# Unexplained drying up



## ettasmama (Jun 27, 2010)

My doe suddenly dried up and I am a bit baffled. What do you think?
Her previous owner thought maybe mastitis because she normally doesn't dry up because of heat. But there are no indications of mastitis..no inflammation, swelling, redness, heat etc.

Timeline of anything that might contribute...
Weeks prior we really milked well for us.
I herbally intensively wormed her from 2 weeks to 1 week prior to her sudden drying up because her pen mate seemed to be coughing a bit. Her under eyelids looked great after this worming. She came into heat and milk dived the same day. Basically she was down to 1/4 cup. I kept them in the barn for the most part of days so the neighbors wouldn't complain. We had a bit of a cold snap but I was sure to get them fresh warm water every morning but they didn't seem to drink as much as normal. For a day or two her milk seemed every so slightly a bit darker. This has now been about 2 weeks later and her production is down to about 2 squirts from each teat. She appears to be getting fat. I am assuming that it is because all that grain is not being used to make milk anymore. I ordered some mastitis medicine and have put her back on wormer. I have just received the mastitis meds but am thinking it will be a waste to use it because she doesn't seem to have mastitis. 

What would you do? Really part of me thinks I should do nothing other than just continue to dry her all the way up and reduce her grain so she doesn't gain weight. She doesn't act or seem ill at all. I wonder if she ate something that dried her up or if she got stressed or something. Thanks for any ideas and explanations.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

does she have a temp?
how far into lactation is she?
could she be bred again?


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## ettasmama (Jun 27, 2010)

Haven't checked temp because she seems completely normal other than no milk. Acting fine. Coat looks very healthy. Eating well.What might a temp indicate? Mastitis of course but what else?

She is a ND 9 mos into her lactation. I think she might be 5 years old and has been bred annually.

We have no bucks so not bred.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

If she's healthy, and as old as she is...this could be because she was "trained" into drying up by this time....if she was milked with each freshening and dried off for breeding after so many months, her body was trained to it. If she wasn't milked and allowed to dry up after weaning kids, you've been lucky to get the time from her that you have.


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## ettasmama (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks Liz. Her former owner recommended that I keep milking her so that I don't train her to have a short lactation cycle. I think she milked her all the way up to 2 mos prior to kidding but maybe she is showing her age. For some reason in the back of my mind I think she might have been dried up early last year though. 

I am getting the idea that these goats are always going to keep me guessing.
Kate


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You could try giving her some mollasses water or Tang water to get her to drink a bunch. It might help get her going a little again. Don't be thinking that she's getting old or should be slowing down much at 5. A Nigerian should be productive at least 'til 10 and usually 'til 13 ot 14 years. 
Another thing is to check and make sure their feed quality hasn't gone down. With fall and browsing not as productive It's harder for them to get some of the micro-nutrients they need. Vitamin D in particular is in short supply in the winter in some climates.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

What I meant when I said "as old as she is" was that she isn't a First or second freshener, freshenings in "older" does tend to be more productive.
I currently have a 6 year old that I milk from 3 weeks fresh til around 7 months fresh, I have trained her to this lactation time and she puts out more with each freshening.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Yep, she's at a good age...

You're probably right about the lactation being learned behavior. Chances are she might come back up a little after her cycle hormones settle down too. There could be so many variables.

Another reason to take a temp is it can tell you if she has a harbored uterine infection flaring up because of her heat cycle. That can dry them off seemingly for no reason.


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## ettasmama (Jun 27, 2010)

So last night and this morning her temp was 98 on a non-digital therm. That seems low but I don't know what her baseline temp is. She seems so normal. Hmmm.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

A goats temp should not be lower than 100*F......101.5 is "normal"


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

To check your non-digital thermometer; put it in a glass of really icey ice water and stir it a little. Make sure that it reads 32* or at least you'll know how much it's off.


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## ettasmama (Jun 27, 2010)

Thanks for the hint goathiker. I didn't even consider it might be way off. Just now I used a digital one and it said 102.8 so I think all is well. (Now to make sure none of my kiddos ever drag that therm back into the house for human use!! Ugg) Unless someone tells me different I am going to consider her drying off just an isolated issue. Thanks for letting me pick all your brains.


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## Dreamchaser (Oct 30, 2008)

I have a question. Are you trying to milk her twice a day? I have noticed that my doe is backing down on her production as well all of a sudden. I only milk her once a day.


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