# Hard lumps in udder, doe giving very little milk...



## SMaxwell (May 20, 2012)

I have a first freshener doe, 1/2 Alpine and 1/2 Saanen. She had twins Feb 1st. She has a nice udder and teats for a 1st freshener. She is only a year old, but she was 95 lbs when bred last fall. I let her breed because I read that weight and not age was the critical factor in letting them breed.

I separate the kids at night and milk her in the morning. Her udder appears full, looks like I should be getting a quart and a half or so but I only get about one pint of milk from her during milking. She has rock hard lumps inside her udder, seems like two or three per side, the largest being a little smaller than baseball size. It's like her milk glands are stone. Other than the hard things in her udder, she seems otherwise healthy, kids growing very well, no stringies or blood in her milk. The udder itself is not hard and is not hot, she's eating well. Can anyone tell me what this is? Will it go away, is there anything I can do for it?


----------



## ryorkies (May 4, 2010)

If it were me, I would go to tennesseemeatgoats.com then articles. and see if I could find out what it means. I would email her or call her if I thought it an emergency. In case you do this. Suzanne is very abrupt. She knows what she knows. and not always tactful. do not take offense. She only cares about the animals not your feelings.


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

I did some looking on the net and found some info and the main thing I was looking for. There is a mastitis test call *CMT* (California Mastitis Test). Mastitis can show up in lots of different degrees. So Id suggest this first just to make sure.

If its not mastitis it can be a few other things. A congested udder, which is more or less a clogged are with milk in it. They can get lumps from grasses with lots of endophytes in it.

You can try to treat the lumps with warm compresses with maybe something like aloe or vit c to help break down the clogs.


----------



## SMaxwell (May 20, 2012)

I wasn't really thinking mastesis since there is no strings in the milk, no blood and the udder isn't hot, but I do have some mastesis tests around here somewhere that I bought last year, guess it wouldn't hurt to test her in the morning. I have an appt. with the vet to get a blood draw for a CAE test tomorrow, hope it's not that.


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

I worked on a farm that was heavily infected with CAE and lumps in the udders were never an issue with CAE. Forgot to mention it could be a tumor as well.


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Not sure if its close enough for the vet to maybe try to draw out some of the contents?


----------



## SMaxwell (May 20, 2012)

Mastitis tests negative on all 3 milking does this morning Went to vet and took blood. The vet has not done a lot of goat work but has taken care of thousands of cattle, said he has felt something similar in cattle, which was scar tissue in the udder following a bad mastitis infections. This is a first freshener doe & she has never had mastitis. He's not thinking CAE , but we drew the blood to rule that out. He's gonna call his goat expert & see what she thinks.


----------



## Charlie Horse (Dec 16, 2012)

Oh man. It is starting to sound expensive. Thank God for Obamacare, am I right?

What are they charging for the CAE? I'm going to get my 3 goats tested and I was quoted 45 each goat. Said they have to overnight the samples. Seems like they're charging me overnight fees X3 when we all know its going in the same box.


----------



## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Wow! that is freaking robbery prices. Id find someone else to do the test. If you have the nerves for it, draw your own blood. We will be doing our testing tomorrow and I can take a video of it if you like. But here we simply next day it to WSU where they do the test. Shipping is via the WSU account so we get a good break there at like 23.00 for of our vials. Just have to pack em really well. Testing is like 7.00 per animal with discounts the more you have.

Good to hear the vet is consulting someone with some knowledge.


----------



## SMaxwell (May 20, 2012)

He said that he sends them in to CSU and they have two different test, the one he thought they would do is a genetic marker test, $15 per goat. He's doesn't think it's CAE, but went ahead & did the test anyway. If it just turns out to be some type of udder issue with this goat, my sister's boss has some land and is looking for a few weed eaters. Whatever it is, does not seem to be causing her any pain or discomfort. All the rest of the herd seems real healthy.

Now that I've seen it done, I think I would do the blood draw in the future, but a video would be great to have on here, I'd definitely review it before actually doing it when the time comes.


----------



## Charlie Horse (Dec 16, 2012)

I'm not afraid to learn how to do vet work. I've done injections but never drawn blood. I can probably get the needles from the feed store (they have lots of vet supplies). If not, then a pharmacy.


----------



## Nanno (Aug 30, 2009)

YES! YES! YES! To a blood draw "how to" video. In fact, I'd love to see "how to" videos about giving IM and sub-Q injections, disbudding, and tattooing as well. I already know how to do some of those things, but not all, and I know it would be helpful for anyone who is just starting into goats.


----------

