Cold turkey - engorged mamas

[woodlumn]

Hi all,

When nursing kids are pulled from their mamas cold turkey, is there anything I need to do about the mamas' swollen udders? They've gotten pretty big, but it has only been 24 hours.

The kids are 15 weeks old, my herd is kiko. Just want to make sure my two does don't need any help from me...

Thanks for the advice!

 

[aggieterpkatie]

They shouldn't need any help. Their udders will be pretty big for about a week, and then they'll shrink down fairly quickly.

 

[manybirds]

if you dont want mama's milk kids don't HAVE to be pulled, mama will wean them when its time plus if your raising meat kids they will get bigger and taistier on mom. but if you are i would take only one kid away at a time, that way the doe has time to adjust at a slower pace instead of going from providing milk for 2-4 babies striaght to not providing for anybody.

 

[woodlumn]

Thanks for the replies.

I'm not raising the goats for meat or milk, I'm keeping them because they're thinning out the jungle that is my back couple of acres.

But, the kids have been sold, so they're no longer with their mamas. Seemed like it was okay to do...they didn't seem to nurse much any more, and all the kids have been chowing down on vegetation for quite some time.

I'll just keep an eye on the does for the next week then. Maybe if it looks real bad I'll milk them out a little bit.

 

[lilhill]

I would milk the doe just enough to relieve the pressure If need be and let her dry off.

 

[20kidsonhill]

meat goats go way down on milk production after 6 t0 8 weeks, they will fill up some after weaning, but you should be fine just leaving them be and letting them dry up. It is important to not have them on any grain during this time or high calorie feeds to help slow down milk production. I am assuming that yours are on just forage.
and to just keep an eye on them for any one off feed and having a hard time adjusting to being weaned. This is the time that I have had the most problems with my does getting a worm load, abaout 2 to 3 weeks after weaning. I beleive it is from the stress they go through causing them to become more acceptable. I realize your kikos may be a little more resistant to worm loads than boer, but still something to watch out for during times of stress.

 

[woodlumn]

Good advice, thank you!

You're in the valley? I'm hanging on to the east side of the Blue Ridge