Udderly unequal udders

[savingdogs]

My does have very unequal udders, meaning I'm getting more than 3/4 of their total milk from one side consistently despite trying to milk them both out.
They are FFs no longer nursing kids, I'm getting a good amount (about a gallon a day each from mini nubians) but it is primarily from one side every milking, both does.

Am I doing something that encourages this? Is it anything to worry about? I notice when they are full, both does are lopsided.

Also, each of the teats on my two does is totally different and I have to milk them all differently. Is that everyone else's experience?

Udderly confused.....

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

My understanding is that that's not uncommon with does that have dam raised kids. I would think she would even out after milking for a time, but I don't have any practical experience with it. Sorry!

 

[savingdogs]

They did raise kids, but it has been over a month now since they have been nursing them. And I noted that the kids did nurse both sides. The one doe was always empty when she had the two kids with her, she rarely had any milk left for us after the two of them, but I often saw her kids nursing at the same time, so each one would have had a teat.

 

[helmstead]

It could have been that, in the very beginning, the kids mainly nursed one side and the other side reduced production right away. It's usually pretty impossible to keep an udder even when kids have had anything to do with it. One of the does I'm showing right now had her triplets for only 24 hours, and they managed to get her a tish lopsided in that time to where I have to milk one side down a little before she enters the ring.

That production is great, though! Imagine how they'll do if you catch the kids and milk from day 1, with even production from both halves!

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

It happens and its probally cuz they favored one teat more than the other. One may have been a stronger nurser. I have seen that.

I would leave the smaller teat alone for a day or so and see if it fills and evens out. It can take a bit of time. You may get a little less milk for a few days...but its worth a try. I would'nt go too long not milking that teat. But I would see if it fills at all.

Thats a great amount of milk from a mini!! Good for you!!

 

[savingdogs]

Gosh I didn't think of letting it fill up on the smaller side, I thought I should be trying to milk and milk that side to make it catch up production. The "bad" side on each doe DOES produce milk, just not an amount that is equal to the other side. I noted this morning that each doe was giving approximately 3/4 of her milk from the heavier side.

These are not show goats, just milk producers for us so I'm not too concerned about them looking lopsided, more that they be healthy and that I'm not doing something wrong with my milking procedures. These are first fresheners and I'm a new "milker" so we have been learning together and I wasn't sure if we got it right!

 

[helmstead]

I would leave the smaller teat alone for a day or so and see if it fills and evens out. It can take a bit of time. You may get a little less milk for a few days...but its worth a try. I would'nt go too long not milking that teat. But I would see if it fills at all.

I strongly disagree. That will actually cause that side to produce even less.

The only thing you can really try is milking the smaller half 3-4 times a day, to see if asking it for more will revitalize it....unlikely though.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

My girl Nora was due to have twins and one of them died during the birthing..so she has ample milk for her 1 little guy. And of course he favors one side. So Im milking the otherside twice a day for her. She was very lopsided to but she evened right out.

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

I would leave the smaller teat alone for a day or so and see if it fills and evens out. It can take a bit of time. You may get a little less milk for a few days...but its worth a try. I would'nt go too long not milking that teat. But I would see if it fills at all.

I strongly disagree. That will actually cause that side to produce even less.

The only thing you can really try is milking the smaller half 3-4 times a day, to see if asking it for more will revitalize it....unlikely though.

I strongly disagree with your disagreement...I have NEVER seen a teat dry in a 24 hour period. Sometimes you need catch up time. Thats my expirience...and it worked and amazingly didnt dry up. Thats why I stressed not waiting too long to NOT milk that teat..but give it sometime to fill...even 12 hours might help.

 

[helmstead]

Where did I say it would dry off?

Do a little more research into the way mammary cells produce milk and what causes them to either increase or decrease production, and what signals them to stop producing all together.

BTW a 12 hour fill should be standard. Allow more than 18 hrs, and you're GOING to loose production.