# first fresheners udder shape/teat length thoughts



## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

i have two saanen does (both first time preg) who are due about may 18 and there udders are coming in a bit. they both have teats that are just a bit longer then the width of my first two fingers. on pics of first freshener udders that i have seen the udder is large and round and pretty but the teats seem so tiny. like they would be quite a pain in the butt to milk. now it may just be me or just the way they look in the pics makes the teats seem tiny and short. but do most first fresheners fill all out like that?
my parents had this one doe who's udder looked wonderful when it was full but her teats were about the size of my pinky, tip to first knuckle. which is less then an inch long. i could never milk her so my mom or dad always milked her. and you can imagine what a pain that was to milk her out...

anyone got some first freshener udder pics i can see?
thanks!


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I have a FF grade Alpine doe that has decent size teats. Not real long but easy to milk. I think they will get longer in future freshenings. Sorry no udder pics.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

With most FF, genetics plays a role in teat size but "use" of those FF teats is what helps them to grow, I have personally seen how the teats enlarge with each freshening and dam raising kids, also, when milking those smaller teats it helps to have a doe with a soft textured udder, this way you can fill the teat from the top and encircle it with thumb and forefinger to trap the milk in the teat, having a giving udder allows that to work very easily.


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## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

What Liz said,
They will probably get larger when they actually do freshen, they have a ways to go yet.


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

I'll post some pics of FF udders a little later. Just got done baby sitting my nephew and need to run get a few things done now, so I'll be back on to post pics of my FF's.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

Here's a thread of mine from last year that shows a 2 yr old FF's udder deveolpment:
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=13314&hilit=+delilah

And here is her udder 5 weeks after kidding:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14703&hilit=+delilah

As you can see, her teats did elongate and plump-up quite nicely


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

milkyway looks kinda like the first pic but not as wide a belly and not trimmed. also her teats arent quite as long.
i am very impressed with the before milking pic! thats her before milking as a first freshener?! very nice.

also moonbeam has a teat spur (i think thats the correct name for it) and i'm praying it doesnt do the whole drippy thing when i start milking her... my parents had a doe that had a little teat spur that was more like a big skin tag. i used to hate milking her becuase it would secrete a little milk (or whatever it was... i certianly hope it was milk *gag*) and get all over your hand.... ick...


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

ohiogoatgirl said:


> i am very impressed with the before milking pic! thats her before milking as a first freshener?! very nice.


Thank you and, yes, she was a FF in the pic! I was impressed with her too and am very thankful to have her...she's really turned into a great doe


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## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

These are udder pics of one of my doe's. she has been raising a buck kid all this time untill now I had to wean him because he was pulling her down too much. He never allowed her udder to have milk in it so I think it could be better stretched.


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## ohiogoatgirl (Jan 31, 2010)

wow. nice.
my parents had does that looked like her empty pic when they were full...
*thumbs up*


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