I have a Nubian/Saanen cross doe that I got from the dairy last Friday. The last 2 milkings she has had a few clumps out of one side that look almost like tissue? (They have a few tiny blood specks)

The milk itself isn't nasty at all, but I have had to pull several of these clumps out of the end of her teat.

She was being milked by machine, but I hand milk.....I was wondering if maybe I bruised her teat? Or she got stepped on?

Her udder is still nice and soft, not hot at all.

Is this milk ok to use or should I be dumping it?

Thanks!

-- Tracy (zebella@mindspring.com), May 16, 2002

Answers

Is she a first freshener? If so, there is a post in the archives that Vicki explained heavy milking first fresheners sometimes do this. It's part of the stretching of he udder. Of course she explains it all so much better-but hat's the Cliff Notes version from me:).

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), May 16, 2002.

Actually she is a 3 yr old, so not a first freshener.

Although she has gave me more milk tonight, over 3 quarts!

There was only one tiny clump of "stuff" in it this time.

I hope this milk is ok to use, cause we've been using it! I do pasteurize it.

Tracy

-- Tracy (zebella@mindspring.com), May 16, 2002.

I would bet she just got banged a little on the move to your place. Just strain the milk, even if their was a little blood in it, pink milk only looks bad :) Just keep milking her, a nice soft udder that isn't hot, surely isn't harboring anything bad enough to cause tissue loss. You will KNOW if you have mastitis, rarely does it keep you guessing long!

Doreen's cliff notes could be right on if she has had a feed change at your place, I know a doe I sold went from milking as a 4th freshener 8 and 9 pounds, to being a lone milker at a new persons home and milking 11 pounds., this could also cause some blood just from holding that much milk for 12 hours, and the udder stretching and breaking little blood vessels in it. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), May 17, 2002.

Thanks Vicki!

The last 2 milkings have been totally clean, so I guess it must have cleaned itself out, whatever it was!

This is such a sweet goat girl! The perfect 1st milker :) I got 3 1/2 qts at tonight's milking! Boy you should see the udder on her! She looks every bit as good as all the show goat pics I have seen! My hubby commented that she has a bigger bag than the cows

Her only annoying habit seems to come from the Nubian side of her She won't shut up if you are outside....I guess she thinks she should be attatched to you at all times :)

Tracy

-- Tracy (zebella@mindspring.com), May 17, 2002.