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Hi all! I’m new at posting to the forum, but I’ve been referencing threads for the past few years of raising goats.
I have a first freshener Lamancha doe who is due to kid April 5th. A few weeks ago I noticed udder beginning to develop, which seemed normal. A couple days ago, her udder began to look much larger and felt taught and full. Now when she lays down sometimes she’ll squirt milk out and her udder is shiny and very full. I have never had a doe fill her udder this early in a pregnancy before! She still has 5 weeks to go…
Should I milk her? I’m concerned that milking her might effect her colostrum production, and take energy away from her babies when she is working hard to grow them. But of course I’m worried about her getting mastitis if I don’t milk. I’ve been monitoring her closely… she still eats and acts completely normal. The udder is full but not hot or hard or lumpy and doesn’t seem sensitive at all. I figure it’s probably good that she’s leaking, it’s self regulating a bit. Generally I favor less interference unless it’s really necessary, so I’m hoping her body can regulate itself.
Also she is 2 years old this spring, and last spring she developed a precocious udder which we left alone and she reabsorbed the milk.
Any opinions on what I should do? Has anyone seen this before?
I have a first freshener Lamancha doe who is due to kid April 5th. A few weeks ago I noticed udder beginning to develop, which seemed normal. A couple days ago, her udder began to look much larger and felt taught and full. Now when she lays down sometimes she’ll squirt milk out and her udder is shiny and very full. I have never had a doe fill her udder this early in a pregnancy before! She still has 5 weeks to go…
Should I milk her? I’m concerned that milking her might effect her colostrum production, and take energy away from her babies when she is working hard to grow them. But of course I’m worried about her getting mastitis if I don’t milk. I’ve been monitoring her closely… she still eats and acts completely normal. The udder is full but not hot or hard or lumpy and doesn’t seem sensitive at all. I figure it’s probably good that she’s leaking, it’s self regulating a bit. Generally I favor less interference unless it’s really necessary, so I’m hoping her body can regulate itself.
Also she is 2 years old this spring, and last spring she developed a precocious udder which we left alone and she reabsorbed the milk.
Any opinions on what I should do? Has anyone seen this before?
