The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Gunestone on March 20, 2019, 01:50:32 pm
-
One of our new goats has plugs blocking her teats every morning when we milk her. She is currently being dried off as she is due to kid in May but I thought that goats don't usually have plugs except for just after kidding? No signs of mastitis. Also she seems to have more milk on the one side than the other? Is this normal?
-
Try the washing up liquid test, I think it's half a cup of milk, put a few drops of liquid in, if it goes stringy (might have to leave for a while), it could be early mastitis.
-
One of mine had several teat plugs which were like tiny stones. I found the only way to sort the problem was to squeeze it out like you might squeeze a blackhead (but not using finger nails. They would hit the milking bucket with a load ping.
She would stand very still while I did this so it clearly didn't hurt. Or maybe she knew she would be more comfortable once it was out.
It wouldn't hurt to do the washing up liquid test. I only used a saucerful of milk and a few drops of washing up liquid and I would do a check every few months. The only goat who ever had mastitis was the one who also had the stones.
-
Have done the milk test and it seems fine. When would you reduce to every other day milking? She is nearly dry on the one side, and giving between 150-250ml a day, leaving some in.
-
Thanks everyone. Haven't milked her the past few days and she is fine.