# HARD, HARD Udder!!!



## purpletanya (Jan 22, 2012)

My little ND kidded on Saturday afternoon. She had two little girls. Then Sunday morning she passed one more baby. So sad. 

Her right udder is HARD, HARD! I can not even get any milk out of the udder. The teat is flimsy & loose. It does not feel hot. She is eating & drinking fine. She is up & mobile & looking well considering. 

We purchased her last summer. This is her first kidding with us. We were told that she did have mastitis once but was treated & okay. 

1. What to do about udder?? Could it be mastitis damage from previous mastitis??

2. Can two babies be fed off one udder??? or should I be supplementing?

Thanks!!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I would put warm compresses on her udder and you could even put some peppermint oil on it. You may have to supplement if you only have one part of her udder working. But you do need to try and do something for the part that is hard. Congrats on the doe kids!


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2012)

My experience with a hard non producing side that has no warmth is that it can't be fixed. If it is hot and or at least warm you have a chance, keep her milked out and discard any milk you do get out of her, do put compress on it and I have heard pepermint also. Give her 1cc per 15lbs Penn SQ every 3 days and hope for the best Did the kids get enough Colostrum? Once a Doe has had Mastitis it is best to sell her since the chances are that she will have more episodes. Always feel the udder of animals you are thinking of buying chances are that it has been hard for sometime.
It is too bad this happens and is usually caused after weaning kids and improperly drying up a Doe. It is best to dry your does quickly feeding only hay and water, no grain for at least 10 days longer if the bags are not on their way down then gradually bring your grain back in to the ration.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

ksalvagno said:


> I would put warm compresses on her udder and you could even put some peppermint oil on it. You may have to supplement if you only have one part of her udder working. But you do need to try and do something for the part that is hard. Congrats on the doe kids!


Agreed. :thumb: 
Feel the kids bellies and see that they are getting full not hard but not empty. Can you squeeze anything out? The plug may still be in there but you should be able to release some milk; hopefully. Poor girl hope it starts flowing.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Since it's not warm I'd be suspicious the doe has never been able to produce from that side and may have cae. Has she been tested?

I would probably try bottle feeding the kids because as they grow they are going to want more milk and she may not be able to keep up with them with only one side of her udder functioning.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

runaround is right about the testing, but dont freak out. I have a doe with the same prob. last year just it was hard on both sides, and the teat on one side was also hard, I tested her and she came out neg. I treated my doe as mastitis, even though it was not hot, never got better, but she never died either. Also for mastitis, I used masto blast, vit. C the human kind, and if you cant find peperment, I used vicks vapor rub.


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## Pennedy (May 23, 2013)

Hey Jessica84,

what is masto blast? I am having a similar problem with my boer goat.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Pennedy said:


> Hey Jessica84,
> 
> what is masto blast? I am having a similar problem with my boer goat.


Welcome to TGS...you can get it at tractor supply...or on-line. I have never used it though.


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## Ellie000 (May 11, 2021)

Hi one of my mama dairy goats has both sides of her udder hard. One side was dripping milk. She had twins which I put away at night so I can milk in the morning. I went out to milk and her udder was hard but not hot and she’s doing fine walking and eating, but it was hard getting anything out. She had bite marks from the babies teeth. Does that have anything to do with it? I just started milking her a few days ago. 
Thanks


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

The bite marks are probably because the babies can't get anything out of the udder either and they are frustrated. How old are the kids and when did the hardness start? Has your doe been tested for CAE? It's interesting that one side was dripping milk but that you can't get much out of it. Have you tried massage and hot compresses?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You will want to start your own thread so more people see it. This is an old thread from 2012.


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## Ellie000 (May 11, 2021)

Damfino said:


> The bite marks are probably because the babies can't get anything out of the udder either and they are frustrated. How old are the kids and when did the hardness start? Has your doe been tested for CAE? It's interesting that one side was dripping milk but that you can't get much out of it. Have you tried massage and hot compresses?


I think they’re getting stuff out because I went out later and she wasn’t full. They’re about 4 weeks old. It might be because I just started taking the kids off at night. She’s a first time mom. I just freaked out when I saw it because I’ve never seen it before. I did massage it and the hardness went down. Thanks for replying it’s nice to get outside information.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Are you milking her? You don't need to separate kids unless you are milking?


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## Ellie000 (May 11, 2021)

ksalvagno said:


> Are you milking her? You don't need to separate kids unless you are milking?


Yes she’s a dairy goat.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If she is softening up in the udder, that is good.


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