# udder~ please tell me the good the bad and the ugly :)



## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

First freshener, do you need anymore info? She gives 5 cups each morning and feeds her baby during the day


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

I'm not a dairy goat person at all but I can tell ya that they are gonna ask how long of a fill. 
She has a pretty udder.


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

9 hour and thanks  she wasn't bred for milk. She was to be eaten but I saved her  I'm pretty happy with her


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

The biggest problem I see with this udder are her attachments are weak and low. You want nice height and width through the escutcheon. It should be nice and snug. Her capacity could be a bit better. Might see improvement there, just by a full 12 hour fill, but it's not bad. Appears her fore udder could be smoother...but hard to see through that hair. Teats look good, teat placement isn't bad, but ideally, they could be a bit more centered. Medial looks good, could be a bit stronger. Not a bad looking udder, but i'd definately breed her to a buck that will help with the attachments especially. :thumb:


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks kylee. Should I let her go 12 hrs before milking? I just didn't want baby to be hungry longer than necessary. I separate them at 9 pm and milk at 6 am before I have to get the kids up for school. Then she spends the day with her baby. Would a full 12 hr fill promote more milk production and udder capacity?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

That time between milkings is just fine. Generally, to get full capacity, you wait 12 hours, but you don't HAVE to. If that's working for you, then i'd stick with that. Three more hours to fill should make some difference in capacity though.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

The good: its a fair udder for a FF
The bad: she has small teats, the teats are slightly off,and her production could be better. On another note aside from her udder, she looks a tad bit hawky in her hind legs (they toe outward) 
The ugly: weak attachments

Milk her every 12 hours. Free feed hay, good grain mix at milking , loose minerals, UTD on shots supplements and wormings.
Otherwise since she was slated for food, she's a nice doe.


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## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

I agree with what was said, but I would like to add that although a FF udder is a good indication of her udder, second freshing udders can show remarkable improvements from the first. That is why most bucklings born to a FF are wethered, beacuse the dam just hasn't really come into herself yet.


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

Thanks! Baby only drinks off right side. I've been milking out the left all along. The baby's side is smaller..I'm guessing because it hasn't been emptied out from the beginning? This is my first milking doe. I have another due in a month. She is 3 will be a ff as well. Anything I should do different? I let them have their baby full-time til 2 weeks old and then separate at night to milk mornings for house use.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I agree with everyone else. When she is a second freshener she should have more capacity, but sometimes when they already have weak attachments they will get worse with more capacity/weight. The babies side would be smaller because it has never gotten full, so the skin hasn't had the chance to stretch any like the other side has from being fuller. I have a doe right now with one kid on her and I have been milking her twice a day since the kid was born, she has way more milk than he can consume and I am also trying to encourage him to nurse on the other side by keeping his favorite side more empty. If he gets a little hungry he will have to search for more milk. Singles often only nurse one side, especially on higher production does, no sense in switching sides when one gives all they need. Twins will sometimes do this too, so it is good to watch them when they are first born and make sure both sides are flowing good and not plugged so the kids don't get discouraged. If you notice a kid only nursing one side, you can try taping the favorite teat so they have to latch on to the other one. Most times, when they discover there are two "faucets" they will nurse both side evenly.

What kind of goat is she?


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## canthavejust1 (Oct 12, 2012)

Her mom is half boer and half sanaan dad was an alpine mix. She is on the small side because previous to my getting her she was malnourished pretty badly


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