Drying out doe

annieme · #1 10/02/14, 10:25 PM

Hi all! Just an update. Its now been 4 weeks from Milly has been milked. She started milking all of a sudden! ImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1412306661.901253.jpgOne udder seems to be getting bigger while the other seems to have emptied completely. My concern now is the big udder seems to be getting quite hard although shes not overly warm. Ive added a photo. How long would this normally take?

Frosted Mini's · #2 10/05/14, 06:52 PM

I'm not sure what to tell you, but I'm bumping this to the top for you.

Alice In TX/MO · #3 10/05/14, 07:27 PM

Are you saying she's a maiden milker? What does the milk from the full half of her udder look like? Lumpy, clotty, stringy?

Have you taken her temperature?

annieme · #4 10/06/14, 04:57 AM

She started milking fir no reason and we milked her but we want to dry her out. Temp is fine and shes in great form. Milk was fine from it when she was milked. Other udder milked as well but it has gone down.

Alice In TX/MO · #5 10/06/14, 07:14 AM

It's very odd that one half of her udder is like this. I'd express a small amount of milk and check its condition.

You may want to consider sending a sample to be checked. Instructions for that in a "sticky" at the top of this forum.

**mygoat** · #6 10/06/14, 09:09 AM

If I remember correctly, the OP is not in the US.

Personally, I'd milk it out. It is probably residual milk. If I had access to it, I might infuse BOTH sides with a 'dry treatment'. This is a tube of antibiotic that will treat any infection she has and prevent her from getting dry period mastitis. You may have to talk to your vet or another bigger dairy goat farmer to see what is available. I like the product called ToMorrow - http://www.jefferspet.com/products/tomorrow-dry-cow

annieme · #7 10/06/14, 12:09 PM

Yes thats right, i am based in Ireland. There are just no great Irish based forums or indeed any goat information I can find!

My husband milked Milly today and the udder became soft and bouncy while milking. He took about 1/2 litre and it was fine although a bit watery. The udder is still bigger but not as big now. I am inclined to think that it may well be residual milk. Heres hoping!