# Dairy goat udder experts - PLEASE look! *pics*



## Roll farms (Mar 4, 2012)

I always take pics of our doe's udders after they kid.  I put this doe on the stand and as I was cleaning her up (she'd just kidded), I felt these wierd ...bumps / lines on the sides of her udder, where the legs cover.  They're about 2" up from the teat.

I have had my hands on a fair share of udders and NEVER felt anything like this.  

You can actually stretch the 'lines' out and they become 'holes', and I can get my finger into them to the 1st knuckle.

I'm really looking for experienced opinions here....Because I paid a good price for this doe, and I want to know what I'm dealing with / what to go back to the seller with.
Her kids appear to be fine.  I went over them w/ a fine-toothed comb.

My 1st thought was "She had extra teats and they cut them off." but ...would that leave a hole like a belly button....????
And, I've never seen 'extra' teats (on boers) so far apart.

Thank you!


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## marlowmanor (Mar 4, 2012)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I always take pics of our doe's udders after they kid.  I put this doe on the stand and as I was cleaning her up (she'd just kidded), I felt these wierd ...bumps / lines on the sides of her udder, where the legs cover.  They're about 2" up from the teat.
> 
> I have had my hands on a fair share of udders and NEVER felt anything like this.
> 
> ...


I don't know about udders, but it certainly looks like an injury that required stitches or maybe an old wound. It reminds me of a surgical scar.


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## 20kidsonhill (Mar 4, 2012)

that is kind of weird, but I can comment about cutting off extra teats, because when we first started raising goats, We had a couple doelings born with extra teats and my husband was sure you just snip them off, so that is what he did. AFter the does freshened it left an obvious bump where the teat was, but it wasn't indented it came outwards as  a soft bump. It was pretty obvious what it was. Unless there would be a different way of cutting them off that would leave an indentation.


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## EggsForIHOP (Mar 4, 2012)

I've heard from another VERY experienced breeder to watch for "pockets" - but of course none of his does had any to show me what he was talking about...so that would be my first guess?

Also - he did mention it more in showing and teaching me about their foreudders...so maybe that's what you have? I dunno...like I said his goats were all too froo froo to have that issue, so I never saw it "live and in person"...


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Mar 4, 2012)

That's not the type of pocket the breeder was referring to- a pocket is a space between the fore udder and the abdomen where attachment and fore udder extension are lacking.


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 4, 2012)

Hmm...interesting.   You know what it reminds me of?  Sheep have a scent gland type thing near where their hind legs meet their bellies.   I've never seen anything like that on a goat though.  Can I cross post this somewhere else?  Maybe one of them would know...


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## Roll farms (Mar 4, 2012)

I'd rather you didn't, although I do appreciate the offer.
I've emailed a few ADGA judges / breeders who've got years of experience w/ big herds...hoping to hear back from them.
I just don't want this to go TOO public in case it turns out to be easily explained, if you know what I mean...?

I checked our other 8 milkers and they have NOTHING like this going on.


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## EggsForIHOP (Mar 4, 2012)

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> That's not the type of pocket the breeder was referring to- a pocket is a space between the fore udder and the abdomen where attachment and fore udder extension are lacking.


That's what I thought...but maybe this is some odd form in a way? Like a sort of mutation of that? I'd kind of anxious to find out if only to file it away in my memory for reference.


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## poorboys (Mar 4, 2012)

Hope you find out what it is, Never seen that.


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 4, 2012)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> I'd rather you didn't, although I do appreciate the offer.
> I've emailed a few ADGA judges / breeders who've got years of experience w/ big herds...hoping to hear back from them.
> I just don't want this to go TOO public in case it turns out to be easily explained, if you know what I mean...?


I completely understand!  I'm hoping someone you emailed has an explanation. I'm scratchin' my noggin on this one!


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## neener92 (Mar 4, 2012)

A few of my sheep have those, I'm not sure what it is though. It's not a pocket thing like aggieterpkatie said, but more a part of the udder. Sorry, I'm not help.


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## Roll farms (Mar 4, 2012)

It looks like an older person's belly button...but if you stretch the skin around it, it's a perfect younger person's belly button, is the best way I can describe it.
It's round.

The ADGA judge told me it's 'possible' that it's something to do w/ attatchments that will stretch out as she matures...but admitted he's never seen anything like it.

Into what?   A bigger hole?

The 'big name' breeder who's on her pedigree in a couple places told me "I've seen it, it's nothing to worry about, it's a line of attatchment."

It's not a line....it's a HOLE.

But maybe since he's 'seen it before'...it's something she inherited from that part of her pedigree.

I don't know what to do.  Ugh.  

She's a sweet doe, and an easy milker...but I sure don't want to be making more 'holey uddered' goats.
And I paid a 'show quality' price for her.


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## EggsForIHOP (Mar 4, 2012)

Well at least you got a somewhat serious answer...

They could have been smart alecks...when I saw the phrase "holey uddered goats" my first thought was: "Maybe the holey udders are needed to make swiss cheese"   

Just kidding - throwing a little humor out there to lighten things up for ya


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## sunny (Mar 4, 2012)

She has Inguinal pouches. Not all does have them. They secrete the yellowish grease you can see on her udder keeping her leg from chaffing her. They are not a bad thing really and will be less noticable when her udder grows a little more.
  Almost all sheep ewes have these. They are structured a little differently though. Bucks also have them at the base of their testicals.


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 5, 2012)

Ah, I never knew the "technical" name for them.  Oh, and don't google "inigual pouch" at work.    I found a site saying they're also called "mammary pouches", but I never could find a picture of them.


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## redtailgal (Mar 5, 2012)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> Ah, I never knew the "technical" name for them.  Oh, and don't google "inigual pouch" at work.    I found a site saying they're also called "mammary pouches", but I never could find a picture of them.


Definately.  I tried to do a search on them last night, and learn a little, but um, WOW.  I'll be leaving that to the pros........


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## Roll farms (Mar 5, 2012)

Thanks for the info, Sunny.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 5, 2012)

Are you sure it isn't some type old injury? Never seen anything like it.


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## mydakota (Mar 5, 2012)

Wow.  I have never seen anything like that before.


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## Missy (Mar 5, 2012)

If it is what I think it is, I have a name for it. Give me a day, I will come up with the name. I was talking to a goat shower/breeder today when she disbudded my new Saanen buckling, and she was telling me about defects and such to watch for when I get my son his nubian show goat in the future. It is a show default and not common, a doe could have none in her lineage, have it, and never produce a kid with it. Males never have it.

Or it could be something completely different. lol.


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## ksacres (Mar 6, 2012)

My first thought was that it was related to udder attachment as well, I had a very nice Nubian doe that had the same thing.  I sold her as a ff, but only because she had been dam raised and was wild as a March hare and I had to chase her down to milk her twice a day.  She had a beautiful udder, and the same little pockets on each side.  I never gave it any thought, even though I guess it was kind of weird.  She had a socked on fancy little udder with excellent teats, she wasn't supposed to have been dam raised, but that's another story. 

A cut off teat would result in either a small protrusion or a flat scar (IF you could see it at all, many doelings have teats cut off by unscrupulous breeders and heal without a trace).  In no case would you see an inverted leaving such as you have, and it's doubly unlikely it would be that far from the "real" teats, and triply unlikely that it was a perfect replica on each side.

I googled inguinal pouch, and saw a few pictures of sheep udders, most of which were very poorly attached, and the pouch was (in pictures I saw) directly under the ligament that supports/attaches the side of the udder to the upper leg area.  Your doe has a nice area of attachment, so I wouldn't be overly concerned.


This is the doe I had (Double Z Star Prisca):



SSSS : BROWN SUGAR'S CROWN AMBASSADOR







SSS : KASTDEMUR'S DOUBLE EXPOSURE







SSSD : KASTDEMUR'S EXPOSE'







SS : G.V. FARMS DOUBLE EXHILARATION







SSDS : LONGMAN'S TM SOCRATES







SSD : TRILLIUM TRAILS CS PARTY GIRL







SSDD : TRILLIUM-TRAILS GR CELEBRATE







S : SUNDAY CREEK BX STARBURST







SDSS : RIO DEL ORO'S RUPERT







SDS : TRILLIUM-TRAILS CANDYMAN







SDSD : TRILLIUM TRAILS CANDYGRAM







SD : TRILLIUM TRAILS JUJUBIE







SDDS : TRILLIUM TRAILS EXPLORER







SDD : TRILLIUM-TRAILS JUBILEE







SDDD : TRILLIUM-TRAILS DL JOY







*DOUBLE Z STAR PRISCA*







DSSS : KASTDEMUR'S MPR LIAISON







DSS : KASTDEMUR'S MR. BLACKWELL







DSSD : KASTDEMUR'S CROWN SENSATION







DS : JACOBS PRIDE YO MR. BIG SHOT







DSDS : HOMESTEAD GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY







DSD : JACOB'S-PRIDE YONINA







DSDD : SIX-M-GALAXY PRINCESS JAZMIN







D : DOUBLE Z YMBS PRISCILLA







DDSS : REGEHRS ABBK CHEROKEE CHIEF







DDS : SHOW-DOWN MC HAMMER







DDSD : FAITH-FARM RG MAGDALENA







DD : DEWMAR-ACRES MCHAMMER'S HANNAH







DDDS : DEWMAR-ACRES LEVI'S TJ







DDD : DEWMAR-ACRES T.J'S JAYLEY







DDDD : DEWMAR-ACRES FRISCO JUNIPER


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## Missy (May 17, 2012)

It took me forever to find this post! I was just wondering if you ever found out exactly what it was, my new little doeling has the same thing, Not really noticable unless you are looking for it. She is 3/1/2 weeks old currently.


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## Roll farms (May 17, 2012)

I was told they were glands that produce a wax-like substance to prevent chafing....and like wattles, some goats have 'em, some don't.  I can't remember the technical name for them now....

She's producing fine and not having any issues.


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## Missy (May 18, 2012)

Wonderful. I am glad that it isn't anything serious. I started to worry when I noticed my little girl with them.


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## CAMilkmaid (Sep 15, 2012)

Some people looking at some lambs that I have for sale noticed the same thing on my lambs. They want to know what it is and I've been searching for an answer. Your photos are the best I've seen. They look like very obvious pouch like holes on young lambs. All that I can find for an explanation is that they are inguinal (or mammary) pouches. They contain both sebaceous and sweat glands that secrete a waxy substance which helps newborn lambs find the udder.

Kim


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