# Confusion about udder development



## sevlep1 (Jul 24, 2013)

I have been looking at many photos of goats that are bred or possibly bred and when I go to google and click the pics it sends me to a forum where people are asking if their goats are bred. The does do have bag formations yet people are saying the doe is not pregnant.
Just because a doe forms a bag doesn't mean she is pregnant? I am slightly confused. I thought if they do form a bag then they are bred.


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## sawfish99 (Jul 24, 2013)

Udder development only happens towards the end of pregnancy.  In our first fresheners, they start to develop an udder in the last 6 weeks.  You are probably seeing pictures of goats that have previously kidded and are possibly even still in milk.  We milk our does until they are 2 months from kidding, so they have 3 months of pregnancy still getting milked from the last kidding.

I don't put any stock at all in the "pooch test", look at my photo, etc.  Odds are about 50% they will be correct.


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## OneFineAcre (Jul 24, 2013)

This is Hazel.
She is a registered Nigerian Dwarf.  She is a first freshner.
I know when she was bred.  Her 147 day due date is Tuesday 7/31 a little less than a week away.  This is what her udder looks like today.  In my experience it will double in size and tighten about 36 hours before she kids.


















I sold her already bred and the two doelings in the picture to a very nice family.   She sent me these pictures this morning. We are going to visit them Sunday to check Hazels ligaments and show them how to give the doelings their CDT boosters.


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## sevlep1 (Jul 24, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

> This is Hazel.
> She is a registered Nigerian Dwarf.  She is a first freshner.
> I know when she was bred.  Her 147 day due date is Tuesday 7/31 a little less than a week away.  This is what her udder looks like today.  In my experience it will double in size and tighten about 36 hours before she kids.
> 
> ...


Exactly .. . Whereas on other forums I seen where goats have udder development and the owner was asking if other people thought they were pregnant but the people were saying no despite the udders. Thats what I was confused about.... if a doe does not have a kid on the ground but has udders doesnt that mean she is in fact bred? Beautiful does I must say!


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## OneFineAcre (Jul 24, 2013)

sevlep1 said:
			
		

> OneFineAcre said:
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Thanks about the does.  I've been very lucky in finding good homes for my animals.

A doe that has not kidded before who is not bred will have some mammary tissue developed.  You can have a little something down there and her not be bred, or not be ready to kid soon.  There is a difference in having a little tissue down there, than actually having udder development due to pregnancy.

A doe who has kidded before will have more mammary tissue even if she is not bred.  Or a doe who has weaned her kids and you are drying her off will have some mammary tissue.

If a doe is bred, you will see her udder grow.  Some develop more sooner, some develop more later.  But, you will always see some kind of development.


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## sevlep1 (Jul 24, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

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thats what I was thinking. These does didn't have tiny bags, I'd say medium sized and I'd would have guessed preggo.  They had larger bags formed than my doe has and she is def bred. Great info! Thanks


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## Fullhousefarm (Jul 26, 2013)

Just to throw another confusing fact in the mix: Our doe developed a percocious udder at 5 months old, and it got even larger the same time of year when she was 18 months old. She wasn't bred till 19 months. I have photos somewhere, but it looks about the same as the photos OneFineAcre posted, but to the scale of a full-size goat. It's most likely since she is from heavy milking lines and is triggered by the fresh summer grass here. Our two younger doelings (DN and grade LaMancha) don't have it and they are over 8 months now.


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## sevlep1 (Jul 27, 2013)

Fullhousefarm said:
			
		

> Just to throw another confusing fact in the mix: Our doe developed a percocious udder at 5 months old, and it got even larger the same time of year when she was 18 months old. She wasn't bred till 19 months. I have photos somewhere, but it looks about the same as the photos OneFineAcre posted, but to the scale of a full-size goat. It's most likely since she is from heavy milking lines and is triggered by the fresh summer grass here. Our two younger doelings (DN and grade LaMancha) don't have it and they are over 8 months now.


oh wow! The more I learn about goats the more it seems they truly enjoy all the confusion they cause. I have underestimated them lol


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## OneFineAcre (Jul 27, 2013)

The family who bought Hazel from me called today.  She kidded a single doeling this afternoon.


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## sevlep1 (Jul 28, 2013)

OneFineAcre said:
			
		

> The family who bought Hazel from me called today.  She kidded a single doeling this afternoon.


AWWW!!! YAY


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