# Double Teats



## tradershez (Oct 27, 2009)

:shocked: 

Hi everyone, 

It has been a while since I posted...which usually means all is well  

BUT...earlier this week I noticed that one of our twins has a double teat. Like a conjoined teat. 
- what does this mean for her? 

We don't show etc...BUT what harm will this cause her if she was bred oneday? What are the risks to her and also to the kids? Cany they feed from a double teat - it is perfectly 2 in 1....which means they are both normal looking teat.

NOW HERE COMES THE WEIRD THING!
Her half sister...our last little goat has a weird teat thing too!!!! We have the twins (from Chloe) and the singleton (from Skuttles)...and Lucy (rejected kid). Twins, singleton and Lucy all have the same father!

Singleton (Callie)...her teat is double BUT they are 2 independant teats, one is normal looking the other is small and likea dud. They are SUPER close 2gether.

:GAAH: 

What does this mean?

Thanks heaps!
Sherid


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

If you do breed her, she has a very good chance of passing this down to her kids. I personally would never breed her or repeat the cross that made her. If I were you, I would sell the doe as a pet or cull her.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

If they are a dairy breed then it is a undesirable trait! Any dairy goat with double teats or teat spurs can't be registered per breed standard. For a goat to have it both the sire and dam must carry the trait. If you plan to breed the dams again I would use a different buck. Some can raise kids fine but I personally would cull any goat displaying a teat issue ( I have Nigerian Dwarfs). 

Meat breeds have a different standard and some type of multiple teats are fine.


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

It probably means the sire is throwing double teats. In boer goats some configurations of double teats are okay, but these may not be. In most dairy goat breeds no double teats are acceptable. In kinders you are not supposed to register any animals with double teats. The sire should not be used for breeding and the kids may pass on double teats also, even the ones who don't have them. I had a buck who threw double teated kids and I culled them and their belly siblings. And the sire, even though he did not have them himself. But I kept two of his daughters from the same doe who didn't have them and so far they haven't had any double teated kids. In that case it seemed to be linked to a very particular flashy coat pattern. You probably should not breed them. Sorry, but they are likely to pass this along and it is a defect.

Jan


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

correct its a defect and sounds like its coming from the sire.


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## tradershez (Oct 27, 2009)

:scratch: 

wooooah...I guess I should back up a bit. 

The goats are pets LOL. She won't be culled...over my dead body LOL.

Many of those know...we live in the Cook Islands and I guess it may not be that easy to get her/them neutered. 
They have a volunteer vet run clinic of mostly young vet students finishing up uni...they mostly have no experience with goats. 

I guess it will be a pain when she comes into heat, as they cry for days and days once a month. Will they still come into heat if there isn't a male in our herd? We only have doelings and their mums! 

Any other suggestions apart from killing her LOL.
Anything naturally that I can do to stop her from going into heat?

Thank


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

It's possible they will not be as vivid in season if there is no buck around. I understand that spaying does is very problematic. When my little goat had an emergency C-section this year the vet sewed and sewed and sewed to put her uterus back together, which was badly torn, because he said they don't do well without it. But he also said she should not be bred again. So your best bet is to not have a buck and be sure they don't get pregnant. I expect they won't be as obnoxious without a buck around. I hear you about pets. This little doe is going to rest on her laurels when her milk dries up. She is doing great and still making a half gallon of milk a day.

Jan


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

In my experience does will come into heat even with no buck around. 
I think that your situation changes things a bit but I would suggest trying to trade the buck for another so you don't repeat the breeding. 

When I say cull that doesn't mean that they have to be killed. The one I had bought before I knew that had a teat spur was sold as pet to a great pet home. 

Just be sure that if they are bred (understandable if they are needed to produce milk) that the kids are able to eat without issues and know that all kids from those that show the defect will carry the trait even if it doesn't show.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Oh and that kid is adorable!!


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## tradershez (Oct 27, 2009)

LOL, we do not have a buck in our herd. The girls got pregnant because we went on holiday for couple of weeks and put them in with a bunch of other free range goats. They got pregnant there.

I think we will not neuter after hearing that story. I wouldn't trust the vets here anyways.

We will just put up with those 2 (in the photos), when they come into heat - hopefully not for a while! We will def. not breed them.
- they are 6 weeks old and 9 weeks old.

Funny how I never checked under them b4 LOL.

Thanks so much for the help.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

They are precious  I agree, no way anyone could hurt such beautiful goaties


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Aww, she looks like such an angel!  
Personally I would never breed a doe with a teat defect or repeat a breeding that produced one, but then I have dairy goats! If they are just pets, the double teat is no issue unless it makes it harder for the kids to nurse. :thumb:


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

when I had pets I bred does who had teat spurs or "fish teats" all kids were sold as pets as well. The kids actually loved the mom who had two functioning teats on one side. I think they enjoyed getting double the amount of milk per suck LOL


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## flatmountain (Aug 14, 2010)

I think in today's world "Cull" means not to breed or perpetuate. Old terminology certainly differed, but today it doesn't have to mean death. Just remove from the breeding program. I am sure they'd make wonderful pets!


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## Mary j (Mar 25, 2018)

My doe who just gave birth has 5 teats. 2 reg, 2 adjoining and 1 fish tail. When I bought her she had just 2 teats. 1 week before she delivered the other 3 popped out. 
Her milk is great, produces enough for her 1 boy and still gives me 1/2 gallon. Now I just looked at the boy and he has dble teats. Wow, so weird.. I didn't want to sell her but she isn't getting along now with my other mama who had babys 10 days before..she's a great girl but I don't want to have to constantly keep her apart from the rest of the does..


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

Mary j this post was made two years ago, if you have any questions you should make your own thread


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