# Congested Udder?



## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

My FF Eek is about 5 weeks out from her kidding and I started separating her kids at night about three days ago. Since then I have been milking twice a day at 7:30 am and pm.

She has been hard to milk from the get go. Her teats were very small and very narrow...imagine milking your pinkie...and she has yet to really blow my mind in terms of her production. Granted, her twins suck her dry during the day but even since I started separating them I am not getting a whole lot in the am. Her small teats are getting larger, but she is so full in the mornings that I am dealing with a different set of problems.

My primary concern is that she really doesn't seem to ever look empty. Tonight, for example, I went out to strip her before separating her boys and got like 8 squirts. But her udder looks like it should have at least a quart in there! I know she doesn't have anything because the twins can't get any out after I strip her either. And they TRY.

So my question is this: as a FF, is it possible that her udder is just too new to get the saggy bag look? Or should I be concerned that it is congested? My other goat had been in milk for nearly 5 months when I bought her, so I have never had a newly freshened udder to work with.

These are hardly great udder shots, but hopefully you can see what I mean:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

it could be or she just has a meaty udder. My angie has a meaty udder -- so she doesnt produce as much as I would like. Its all mammary tissue


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

does she feel firm when she's empty or soft? I have a doe who feels firm after she kids, I discovered that he congestion was caused by salt consumption during late pregnancy. I stopped putting salt out and the problem got better.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

goathappy said:


> does she feel firm when she's empty or soft? I have a doe who feels firm after she kids, I discovered that he congestion was caused by salt consumption during late pregnancy. I stopped putting salt out and the problem got better.


That's an interesting question. I don't really know how to answer it! She feels firm...her udder keeps its shape and even though her teats get soft they don't feel relaxed. It's like her udder is high strung :slapfloor:

As for the salt, she has a free choice mineral that contains salt as well as the mineral complex...I'd worry if I stopped leaving it out she wouldn't get enough calcium etc.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

Here is the breakdown for the mineral I leave out:

Calcium, min..................……..10.0%
Calcium, max………………..…………11.0%
Phosphorus, min....................11.0%
Salt, min………………………………...16.0%
Salt, max……………………………..…18.0%
Potassium, max………………….….1.0%
Magnesium, min………………………2.0%
Zinc, min.............................2,585 ppm
(Chelated Zinc),min……………....389 ppm
Manganese, min……………………..1,930 ppm
(Chelated Manganese), min…….289 ppm
Copper, min……………………………..1,170 ppm
(Chelated Copper),……..………….174 ppm
Iodine, min……………………………….35 ppm
Selenium, min.............…...….…24 ppm
Organic Selenium, min……….....3.5 ppm
Cobalt, min………………………………8.5 ppm
Vitamin A, min.................….…120,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D, min………….……….…….37,500 IU/lb
Vitamin E, min.....................…500 IU/lb


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I know exactly what you mean 

do you have access to a mineral that doesn't have salt? I know sweetlix is low on salt. my doe was fine last year but this year she had congestion problems again, and we switched minerals and I didn't know till last week these minerals were high in salt.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

As far as I know these are the only minerals I can get locally. There is only one feed store that sells goat related supplies and they only carry the one kind.


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

Try massaging the udder with one hand while you milk with the other hand. Sometimes you just need to encourage the milk to get all the way down to the teat. (Know what you mean about milking your little finger! I got an UdderlyEZ just for that reason.)


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

Is that calcium/phosphorus ratio off? I thought we needed a 2:1 ratio.

Hey RealfoodMomma...can you post pictures of her teats? I am curious as to the size of them. Our girl has what we consider small teats..we look at pics of goats with big teats longingly. "BIG CARROT TEATS" are dreamt about. It's really quite sad. LOL


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## TheNanoPharm (Apr 24, 2010)

we've been having a little udder issues too with the kids favoring one side. I am still not sure if they are favoring due to congestion or just their preference, but for the past two days I've been milking the left side and have been getting tons out, but it's requiring a lot of time and patience (singing and talking to her) and udder massages and yesterday we did a warm water compress along with the massages. I was a little upset yesterday because it seemed she had the tiniest amount of blood in her milk. I've read this can happen right after freshening, but I am still nervous so I've ordered the CMT. Any opinions you all may have are greatly appreciated!


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

MiGoat said:


> Is that calcium/phosphorus ratio off? I thought we needed a 2:1 ratio.
> 
> Hey RealfoodMomma...can you post pictures of her teats? I am curious as to the size of them. Our girl has what we consider small teats..we look at pics of goats with big teats longingly. "BIG CARROT TEATS" are dreamt about. It's really quite sad. LOL


Here is a bad pic of one of her teats...she is a stubborn goat and wouldn't hold still.


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks for the pics. I bet they get bigger for future freshenings.

Have you considered the calcium/phosphorus ration? 

Maybe you could try warm compresses? Or maybe she just has a meaty udder?


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't think the calhos ratio would cause a goat to have a congested udder, but since it is 1:1 instead of 2:1, you should be feeding alfalfa hay to balance that out.

Just a thought, if you can get your hands on some mint udder cream(or mix a little peppermint essential oil with a good lotion) put that on her udder after milking, its like a natural icy hot and will help stimulate more blood flow to that area.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

goathappy said:


> I don't think the calhos ratio would cause a goat to have a congested udder, but since it is 1:1 instead of 2:1, you should be feeding alfalfa hay to balance that out.
> 
> Just a thought, if you can get your hands on some mint udder cream(or mix a little peppermint essential oil with a good lotion) put that on her udder after milking, its like a natural icy hot and will help stimulate more blood flow to that area.


She gets pretty high quality alfalfa hay and eats it like she's never had food before :drool:

Her udder seems to be improving somewhat. I have taken to massaging it in the evenings and have gotten better at totally emptying her...her teats have expanded somwhat since I started separating her boys from her at night.

I will see if any of the udder creams I was given for the holidays are minty :greengrin:


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

Foot stuff is usually mint. I don't know why that is. Maybe because it's cooling and they think feet are hot....which mine rarely are. I'm sure you needed to know that about my feet. OKAY enough of the feet! 
Good luck realfood momma!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

She may get better with future freshenings and she may not, I have a doe that has a meaty udder and pinky teats, granted she is a pygmy/nigi but ALL my cross does til her had awesome easily milked udders, she doesn't have capacity, just supply on demand and she's fed her kids very well so far. Meatiness is something that won't get better...this is Angels 3rd freshening and though her udder is bigger it's still high and fleshy, and never had mastitis.


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