We have a nannie thet has had no teets..looks as if they may have been chewed off long ago. We got her at the auction in Nov and she was pregent at the time. Yesterday she had a baby and I am unable to get any milk from any part of her udder (no teets). Is there anything we can give her to QUICK dry her up? not able to spend money on vet bills as this is a $$ enterprise with us. Have done well with everybody so far but would not like to put her down but if its nessary we will do so.

-- Charles steen (xbeeman412@aol.com), February 26, 2001

Answers

I am sorry, Charles, she was a bad investment. What is more useless that teats on a boar? None on a nanny.

I think you need to talk to a vet. There are drugs to help dry her up, but I don't think any of them work very quickly. She must be very miserable and in pain. It may be kinder to put her down. I think if she survives this, you need to make sure she doesn't breed again.

Can you get large quantities of parsley? That may help some and keep her off any milk producing feed.

-- Laura (gsend@hotmail.com), February 26, 2001.

Back when we found out what CAE really was, we chose rather than to put down our positive animals with wonderful pedigrees, to let them kid, but use colostrum and milk from our negative hand reared stock. We kidded them out every 8 months and in about 5 years simply never milked them, two of the 5 CH does, were star milkers in their hay-day with quite impressive one day milk tests of over 12 & 14 pounds. We simply took the kids when delivered, and never touched the udders again. If you do not milk out the colostrum, which you will not be able to do, than they will absorb it, and dry up in a matter of several weeks. Take time at least every other day to feel the udder, and treat with systemic antibiotics if she gets a udder that is to hot. If this doe is something you can use in your breeding program than why not use her, if you have excess colostrum and milk. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 26, 2001.

A doe will not come into full milk until several weeks after kidding. Her udder may look full, but not as full as it could get if you were able to milk her. She may be in some discomfort for a few days, but I don't think she will be in much pain. Nature has a way of dealing with this, as if her baby was stillborn.

Unless she has outstanding pedigree or is a worthwhile companion animal, it may be better to put her down or sell her for meat. I know that sounds awful, but you said you are trying to run a profitable enterprise and this is one way to recoup some of your investment if continued breeding is not an option.

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), February 26, 2001.

Sage will dry up milk in a human. It may be worth it to try on a goat as well. I often find that herbs are even more effective on goats than people.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@calinet.com), February 27, 2001.

If there is no entry from the udder to the outside world, she will not get mastitis. Her udder will get full and sore, and then the milk will be reabsorbed and she will dry up. There is no need to put her down, you might want to give her something for the discomfort shell experience. If you want to keep her then just use her as a brood doe as Vicki suggested.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 27, 2001.