# Large udder on Nubian...is this normal?



## srsgoats (Sep 2, 2014)

We picked up a few Nubians from a friend getting out of the biz and noticed that one has an extremely large udder but has never kidded. Is this concern or could it be an infection? She seems healthy and there are no plus and the udder seems soft.


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## H Diamond Farms (Jun 3, 2011)

Picture? Very large as in it looks like it's full of milk or is it soft and empty?


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## srsgoats (Sep 2, 2014)

It looks like its full of milk and is hard. She really won't let me touch it either. The owner claims she has never kidded and I trust her. I took her as a favor but I really don't want it to affect our other goats. I have attached some pictures.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

In your first post you said it was soft, in the second you said it is hard. So which is it? It could be a precocious udder...how old is this goat? What is her CAE status?


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## srsgoats (Sep 2, 2014)

My hardness meter needs re-calibrated . After messing with it more I determined it is more hard than soft but not lumpy. She was given CAE vaccination when she was born. She is 3 years old. She does come from a line of heavy, excellent milkers.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

There is no CAE vaccination. You must be thinking CD&T. There is a blood test for CAE. There is no vaccine or treatment for it. If you want milk, I'd milk it and see if she will come into milk. Good idea to get the blood test first though. CAE spreads via milk.


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## Rose (Oct 26, 2007)

Cull. Sorry. If what you were told is true, there is SOMETHING wrong. I suspect CAE.

I sincerely doubt she's never kidded, unless she have a VERY precocious udder. But, that wouldn't be hard.

You could test for CAE, but there is something wrong, either with what you were told or with the goat.


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## lovinglife (Mar 19, 2013)

I don't believe she has never kidded. She could just not have dried up completely. I would test her for mastitis and CAE before you cull her. There could possibly be nothing actually wrong with the goat.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Agreed with getting a CAE test done, and if negative, test for mastitis. Over in the Health and Wellness section, there are instructions for sending milk off to be tested for mastitis. For CAE, you want the ELISA test. You can either draw the blood yourself and send it in (again, instructions in the Health and Wellness section) or have your vet help you with it. If it is positive, then the goat needs to go, IMO. Already having a hard udder, if she is CAE positive, you won't be able to milk her because that's not going to improve, and you would have to get any kids away immediately upon birth and not let her have contact with them, so it's not worth the trouble.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

There have been goats come into milk that have never kidded. It happens.


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## GoatFarmers (Sep 9, 2014)

Is she bred? 
Or fat? 
Or could she have a tumor? 
Can she breed? 
How much did her dam milk?


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## WildflowerFarm (Apr 21, 2013)

I have heard that does from very heavily milking lines will sometimes become what is known as "maiden milkers," giving milk before they are bred. I would not see a maiden milker as being undesirable at all, if that is what she is


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

I've had the does with precocious udders before. Milked them the first year and then bred the first fall.

Try milking her and see what you get.


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## JN (Nov 4, 2011)

Hmmm....Looks like she's freshened to me. My dad had a yearling doe that started to udder up a little. Was never bred. We suspected a precocious udder but went ahead and put her on a round of antibiotics. It started going away. Now, her udder looked nothing like this. This girl looks like she has freshened. Her teats even look very "developed" for never freshened?


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## srsgoats (Sep 2, 2014)

UPDATE:
I had blood work done and she is completely healthy, no CAE or other infections so apparently she has a precocious utter. I milked her out but can only get milk flowing on one side. Her starboard side teat is plugged or something. I tried and tried and eventually she acted like it hurt. Any advice on how to get the teat flowing?

BTW: Thank you all for your advice in getting me this far. The Vet says I have a very healthy goat...thanks again!


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