Virgin goat giving milk?????

flarytails · #1 05/22/11, 11:23 PM

Ok I'm kind of weirded out. I bought 2 does from a breeder about 2 months ago. One was a yearling that was never bred but shortly after we got her I thought it looked like she had a little milk in her udder, felt like it to, so I tried to squeeze some out but nothing came and I use a lot of pressure. Tonight when I finished milking my goats she got on the milk stanchion to eat the grain the last goat had left. I thought it may be a good time to get her used to having her udders touched and I gently pretended to milk her, she was to interested in the grain to care. The more I felt her the more I was convinced there was milk so I decided to squeeze as hard as she would let me to see if I could get something out. After a couple tries out came milk on both sides!!!

How could this be? I'm pretty sure she couldn't be pregnant because I've had her for 2 months now and she is no fatter then when I got her. So.... Could she have some type of mastitis? Please tell me no! But if not then what? Her udders are not hard or hot at all....

I'm definitely going to contact the breeder in the morning to see if there was a possible miscarriage or something but I'm sure he told me she was never bred.

Alice In TX/MO · #2 05/22/11, 11:26 PM

Take a deep breath.

It's called being a precocious milker, and it happens in families of goats that are high producers. Her udder may develop more, or it may stop at that size.

It's OK.

Don't milk without dipping the teats afterward. You've opened the orifice and bacteria are more likely to get in now.

flarytails · #3 05/22/11, 11:41 PM

Tee hee. Ok. I'm so relieved that I just freaked out for nothing.

She is my one of my favorite does (I guess they are all favorites for different reasons). I'm so glad its nothing serious. phew.

I had no idea how much I didn't know about goats until I joined this forum.

Laverne · #4 05/23/11, 12:14 AM

I've read that if the teat plug is removed unknowingly from a precocious milker to clean the ends with alcohol and put some elmers glue on the ends and let dry. This will seal it to help prevent mastitis.

saanengirl · #5 05/23/11, 11:42 AM

Precocious milkers are very common in the Saanen breed, particularly among dry yearlings, so I see many of them.

wmsff · #6 05/23/11, 02:24 PM

This is not to hyjack the thread, but is there a downside to milking a goat like that ?

Thanks

saanengirl · #7 05/23/11, 03:32 PM

There is not a problem with consistently milking a precocious milker. I know of one Saanen breeder who does it to prevent mastitis. Some of these precocious milkers will give half a gallon per day or more if stimulated.

mekasmom · #8 05/23/11, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saanengirl

Precocious milkers are very common in the Saanen breed, particularly among dry yearlings, so I see many of them.

Yes. Our first goat ever way, way back was a precocious saanen. I milked her daily, and she gave a pint or so a day even before she was ever bred. After she kidded it was much more.

RedSonja · #9 05/23/11, 04:31 PM

One of my does (Nubian) was FF last spring and came back into milk somewhat this spring w/o having been bred. I'm getting maybe 8 oz a day from her but as I'm already milking another doe it's no big deal to milk her as well. She also has the best milk I've ever tasted, so even though the quantity isn't huge, the quality is well worth the effort.

-Sonja