Hard udder

[JDog1222]

My doe that is not eating much has a very hard udder up in there. It is soft down at the teats but the mammary gland part seems hard. The milk tastes and looks fine and I have been milking her out twice a day plus the two kids are on her. She was strutted for two full days before she kidded. She kidded last Tuesday. Could this be the problem? Udder is not hot, just feels like it has rocks up in there. I have been massaging it when I milk but it's just not going away. One side is worse than the other. Any ideas?

Also, is is ok to give yearling does that are PG a CDT shot?

[FunnyRiverFarm]

It's probably udder congestion. Just keep massaging it and apply hot towels for a few minutes everytime you milk her. Peppermint salves or vicks vapor rub can also help clear out swelling as does oral vitamin C. It usually will resolve within a couple weeks but for some goats you can never really get rid of it completely.

[JDog1222]

That's what I was thinking it was, just wasn't exactly sure what to do about it. Where would you get the vitaman C ? Is it just regular human kind in pill form?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Chewable Vitamin C from the pharmacy section or powdered Vitamin C if you can find it.

[motdaugrnds]

The massaging is typically what her kids would do, albeit a little more aggressive than what you might.

I would keep on doing what you are for a couple of weeks to see if it helps. If not, I would examine the grass she has had access to. (A few years ago I discovered similar situations in my does and, after I got them off the "mature" local grasses here, the hard udders disappeared. Thus, I put a lot of stock in keeping does off endophyte grass being it fresh or baled.)

[LoneStrChic23]

Sabrinas udder is like this too.... I am putting warm compresses on it and am going to puck up peppermint oil to mix with the coconut oil to see if that helps. She's feeding the twins (accept one bottle a day) and I milk about 2 quarts from her as well each day.. Milk doesn't seem off, no flakes, strings ect. ect....taste awful but I think that's because she just had her kids...Tootsie's milk tasted the same for a lil while too. Going to look into the supplies needed to send off a mastitis test just to be certain though. Good luck, hope things start improving for you!

[freedomfrom4]

How do ya know it's not CAE?

[manygoatsnmore]

If it is udder congestion, you'll be able to press on the udder and leave a dent where your fingers were.


Hopefully, everyone is drawing blood annually and sending it in for CAE testing.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Also.... give her an extra B Complex injection.

[Creamers]

I can only think of udder congestion or CAE as the root of the problem. . .

[JDog1222]

OK, so I know there is probably no correlation here, BUT. My doe that was acting all sluggish, had the two kids with front feet that were bent (Tonka) front feet, AND had the congested udder! AND I always had to lift her onto the milk stand because she couldn't jump up with her back feet, WELL, YESTERDAY I gave her 7g of copasure (she chewed the dang thing and swallowed it!, JUMPED up on the milk stand today for milking AND her congested udder was LIKE 75% better!!!!!!!!!!! WOW, can copper do this and work this fast???? I'm SOLD on the copper!!!!!!

[Creamers]

yay! congrats

[CaliannG]

Yes, copper can work THAT fast. Realize that the first day is when her system is getting the largest boost of copper.