# Change in milk!!!!



## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Hello all my fellow goal lovers!!!! So while I'm still new at this, I thought I was getting the hang of things!!!! Until this morning. Now I am confused! I have weaned my kids completely of mom's and have continued milking them daily. I only have time to milk in the morning so I knew they would be drying up faster than if I where to milk them twice a day! My question is though, my goat that I have been getting a pint from (give or take a little) daily only gave me maybe a half of a pint today but her milk seems normal! My other girl, the one I usually get a quart from (give or take a little) daily only gave me maybe a half of a pint today as well! But her milk is different. It has a yellow tint to it and it's super thick! It was almost too thick to filter! It took forever to pour through a strainer! The only changes that have been made was a little over a month ago I changed their food because one of my does seems to be having a hard time putting weight back on after have twins and I also put them in a bigger pasture for more grazing!!!! Other than that nothing has changed! Any ideas? Thank you so much for all of your help!!!!!


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## cristina-sorina (May 4, 2018)

My first thought would be mastitis, do you have a California Mastitis test? Do you dip their teats after you milk? Is her temperature normal? What does her udder feel like after you milk her out?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What breed are they?


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

cristina-sorina said:


> My first thought would be mastitis, do you have a California Mastitis test? Do you dip their teats after you milk? Is her temperature normal? What does her udder feel like after you milk her out?


Thank you for replying! 
I do not have that test! I make a spray for their tests that I use after each milking. It has water, rubbing alcohol and tea tree oil in it. Both goats temps are normal and both their udders feel like they always do after milking!


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

ksalvagno said:


> What breed are they?


Thank you for replying!
One is a Nigerian dwarf. She is the one I usually get a pint from. The other is a mini nubian/kinder.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Mastitis does not always change the feel or look of an udder in the beginning. Tractor supply (sometimes) sells little mastitis cards. You squirt milk on a yellow circle and if it turns blue or green, you probably have a mastitic goat. Then you can decide on the treatment. ( they are Dr. Naylor's mastitis detection cards). 
"Today" mastitis tubes are the usual first course.


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Goats Rock said:


> Mastitis does not always change the feel or look of an udder in the beginning. Tractor supply (sometimes) sells little mastitis cards. You squirt milk on a yellow circle and if it turns blue or green, you probably have a mastitic goat. Then you can decide on the treatment. ( they are Dr. Naylor's mastitis detection cards).
> "Today" mastitis tubes are the usual first course.


Thank you! I will definitely get some of those cards! If it is mastisis do I not drink that milk?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I wouldn't drink the milk if there is mastitis.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Goats Rock said:


> Mastitis does not always change the feel or look of an udder in the beginning. Tractor supply (sometimes) sells little mastitis cards. You squirt milk on a yellow circle and if it turns blue or green, you probably have a mastitic goat. Then you can decide on the treatment. ( they are Dr. Naylor's mastitis detection cards).
> "Today" mastitis tubes are the usual first course.


The part that is gettin me here is that both of her goats are doin this at the same time... well the less milk not the thick stuff. :/.


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Sfgwife said:


> The part that is gettin me here is that both of her goats are doin this at the same time... well the less milk not the thick stuff. :/.


That is what is getting me as well. Could it be all the storms we have been having in the last week??? We have had so many tornado warnings and thunderstorms. And the rain wont stop!


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## Davon (Sep 22, 2017)

Did they just get on the new pasture?


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Davon said:


> Did they just get on the new pasture?


This will be their second time in this pasture, but first since kidding. They have been in this pasture almost a week!


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

So an update on my girls this morning. I milked both again and the one I usually get almost a pint from, gave me a little over 3/4 of a pint of beautiful milk! The one I usually get a quart from gave me 1/2 a guard of beautiful milk! So I am not sure what happened yesterday! I have some Mastisis tests cards on the way and will still check.


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## Davon (Sep 22, 2017)

I don't think those cards work well on goats. From what I understand they will often show false negatives. CMT is a lot better. 

I think the new pasture may be at fault if it caused a change in their diet. Anything more than a slight change in their grain or hay will often throw their rumen off and make them not do well even though they may not go into fullblown bloat. In my experience they are more sensitive to changes in their diet when I am feeding them enough concentrates to keep up milk production.

I tried to move a doe I was milking from section to section of my woods my first year. When I put her on a new section of woods her milk production would drop and she might even go off of her grain. Sometimes her milk production dropped to almost nothing and then she would gradually recover. It took me a while to figure out the connection. After that, I decided it was easiest for me to just feed my dairy goats a consistent hay and I didn't mess with pasture/browse. 

You can likely still use your pasture if you let them adjust to any changes gradually. 

I may well be wrong, but let us know if this makes sense.


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Davon said:


> I don't think those cards work well on goats. From what I understand they will often show false negatives. CMT is a lot better.
> 
> I think the new pasture may be at fault if it caused a change in their diet. Anything more than a slight change in their grain or hay will often throw their rumen off and make them not do well even though they may not go into fullblown bloat. In my experience they are more sensitive to changes in their diet when I am feeding them enough concentrates to keep up milk production.
> 
> ...


Thank you! Yes it does make sense!!! Ioved them almost a week ago and their milk only changed for 1 day! 
What kind of concentrates do you feed to keep their milk production up? 
I only moved them because 1 of my does was not putting on weight (she is still too skinny in my opinion!) And there was much more for her to munch on in the other pasture!


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## Davon (Sep 22, 2017)

Concentrates just refer to the grain base feed in case you find the term confusing.

I use this one from Tractor Supply. I like one that isn't a sweet feed and isn't medicated if I am drinking the milk. In my experience this was hard to find. Tractor supply just added this one a few years ago.

I am feeding mine about 3 cups twice a day now. I also give them 4 cups of alfalfa pellets a day and all the coastal bermuda hay they want.

I know some people add beet pulp, sunflower seeds, and other things to keep doe's weights up. I haven't needed to so far, so I keep it simple.

What makes you say she is too skinny? Dairy goats naturally are "skinny" looking. You should be able to feel their ribs, but they shouldn't be very visible or sharp feeling. That's how I would describe it, but someone else here my have a better guide. I have heard that their ribs should feel like pencils in a pocket, but not sure if that description is helpful either. Maybe I can look up some weight guide pictures on google for you later, or you can yourself.


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Davon said:


> Concentrates just refer to the grain base feed in case you find the term confusing.
> 
> I use this one from Tractor Supply. I like one that isn't a sweet feed and isn't medicated if I am drinking the milk. In my experience this was hard to find. Tractor supply just added this one a few years ago.
> 
> ...


So I feed my does a goat feed (pictured) about 1 lb a day for my smaller doe and 1 and a half lb for the bigger one (the one that I think is too skinny). I also add about a half a cup of alfalfa pellets and some BOSS. They also get all the hay they can eat. My bucks get all stock, alfalfa pellets, and BOSS and they look amazing!

So the reason I think she is too skinny, and I might be wrong, is because it looks like her hips are sticking out! Her ribs cannot be seen and her tummy looks perfect but it looks like her sides sink in and her hip bones are sticking out!

I have googled a few pics and I cannot find one that looks like her!


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## Davon (Sep 22, 2017)

That is the same goat feed I use, and it works well for me so far. Sides sinking in are an indication of how full the rumen is, not necessarily if the goat is fat or skinny. I would compare her ribs to your healthy goats. If they were my goats I would try more alfalfa. How are the eyelids, and has she been dewormed recently?


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Davon said:


> That is the same goat feed I use, and it works well for me so far. Sides sinking in are an indication of how full the rumen is, not necessarily if the goat is fat or skinny. I would compare her ribs to your healthy goats. If they were my goats I would try more alfalfa. How are the eyelids, and has she been dewormed recently?


I am still confused on the whole rumen thing. I know that if their stomach makes noises then that's good. I checked her eyelids and they are perfect pink. About 6 weeks ago I had the vet come and check on her and he gave her a couple shots because she did have some worms and her eyelids where pale and her tail was down. But since then everything has perked up except for her sunken in sides.


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## Davon (Sep 22, 2017)

I'm not sure what you mean you are confused about with the rumen. A nice round stomach means a full rumen which is generally a sign of good health. Forgive me if I am being too elementary. ;-) I am sure rumens are very complicated things, and I don't know much about them either. You could try some probiotics and just make sure they have a good consistent diet. My alpines seem to take a month or so after kidding to get a nice round look after kidding. Sometimes they just look skinny, but are still in good health and making lots of milk. I wouldn't say that having flat sides is necessarily a sign of bad health although it can be. More experienced people on here may feel differently.


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Davon said:


> I'm not sure what you mean you are confused about with the rumen. A nice round stomach means a full rumen which is generally a sign of good health. Forgive me if I am being too elementary. ;-) I am sure rumens are very complicated things, and I don't know much about them either. You could try some probiotics and just make sure they have a good consistent diet. My alpines seem to take a month or so after kidding to get a nice round look after kidding. Sometimes they just look skinny, but are still in good health and making lots of milk. I wouldn't say that having flat sides is necessarily a sign of bad health although it can be. More experienced people on here may feel differently.


Well she is very active and eats and drinks normally. She sounds great, her tail is up and her eye lids are the perfect color pink! I will just keep an eye out for anything new!!!!
Thank you so much for you help!!!!!! I appreciate it!!!


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## Davon (Sep 22, 2017)

Krystal olsen said:


> Well she is very active and eats and drinks normally. She sounds great, her tail is up and her eye lids are the perfect color pink! I will just keep an eye out for anything new!!!!
> Thank you so much for you help!!!!!! I appreciate it!!!


Glad to help! I remember how confusing it was starting and I am grateful for the help I get on here from time to time, so I like to give back.


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## Krystal olsen (Jan 28, 2019)

Davon said:


> Glad to help! I remember how confusing it was starting and I am grateful for the help I get on here from time to time, so I like to give back.


So I checked their eyelids again. And it seems like they arent as pink as they should be. They arent exactly pale but they are not a bright pink. One has a bright pink spot in it. But they are still eating, drinking and socializing normally. I might be having a vet comming to float my horses teeth so I may just have him look at them! Thank you again!!!!


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