# Trying to dry off a doe.



## PattiXmas (Jan 1, 2010)

We have been trying to dry Snow up for over a month now. We first started milking less, then went down to no milking - nothing. We tried the Tomorrow product - nothing. We tried the Tomorrow again but this time taped off her teat with band-aids. Somehow someone got the band aids off. We keep retaping her teat with various bandage methods but someone keeps getting it off and nursing on it. 

I know it's not Eve (her baby) because Eve is a bottle baby and could care less about Snow (she prefers hanging out with the boer kids or with Daisy). Now, if you remember, Snow is my doe that only one side of her udder worked because someone had previously nursed on the other side and caused a case of mastitis and we were advised to dry that side up (which was rather easy). Question - if we take a plastic pop bottle, using the top part of the bottle, cut the bottom off, completely shave her udder and any other area that tape may touch, do you think this would work? 

This goat is driving me absolutely insane!!! I am pleased as punch with Eve (her baby) and just now got her ADGA pedigree and very pleased with her father. We are looking forward to her breeding which won't be for a long time yet.

Any suggestions on how to dry up Snow would be greatly appreciated. She is driving me insane, and my daughter really wants to show her in August at the 4H fair, but the way things are looking, it may not be possible....


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Is there any other kid that Snow will allow to nurse from her? If not, then I'd say that Snow is a "self nurser"...frustrating to no end when a doe does that! Yes, keep all grain from her, shave her udder, wash her well and dry her and I've used the flexible, breatheable athletic tape on udders and teats before with success....a persistant kid or doe calls for duct tape though. Don't tape too tightly but snug enough to stay put and you'll need to untape and retape every few days to allow air flow to the skin. Don't know about the pop bottle...try it and see if it works for you...my girls being mini's don't have the extended teat structure of a standard doe so it was easy to just tape their teats to their udder.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with Liz ...as I have done the same with duct tape.... :wink:


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

cone of shame


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## PattiXmas (Jan 1, 2010)

We've tried the duct tape and somehow she gets it off. There are no other kids in with the girls, only Eve. I think we'll try the pop bottle trick and duct tape again. If that doesn't work, we might try the pop bottle trick and a bungy cord. 

Does anyone know of a shot that would instantly dry her off that I can call and ask my vet about?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Are you covering the entire udder and teats with the tape? Wrap it good and I bet she won't get it off, only thing is that when you take it off to ensure cleanliness every 2-3 days she's not going to be happy about the tugging.

If she is a self nurser, I made a collar from stiff rabbit fencing, with rubber hose on the edges to prevent harm and made it as long as the goats neck...shoulders to base of ears, she could eat and browse, just couldn't turn her head far enough to latch onto herself.


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## elchivito (Apr 18, 2010)

We use vet wrap. It's kinder than duct tape. BTW, for some reason there is a persistent, pernicious, refuses-to-die wive's tale type "wisdom" that Tomorrow will somehow aid in drying off. It won't. It's a long lasting antibiotic designed to prevent mastitis in already dry or recently dried off animals. It's the same antibiotic as Today, only it's in an oil soluble base rather than water soluble, so it hangs around in the udder for a long time. It's not a dry-off aid. I got the same story from I don't know how many people ages ago before I finally figured out that no antibiotic is going to stop a milk gland from making milk. 
I've heard of feeding sage, but there are so many kinds of Salvia and some of them are poisonous in big doses that I've never tried it. Maybe somebody here has.


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

I saw a picture of a "bra" type of thing on a goat in what appears to be a third world country online somewhere. The reason I say "third world" as the house behind the goat had no door and a thatched roof.
I was thinking of making one of these things. It would work if you couldn't afford separate areas for kids and moms and wanted that milk for yourself.

The one I saw was just a loose bag that covered her udders and attached up around her back...just tied in place. Almost like an apron. I tried to find it online but couldn't.


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## Polarhug (Jul 1, 2010)

LOL @ Cone of Shame :ROFL: I never heard of a self nurser before, I learn something new here every day


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

cone of shame works!


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Cone of shame works as long as the doe doesn't have horns.... thats why I made a "collar of shame"! lol


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