Single kid only nursing one side-what to do?

[Ford Zoo]

Scrappy, the little FF pygmy has a very nice sized udder, I'm rather surprised how big it is. Her single buckling is only nursing the right, and the left is nearing engorgement. I'd like to milk that side out to get the colostrum for future use.

What's the best way to handle this? Would it be best to only take a bit and then let that side dry off while keeping an eye on her for mastitis? This is the first single I've dealt with, and crossing my fingers, we've never had a case of mastitis.

Thanks for your help!
Michelle

[Alice In TX/MO]

Milk it out twice a day.

[Shayanna]

You wouldn't get too much, but you might have yourself a little milking pygmy on your hands. Once it gets past the colostrum stage, drink it! Put it in your coffee.

[Shayanna]

http://www.npga-pygmy.com/resources/...allreasons.asp

[mygoat]

Milk it out. Eventually the kid will start using both sides. Milk it 2x per day until you notice the kid nursing that side.

[Ford Zoo]

Originally Posted by Shayanna

http://www.npga-pygmy.com/resources/...allreasons.asp

That's a great link! I had no idea pygmies could be such high producers! Thinking I may give her milk a try, my little ND's aren't due till April/May.

[Shayanna]

Google is a great thing. I didn't realize it either. I guess the whole thing is if a goat is not a "dairy" breed, they will only produce enough for their kid(s). No matter the breed, goat milk is goat milk (obviously with varying BF contents). But if your kid is eating its fill and thriving, and Mama has milk left over... You should help yourself. Save some for future kids if need be.

[Crazy Farmgirl]

I would milk out the side he's not using, freezing it for future use. In the past when I had a single doing this I would put him on the other side any time I saw him nursing, didn't take long and he was actively using both sides, until then I would milk mom to relieve pressure and keep her producing.

Just a thought did you check to make sure that he teat is not plugged?

[Backfourty,MI.]

I would milk that side out & make sure it doesn't get engorged but I also in the past when having singles watch closely & switch them to their non favorite side when ever I see them nursing also.
They will as they get bigger drink more & from both sides.

[dozedotz]

Last year we had a doe who nursed one buckling. He used only one side throughout the entire nursing. We milked her twice a day right from the beginning. This was a Nubian doe so we got alot of milk from that one side! I did it for her health but also because a good friend said that her teats would become uneven if he continued to use that one side...he did. Her teats are even now...but I don't know if that was because we shared his milk or if that is just the way it worked out. If it happens this year that we have enough bucklings to allow moms to raise them and we have one or more who clearly prefer one side, I would do it again for sure.

[Alice In TX/MO]

I had a Pygmy Nubian cross for a few months when I desperately needed milk for a friend. She was SUCH a milk goat. Eager to get on the stand, easy to milk, good production.

She came in out of a mesquite field and had NEVER been milked before!!

[ani's ark]

Originally Posted by Crazy Farmgirl

Just a thought did you check to make sure that he teat is not plugged?

Thats a point. I had never heard of this when Salma gave birth and noticed she was suckling her twins on only one teat and the other was engorged. I milked that teat strongly and slowly a thick goopy plug squeezed out and the overfull teat exploded milk in my face, causing DH to crack up. Her poor kids had not been able to get anything from it, so had given up.