# Precocious Udder?



## LittleGreenBarn (Mar 24, 2017)

I have. 21 mo old pygmy/ dwarf doe, never been bred that has enlarged udders. I have read in some forums to not milk and others say to milk. I noticed this at the beginning of last month. She has no temperature (103.2) and is eating and active, her behavior is normal so I thought I'd wait it out. She is the herd Queen and as bossy as can be. 

Now I worry that I waited because they are not reabsorbing. Is there a typical time frame in which they go away? The only thing that changed since her udders grew was that she lost her beard. The coat of her hair is still normal and healthy though. She doesn't seem bothered by my touching them either, which made me think to wait at the time since there is no discomfort noticed. (Still to this day) 

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do? Any feedback is appreciated. I've attached pictures. 
(3rd picture is a normal udder of her sister, same age for reference)


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I do not reccomend milking precocious animals. If someone DOES milk them, I suggest managing them as a real dairy animal - milking 2+ times per day, teat wash, teat dip, nutritional support all is necessary for a lactating animal. Preventing mastitis includes clean/dry bedding, adequate post milking dip, and regular milkout. I think where many people go wrong is milking them out once or twice whenever they darn well please, but not realizing that they are opening the udder to infection and not treating it as a potential infection and don't regularly remove milk to reduce infection rates, nor do they often post-dip. 

I leave precocious udders alone EXCEPT to feel them. You want to be hands on to feel for any change. A precocious udder should be soft to the touch. If it is hard, hot, lumpy, feels like a 'sand bag', there is mastitis. I never milk them out. I've had both mature animals like yours as well as spring born doelings get precocious udders, and they are monitored and nothing bad comes of it.


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## LittleGreenBarn (Mar 24, 2017)

Caprice Acres said:


> I do not reccomend milking precocious animals. If someone DOES milk them, I suggest managing them as a real dairy animal - milking 2+ times per day, teat wash, teat dip, nutritional support all is necessary for a lactating animal. Preventing mastitis includes clean/dry bedding, adequate post milking dip, and regular milkout. I think where many people go wrong is milking them out once or twice whenever they darn well please, but not realizing that they are opening the udder to infection and not treating it as a potential infection and don't regularly remove milk to reduce infection rates, nor do they often post-dip.
> 
> I leave precocious udders alone EXCEPT to feel them. You want to be hands on to feel for any change. A precocious udder should be soft to the touch. If it is hard, hot, lumpy, feels like a 'sand bag', there is mastitis. I never milk them out. I've had both mature animals like yours as well as spring born doelings get precocious udders, and they are monitored and nothing bad comes of it.


Thank you so much, wonderful advice and thorough. Appreciate it. 

I keep the barn very clean, I am in there 2x a week to clean it out and every day it rains. Her udders feel mushy, no lumps and very warm to the touch, but not to the point I'd say hot. When I touch and feel gently it doesn't seem bother her at all. When I examine her udders, she stands still and lets me. 

If it was something like mastitis, would she be showing signs of pain when I examine her or have a temperature? 

I do not plan on milking them at the moment, I just enjoy them and let them exist. I will keep her under supervision


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## LittleGreenBarn (Mar 24, 2017)

I know this is long over due, but it was precocious, took her to Vet and was prescribed penicillin (intramuscular, my least favorite to do) and she cleared up after two rounds. 

I also gave her warm compressions, comfrey salve massages and mastoblast, orally (whether that played a factor, not sure, vet said it couldn't hurt)


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## LittleGreenBarn (Mar 24, 2017)

LittleGreenBarn said:


> I know this is long over due, but it was precocious, took her to Vet and was prescribed penicillin (intramuscular, my least favorite to do) and she cleared up after two rounds.
> 
> I also gave her warm compressions, comfrey salve massages and mastoblast, orally (whether that played a factor, not sure, vet said it couldn't hurt)


just adding that It did end up getting infected.


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## altair (Jul 23, 2011)

I have never heard of this term before, thank you LittleGreenBarn for sharing your experience and I am glad the doe persevered.


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## LittleGreenBarn (Mar 24, 2017)

altair said:


> I have never heard of this term before, thank you LittleGreenBarn for sharing your experience and I am glad the doe persevered.


Thank you! I did leave it alone for months with no change in udder appearance. Then out of nowhere the right side started getting hard and huge. Crazy stuff. Hopefully my experience can help someone one day too. I took extensive notes during treatment.


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## Darla Wright (Aug 2, 2020)

LittleGreenBarn said:


> Thank you! I did leave it alone for months with no change in udder appearance. Then out of nowhere the right side started getting hard and huge. Crazy stuff. Hopefully my experience can help someone one day too. I took extensive notes during treatment.


I would like your notes, please. And do you think this is genetic? Did your goat clear up? I live on the big island, Hawaii. There is a limited number of goats here, limited genetics. It is possible I could purchase goat Semen straws from the mainland. Do you think it could be bred out? As far as I know, there’s not much alpine on the big island.


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