# Udder Color Change



## Xtra (Jan 1, 2010)

OK - wierd question....

I have sold some does with these beautiful soft pink udders... the next year when they freshen for their new owners the udders are black! Why?

So in reverse - I just got a doe back from a friend who I sold as a kid... she just freshened a couple weeks ago, and her udder is soft PINK (I phtotographed this doe in milk, with a BLACK udder last year)!!!

Ideas???


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## trnubian (Mar 12, 2008)

Our does usually freshen with pink udders as yearlings and then as the summer goes on they start darkening. I think it has a lot to do with the sun and wind. They are not dirty but I believe this is a very common thing.


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## Xtra (Jan 1, 2010)

Interesting.... Yeah, we knew it wasn't dirt, but were just curious why it does this.

Thanks!!


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Pregnancy hormones increase the circulation of pheomelanin and eumelanin in humans so perhaps in goats as well- or some goats.
Lee


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

I've had most of my does start with udder skin of one color and then have it change once they freshen for the first time. I always thought it was normal.


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

For the same reason that human mommas have physiological changes in their bodies that can be permanent, during preganancy and lacation.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Yep, women of olive complexion get lines down their tummies and when the line connects, your going to freshen  Same with aureoles, they get bigger and darker due to hormones. Vicki


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Exactly..... :yeahthat


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Trust me, it is women of all complexions...I am very very pale and still got skin darkening. My line connected long before freshening.


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## swgoats (May 21, 2010)

No line for me, and my goats udders have always stayed the same color, so I guess we are melatonin challenged!! LOL


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

I had a prominent line and I have relatively fair skin. My mom had olive skin though....and there were some other, darker people back there too. And I had to wear nursing pads before I "freshened" because it was so large and dark it showed through all the layers if I wore white. 


and I have had udders change, except in my black girls. They stayed black for those does.  What is it about soft skin with the gene for black? They are all so soft. Soft hair...even soft on my buck...comparative to other colors of buck hair; soft, loose skin, soft udders... Niiice.  Pain in the derriere to show clip for me though. EEK. Need a #30 blade.


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Hey, that's funny, my little black mini alpine doeling has the softest, nicest haircoat. I haven't clipped her yet, or played with her skin much, lol. I have a Nigerian who is buckskin color too, and I noticed just a few days ago, that the black parts of her hair are softer than the tan parts...odd.

I don't know of any "olive" skin people in my background. And let me tell you, my legs are the most blinding bright white things ever. I have never met a person whose legs were whiter, lol. And yet, I still got the linea alba.

I wonder if my goats will have any color changing udders. Why not, my kids so far have liked to change colors on me! (the "black doeling" was actually a very dark, really neat chocolatey color of chamoisee when born, but then turned black, which is still pretty)


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

I have noticed this, too. The first time I saw it, I freaked out because I thought maybe it was gang green or whatever that mastitis is where they lose the udder. It seemed like one day, she had a pink udder and the next day it was black. Of course, I know it probably changed gradually, but it seemed that way. So I frantically searched pics on the internet and realized THAT wasn't it, thank heavens!


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

:yeahthat I freaked out the first time I saw it on mine too. Took very careful pics to compare the next day(s), even used my tool that measures surface temp... nothing measured "wrong" but it just seemed wrong. Now I find it interesting how it changes and back or not.  One of mine is dark on the outsides of her teats (leg side) and pink on the insides (toward other teat). Go figure.

Most of mine are black, even the ones that are flashy pinto-ish I learned are really black with white overlay. Everyone comments on how soft mine are. The few that are brown roans or gold/red, their coats are different in texture as well as color.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

I had one once whose teats switched from dark to pink about halfway down, like they'd been dipped in something!


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## H Diamond Farms (Jun 3, 2011)

I'm guessing this is something that doesn't happen in Saanens. They have "freckles" on their udders and other parts of the skin, but it's always pink for the majority. Some lines have more freckles than others too. It's funny, in my herd you can definitely tell which animals come from a certain doe, because she has very very very few freckles, and her kids are all the same. 
The hair color and softness is another interesting topic. Saanens tend to have hair that is more course (soft white hair is the exception not rule). On the other hand, my Sables which range from brown to black all have very soft coats. They all get the exact same food and care, but their coats are much different.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

Copper is needed in larger quantity by dark color goats most say, and leads to nicer coats... I wonder...


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Nancy, I could probably give you a run for your money when it comes to blinding white legs! hehehe

When I was pregnant, i didn't get lines but I sure got freckles! I looked like a raccoon!


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Freckles, heck, I've got freckles everywhere..face, legs, arms, back, especially shoulders, even a few on my tummy. I don't get tan so much as my freckles get tan.


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

And strangely enough, I have read that the gene for white hair is the dominant gene in goats.


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