Milking question on udder

[goats&moregoats]

??, have a goat that I started milking about a week after kidding, milked out both sides completely each time, now one side seems quite a bit fuller each day. I still milk out both side completely bumping the udder as I milk. . What do I need to do to get them even again?

 

[TGreenhut]

First of all, have you ruled out mastitis- does she have any symptoms of mastitis?
She may just be producing more milk in the one side. Make sure when you are milking you are stripping out both sides completely and not leaving a little milk in one side and not the other. That could cause a drop in milk production of the one side. You could try milking the side with less milk more often to up its milk production. If you are milking twice a day, I would milk the smaller side 3-5 times a day until its even in production with the other side.

 

[goats&moregoats]

First of all, have you ruled out mastitis- does she have any symptoms of mastitis?
She may just be producing more milk in the one side. Make sure when you are milking you are stripping out both sides completely and not leaving a little milk in one side and not the other. That could cause a drop in milk production of the one side. You could try milking the side with less milk more often to up its milk production. If you are milking twice a day, I would milk the smaller side 3-5 times a day until its even in production with the other side.

No signs of mastitis. Milk flow is good on both sides, not hot to the touch and she doesn't mind me milking either side. I only milk once a day. Will increase that side to twice for now. Thank you for your input.

 

[Fullhousefarm]

Are babies nursing at all?

Sometimes baby will nurse on one side, so the other side has more milk. Other times the babies are nursing on the fuller side increasing production.


If babies aren't in the picture then it can still be "normal". Milking more often on the smaller side will definitely help.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Are babies nursing at all?

Sometimes baby will nurse on one side, so the other side has more milk. Other times the babies are nursing on the fuller side increasing production.


If babies aren't in the picture then it can still be "normal". Milking more often on the smaller side will definitely help.

x2.
I learned the hard way one time that milking the larger side thinking it is full, is not always the right thing. If you have a single nursing often times the larger side is the one they are nursing and the smaller side is producing less milk. You have to milk the smaller side. You may need to milk it 3 or 4 times a day to get it even again.

 

[goats&moregoats]

Are babies nursing at all?

Sometimes baby will nurse on one side, so the other side has more milk. Other times the babies are nursing on the fuller side increasing production.


If babies aren't in the picture then it can still be "normal". Milking more often on the smaller side will definitely help.

Babies are not nursing. I milk the dam and bottle feed the babies.

 

[Fullhousefarm]

Babies are not nursing. I milk the dam and bottle feed the babies.

Well that does make it simpler. (We've done both.)

Basically removing all the milk and stimulating production by milking more often will increase supply- but only to a certain point. It's normal for a doe to have one side that produces more naturally, but it can usually be evened out so there isn't a huge difference in appearance.

It could also be from a left hand/right hand difference so you could try switching sides (which I personally hate doing) or milking the smaller side with your other hand at the end. If you're machine milking you could try switching to make sure suction on one side isn't stronger- but that's not very likely.

Eta: Being a mom x4 and la leche league leader I get a lot of my experience from human nursing- same issue happens there.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Babies are not nursing. I milk the dam and bottle feed the babies.

Probably just your goat then.

 

[goats&moregoats]

TY