# a ? about udders...



## sdshoars (Nov 21, 2008)

i am so disappointed in my FF's udder. the medial is pretty much non-existant and so her nipples- which are super far apart- point outwards, and her nipples are super small. question one being- can her nipples get bigger?

oh, and one side of her udder feels super weird. it's really hard, and i can only milk out about half of that side. dh says it feels like her ligaments on that side are really tough? can that happen? does it go away? she doesn't have mastitis, i have checked and checked...

argh. goats. lol.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

well the teats do get bigger with each freshioning and with milking. How long ago did she freshion?


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## sdshoars (Nov 21, 2008)

just this past sunday. but her teats are literally as big around as my pinky and not quite as long. they are TINY.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

Angie's are teh same -- thats why not many people milk FF - but I am determined to


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Teat size can change as well as teat placement(to some degree) but the medial wont change. If she doesn't have one now then she wont.  I've got a girl like yours right now.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

At just 3 days fresh, the firmness you feel is likely the swollen mammary glands, teat size will likely change with each freshening but in order for that to hapen try milking her thru this freshening.....I have a doe that sounds very similar to yours...meaty feeling udder and "pinky" teats..I am determined to milk her regardless and this is her 2nd freshening, her first I didn't milk her thru because she literally had no udder, just enough to feed her kid.

How many kids does your doe have on her? If it is a single your best bet woiuld be to milk the side thats not being used and train the kid to nurse both sides, keeping the one side "loose" will help with the kid latching on as well.


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I know of some does whose medial improved with a couple more freshenings. Doesn't happen very often but I have seen it happen. Seen it most with a certain line here in the N.W.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

The firmness you are feeling could be swollen tissue or congestion. Can you get milk out of that side? Does it apear to hurt her or anything. When you try handeling does she kick your hand away?
As far as the medial. very rarely does it improve. Its its not a strong medial their first freshening then most likely its not going to get better with age. A week medial is probably whats making her teats to point out. 
Teat size can change. I have had does freshen with itty bitty teats and a few weeks into their freshenings they are much easier to milk. NOw i have alpines so their teats are bigger in general. If she is a mini goat you may never see larger teats. I dont have a lot of experience with teat size of the little gals.
beth


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## sdshoars (Nov 21, 2008)

sparks- she IS an alpine, which is why i am boggled by the size of her teats. she has filled out more in the past couple of days, and her teats have grow a bit, but if i milk her out a bit, they shrink right back up. and the side that is so hard... you can get milk out of that side, but not very much. maybe a cup or so. and it's still huge? it seems like the front attachment on that side has a "pocket" or something? i will have to take pictures tomorrow. her udder is SO much bigger than my other girl's, but i think she has too many flaws for me... i will post pics and see what you guys think. thanks!


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

Hmm sounds like congestion on that side. Not good. Try heat packing her and massaging with tea tree oil or peppermint oil.
AS far as the tiny teats theres a chance they will get bigger. Sometime they do and somtimes they dont. 
I have had does go both ways.
beth


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## rgbdab (Nov 26, 2007)

I recently had my first doe with a congested udder. I massaged it with peppermint twice a day and then milked out what I could and by the third day it was the same size as the other side and the kids were nursing from both, I was amazed at the results. Just a few drops of peppermint oil in a carrier oil, I just used canola.

Good luck

Denise


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