[cristina-sorina]

Hello All, I have a question about first freshners. I check my goats udders every morning to make sure the kids are keeping the moms even. My first freshner Pearl was very uneven this morning. I tried to get her kids to eat from the full side and they weren't interested. So I put her up on the milk stand and tried to milk.

Oh my gosh, her teats are SO tiny compared to my other goats (not first freshners). She's 2.5 weeks post kidding and I was having a heck of a time milking her. Like I felt like I worked, and worked and when I looked in the milk pail I barely covered the bottom. I'm wondering if any of you with more experience can tell me if this will get better with time? Her dam is pretty easy to milk, I'm hoping she'll eventually get easier. She's my first first-freshner I've ever tried to milk.

 

[ksalvagno]

What breed are they? Does she have tiny orifices? They will get bigger with subsequent freshenings but not that much bigger. If the orifice is small, that won't change.

 

[spidy1]

they can get better with each kidding but not by a huge amount, the udder will though... here's an example, Mama, LaMancha first, second and third kidding...

 

[cristina-sorina]

What breed are they? Does she have tiny orifices? They will get bigger with subsequent freshenings but not that much bigger. If the orifice is small, that won't change.

She's a Nubian. I tried to milk her again this afternoon. The left side (the one the doelings prefer) is super easy to milk now. I put her on the milking machine for a bit and it pulled the teats out to more manageable lengths, then I tried milking both sides.
The right side is still difficult. The closest thing I can think of to describe the stream is think of a water balloon that gets a hole in it. That's the size of the stream. The udder seemed full on that side so I worked and worked at it again, I managed to get it less full looking but with much difficulty. I'll have to look at both teats tonight to check the orifice size.

 

[cristina-sorina]

they can get better with each kidding but not by a huge amount, the udder will though... here's an example, Mama, LaMancha first, second and third kidding... View attachment 150007 View attachment 150009 View attachment 150011

Thanks for the visual, I'd say Pearls teats look similar to the first freshner picture. Im happy to see they do improve! Thank you!

 

[mariarose]

Please read this protocol. You do not have to follow it if you don't want to. But please read it.
http://glimmercroft.com/Udder.html

 

[cristina-sorina]

Please read this protocol. You do not have to follow it if you don't want to. But please read it.
http://glimmercroft.com/Udder.html

Thanks @mariarose , i will try this out. It makes a lot of sense! I had no idea about the skin strechyness lasting until a month. She's 2.5 weeks post kidding so there is still time to get this protocol to work for her.

Hopefully the milkstand training will go better, she dances around on there like she's doing an Irish jig lol.

 

[mariarose]

she dances around on there like she's doing an Irish jig

I have a few who are doing the Can-Can with BOTH legs together. I really should have trained them to be handled sooner...

 

[mariarose]

Anyway @cristina-sorina That protocol really does work. I attest to that. Although I think you have a little longer to affect change than you think...

 

[cristina-sorina]

I have a few who are doing the Can-Can with BOTH legs together. I really should have trained them to be handled sooner...

Lol, I understand perfectly the frustration and ninja reflexes you need to milk a dancing goat

 

[cristina-sorina]

Anyway @cristina-sorina That protocol really does work. I attest to that. Although I think you have a little longer to affect change than you think...

Thank you again, I'll let you know after I've been doing this awhile how it's working out. I appreciate all your advice!

 

[purplemountain]

If it doesn't work, I have had goats with differences in orifices on each side. Makes a difference in the size of the milk stream coming out and makes it so much easier. I also follow a similar night separation protocol. Give them 3 freshenings to see potential size wise, but orifices don't change.

 

[cristina-sorina]

If it doesn't work, I have had goats with differences in orifices on each side. Makes a difference in the size of the milk stream coming out and makes it so much easier. I also follow a similar night separation protocol. Give them 3 freshenings to see potential size wise, but orifices don't change.

Thank you!