the doe was wormed when she freshened.

Will it hurt her to bump her grain intake right up to 3 lbs per day???

[Chaty]

Shouldnt hurt her if she is up to 2 lbs as that would make it 1 1/2 lbs each feeding...mine would be so mad if I gave them that much ...mine get almost 3 lbs each milking. Very strong milkers too, She should be fine and it will help her milk also.