# Blown teat?



## longhorngal (Aug 4, 2005)

I'm pretty sure my Saanen has a "blown teat". She has twins that are just nursing on one side, the side they don't nurse on the teat looks like a banana. I've been milking her out some on that side hoping she won't get mastitis but it's really difficult. I don't have small hands but I can't encircle the top of the teat so it seems like there's some backwash with every squirt.

I really like this doe but it would take me forever to milk her out like this every day. Is there any kind of different milking technique I can use or can anything be done to "fix" it? She's only 3 and this is her second time to kid.
Is it possible to dry this side up and milk only the other? Sorry if that's a stupid question .

Thanks
Cara


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## trnubian (Mar 19, 2005)

All I can say is practice makes perfect.... You need to keep releaving that side. There is no way to dry up that one side unfortuneately.
You could try and tape her other teat to force the kids to nurse off of her big side...


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

Once it's that way theres no fixing it. You cannot dry up only one side, oxytocin is what let's down the milk and when you massage or milk or the kid's nurse and hunch it causes the body to produce this hormone. Not milking or nursing is what causes the doe to dry up.


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## longhorngal (Aug 4, 2005)

Thanks, I didn't think about taping the other side up. So even though the teat is blown could she still be milkable for a number of years (though difficult to do so)? I've been trying to search on the internet but not having much luck.
Do they ever get so bad (b/c of the blown teat) they physically cannot be milked?


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## trnubian (Mar 19, 2005)

Yes she can still be milked. It would be MUCH easier if you had a milking machine, but she can still be hand milked. I have milked does with blown teats before. You just have to work for awhile to figure out the best way to do it...


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## longhorngal (Aug 4, 2005)

Thanks, that's good to know. I have thought about getting a machine. Her teat is huge, not only shaped like a banana but the size of one too. I was reading the other thread about the homemade mikers and may try one of those. Good to know it's not a reason to sell her.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

I have a doe with a blown teat. (She was a rescue.) With this sort of teat, you can't make a ring of your fingers where the teat meets the udder. You have to "ring" a bit further down the length of the teat, but done correctly, it will prevent backwash. I don't know if that's clear. It's hard to describe the technique. Wish you could come here and I'd show you!

Does anyone know what causes a "blown teat" anyway????

NeHi


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## Feral Nature (Feb 21, 2007)

Put her on the milkstand and milk out that blown teat twice a day. Dairy does should be milked out from the beginning after they kid in order to prevent this, even with kids nursing.. In just a matter of days after kidding, one teat can blow like this. care needs to be taken to prevent one teat from being ignored by the kids without you realizing it. Blown teats are caused by so much milk building up in them that the structure simply gives under the tremendous pressure. Keep it milked out, with good cleaning of the udder and good hygeine, to prevent mastitis and other problems form developing. A blown teat will still produce milk even though it will always be ugly after this.


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## coso (Feb 24, 2004)

Yep, I was thinking milking machine too. I had a Togg I bought that was this way on one side and the milking machine milked her very well. Your goat is still very milkable as long as you can milk her. The doe I had I bought her when she was three and she had it then but I wanted the genetics. I sold her when she was 7 and I didn't have any problems out of her.


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## jBlaze (Dec 26, 2007)

Ok, call me lost. What IS a blown teat? And what does cause it? I sort of think I understand what you are talking about, but I have never had a problem, so I must be mis-understanding? Not sure? 
Thanks.


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## needstoknowmore (Feb 6, 2005)

With my hands it is easier for me to milk the "large teats". Just took a couple of tries to figure it out. She did blow out a bit more since I milked her, not sure about doing it now. But if I have my way, I will never have to!!! 

Although not the best, here is a pic of my blown teat doe.


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

Grab the babies and introduce them to the large teat. We did this with ours from day one.


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