# Do all goats produce milk?



## jross8897 (Sep 22, 2010)

I am fairly new at handling a goat. Not sure what breeds she may be or what to expect. Yesterday out of sheer curiosity I Squeezed her teet. I was unbelievably shocked when a stream of milk nearly soaked my face!!! I cannot find any information on why suddenly she is producing milk or if maybe she has been the whole time and I never knew... Or if it's normal... I would greatly appreciate some feed back! thank you!!


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## ()relics (Sep 22, 2010)

goats=mammal...mammal=milk producer...so simply Yes all goats produce milk when they are in a lacation period.  She must have recently weaned kids and is still lactating.


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## patandchickens (Sep 22, 2010)

Well, *male* goats don't produce milk <g>

Typical domestic mammals, humans included , not-infrequently have _some_ milk in there even long after offspring have been weaned. With humans, potentially for a number of years; for horses, potentially for a year or two; not sure of numbers for goats.

If this was a *buncha* milk, though, like "get out the milk pail momma!" quantities, then either she was nursing a kid semi-recently, or has something hormonally out of whack (whcih can also cause it).

Pat


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## Emmetts Dairy (Sep 22, 2010)

All female goats do!!!    After birthing is done!! So she must be lactating now...
You said she was new to you right?


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## Ariel301 (Sep 22, 2010)

All female goats who have had a baby will have milk. Some have more than others...breeds like Alpines, LaManchas, Toggenburgs, Saanens, Nubians, and Nigerians have been bred to be heavy milkers, those are what most people will keep for milking. Then you have breeds like Boers selected for meat, and Angoras who produce fiber for making yarn--they will make enough to feed their babies, but won't really produce the quantity or length of time you will get from a dairy breed. If you share some photos of her, we could tell you what she is, or guesses on what mix she is if not purebred. If you want to use her milk, you will need to milk her daily to keep her in production. Twice a day is usual, but you can do once as well, and just get less milk. If you want to keep milking, you will want to breed her (now's the time for that, most goats breed in the fall) and then quit milking two months before she is due, and you can start again after she's had the babies. (when depends on how you are raising the babies)


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## jross8897 (Sep 27, 2010)

I'm trying to post a picture, but I can't seem to figure out how...  We've had Maggie now since May... As far as i know she has never givin birth... then again I'm not sure how old she is, what breed or much of anything before we got her.


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## ChksontheRun (Sep 27, 2010)

Is she getting unusually fat, with her udder getting bigger.  Perhaps she is preggers and getting ready to deliver.  If you got her in May just bred, she could be due..... Only certain breeds of goat are year around breeders.  Don't mean to be an alarmist but something to consider.


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## jross8897 (Sep 28, 2010)

She is fat... but i thought its because shes a yard goat... she nibbles this an that all day long... Like an all you can eat buffet!!


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## jross8897 (Sep 28, 2010)

This is Maggie!


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## freemotion (Sep 28, 2010)

Depending on when in May you got her, she would be VERY preggers by now.  Doesn't look that way in the pictures, but the udder doesn't show, so it is hard to tell.  Gestation is about five months.

Cutie-pie!


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Sep 28, 2010)

patandchickens said:
			
		

> Well, *male* goats don't produce milk


Male goats don't usually produce milk, but some can.  

Possibly a precocious udder?


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## jodief100 (Sep 28, 2010)

She looks part Boer and they breed year round.  They also don't produce a lot of milk and tend to dry up quickly after weaning.  She could be preggers.  They don't get huge udders but you would notice when they fill.  Try and get a picture from the side and a shot of the udder.  I suspect you may be having kids soon.


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