# Doe won't dry up



## kam802 (Aug 12, 2018)

I have a doe with a lumpy, precocious udder. She kitted this spring and we thought she had dried off but after a week or two I noticed her under filling up again. I began milking her and only get a pint a day which was hard work! So, I went to the process of drying her off again but after a month she udder is filling once more. There are no signs of mastitis. I don't think I can reduce her feed any more without compromising her health. It's a pain in the butt to milk her for such a little amount of return. Any suggestions on how to completely dry her off without starving her?


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

Is she nursing off herself? Are the kids near her to be able to nurse?


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## kam802 (Aug 12, 2018)

No she not and we don't have any nursing kids around.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'd put peppermint oil on her udder. Make sure to put the peppermint oil in something like coconut oil. I'd also research what herbs dry up milk.


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## kam802 (Aug 12, 2018)

ksalvagno said:


> I'd put peppermint oil on her udder. Make sure to put the peppermint oil in something like coconut oil. I'd also research what herbs dry up milk.


Good call. I keep forgetting that I can use oils on my livestock.


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## kam802 (Aug 12, 2018)

Ok everyone, I need help! I have been working for MONTHS to dry up this doe but she just won't do it! I literally only get a cup out of her when I milk her out but she insists on having that tiny amount of milk in her udder. After the normal drying off process didn't work, I tried oils reducing her feed Etc. I have not milked her for the last few weeks but I can see that she's got milk in there. It's driving me crazy! What do I do?
As a reminder, this is a goat with a precocious, lumpy other than I'm dealing with. If you have experience with this, I would desperately appreciate your assistance.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

You might want to put teat tape on her or something just to make sure it isn't her self nursing. They can really surprise you.


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## kam802 (Aug 12, 2018)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> You might want to put teat tape on her or something just to make sure it isn't her self nursing. They can really surprise you.


I see her udder is becoming full on one side. Should I milk her a little or leave it in hopes her body will get the message to stop? I am worried about mastitis.


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## SonRise Acres (Apr 24, 2018)

Can you mimic a wean to help reduce the chance of mastitis? Today you did a full milking. For a few days do a half milking. Keep reducing like a kid would when moving to grasses and such. The body might kick in with the natural milk reduction process. Just a thought.


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## kam802 (Aug 12, 2018)

TandK said:


> Can you mimic a wean to help reduce the chance of mastitis? Today you did a full milking. For a few days do a half milking. Keep reducing like a kid would when moving to grasses and such. The body might kick in with the natural milk reduction process. Just a thought.


That's what I have been doing since September. I stopped milking her totally last month just to find she didn't stop producing. It's only a tiny bit but still, it's there. I started with the teat tap because it is the only thing I haven't tried.


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## TexasGoatMan (Jul 4, 2015)

I would suggest that you just totally stop milking her. She may fill up to a point and then the body will actually kick in and stop producing milk. By milking, even though it isn't much, you are telling her body that she needs to produce. So just stop and it will be ok if she gets milk in her udder, it will be ok, and her body will stop. I bet if you don't milk her that it will only get so big and then get no bigger. And then slowly shrink down.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If she gets too tight, you should milk some out.


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