# Pink milk...?



## ovaltine (Apr 15, 2012)

This morning when I milked Truffles I thought her milk had a slight pink colour to it...I couldn't tell if it was just the way the light was in the shed or if it actuallydoes have a pinkish hue to it. Because of all the pregnancy confusion she wasn't milked for about a week and a half. Could a pink hue be a sign of mastitis or some other problem? Her quantity is very slowly increasing and she doesn't seem to be in any pain. The udder isn't hot or lumpy or showing anything out of the normal...If there is a hue to it , it is very very faint and I haven't got anyone here right now to ask for a second opinion on colour...any thoughts on this would be appreciated. :scratch:


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

Pink milk *can* be a sign of mastitis, so I'd test for it to confirm or rule it out - otherwise it could be caused by an injury to the udder, external or internal, or pressure against the capillaries in the udder. If she doesn't have mastitis, the milk is safe to drink - if it bothers you, let it all settle to the bottom, (it'll turn a brownish color) and pour most of the milk into another container, then dump the bottom inch or so where the brownish stuff is.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

.:Linz:. said:


> Pink milk *can* be a sign of mastitis, so I'd test for it to confirm or rule it out - otherwise it could be caused by an injury to the udder, external or internal, or pressure against the capillaries in the udder. If she doesn't have mastitis, the milk is safe to drink - if it bothers you, let it all settle to the bottom, (it'll turn a brownish color) and pour most of the milk into another container, then dump the bottom inch or so where the brownish stuff is.


I agree with this. If she was engorged for a few days it could be from the stress her udder was under breaking those little blood vessels. If that is the case it will go away as she heals. But it's best to rule out the mastitis to be safe. My doe Nutmeg had some pink milk when I first started to milk her from her udder being congested right after kidding. I gave the milk to the dogs and chickens and in a week or so she cleared up.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

As was said...blood in the milk is usually from burst capillaeries....my older doe had this as well as large bloody clots in one half last year, I did test her with a card and she did show negative but it took many hot compresses and frequent milk outs to get her back to normal, she did however have a hard lump in the upper part of her udder that eventually went away....same thing happened 6 weeks ago, but I also tested her with a CMT and she showed positive for mastitis, same course of action but also treated her with Today. She's fine now but this is just example how "pink" milk can go from being suspected broken cappilaries to mastitis that needs to be treated aggressively.


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## ovaltine (Apr 15, 2012)

Oh Thank You all so much!!! :grouphug: I was afraid everyone would come back and have a million different horrible things that could be the reason for the pink. Truffles does have one side that does not give as much milk. I have been trying to read everything I can get my hands on to educate myself. I have been "admiring udders" (I'm such a perv! LOL) and reading the stories and posts from everyone and some have described fibrous udders and lumps, etc. So right from the first time she let me touch her udder I've been trying to familiarize myself with hers. It has seemed a bit lumpy but I thought that could be because of not being milked for that time. The lumpiness is lessening and I massage her udder everytime I milk her. I was hoping that it could be the week and a half of not being milked but thought I better ask. I am new to milking and I don't think I'm "rough" when I milk her but could I be squeezing too tight? The "cards" that were mentioned to test milk, how do I get those and do I have to take the milk to the vet to be tested or is there a place that does testing ..sometimes my ignorance is appalling  . One last question, should I continue to milk morning noon and night or should I go to milking just twice a day? I was told the frequent milking would bring her volume up and it is coming up, but is it time to go to twice a day. I milk at 9 a.m., the logic being that in the winter I don't have to be fumbling around in the dark of dawn. Does there have to be 12 hours between milkings or is it ok to do my evening milking at 7 p.m....ok, so that was more than one question...I am so glad I found this site. Thanks everyone :thumb:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Some farm stores will carry "Dr Naylors" mastitis test cards but I've found it to be a better choice with using a California Mastitis Test..or CMT...I got mnine through Jeffers livestock at a reasonable price and it will last a very long time too.

If you go to milking 2x a day, it's best to not have her "overfill" which is why spacing at 12 hours is ideal...if you milk at 9am and again at 7pm she'll be going 14 hours at night with a full udder...it will lead to a decrease in production.


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## ovaltine (Apr 15, 2012)

Thanks Liz! I am heading out today so will look for a Canadian version of the milk test kits. Also I think I can do milkings at 7:30 a.m. and p.m. so that she won't be so uncomfortable and her yield won't go down. I've been wondering what she would do if she somehow escaped...this a.m. she showed me...she climbed over her stall (I altered it yesterday) and I was outside feeding the chickens and felt a little tug on my shirt..low and behold she just got my attention and went back in, I opened her stall and she walked in and got on her milk stand, :laugh: , she really thought she was quite clever. So today I'll be adding a guard bar along the top of the stall. Thanks so much for the milk info. Liz! BTW, the pink milk stopped at the last milking last night, there was some near the end of the afternoon milk but it's all nice and white no and her udders are getting soft all the way to the tops now with very little lumpiness, and milking seems to be going smooothly! :clap:


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

That is great! I milk at 9am and 8 pm, but I started out at 8 and 8 then gradually adjusted to the 9 and 8. Now that she is used to the times she does fine with 11 hours and 13 hours instead of 12 and 12.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Wonderful news that she's cleared up! I don't know what you would have available in Canada, but just looking for a mastitis test kit instead of by name may help. I never had any issues at all when I first started milking my cross does 10 years ago...it wasn't until last year that Bink showed pink milk with clots...scared the crap outta me too! I do have the CMT and I have started using it every so often with my girls...just to be sure everythings still good. Definately worth the peace of mind knowing wether or not you have an issue that needs treatment or not.


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