Author Topic: Fishtail teat (Read 6848 times)

Lesley Silvester · « **on:** January 29, 2013, 10:49:36 pm »

You may remember that a while back I posted a picture of Cloud's teat which had developed an extra bit and several people said it was a fishtail. Today the vet came out to do CAE testing and I asked him to look. He's known of people who have milked goats with fishtail teats with no problem and didn't recommend slughtering her. Now I'm in a dilemma. I had decided that if Pom has a female kid (assuming she gets pregnant ok) then Cloud could go and I would just keep the kid. Now I'm not sure again. Help!

colliewoman · « **Reply #1 on:** January 30, 2013, 01:02:14 am »

My Millicent has fishtails and is a bugger to milk, HOWEVER she is one of my pets and I will not be sending her for slaughter. I have decided that I will NEVER sell any of her kids as potential milkers, so her kids male or female will probably end up in the pot unless a A+++ pet home should come up.

I don't think you can really decide till it comes round to milking her, with Millie I put a section of a nitrile glove finger over her teat to direct the milk downwards rather than sideways. If you machine milk or use an udderly ez thingy it won't make any difference

jinglejoys · « **Reply #2 on:** January 30, 2013, 12:18:49 pm »

When I first started with Pygmies (before they became popular)they were mostly sourced from zoos who just kept them to be looked at so a lot had SN's FT's etc.Quite often the kid would latch onto the wrong teat,not get its colostrum or refuse any other teat because the small teat was more comfortable to suck and then you'd loose the kid
I would castrate any male and only keep the female as a compagnion but I'm fussy.The usual thought is its passed on to the male down the female line(hope thats right)so you should never keep a male from that line or at least cull or castrated for several generations before you do

Anke · « **Reply #3 on:** January 30, 2013, 01:26:43 pm »

The issue is not so much what you will do with the actual nanny (if you can even milk her), but what would happpen to the offspring, especially if you sold her female kid(s) (any males would be castrated easily and then have possible uses as meat and/or companion) on in good faith to someone as a pet but said person, then does a bit of breeding or goat gets handed on to breed somewhere else. etc etc... and also if you do have to give up your goats will the person taking them on be as responsible as you are?

So I am quite adamant that the only responsible decision would be not to breed from such a goat and actually have her put down/eat her. This is my personal opinion as a pedigree breeder (and seller), so you will have to make your own decision. I think it is really difficult because by the time you get the fault they have been very good at "tugging at your heart strings...".

jinglejoys · « **Reply #4 on:** January 30, 2013, 05:54:46 pm »

Agree with you Anke but nowadays everythings kept

Or you could do what I was told recently "Oh I just remove them no bother" To which I answered "You've managed to remove the genes too!!!!" to which there was no answer

Anke · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2013, 08:40:07 pm »

Quote from: jinglejoys on January 30, 2013, 05:54:46 pm

Agree with you Anke but nowadays everythings kept
Or you could do what I was told recently "Oh I just remove them no bother" To which I answered "You've managed to remove the genes too!!!!" to which there was no answer

Unfortunatey yes, there seem to be people out there who think a quick "snip" is all that's needed.... but I for one wouldn't want to get a reputation and we don't have issues with eating goat curry....

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2013, 10:05:40 pm »

You've said what I was thinking. She's not the nicest of goat. She's also half boer so should make a good curry. Just have to hope that Pom has at least one daughter then or cloud will have to stay as a companion goat.

colliewoman · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2013, 11:41:09 pm »

Quote from: Mad Goatwoman of Madeley on January 30, 2013, 10:05:40 pm

You've said what I was thinking. She's not the nicest of goat. She's also half boer so should make a good curry. Just have to hope that Pom has at least one daughter then or cloud will have to stay as a companion goat.

If she isn't a nice goat, don't let her take the space of one who could be the nicest goat ever

Enjoy some more curry! If Millie didn't give me such lovely milk AND be so loving then she would have gone. I know in advance though her kids are meat, and that does make it a little easier. If for some reason I was forced to give my stock up, I wouldn't sell her... $:-\$

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #8 on:** February 02, 2013, 11:13:41 am »

I wouldn't worry until Pom kids, that would settle any decisions. You could always take Cloud back to a boer male and breed for meat?

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #9 on:** February 02, 2013, 10:23:39 pm »

That's true, PHB, but she's not even pregnant yet. Due to go to the male next week. Yes, I know it's a bit late but she was due on New Year's Eve which was not a good time to take her, then we had the snow and I couldn't get out so this time is IT.

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #10 on:** May 21, 2014, 10:39:47 pm »

I've resurrected this as I decided I would chance breeding from Cloud on the basis that whatever she had would be eaten. One of her two daughters has a split teat, which the vet found when he disbudded them. I'm glad because it has reinforced my decision that slaughter is the best option when they are old enough.