# Certain goat teats



## jross8897 (Jan 11, 2011)

I'm a beginner with goats... I was planning to buy a young billy to raise with my nanny and eventually breed. I was told by a breeder that my female goat's teats were "Balloon teats" and that a kid wouldn't be able to suckle. I have never read anything such, but figured I'd ask to be on the safe side.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 11, 2011)

Is this an older gal? I don't know about goats but you see "blown out" teats in older alpacas and they get too big with milk for crias to nurse on them.


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## helmstead (Jan 11, 2011)

My Nubian Scarlett has balloon or bottle teats - it runs in her bloodlines.  Her newborn kids cannot nurse her unless I milk her down a bit...when she's full, the nipple is too big.  After a couple days though, they both get the hang of it and keep her nursed down enough to suckle just fine.

My husband likes her teat structure - for his big hands, she's easy to milk.  There are downsides though.  Poor texture often leads to dry udders and cracking, they're more prone to blown teats...and you DO have to be on the ball when the kids are young.

Because Miss Scarlett milks over a gallon a day and isn't a show goat, I'm fine with her bottle teats.

I'll be freshening her daughter soon...we'll see if she's passing it down.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 11, 2011)

I agree with the above poster, At first you may have to milk some of the fullness off her udder, andhelp the babies more with getting on, plus a little bottle feeding in between if they can't get on, but they should beable to nurse after a few days. I had an old doe, her udder hung to the ground after she kidded with full round teats, just took a little extra work, but the babies did great on her and she was a great momma. Wouldn't be able to show her, if she is registered selling her offspring with her standing near by wouldn't help your sale.


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## Calliopia (Jan 12, 2011)

My 10yr old Nubian has the old fashioned style teats/udder. They aren't ballooned, they're just BIG.  Normal teat shape just very large.  GREAT for hand milking!  The baby took a day or so to figure out how to nurse on them but she's doing fine now.  

My other Boer/Nub cross had one teat that was ballooned and similarly her kids managed to nurse off of it after a day or so.  

Just keep an eye on things. If your doe throws a single you may have to milk that side out or help out with keeping the pressure down until the milk supply self corrects to where the kid can keep the pressure off of the teat.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Jan 12, 2011)

I had a doe that was a relative of Scarlett, Kate's doe.  Aesthetically the balloon teats are a little freaky and we did have to use udder balm generously, but talk about super easy to milk!  To me ballon teats on a home milker aren't a deal breaker as long as the udder attachment is good and they aren't hanging down low where they'd be more prone to injury.


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## jodief100 (Jan 12, 2011)

I have no personal experience but goat farmer near me has a Boer/Nubian with HUGE teats.  He told me he has to hold her up for the babies the first few days but after that they are fine.

He was trying to sell her to me when he said this so take it for what it is worth.  She did have two healthy babies on her at the time.


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## julieq (Jan 14, 2011)

We had an Alpine doe years back with huge teats and she was VERY easy to milk.  Seemed there was so much milk in the teat already that once we started she filled the bucket real quick!  No experience with letting the kids nurse though since we bottle feed all of them.  :/


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