Do all goats produce milk?

[jross8897]

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!!

 

[()relics]

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.

 

[patandchickens]

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

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

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

 

[Ariel301]

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)

 

[jross8897]

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.

 

[ChksontheRun]

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.

 

[jross8897]

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!!

 

[jross8897]

This is Maggie!

 

[freemotion]

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!