# Teat tape V.S. Masking Tape



## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

So, I have a 5 month old baby, who I need to wean, but I dont have an extra space, because I got some new goats in September, and they are taking up the separate pen, so, I want to get some teat tape to tape up mamma's teats. My question is- Can I use masking tape or do I have to get the teat tape? 
Thanks,
Nigerian Dwarf Goat


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## NigerianDwarfOwner707 (May 17, 2018)

I would not use masking tape.

Go to a drug store and get some medical tape. It’s more soft and fabric textured.


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## Chelsey (Dec 7, 2018)

I’ve used a couple fabric bandaids, masking tape won’t hold up though, you’ll want medical tape or something similar. The bandaids I used only on a single teat to get the baby to nurse the other side so they never had to take much abuse. I don’t know how well they’d work on a desperate and older baby.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:nod::up:


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

That paper tape works well. (Medical aisle). When you do tape, make sure it won't be too tight when she fills with milk. You still have to milk her 2 x a day (or once) and re tape. I sort of flatten the teat, run a strip down, over the end and back up the other side.then flatten the test and go around it. Kind of squeeze it and make sure the test end is covered. Leave a tiny corner folded back over itself so you can untape her!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Masking tape will rip right off and so will plain band-aids. I've had to tape a lot of teats since I rarely separate our kids for weaning and I think I finally hit on a winner. First I apply a band-aid over the end of the teat because I like having that soft, non-stick pad over the orifice to prevent dirt build-up there. Flatten the teat when you apply the band-aid just as Goat Rock describes.

Next I apply the tape. I use 1" wide Nexcare Absolute Waterproof Tape. It's not cheap, but it is the only thing I've found that sticks even when it gets wet, and I've almost never had a kid succeed in pulling it off or biting through it. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to irritate the doe when I peel it off. The best thing about it is that it flexes. Most tape ends up constricting the teats as the doe fills, causing her to become uncomfortable or the tape to pop off. 

For aggressive older kids, I apply a one piece of tape across the band-aid to prevent the kids from ripping through the band-aid at the bottom. Next I wind a piece of tape around the teat, covering the ends of the band-aid. Then I put another piece around the teat above that. With aggressive kids I may add a third loop of tape at the top. Make sure the teats are nice and dry when you apply the tape and it shouldn't come off. Good luck! 

I've got a doe I'm taping right now so if you want photos let me know.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

@Damfino If you do get the time, I would love to see pictures  
Thank yall! I have 4 rolls of medical tape in my 1st aid kit so I will use that!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Most of these photos are blurry. Sorry about that... low light conditions.
First thing is a band-aid with the pad placed over the orifice.


















Next I put a short piece of tape across going the other direction. You can use a second band-aid for this if you want to, but I usually use tape since the band-aids are flimsier and we're talking about big, rough kids trying to remove it.









Then I wind a piece of tape around the bottom of the teat to lock down the band-aid/tape cross.









I wrap one more piece of tape around the teat above the first and that's usually it, although sometimes I'll put a third layer so the whole teat is covered. I do that if I see that the kid has been trying to grasp the teat above the tape and is leaving tooth marks.








Very seldom have I had this kind of stretchy tape get pulled off either by kids or by the doe. It helps that I think the tape is comfortable for the doe to wear. I've seen does pull tape off themselves if it gets tight.


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## Chelsey (Dec 7, 2018)

Damfino said:


> View attachment 164001
> .


Goodness that stuff looks hefty! I need that for my children. Where do you get it?


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

So I taped last night, and this morning, we were still good! I used some bandaids, and some cloth tape that i used for when my kid broke some fingers in softball, but i havent been out there, since i got home about 2 minutes ago... WISH ME LUCK!


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## Iluvlilly! (Apr 6, 2019)

Good Luck!!!!!!!!!


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## RhinoWhite (Nov 17, 2013)

Damfino said:


> ....
> Then I wind a piece of tape around the bottom of the teat to lock down the band-aid/tape cross.
> View attachment 164001
> 
> ...


That's what I would expect them to do.

I'd think that one could put a harness on the doe.


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

50% SUCCESS!!!!(dance)(rofl)
I'm sure if I would have went out there sooner we would have had the big 100, but, I had other chores :crazy:

Also, I didn't get to tape her today because I ran out of band-aids, and forget to get more(doh)


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:great:


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Ok, so this 7 month old baby is nursing behind my back! I kept up the teat taping for almost a month and mamma was about dried up, but yesterday, I saw Jenny nursing while I was filling cow water!(headsmash)

OMG!!! Should I start teat taping again but administer ToDay (I beleive that is what the stuff that goes in their teat to dry them up is called), because at the moment, I still have no place to put her(doh). 
We are about to build a new buck fence, so i will have a place soon, but mama needs dried up anyways...


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

Lol, she's determined isn't she....
Good luck with the stinker. 
I haven't had to tape yet but I'm sure my day is coming, so I'm watching and learning


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

ToDay is an antibiotic mastitis treatment and does not help them dry up. I had a similar situation with the doe I mentioned above. She was supposed to be sold and I taped her teats and got her to dry up. But then sale fell through and her teats were becoming a little raw and discolored from taping too long so I didn't replace it when it fell off for the last time in early November. By then she was essentially dry anyway. Her kid went back to nursing her of course, but the doe did not go back to producing enough to worry about. The kid is slowly becoming discouraged by the lack of milk I think. I haven't seen her nurse in the last week or so. It also helps that all the kids are coming into heat now and are more interested in fighting each other, challenging the higher-ups, and forming their own little cabals than acting like babies.

If your doe dried up and is not coming back into heavy production I wouldn't worry about the kid at this point. Mom will most likely wean her eventually as she prepares for new kids. This is the time of year when production drops naturally, so there is a good chance that your doe won't come back into milk because of a nursing kid.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

However, if you have a determined nurser, watch the nurser kid and the doe when the momma doe kids. That older one may start nursing again, and steal the colostrum and cause the newborn to not survive. Yes, I had this happen this year. I had no idea the yearling was still nursing. I was so upset and mad that I did not see this situation. (I was busy with 15 does that had kidded in the same week.) But, I should have known. 

I separated the yearling from the mom (after the fact) She has been separated for 6 months, is 18 months old, preg. I put her back in her orig pen with her mom and 25 other does. Within 3 days, she was attempting to nurse again! Grrrrrrr. 
So, watch that nursing yearling when mom kids!


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Since mom had her kids in may, I am going to wait until may to breed her again along with 2 other yearlings (one of them being Jenny, her daughter thats nursing) that will be ready to be bred, so she wont be kidding until october 2020, so i dont have that to worry about lol.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

In that case, since your doe won't be having any new kids to feed, I personally wouldn't worry too much about the kid that won't wean unless your doe is struggling to keep weight or any other health concerns. 

I will definitely have to watch my little sneak-thief in May when her mama kids. All my other does kick their kids off in fall/winter so I don't usually have to worry about yearlings taking milk, but this particular mama is way too indulgent. The only other overly-indulgent mother I had ended up kicking her kid off about two months before she kidded again. It conveniently happened just before I built a new pen to separate them.


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## RhinoWhite (Nov 17, 2013)

I got one doeling born out of season in July and she still drinks milk from the udder, despite us trying to wean her from time to time. I recall that she even was nursed through the fence.


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