# I am in a bit of a bad situation[emoji17] need advice woohoo not pregnant!!!



## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

So, not sure if this is the right place to post this or not. I really thought I had breeding/health issues figured out this year or at least tried to stay on top of it. My problem is I have a doe named Sara who tries to be a forever Milker. I thought for sure she was not pregnant so when I saw her 9 month old sneak a drink of milk I didn’t think it was a huge deal...... well here we are possibly a month away from the only possible kidding date and I can’t figure out what to do. Of course I have them separated now!!! I forgot to turn the electric fence on yesterday and Sara had clearly pushed so hard up against the fence where the 9 month old was at that she has very distinct fence lines on both sides of her body now Sara doesn’t look very pregnant at all but I noticed a bit of mucus and I swear I felt a little baby in the hollow area by her hips. I realize this is completely my fault and now I’m just trying to play catch up on her condition and figure out what to do with her milk. Is it even possible for me to dry her up in time for the new baby if she has one for her to get colostrum in?? If so what do I do? The 9 month old and Sara will not be left together for a very long time until I know for sure she has quit nursing. Please no harsh words I realize I screwed up with this one I just want to do the best moving forward for all parties involved. I will post some pics in about 15 mins after I go feed thanks in advance


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

Don’t have advice, just following and wishing you the best of luck with this!


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

MadHouse said:


> Don't have advice, just following and wishing you the best of luck with this!


Thanks


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## GoofyGoat (Sep 21, 2018)

You need some dairy folks advice I think...I'm not sure what to tell you.
@Goats Rock @Sfgwife @Jubillee @goatblessings @Goat Whisperer


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## MadHouse (Oct 3, 2019)

@Damfino


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

daisysmaid said:


> So, not sure if this is the right place to post this or not. I really thought I had breeding/health issues figured out this year or at least tried to stay on top of it. My problem is I have a doe named Sara who tries to be a forever Milker. I thought for sure she was not pregnant so when I saw her 9 month old sneak a drink of milk I didn't think it was a huge deal...... well here we are possibly a month away from the only possible kidding date and I can't figure out what to do. Of course I have them separated now!!! I forgot to turn the electric fence on yesterday and Sara had clearly pushed so hard up against the fence where the 9 month old was at that she has very distinct fence lines on both sides of her body now Sara doesn't look very pregnant at all but I noticed a bit of mucus and I swear I felt a little baby in the hollow area by her hips. I realize this is completely my fault and now I'm just trying to play catch up on her condition and figure out what to do with her milk. Is it even possible for me to dry her up in time for the new baby if she has one for her to get colostrum in?? If so what do I do? The 9 month old and Sara will not be left together for a very long time until I know for sure she has quit nursing. Please no harsh words I realize I screwed up with this one I just want to do the best moving forward for all parties involved. I will post some pics in about 15 mins after I go feed thanks in advance


First. Stop the beating yourself up over this! How heavy a milker is she? Would it be safe for her if you stopped milkin completely right now? Or will you need gradually do it? Has the kid been nursin and you milking the whole time or just smelled milk and thought oh i can sneak a bit? If you see mucus i would just make sure to have colostrum replacer on hand. I think i remember someone saying that the doe will still make it in the last days of preg and if the doe had not been dried up the kids would still get colostrum.... but not positive on that.


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## SandyNubians (Feb 18, 2017)

I think you do still have some time to dry her up. I have have had my fair share of does freshen with little to nothing in their udder and they get have it all come in right before or after kidding. If yesterday has been the only time her doeling has gotten some of the milk, Sara has probably mostly dried up herself by now and you shouldn't have to do much. I would just watch her for signs of mastitis, just in case.

I agree with Sfgwife. Just make sure you have some Colostrum on hand if she does happen to kid. If you do need it you will have it right there and won't have to worry about it too much.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

You are not the only one, be sure! Honey, do you by any chance have any extra colostrum in your freezer? If you did not know this tip, now you do! As for drying her up, it is a somewhat risky thing to do with a "milking-into-the-milk - milker", they most often are very high-producing. Still, of course, she needs her energy if she is going to deliver new life. To produce milk is energy-consuming, I guess every human mother on this forum can confirm that!

A very good thing you discovered this so early, when I first saw your entry I thought "Oh-oh, she came with her milking pail and found newborn kids!" But you have still time, and we all wish you and Sara GOOD LUCK, new baby or no new baby.

:inlove:


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

@Sfgwife she is a very heavy milker at least a gallon a day while nursing kids but I haven't been milking her for at least 6 months. I'm doing a test run today to see how full her udder gets when completely separated for her 9 month old. I'm not 100% sure if the kid has been nursing the whole time or not.... the way Sara pushed herself up against the fence to let her nurse I'd say she has been nursing this whole time. I'll post pics. The metal fence made marks across her body lol. She has a bit of mucus it looks to me like heat or late pregnancy. She did go by the buck pen this morning both sniffed her and walked away so I'm assuming not in heat....


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

@SandyNubians. Would you suggest just separating the 9 month old and not milking Sara at all except if she's in pain? So, I don't have any colostrum in my freezer what's a good replacer just in case? Thanks for all your help


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> You are not the only one, be sure! Honey, do you by any chance have any extra colostrum in your freezer? If you did not know this tip, now you do! As for drying her up, it is a somewhat risky thing to do with a "milking-into-the-milk - milker", they most often are very high-producing. Still, of course, she needs her energy if she is going to deliver new life. To produce milk is energy-consuming, I guess every human mother on this forum can confirm that!
> 
> A very good thing you discovered this so early, when I first saw your entry I thought "Oh-oh, she came with her milking pail and found newborn kids!" But you have still time, and we all wish you and Sara GOOD LUCK, new baby or no new baby.
> 
> :inlove:


Thank you so much!!! I wish I had some colostrum in the freezer. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Of course we want to help a goat in possible need! :inlove: PS. If you and Sara are very lucky, maybe someone here on the forum can sell a small amount of last year's colostrum. I hereby ask the question, goat-friends!


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Here's some pics. The lines across her body are from the cattle panel. Also, her udder looked like this after I found her with her 9 month old Ellie. Ellie is the other saanen in one of those pics!!! She's bigger then her mom at this point and Sara looks like crud! I started pumping up Sara's grain intake to help with the loss of condition


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

daisysmaid said:


> Here's some pics. The lines across her body are from the cattle panel. Also, her udder looked like this after I found her with her 9 month old Ellie. Ellie is the other saanen in one of those pics!!! She's bigger then her mom at this point and Sara looks like crud! I started pumping up Sara's grain intake to help with the loss of condition
> View attachment 175545
> View attachment 175547
> View attachment 175549
> ...


It looks like you should be ok not milking her. I was thinkin she was IN milk in milk. That mucus looks like in heat snotts to me but i could be wrong. To me the plug is more clearish than this bright white. Just keep watch on her. Her side does look a bit babyish though. So i dunno. You could pull blood but it is kinda a moot point i think right now. If you did pull blood you would know for sure in a week but you could have kids by then too. Lol.


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

daisysmaid said:


> @SandyNubians. Would you suggest just separating the 9 month old and not milking Sara at all except if she's in pain? So, I don't have any colostrum in my freezer what's a good replacer just in case? Thanks for all your help


Just make sure it is colostrum replacer not supplement.


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Sfgwife said:


> Just make sure it is colostrum replacer not supplement.


So, if she is pregnant she's not due until the 8th of April. I'll also get a pic of her udder this afternoon after Ellie hasn't nursed to see how full she is.. I will try and hunt down some colostrum or replacer today just in case.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

I personally think she'd be ok as far as not milking now. If you want to keep the daughter with her, you can tape the teats or fashion a sort of bra to cover her teats. I would still pull bloods and make sure if she is pregnant or not. I have felt things that I thought were babies but weren't. I agree that the mucous looks more heat-related. My girls will get that and then come into heat 2-4 days later. The boys don't do anything until they actually come in. But, she is pretty round on the right side like said so I'd go for the blood test.


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## SandyNubians (Feb 18, 2017)

daisysmaid said:


> @SandyNubians. Would you suggest just separating the 9 month old and not milking Sara at all except if she's in pain? So, I don't have any colostrum in my freezer what's a good replacer just in case? Thanks for all your help


I would. Sara needs to fill up(if she is pregnant) and it will hopefully help get her condition back up not having to produce milk and/or grow kids all at the same time. I would do what you are going to do and see if she fills more. If she fills and gets full, I would start to dry her off like you would any other doe. If she doesn't fill much and doesn't look tight I would just let it be.

I use sav-A-lam/sav-A-kid Lamb and Kid colostrum replacer. I usually have raw colostrum the freezer, but it seems to be the best/most available powder replacer out there so I like to keep it on hand. It last 24 month from the manufacture date, so it is good to just sit on the shelf for if you need it.


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Ok guys this is kind of funny I went back through my post about Sara last season on here and I found this pic about a month before she kid!!! I'm calling it a good/bad sign of pregnancy. But almost a confirmation for me. Obviously she was much wider that year then this year. Last year she had two very large kids this time the only dad would be the Nigerian buck. What do you think after seeing this pic? The white mucus..... this is also a fantastic reason to have these threads!!!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

I think her udder looks good. Nothing you need to empty. Looking forward to more photos, though.

As for her belly, I would not trust her ...


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> I think her udder looks good. Nothing you need to empty. Looking forward to more photos, though.
> 
> As for her belly, I would not trust her ...


So, this is a pic of her udder taken about 4-5 hours of separation from her kid.... the purple is blukote I used just to have evidence if there was any nursing going on. lol I'll get another udder pic after they have been separated overnight too


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Here is a pic from this morning. It's pretty full but I don't think it's terrible to the point she's in pain. Gosh I hate what I did to her udder her first freshening.... oh well live and learn, it still milks the same lol


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

I think you two will be all right as long as you go on keeping a close eye on her. You are friends, so she will allow you to check for hardness and pain, right?

Again, very good luck!


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

I think you two will be all right as long as you go on keeping a close eye on her. You are friends, so she will allow you to check for hardness and pain, right?

Again, very good luck!


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Trollmor said:


> I think you two will be all right as long as you go on keeping a close eye on her. You are friends, so she will allow you to check for hardness and pain, right?
> 
> Again, very good luck!


Yes we are thank you. She had a very very rough start in life health wise so we are very good friends!! ️️ thank you so much for your help


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

It is a great pleasure for me.


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Sooooo I saw what I’m about 95% sure we’re a baby kicking this morning. So, about 95% sure she is indeed pregnant. Her udder was pretty tight so I milked 10 squirts from each side.


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

I’m still at a complete loss as to wether or not she’s pregnant....we are down to the last two weeks if she is. Her yearling kid is no longer sucking the life out of her lol so I bet she’s very grateful either way


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Soooooo, just to update this post. We are 9 days past her only due date and no progress of any type!! Woohoo I’m calling it she’s not pregnant!!! Good for her health right now. She needs to focus on her. I’m focusing on getting her health back after the milk thief has been on her so long. We will get her ready for next season


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Daisy. How sure are you?


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

Well, today is 9 days past her due date of 150 days. I’m not seeing any changes with her ligaments or mucus discharge of any kind... she was hand bred only one time this year. That’s why I’m thinking she’s not....


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They can go to 160 days.

Sorry if she isn't.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Thanks for the update!


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## daisysmaid (Jun 21, 2018)

The great thing is now we can focus on getting her back into a better condition for next breeding season


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Yeah ... Which is, forgive me, much easier when she is still alive. *Have seen the torture, heard the screams, afterwards opened the dead body, and seen the bad damages*


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Good to know she can recoup


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