Aboutgoatlady Expertise Specializing in New Goat Owner understanding of goat physiology, goat anatomy, goat care and herd management. *I am not a veterinarian, any advice and information should be verified by your veterinarian before administering to your goats.
Experience 17 years experience of raising goats and herd management. Active hands on experience with goat herd and research with various Caprine University Research and Extension Centers nationwide. 15 years dedicated to helping other goat breeders/owners with goat anatomy, goat disease and goat health care issues via phone, published goat care articles and internet interaction.
Organizations 5 year active member of International Veterinary Information Service
Publications United Caprine News, Homesteaders Magazine, Columnist for Goat Magazine, Owner and Author of GoatPedia™
Education/Credentials Graduate Programs in Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
Expert: goatlady Date: 7/22/2008 Subject: hard udder
Question I have a 14 mo. Nubian doe, freshened last month, one doe kid, doing well. But, I'm trying to train her to milk, and one side of her udder is very firm, the teat does deliver milk, no pus, redness, smell, baby is very well fed, teats are small. One side of udder is filling normally and strips out easily, the hard one is well, hard. Is this a tumor, fibroid, mastitis? No fever! She is cantankerous, but that's just her. Eating, bowel and bladder A-OK, running around fine. I noticed this about a week ago. My vet doesn't like goats. Any ideas? I thought about taping the easy teat, and making the doeling suck the hard side. All ideas gratefully appreciated.
Answer Hi Susie,
Could be a congested udder for which you would give her warm moist compresses and massage the udder afterwards a few times a day and then try to milk her- She may also have mastitis in which you would need to do a mastitis test (CMT) and treat her accordingly. I have a good article explaining it all including the CMT and how to use it and where to get it as well as how to treat it with the currently used mastitis medications. http://goat-link.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=122&Itemid=123
goatlady
Goat-Link.com
Mastitis does not always present itself with blood or pus or smell- sometimes the milk is only slightly "off" but the hard udder is one symptom.
