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GENERAL BOARDS => DAIRY FARM - Animals => Topic started by: Captain Caprine on August 30, 2009, 01:37:15 AM

Title: Strange udder
Post by: Captain Caprine on August 30, 2009, 01:37:15 AM

Hi dairy folk,
I have a situation I have never encountered and I'm hoping someone else out there has.  I have two Nubian yearling does who are slated to go to a pet home tomorrow.  While trimming their hooves tonight I noticed that one has a hard udder.  She is about 70lbs, 14 months old and is not bred.  Her udder is about the size of a baseball and very hard.  It is not warm to the touch, she is not off her feed and there is no discharge.  My other goats have never developed any kind of udder until bred.  I don't want to send her out if there is any kind of problem.  Any ideas or am I worrying too much?
Thanks,
CC

Title: Re: Strange udder
Post by: cmharris6002 on August 30, 2009, 12:35:06 PM

It sounds like she has a precocious udder. The best treatment is to infuse the udder (via the teat) with a good quality mastitis treatment like Pirsue, it requires a vet Rx. If your vet doesn’t have Pirsue ask for a ‘dry cow treatment’. You will need two tubes, one for each teat. If left untreated it could develop into full blown mastitis.

Christy

Title: Re: Strange udder
Post by: Captain Caprine on August 30, 2009, 04:07:59 PM

Hi CM,
Precocious udder was one of the first things I thought about as well.  My concern is that the tissue which is obviously mammary in nature, is as hard as it is. As I said before, it is not warmer than normal to the touch and there is no milk production or discharge from the teats. 
Thanks for your advice I'll talk to my vet and see what she thinks about Pirsue.
I have decided to hold on to her for another week while I figure this out.
CC

Title: Re: Strange udder
Post by: cmharris6002 on August 30, 2009, 04:14:55 PM

Quote

My concern is that the tissue which is obviously mammary in nature, is as hard as it is.

This is my concern as well. A soft precocious udder often never cause a problem. The fact that this one is hard says to me treatment is in order. Especially since she is going to a pet home and not into a dairy situation where her udder would be examined regularly.

Christy

Title: Re: Strange udder
Post by: siegfriedw on September 14, 2009, 05:58:51 PM

Yes - if the udder is soft it is not a problem. If it is hard I would get a vet's opinion of what to do after he or she examines her. Make sure it is a vet that has experience with dairy goats though!

Title: Re: Strange udder
Post by: susanne on September 14, 2009, 09:03:15 PM

hard udder is never good and i would have her tested for cae (caprine arthritis encephalitis)

Title: Re: Strange udder
Post by: DeejayDebi on September 15, 2009, 01:13:04 AM

Poor baby! Is it in pain?