# Does this udder look bad?



## Moody (Sep 28, 2014)

Hi I'm new to goats and am looking for a doe in milk while I wait for my doeling to be old enough to breed. I found this one for 200 but I think the bag looks like it isn't well attached. What do you think?


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 28, 2014)

Not the greatest looking udder for sure!


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## Moody (Sep 28, 2014)

Alright. Thanks. They should look more full toward the top, right?


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## doxiemoxie (Sep 28, 2014)

weak attachment, narrow escutcheon, lopsided halves and the teats sit back, I think (hard to judge off of one pic). With that weak attachment she could be "double uddered" which means possible supernumary blind teats, and a webby udder more susceptible to mastitis.


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## Moody (Sep 28, 2014)

Thank you! I'm just trying to see if I'm applying what i have read properly. It didn't look like a durable setup to me.


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## goatgurl (Sep 28, 2014)

@Moody, your right that wouldn't be a durable udder.  she is very narrow in the backend and with a poor udder attachment her udder will twist with every step she takes.   and her udder is lop sided which suggests an infection at some point.  a good milk goat doesn't have to have a perfect udder but it needs to be high enough to stay out of harms way and tightly attached enough not to twist and turn when she walks or neither she or the udder will last as long as they should.  keep looking kiddo


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 28, 2014)

here is a nicer udder somewhat in your area...

http://killeen.craigslist.org/grd/4636029452.html


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 28, 2014)

and if you don't mind horns... this little doe has a decent looking udder from what you can see - and is less pricey

http://austin.craigslist.org/grd/4677419403.html


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## Moody (Sep 28, 2014)

Oh wow thanks! I will definitely consider the nubian. She is a bit pricey though. Is that because she is registered, I wonder? I don't think I should do horns. My others seem to have the nubs from the disbudding so I prefer dis budded or ideally polled. I have a young son.


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## OneFineAcre (Sep 28, 2014)

Yes, that udder looks bad.  Very bad.
The ad say's she is a "young" sannen/lamancha cross in milk.  She is a cull and that udder is the reason why they are culling her.  And, probably why they are selling a doe in milk for $200.


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## jodief100 (Sep 29, 2014)

That udder is very bad.  That doe would be a cull for me and I raise meat goats.  I have a few with udders that look like that but they are 9 and 10 years old.  For $200 you can get something much nicer. 

Registered goats will usually sell for more.  If horns are an issue, you can tip them.  You have to stay on top of it and do it regularly.  If you buy a polled goat, make sure at one parent has horns.  Breeding polled-to-polled can have some bad consequences.


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## Pearce Pastures (Sep 29, 2014)

Agreed.  Not a nice udder at all.


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## Southern by choice (Sep 29, 2014)

As has already been pointed out you will want to consider another goat.
I would like to add a few suggestions.
Avoid...
 any goat that has teats that fall below the hock, long pendulous udders ... these goats will be more prone to mastitis.

Slight unevenness is ok especially if a doe had a single etc. But you do NOT want lopsided.

You really want to ask about the feed conversion.
How much feed and what kind is given and what is actual out put.

Schedule to see the goat WHEN the goat is going to be milked if possible.

The reason for this is often people guess at the output. This way it can be weighed or measured...whichever you prefer. You also can see the actual food intake. Adjust for 1 or 2 x day milking.
Of course there may be some variation. Some keep very accurate records but most don't. Does milked by machine usually are one of many in a collective tank... that doesn't tell you what THAT doe gives.

Heat, all day rains, pasture time, drinking, heat cycle... all can affect output and it can drop a bit. 

*You want decent feed conversion.*
I have a friend that purchased a beautiful, quality, show udder, great confirmation Alpine in milk. The Alpine is consistent! 
1/2 gallon am  1/2 gallon pm
1 gallon a day solid BUT she eats *3 qts am and 3 qts pm* on the stand! That is a whopping amount of feed. She got her down to 2 am and 2 pm but production slacked off a bit.
This goat has hay and browse 24/7 with alfalfa. Sweet goat too!
BUT this goat is not worth it. Way too much feed for only 1 gallon of milk.


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## Baymule (Sep 29, 2014)

Lurking.......learning.......about goat boobs.....


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## Moody (Sep 29, 2014)

Thanks so much for the feed conversion info. I hadn't come across that in my reading. 

Also had no idea about the polled not being bred with another polled.


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## norseofcourse (Sep 29, 2014)

Southern by choice said:


> *You want decent feed conversion.*



Good info!  What amount would be considered a decent feed conversion?


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## Southern by choice (Sep 30, 2014)

norseofcourse said:


> Good info!  What amount would be considered a decent feed conversion?



That is the big question!

It really does vary goat to goat.
With our Nigies- we generally give 1 cup of feed to non-lactating goats in the winter months... none in the spring/summer.early fall. We use to feed year round but not any longer. During lactation the does get about 1 1/2 -  2 cups on the stand some (the piggies) will eat all some won't. 
Lamanchas- non-lactating winter feed is 2 cups per day. Lactating: depends on milking- whether 1x or 2x day.
Anywhere from 4-8 cups total depending on the goat, how fast they eat and how much milk they give and x of day milked.
One of our Lamanchas we recently acquired was in milk but her output was already diminishing. She was down to about 1/2 gallon day-she ate about 2cups am/pm. Not great but she needed to gain a few pounds anyway. Another is holding right now at 3qts per day and eats 3cups am pm she is a pig though. She has also been in milk for 15 months and her brat kid cannot seem to get weaned and sneaks milk in the day. Her kid is FAT!

We have tried the rocks in the bottom to slow some eaters down. It has never worked for us. They are brats! They will flip the whole feed bin off the stand, stomp, get very cantankerous. 

We have found the fast eaters are not turning feed into milk they just get fat. 
Slow eaters give consistent milk and stay in good condition.

BTW- our feed is a mixture. We do 2 parts feed (no sweet feed), 1 part alfalfa pellets, 1/4 whole oats, sprinkle cracked corn and BOSS with a little oil. 
Some of mine hate alfalfa pellets so they eat around it.

Our biggest thing is really water. If they are not drinking enough water the milk production goes down. Sometimes they are hot and lazy so they won't get up to drink. If there is anything in the bucket (we have dogs, geese and chickens with them) they won't drink. Needless to say we refill 10 2 gallon buckets 3 x day.

Our next group we raise up and train to the stand we are not going to use feed. We will give them only alfalfa hay on the stand. I think goats get "addicted" to feed/stand.


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## Moody (Sep 30, 2014)

I have a 16 oz dry weight cup that I am giving 3/4 full morning and night to each of my goats. 5 month old lamancha female and 4.5 month or so alpine male. I am giving purina noble goat dairy parlor 16. I want to maybe cut it to almost 3/4 with small fist of boss. Is that the feed you are referring to? When you say cup are you meaning one of those cups or a standard kitchen measuring cup?

I was going to add alpha hay or pellets once a week or so after she is pregnant or lactating.


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