# Thick colostrum question



## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

I have a question about goat colostrum. Today my Nubian is having thick white vaginal discharge, hanging in a long stream of about 8 inches. She's due sometime feb/mar (pasture bred) so it's possible she's nearing labor. Her udder has completely filled today.
I decided to check for colostrum, scraped the plug off the left teat and then expressed some colostrum. It came out the yellowish color of colostrum but in a toothpase/gel consistency and then fell to the ground, remaining intact like gel! Her udder does not feel warm to the touch and she's not acting sick but her udder does feel firm. Normal eating and normal pellet poo. Not sure if that is quite normal or not, but I would think not. Is she developing mastitis or is this normal for goats? If not normal, what do I need to do? I do have PenG on hand.
This is my first time attempting to express goat colostrum prior to kidding, so I feel foolish asking. I did not attempt to express from the right teat.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It could be very possible...how are her ligs.... is she sunken in... in the tailhead flank area.... posty..is her udder super tight with a shiny appearance towards the bottom...does her sides from viewing from behind look like she isn't quite as preggo...? Is the discharge like a clear amber tube like appearance ...if so... she could drop anytime.... 

Sounds like normal colostrum...with some Does... the colostrum is really really thick and sticky....almost to where it is hard to get out.. while others... have more of a liquid thick like appearance...but easier to milk out.... It isn't a good idea... to open the orifice.... before she kids... as it can introduce bacteria and cause mastitis.... 

Can you get pics of her?


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

Thank you, Pam. I'm glad the colostrum can possibly be normal! She's a nubian and I'm used to looking at the boers, so she always looks more sunken in and has a higher tail head. :shrug: Her ligs feel mushy but I don't trust myself checking them yet. On the ff it's so easy to feel the pencil ligs but on the does who have kidded before it's harder for me to know. To me she has never looked prego like the boer does, but I have felt the babies move and her udder has grown (dried her off at breeding season).
Her udder was about 3/4 filled yesterday (compared to how she looks while milking her) and today it's more like 7/8 full. It's not shiny but tight and heavy. She's laying down moaning with each breath but she's done that a lot over the last week. It's just louder today! I did put her up when I saw the amount of discharge. It's not amber, but like a white tube (thin). It was long but most broke off before I got this picture. Also today the area above her vulva is puffy when usually it is not, and is usually more flat or even sunken in.
Here are pictures.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome... :thumb: 

Looks like her mucus plug coming out of her vulva........in which....can happen a month or so before kidding...although some do it close to the last minute.... she is holding that tail up quite straight yet... so I think... she has more time....and for a dairy breed... she should fill more in the udder..... all seems normal...oh... and the moaning... they do get pretty moany...LOL :laugh: they are so kid chunky.... :wink: 

That looks like colostrum to me....clean her up...mix some iodine/ water and put it on the end to sterilize the teat.... make sure... she stays in a clean area... because her orifice is open.... :hug:


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

Thank you, Pam! I am such a kidding rookie.  Hopefully after 7 does this year I will be more competent and know what's normal for them. :laugh: 
I will go clean her up now with the iodine and water. Maybe checking was not such a good thing. I had read others posting about having colostrum and thought I would check. :doh: (Note to self).


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

No Problem..... hey ...we all where rookies...and some of us still are...LOL :laugh: ....so don't feel bad..... :wink: 
HeHe...with 7... yep... that is a good starter course...

Well..... at least you know... for the next time...oops ...not the next time... to check for colostrum..... :wink: :hi5:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

She's losing her plug, I have a doe due the 23rd that started losing hers over a week ago...my FF Penny delivered Thursday and lost hers Wednesday, it varies from doe to doe.
As far as "checking to see if there's colostrum"....most filling udders have it, I only check to be sure theres no extreme heat or hardness in the udder. Only once they kid will I express the teat to remove the plug to make it easier for the kids to nurse.
Do as Pam said, clean her teat well, and dip it in the iodine.
She may be showing you those kids pretty soon!


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

:thumb: Thank you both! :laugh: NOW I know why people check the colostrum. I thought maybe it was another sign of impending labor and something I should be doing. (Here's my sign)  
I will not keep her confined to a stall, then.....at least not until after tonight. She seems to be enjoying the extra attention so I'll let the drama queen bask in it for awhile longer. My human kids are also having fun being on "goat duty" in the barn reporting anything unusual. Gives them something to do (never mind that I can see everything on the camera). :wink:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome....  


Watch her a bit closer now ...happy Kidding..... :thumb:


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