Hi Cap'n thanks for the welcome
Yes, she has had a history of mastitis, and while the previous owners were very coy about giving me full details, one quarter (back left) is totally atrophied and the other which currently has an occasional sign of mastitis, but only produces about 100-200ml of milk per milking. But I am still getting 7-8 litres from the two functioning quarters, so that is fine. I have been treating the infected one with an aloe vera mixture, and haven't seen the signs (I call them the gloopy bits) of the infection for about a week now. That doesn't mean that it is gone, I suspect, but I think that she is not having so much pain, so that is good. She came very cheap (half the cost of my other cow at $300, so I reckon I'm ahead)
My other cow, Lady is about to calve (probably next week or two), and I will have milk coming out my ears after that event. And yes, it is so good having my own milk supply - it means plenty of opportunity for cheese experimentation without exhorbitant costs, and also keeps me in butter, yoghurt and ricotta, not to mention all the other cheeses that hopefully will ripen satisfactorily!