pendulous udder?

[TxCloverAngel]

one of the girls I'm getting has a pendulous udder but the breeder says she is very easy to milk. what is a pendulous udder? and do I need to know anything or do anything different w/ her?

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

I would not purchase a doe with a pendulous udder unless, you lived on a grass pasture, no briars or dense woods like I live. A pendulous udder is the term that is used for a doe who has lost her attachements that hold her milk up between her thighs and she is sagging down between her hocks. When full if the floor of her udder...stand behind her and put your hand flat between her teats, that is the floor of her udder, if it is past her hocks (her pointy elbows on her rear legs) I would not buy her, unless like I said she is moving to a grass backyard.

Does with udders that hang between their hocks are prone to injury, snagging on briars or small woody browse, they step on their own teats when heavy with kids, and can be stepped on by other does. If they run it swings and is further broken down slamming against her thighs. If you dam raise, her kids may not be able to find the teats. On the milkstand you may have a time milking a short legged doe, with a pendulous udder, simply because the teats are below the lip of you milk pail!

Go to the farm, lead the does you are wanting to purchase, get them on the milkstand yourself, milk the does, ask the breeder to show you how to hoof trim the goats you are buying. If you can't milk her, or if you don't like the taste of the milk warm, or she is a pain, or if her udder is dragging near the ground, than pass on her for another doe. Never buy anything because you feel sorry for it, keep your feelings in the car, buy smart.

And after saying all that I know who you are buying from, they would never steer you wrong, their stock is healthy and happy, they have the most pampered loving goats you could ever find, my goats would love to run away and be babied by Lenny and Barb!! Vicki

[natybear]

I agree with what has already been said, my first goat I bought at 5 months old. She came in with a poor udder even though her mothers was great. Because I love her so much I keep her around but I have her in a homemade bra when she is milking because it looks like it hurts when she runs. It must not though because it doesn't affect her. She also has a twisted udder because one side is higher than the other. Sometimes I think I should sell her, but then I think, who would buy her? and would I really want to trick someone into falling in love with a pendulous udder, even if it is attached to a fabulous doe.

This doe has never had mastitis or anyother health problems because of this. She knows that when she milks she has to stand tall, she is anyway though. Most goats want to squat a little but Petunia is a great milker, just the same.