# HELP!? Thick milk?



## SunKissedAcres (May 12, 2008)

I have newborn kids. I thought we were done, but we have some. I checked three of the does, and they all have milk that looks like glue? It's very thick, and of course the kids can't drink it. Do they have CAE? I'm a newbie, and my husband brought new, strange goats into my herd without talking to me first, and I think we got it. Now what do I do? I don't have any colostrum to give them, and it's Sunday, and everything is closed. I think they were born yesterday, or possibly even the night before. I was sick and didn't get out to check them that day.

What happens if they don't get any colostrum? They won't survive will they? Is tomorrow going to be too late if I can get some then? IF I can find anyone who has any....help, please......

Thank you!


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

It's good that it's thick. Sometimes that first bit can be so globby, but the babies will get it flowing. THick colostrum means strong colostrum. I thought something was wrong when my first doe kidded too. I couldn't get the milk to hardly come out at all. But once the babies got after it it began to flow better.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

If it's thicker than Elmer's Glue, go ahead and milk out some till it's a bit thinner. Yes, it's just colostrum.

Take a breath!:happy0035:


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## SunKissedAcres (May 12, 2008)

But it's so thick that the babies are getting thin. They're trying to suck, but nothing ever comes out so they just give up and lay down. Do I keep supplementing them, and milking out the momma? I've lost a lot of kids, by thinking that the mom's would take care of them, and I don't want to do that again. It's supposed to be like extra thick sweetened condensed milk? I mean, it's THICK! I have to put a lot of pressure on the teat to get even a little bit to squeeze out. If it really is colostrum, that's great! But I thought that I had read somewhere that it was a sign of CAE, and I just wanted to be sure.

I'll put them back in with the mom's and see how they are tonight.


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

You need to strip out some and give it to the kids. Keep at it until it is thinner. You are right, the kids need food, so you need to give it to them....

Don't let the kids exhaust themselves trying to draw it out; help them when they need it and don't give up! We're rooting for you!


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## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

Perhaps you can take some of the thick colostrum and mix it with whatever you're using to supplement them.....?


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

I don't understand. When were they born? I was understanding they were newborn but you say they are getting skinny which makes it sound like it's been a couple days or more? 

My understanding of CAE is it doesn't cause thick milk, but just an edemic udder which appears full but has nothing really in it. 

If they are newly born, get it flowing for them, it should thin out.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

1. YES, it's colostrum.

2. NOT a symptom of CAE.

3. Milk it out till you get the thinner milk/colostrum flowing.

4. Feed the kids what you get out. The kids NEED this thick stuff, either mixed with milk or replacer or something. It is the colostrum. 

5. You are losing the window of opportunity for getting colostrum into the kids. Monday is too late.


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## marytx (Dec 4, 2002)

If they are sucking the teats they are probably getting it. Newborns usually look thin the first few days. If you are not sure they are getting it, though, supplement them until you are.
It sounds like colostrum.


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## goatkid (Nov 20, 2005)

It sounds like rich colostrum. If it's really too thick for the kids to suck out of a bottle, you can thin it a bit with milk. Thick colostrum is not a sign of CAE. The way CAE affects an udder is that it looks full, but feels hard and sometimes lumpy and the doe produces little milk. I'd still test the goats for CAE because some can be asymptomatic. The babies likely have gotten at least some colostrum from their dams. If these were my goats, I'd want to know their status anyway.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I would suggest, as others have, that you hand-milk that doe (placing what you get into a soda bottle). Then put a nipple on that bottle and hand-feed those kids every few hours, leaving the kids with their dam to nurse her at will. After the kids get stronger and that doe's milk gets thinner, the kids will be able to work her udder better.


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## SunKissedAcres (May 12, 2008)

Thank you all for your help. I might have been thinking of CL. But regardless, by what you've said, this isn't CL, it's just the thick colostrum. I can't believe it's this thick. My very first doe was like this years ago, and someone online told me it was bad milk from an infected udder, so that's what I was thinking was going on, until I saw all three like that, and heard from ya'll.

I have been very sick this week, and so trying to catch goats that aren't people friendly hasn't been easy for me to say the least. I've absolutely done my best at this. I did go and get a colostrum supplement, and gave some to the three that weren't sucking on their dams. So at least they got that last night. Maybe too late, but I don't have any help from DH, so it falls on me, and I'm a bit overwhelmed right now. Plus I work as well.

I'll give an update later on. This was all a surprize, because we thought that we had lost all the kids, as it was taking too long, and a friend of my husband's who "knows" told us that all the kids were most likely dead. (we know how much he knows, don't we!). I'm going out to check on them again. I left them out with the herd last night, but did supplement with the colostrum as I said.

Thanks for your help!! It's REALLY appreciated and needed!


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## The Tin Mom (Dec 30, 2008)

Praying for you! Will watch for your update!


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