# Taping teats to keep kids from milking



## LuvmyGoaties

I pulled my 4 kids off theirs moms a month and a half ago to wean them. They were in my spare stall in my horse barn. I now need that stall so I brought them back up to the goat pen (they are 4 months old) - I suspected that one of my does would let her kids nurse again but it isn't too big a deal because she doesn't really like being milked and due to past poor management from a previous owner she is not a really big milker, however both does are letting their kids nurse - when I milked tonight I got about 1 tablespoon from my good milker and nothing from the other doe... Grrrrr...

Someone on here mentioned taping the does teats to keep the kids from nursing. Can someone explain how to do it? What kind of tape do you use? Is there a risk of the kids pulling the tape off and swallowing it? Does it bother the does? Pictures please?


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## Stacykins

I used medical tape when I taped my doe's teats. You find it in the first aid section of any store. It is made with cloth fibers, so it is is strong.

But I found it to be pretty useless. My tenacious kid learned how to pull it off her mother's teats after a few days of being confused. 

My doe hated getting her teats taped. I did it after milking. She'd be fine for the cleaning, milking, dipping, etc. but when I broke out that tape, she'd start dancing and kicking.


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## Goats Rock

I have used the tape- sometimes it stays on! I take a piece a little over twice as long as the teat and run it down one side
of the teat, across the opening and up the other side. Fold a tiny corner over. (to pull off later) Then take a piece and go around
the teat- not too tight, the teat needs room to expand. Go around a couple of times, may loop over the entire thing again. 
Always leave a small corner folded over. Then, put a tiny bit of tabasco sauce on the side and bottom. (Make sure it doesn't get
on the bare skin!)

The kid will be pretty bummed about the tabasco sauce! For me, it works about 80% of the time. I taped
one to keep her from self nursing!  She had been dry over a year and suddenly came back in milk, due to the self
nursing! I think the tabasco sauce cured her. (I hope)!


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## toth boer goats

I use big butterfly bandages or medicated band aides. I put them over the teats and get a very small strip of good duct tape and tape the very top only of the bandage, so it holds it on better. If you have an aggressive kid wanting that teat, they will work at getting that bandage off there, so I re-tape as needed.


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## clearwtrbeach

I use the medical tape, not the tough water proof stuff, nor the thin paper type, this is kind of nylon feel to it (the white not the clear). I have a 6 mos doeling who even though I've been taping mom stands, and she goes to town trying! The only way I got it to stay one is one strip down and over the teat, then a second strip around the teat. The strip that goes around is not snug! Just enough to hold it on. This has worked very well for me.


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## AmyBoogie

There is also the Goat Bra
http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f194/goat-bra-hah-151193/


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## ciwheeles

I used tape for a while and didn't like it. It made my does teats really sticky. Which worked when she was with her daughter but stunk when I needed to milk her.

I ended up just separating till she stopped making milk and now I have the goat "bra" on her while I wait for her to re absorb the milk. It works pretty well but it can be a pain. Sometimes it comes off when my doe rubs on the fence.


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## clearwtrbeach

I have found the white nylon type (I'd have to go store for actual name of it), doesn't leave them sticky, and I always wash before and after milking. I don't have the room to separate her doeling, so for me luckily this worked.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

I use the medical tape of the paper tape. I just get a piece of tape about 2X as long as the teat, center the tape so the middle point of the tape is over the orifice, stick it on, and pinch the sides of the tape at the bottom of the teat to seal it better. Sometimes it helps to roll the teat so the tape really sticks.

With tape rippers (persistant kids) I do the same as above, and I put a section of tape around the top of the teat, overlapping the first tape, make sure the tape you put around the top of the teat is put on loosly, if you do it tight when she is milked out, when she bagges up if will cut off the circulation to the teat. 

If the circulation is getting cut off the teat will be colder to the touch. If you find that the teat is kinda bulging over the tape, or is cold, its on way too tight, take if off and milk the doe, get circulation going to the teat again.


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## liz

I use cloth athletic tape...the type that's used to wrap ankles, hands etc. It's breathable and elastic enough to stay put, I use one strip that is 1 inch wide, up the length of the teat, envelope like, pinch the sides to make it stick so the teat is enclosed. My doe has a 7 month old that would drain mom if she wasn't taped but so far after 2 months, she's not been able to remove the tape


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## Frosty1

I use the Teat Tape from Hoeggers. It worked great with my two 5 month old doelings who decided to go back to nursing. I put a strip of tape from the front of the teat to the back, then another strip from one side to the other, and a final strip around the base (where the teat connects to the udder). The babies were never able to get it off.


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## LuvmyGoaties

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I tried separating the little buggers last night so that I could milk this morning but they had somehow busted out by this morning. :wallbang:

I am going to try tape today - hopefully that will work.


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## smwon

liz said:


> I use cloth athletic tape...the type that's used to wrap ankles, hands etc. It's breathable and elastic enough to stay put, I use one strip that is 1 inch wide, up the length of the teat, envelope like, pinch the sides to make it stick so the teat is enclosed. My doe has a 7 month old that would drain mom if she wasn't taped but so far after 2 months, she's not been able to remove the tape


I was looking for ways to tape teats. I used regular teat tape before, but my doe had hairy teats and she hated me taking the tape off so I didn't continue after the first couple of days. This idea sounds really good! When I have kids again I want to try this.

This is the tape?


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## Goats Rock

You can always shave the teats! We do that on all the milkers. 
Helps keep the bacteria count down and the tape won't pull!


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## liz

I use the Dollar General Rexall brand of athletic tape, cheaper to get the 2 roll package than to buy the single rolls 

I keep my does udders trimmed neatly and while they are in production, their teats aren't hairy. The athletic tape sticks well but doesn't leave adhesive behind once it's taken off.


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## ThreeHavens

Sorry to bump an old thread - how often do you remove and change out the tape to prevent infection? My pregnant doe has no milk, but we'll be putting her weaned doeling back in soon and I want to tape to make sure we don't fall back into old habits. :laugh: Twinkles nursed for a long time.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

I just peel it off like a band aid, most of the time it actually comes off pretty easily though, unless it's really sticky tape. But you just peel it off to take it off. Since you aren't milking her, you can just wipe her teats with a soapy rag, or a baby wipe, something like that, dry them off and retape.


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## ThreeHavens

Do you retape daily?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

When I milk, I retape 2x a day, but you can do it once a day. I wouldn't want to leave it for days at a time though, the skin needs to get a chance to breathe


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## ThreeHavens

Okay, good to know. My doeling will have been separated two months by the time I bring her back - do you think the tape would be necessary? Her dam is dry (pregnant).


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

I don't think you'll need the tape, her dam probably won't tolerate her trying to nurse anymore if she is bred.


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## ThreeHavens

Good. I allowed Twinkles to nurse until she was 9 months - she wasn't hurting her dam and grew amazingly. Busy Bee, her dam, is very maternal but in the past didn't continue nursing her kids after weaning. I guess what I'll do is just put them back and if Busy Bee lets her nurse (or try to) then I'll bring in the tape.


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## liz

How did it go with Twinkles and Bee ?


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## takver

In case others have a similar problem...we found taping to be frustrating for us and for the doe whose teats were always being irritated.
A DIY udder bag/goat worked much better, and was easier to put on/take off. Here is a simple pattern in case it's helpful, with minimal sewing, using a men's large cotton tshirt.


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## MellonFriend

Wow, did you make those drawings? They are super good! Thanks for sharing your design.


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## Jubillee

I use clear medical tape. Make a V around the teat then wrap a piece around. I don't do mine long-term, just on milk test days (once a month). In fact, I did it yesterday. I have a 7.5-month-old out there still with her dam. 

I really like that goat bra pattern there though. I want to try one. We are making a "junior" pen though so we'll have kids separate from moms (with 10ft between fences...no more nursing through fence lol) when ready to wean, or test days.


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## toth boer goats

That is clever.


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## MellonFriend

Hmmm... I'm thinking about trying something like this. I've been taping my doe's teats for about two months now and I'm worried that her one teat looks a little stressed. I tried using less tape, but the little jerks somehow realized it and ripped the tape off and started drinking.😤 My concern about the doe bra is it getting caught in something. Maybe I could work in some snaps or Velcro into the straps as a break away feature...🤔


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## toth boer goats

Velcro bra may work, worth a try.


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