Eek. I didn't know that kind of thing would happen. I have never seen her do this, but that's not to say it isn't happening overnight.
I guess we'll have to see what happens at the end of the month. If there's no kidding by August 7th then something else is going on.
@babsbag I am in Canada, so I don't know if the same things are available at our local TSC stores as in the US, but I will certainly check for the Mastitis kit there.
If you get a mastitis test, don't get the cardboard strips. Totally useless
A CMT kit would be best, hope you can find one.
Thankfully I haven't dealt with self-suckling does. I'm shocked our 1 lamancha doe doesn't self-nurse. She still loves milk and will try to drink the milk out of the bucket. Weird goat. She'll try to get it out of a bottle, bucket, or sometimes another goats udder
Self-nursers are very hard to break - if not impossible. Some breeders believe they will teach other goats to do it - I am not convinced, but not outside the realm of possibility.
Here is a video of a doe self sucking.
I've found that the habit is most likely to form in dam raised goats who are never properly weaned/separated from the dam.
Just looking at the picture, it's possible, but I would still be more concerned about mastitis.
If she hasn't kidded by August 7 you can always start milking her anyways. I love my goat that comes into milk without breeding. I actually have two that do that but only one that I milk, the other girl is getting old and I just let her be, unless of course she starts bullying at the gate for grain, then I will start milking her again.