Have been milking Alpine for about 3 weeks . Am new at goats. Noticed teats turning dark . Hand milking. Milk seems to be ok . Do not notice any thing when straining milk HAs anyone ever experianced .

-- Frank Schwalbach (banjopicker_41@yahoo.com), April 11, 2001

Answers

Frank, has this goat been in the cold? Could she have gotten frost bitten? Just a suggestion. Sissy

-- Sissy Sylvester-Barth (jerreleene@hotmail.com), April 12, 2001.

Is it just the tits turning dark or more of the udder? Are you familiar with mastitis? As a new milker you may not have been following proper sanitation procedures. You really need to talk to your vet. If it is being caused by mastitis, and caught early enough, apparently treatment with antibiotics and sulfas can be tried.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), April 12, 2001.

Hi Frank, how about some more information. Is the does temperature normal? Is the udder normal temperature? Are the teats cold? Is her skin white or pink (not her hair)? Some times does with very light colored skin can show bruising with milking, especially hand milking. No matter how well we try we simply can't simulate kids nursing or the ease of machine milking. I have seen one case of malignant edema, and though the udder eventually turned black, this was a ways into the disease process, as the udder was beginning to slough off. Visit saanendoah.com Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 12, 2001.

Her udder's tanning, Frank. No doubt she's been outside in the sun more now the day's are getting longer? Well, the skin on a goat's udder tans black instead of turning brown like humans. It's perfectly normal.

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), April 13, 2001.