# A very uneven udder



## Goatie (Apr 12, 2010)

I desperately need some advice on an uneven udder. My goat kidded 9 weeks ago, a doe kid who is fantastic. The mother is a British alpine and I have been milking her generally receiving a litre a day. Her udder is very uneven, the kid favours one side, and that side is beautiful, high up smooth with a good shaped teat. The side that I milk is lower down with a much larger teat. After I have milked her the size and shape of the sides are still disproportionate. I read that at about 4 weeks when the kid gets stronger that she will milk both sides; this has not happened. 

I want her udder to even out and have been separating the kid and mother but the kid still won’t milk the unfavoured side. I worry now that it is getting too late that the kid is almost near weaning, can do with less milk, and won’t even try. What can I do to get this even? I have looked at the forum where people had photos of an uneven udder and my goats is a lot worse. Should I take the kid off and just milk he would that help (I hate separating them)? Could her udder be damaged? Should I dry her out early, and if so how? 

I love my goat(s) and want her to have a normal even udder at this stage what can I do.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

since its been 9 weeks the damage is done for this go around. Maybe next freshening it will even out but even then it may not. 

Sometimes its just the udder - I had a goat freshen with a beautiful udder at least it looked that way but after a couple days I noticed something really wrong. by 2 weeks it looked aweful. One side was more "meaty" with more tissue. She had/has two kids on her and they both nurse on either side. It was just how her udder developed and had nothing to do with the kids nursing off one side.


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

My first doe had a very uneven udder the first time, because one of her kids was a biter and we were both learning and by the time I knew what was going on it was very uneven. It stayed that way the first year, but after her second kidding it was fine.

Jan


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree....When she freshesens next time around...there are good odds... that she will be OK..... but.. I do have to say ....there is that slight chance ...it won't....good luck.... :hug:


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## ZipperDoo (Apr 18, 2010)

My Penny is a tiny bit lopsided for that same reason, by about two dozen squirts when I first got her. 

I milk her out three times a day, I just make sure to go out once a day and milk out her lower side one extra time before bed. She seems to be going up in production on that side. There's only about a 10-12 squirt difference now, but I can't say how long she was uneven for, and it never was too bad.


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## Goatie (Apr 12, 2010)

Thanks very much for the replies; they have put my mind at rest. I am keeping a good eye on her and milking her often. This forum has been great. I never thought that there were so many who could help so fast. Next time round I will be more vigilant. thanks.


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## Realfoodmama (Apr 13, 2010)

Just as an aside - 

If you are hand milking and your dominant hand is more efficient than your other, you may end up with a slightly lopsided udder simply because say your left hand doesn't milk as efficiently as your right.

I typically have to finish off my goats left teat with my right hand, otherwise she gets a little wonky.


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