Goat Udder Care:

[mikey]

Drying Up

Allow 60 days between the last milking and the expected delivery day. Do NOT gradually stop milking. Just STOP period! If you suspect that you have a case of untreated mastitis, now is the time for an infusion of "Dry Cow" mastitis preparation, such as "Today"®. One tube should do both halves of the udder. Do the most questionable one last and use completely sterile precautions as instructed. [The product "Today"® is for use with the LAST milking; "Tomorrow"® is a similar product intended for ongoing mastitis treatment when you plan to keep on milking her.

Leaky teats

There really is no cure for this. It may be hereditary. Don’t use rubber bands, tape or plugs. One source says you can soak cotton with styptic pencil (silver nitrate) and cover with paper tape. I have no experience with this. The best plan is to raise kids on the leaking doe or to milk her three or four times per day.

Mastitis, CMT testing
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The California Mastitis Test®
EVERYONE who raises goats should have this testing kit in their medicine cabinet. It is available from all major suppliers. Mastitis is a very serious ailment and in dealing with problems of the udder the results of the CMT are essential in determining the proper treatment program. Furthermore, the test is very accurate and good at early detection of infection.
Excellent instructions come with the test and they should be followed rigorously. With a little practice anyone can easily perform the test. It hardly takes any time at all. You will be looking for the mixture of milk and test liquid to form a gel. This really does happen. It is not unlike watching for your favorite gelatin dessert to set up. Just be sure to mix EQUAL parts milk and liquid. The only thing they fail to mention in the instructions is that they ask you to tip the paddle to pour out any excess which you have milked into the test cups. You should have an extra pan or bucket available for this so that you do not have to throw potentially germ-laden milk on the ground or the floor. Also, you are asked to milk about 2 ml into the test cups; you may want to practise ahead of time to learn how much this is. Tipping the paddle at 45° will give you about the right amount.


General considerations:

The most common time for udder problems is the second or third day after delivery. This will usually show up as rather severe hardening anywhere in either or both sides of the udder. It can be a single, relatively small area resembling a flattened golf ball or it can be so large as to include the whole udder. It can even be noticed before delivery. It is not unusual for a doe to quickly develop some hardened areas (perhaps more common in first-time mothers) soon after delivery as the udder starts to fill with milk and grow in size. Fortunately, most of these are NOT "mastitis." The term for this condition when it is not accompanied by or caused by an infectious organism is congestion. This can be a rather harmless situation which may go away as the kids begin to nurse or the owner begins milking. On the other hand, it can advance to a more serious, painful and aggravating health hazard with symptoms such as the cessation of milk production, loss (sometimes complete) of appetite, digestive disturbances and a host of other things.
The first thing to do is to determine whether we are dealing with mastitis or congestion. We can do this with a pretty fair degree of certainty: [1] The California Mastitis Test can identify mastitis in the "pre-clinical" stage. This means that it will tell you if you have a case of mastitis even before there are any visible symptoms. Got a suspicious udder? Do the CMT. If it’s clear, then you probably have congestion. If it’s positive, then start treating for mastitis. Fairly cut and dried! [2] Congestion and mastitis can usually (that means there are some exceptions) be distinguished on the basis of other symptoms. Does she do it every year right after delivery? Does it go away rather quickly after a couple of days of the kids nursing on it? Then it is probably congestion. Do funny flaky things show up on dark cloth when you milk through it? Does the milk tend to be off color? Or watery? Is the teat or udder hot or cold? Then you may have a case of mastitis. Do the CMT and then we’ll know.

Blood in the milk for the first two or three days, if it turns the milk pink and settles to the bottom of a clear glass if left overnight is usually something you can ignore. It is more common in cattle than goats. Although the milk may appear rather unappetizing to you, the kids will not complain. If the blood persists for several days, does not settle out and appears more like clots or strings, then be sure to do the CMT.

If after all of this, you still are not certain, always err in the direction of treating mastitis. Not treating mastitis is much more harmful than over-treating any of the more minor ailments.

Brief guidelines for identification of mastitis by the nature of the milk:

--Slight wateriness with a few flakes –subacute staphylococcus aureus

--Watery with large yellow clots –streptococcal and staphylococcal

--Watery brown with fine mealy flakes –E. coli


Prevention

Always keep bedding clean, especially if any of the does are leaking milk. Keep a careful watch on any signs of congestion in newly freshened does and at least begin massaging right away. Always dry your hands and the teats and udder before and after milking. Immediately treat any injury to the teats or udder, even if it appears very slight. Never let the milking doe lie on a cold surface such as concrete, metal, rocks or damp ground. Use the CMT mastitis test at the first questionable sign of a problem. Always, after the first five days after delivery, milk the doe COMPLETELY out with each milking, being careful to massage and strip the teats when done. Proper use of commercial teat dips is highly recommended. Create a relaxed environment for the milking doe so that the udder will empty out completely. For does which are nursing kids check the udders at least once a day for heat, swellings, injuries and residual milk that needs to be removed (if the doe is producing more milk than the kids can consume, the excess can lead to congestion and mastitis). Be alert to any unexplained drop in milk production (during heats, the milk may drop off a little).

The following is a brief description of some treatment measures for dealing with mastitis. It does not take into consideration the various organisms that can be responsible for the disease or the slight differences in symptoms that each of these may present. Scrolling further down the page will take you to more detailed descriptions of some of these, with treatment protocols.

First of all, do everything you can to maintain the doe’s appetite and general good spirits. Loss of appetite is a common complication of mastitis along with the stress of a recent delivery and all that. If she should stop eating the prognosis turns downhill real fast.
Start penicillin shots right away (Penicillin G Procaine). Do this twice a day for five days, more if the problem takes longer to solve.

If it has not been five days since delivery, there is a complexity because of the danger of causing milk fever from intensive milking, which is part of the cure for mastitis. Mastitis right after delivery frequently results from not enough milk being taken out by the kids. In this difficult time you have to milk cautiously as much as you can. If the doe is not a heavy milker the danger of taking too much is reduced. But if she has a large udder and puts out a lot of milk, you have to be careful. In short, there is no easily defined answer as to how much milk to remove if it has been five or less days since delivery. My basic rule is: one-fifth per day. For example, if it has been two days since delivery milk her two-fifths of the way out.

If is has been 5 days or more, you can (and should) milk and rub and milk and rub and milk and rub until you feel like you’re going to drop.

After you are done milking and with the needle off a syringe gently shoot about 2 ml penicillin up into each teat. Massage it up into the udder a little. Leave it there until you milk her the next time, probably about 3 hours. If you do get the udder empty (without danger of milk fever!) then the BEST cure is to just keep milking and rubbing until you collapse.

If the udder is hot, you can apply ice packs. If the kids are nursing, they will help soften the udder as well. (But you don’t want them drinking milk with penicillin in it.)

Every case is a little different. Some types go away better than others. Some udders show problems throughout the milking season and you have to use a "dry cow" infusion at the end of the milking season when you dry her up to make sure it doesn't come back next year.

TREATMENT FOR CONGESTION

Leave kids with her to work on the udder. If no danger of milk fever, strip her dry every hour and massage with hot rags. Diuretics are highly recommended by some.


DETAILED TREATMENT OF MASTITIS-CAUSING ORGANISMS:

Staphylococcus aureus:
The most common type of mastitis in sheep. Common in cattle. Not as common in goats as Streptococcus agalactiae. This is one of the most dangerous types of mastitis, also known as gangrenous mastitis. This organism is widespread throughout the environment, with various strains causing life-threatening illnesses in people. (These are not caught from goats that we know of.) The skin of the teat becomes cold, blue and sloughs (hence the old name of "blue bag"). The whole infected quarter may slough. There is a good chance that the doe may go off feed completely. She may stand with her back legs quite far apart. There will be watery, blood-stained, smelly milk which later changes to thick, yellow ropy stuff. Death can be quite sudden. You should isolate the doe right away. The kids should probably be pulled and bottle fed or grafted onto other does. If she is close to drying off, this should be done following the appropriate treatment with benzathine cloxacillin. These organisms are penicillin resistant, so use erythromycin or chlortetracycline systemically. If you think that she cannot be dried up at this point, it may be best to seek help from your veterinarian in deciding on an ongoing treatment program.

Streptococcus agalactiae

Probably the most common source of mastitis in goats. The organism enters through the teat opening, so it is easy to see the importance of prevention. Fortunately, this is not usually a real dangerous disease in goats. And, equally fortunate, you don’t have to wait until dry up to treat. The milk will be watery and possibly have some yellowish clots. There is probably a reduction in milk supply. The udder will feel warm and the doe may or may run a fever. She will probably show a reduced appetite. The disease may range from mild to serious and is rather hard to differential from congestion as above without using the CMT. An infusion of penicillin (into the udder) will usually take care of the problem. Commercially prepared tubes of penicillin which come with a longer and narrower point for insertion into the teat are available from most suppliers. Also available are products: "Today"® and "Tomorrow"® for currently milking and dry drying up. These are easier and safer to use than regular syringes. (Be sure to use extreme sanitation!) You can also give penicillin shots if you’d like. If you find that Penicillin is not effective after 3 or 4 days, switch to LA200® and if that doesn't work, try Tylan200®.

E. coli

This is usually a fairly serious illness. There is frequently a temperature ranging from 103° - 108°. It produces dangerous toxins as part of the inflammatory process. E. coli infections frequently occur right after freshening as the udder starts to fill. Milk production ceases. Anorexia (loss of appetite) is fairly complete. Other symptoms include depression, dehydration, weight loss. Secretion from the udder is brownish and watery. This type of mastitis is can be accompanied by diarrhea. Treatment is penicillin infusions and injections. Although this is a serious illness, upon recovery the udder usually returns to normal. But even if the affected quarters dry up, the udder will be normal at the next lactation.

Corynebacterium pyogenes

This organism is responsible for a multitude of diseases in farm animals. It is constantly lurking around waiting for an opportunity to strike. Thus, it is known as a secondary invader when it comes to mastitis and this type is fairly common in goats. There is a foul-smelling pus-like discharge that can occur even in does that are not in milk. There may be actual abscesses visible. It is felt that dirty bedding and the presence of flies contributes to its spread. In this type the udder may not return to production after infection. Treatment is penicillin and not very optimistic.

[mikey]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A persistent disease that shows intermittent episodes of visible signs of mastitis. If often follows infusions that are not done antiseptically. It may lead to toxemia and death. It is very hard to treat and may persist through the drying off period. Is occurs mostly in cattle and rarely in goats. Either check with your vet of get rid of the animal.

Nocardia asteroides

This is a very dangerous disease. The is a sudden, acute onset with high fever, complete loss of appetite, rapid wasting away of the doe, marked swelling of the udder. There will be tissue fibers in the milk and nodules that can be felt. This type may also follow unsanitary infusions. Although you can try penicillin or a consultation with your vet, most sources recommend slaughter.

Yeast Infections

Any infection that survives or occurs after treatment with penicillin can be the result of the development of opportunistic yeast invasion. The doe will have a high temperature. There may be a spontaneous recovery or it may end up as a chronic destructive process. Treatment of this problem is very complicated and for the novice as about s dangerous as the disease. It should serve as a reminder that the over zealous use of penicillin can lead to yeast infections.

MYCOPLASMA mastitis

There are a large number of species of mycoplasma organisms which can cause mastitis in goats. Both quarters will be seriously affected and will be hot and swollen. There will be a dramatic loss of milk production followed by serous or purulent (pus) discharge. In goats, the disease is highly transmissible. In one of the more common types painful, arthritic joints will be readily observable. There will usually be fever and loss of appetite. The milk will be thick and yellow and separate on standing, oftentimes with flaky sediments. In another type, the milk may be greenish and there will be symptoms of the central nervous system and pneumonia. In another type, the milk will have a putrid odor.

Mycoplasmal mastitis can be spread to the young through the milk. The kids may show pneumonia and/or arthritis and may even die. Other symptoms can include limping, hunched back, blindness, obvious pain or discomfort, anorexia, death. If you suspect this type of mastitis, the kids should be pulled and either fed off other does or given pasteurized milk. There is some chance that tetracyclines or Tylan® can cure, but the outcome is not optimistic. Careful consideration should be given to elimination from the breeding herd.


Obstruction

Treated like atresia above. Must either remove the obstruction. Best to try to determine the cause. If a foreign object, pull it out, don’t push it in. Usually, it is some type of tissue from an injury or infection that narrows the canal. Sometimes you have to use a cannula to milk. Teat dilators go a long way toward helping to expand the orifice.

Pox [Goat pox]

True pox is usually confined to the teats and udder, but can be found anywhere on the body. It starts as just a rough feeling, then progresses to small red spots which later blister with clear fluid. Then it dries to form a scab. The milk should be discarded. Isolate the animal and milk her last. Dab iodine on the pustules. Cut back on the grain a little. Milking will be painful. Reportedly not a disease in goats in North America. There is a reaction to overfeeding of grain which resembles the above description. The first thing to do is cut back on grain to see if this takes care of the problem. Please realize that this brief description of udder problems cannot do full justice to pox and pox-like diseases. There may be other symptoms, such as swollen eyelids, that appear on other parts of the body. Remember that pox diseases are caused by a virus and do not respond to antibiotics. You can only treat the localized symptoms. [Also discessed in Skin section]

Precocious lactation
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It is not uncommon for a goat which has not been bred to develop an udder which does contain a varying amount of milk. Sometimes a small udder will develop in a little doe who is only a few weeks old. Unless you find good reason to do otherwise, no nothing.

Self-sucker

If this behavior should occur make a collar with sharp studs that will poke her if she bends her neck back. Get after the problem right away before it becomes a habit. This seems to be more likely if the udder is in an over-full condition.

Stings

We have had good luck with generic over-the-counter people antihistamine tablets (no decongestants included) given at twice the normal human dose. Goats seem to tolerate antihistamines very well and they seems to have a slight calming effect.

Stripping

This means getting all the milk out of the udder, technically by repeatedly sliding two extended parallel fingers down the length of the teat until nothing comes out. Every milking session should end with this technique. It is also recommended by some that you give the udder a slight nudge resembling the action of nursing kids just before the end of the stripping process. Stripping is very important as a mastitis prevention tool in that milk left in the udder tends to encourage the growth of micro-organisms which cause infection.

Supernumerary teats and double teats
1425


It is common and hereditary in goats to have a kid born with extra teats or teats with multiple ends. EVERY female kid should be examined for this abnormality at birth, without exception. The important thing is to decide if there is a functional milk gland behind the spare teat. We strongly recommend the removal of double teats and, where there is not a gland, extra teats.
The actual removal is startingly simple. Make sure the tiny udder area and teat are extremely sterile. We press an ice cube against the teat to be cut for a couple of minutes; this reduces bleeding and may reduce pain. Then paint the area with iodine and dry. With a steady hand and a small pair very sharp scissors, cut off the extra teat at the base. The cut may need to be made at a slight angle to the remaining teat so that the mature udder will develop properly. Believe it or not, there is rarely any bleeding. Immediately dab the wound with some iodine on a cotton swab. Then use NTZ® powder (pinkeye remedy) to seal off the area. Keep the kid in a clean environment (the house?) for a couple of hours and check for bleeding. Check daily to make sure there is no further injury or any infection. In almost every case, the little doe will grow into a perfectly normal member of the milking herd. Since this is a hereditary problem, whether or not to keep her offspring for breeding is something that you will need to consider.


Suppression of Milk

Reasons for: Indigestion, mastitis, bad feed, insect bites, recent removal of kid, fear, rabies, several diseases. This usually occurs shortly after delivery. Put her in a comfortable area and gently massage the udder. Bring the kid to her just before milking. Do everything you can to help her nerves. Just the pain from a newly filled udder can cause the doe to become very upset. Warm compresses may comfort her. You can get medication from a vet to help in milk let down.

Trauma

Wounds: adhesive tape, sprays. If near teat opening, clean it, put on dressing and wrap it twice a day. Deep wounds should be sutured.  Give udder infusion and antibiotic shots. Tetanus antitoxin should be given for any deep or serious injury. Hopefully, all the does will be protected with tetanus toxoid vaccine. Any injury to the teat and udder area should be kept immaculately clean.
Chapped teats: iodine and glycerin (can get at drug store).

Contusions: Apply icy water, not ice or ice packs at first. Then warm packs later. Do not lance or drain.

Occasionally, a severe injury to the udder (from being butted, kicked or stepped on, for example) can result in a group of symptoms which closely resemble mastitis. There may be blood, clots, or thick white clumps in the milk. These injuries can rapidly lead to full-blown mastitis; therefore, we prefer to begin a course of antibiotics (such as penicillin shots) and test for mastitis (California Mastitis Test, discussed elsewhere). Ice packs can provide some relief of pain or swelling. Gentle massaging is required just like with mastitis. Any cuts on the surface of the udder or teats should always be treated aggressively. It is best not to dry up the doe until you can be sure that there is no chance of infection.


Tumors, Cysts, Growths

Leave them alone.

Udder abscess
1430


This is a more serious condition than acne (below). Abscesses may indicate a serious infection of the udder due to soiled bedding or generally unclean environmental factors. They may be secondary to a serious case of mastitis which has gone unnoticed. Or, there may be bruises or injury to the udder or teats which have not been properly treated.
Most sources recommend that abscesses on the udder be lanced and drained. If you do that, make sure that no discharges can get into the milking pail. Possibly some diluted iodine can be rubbed into the cavity with a cotton swab. Everything possible should be done to keep the open area dry and clean. If there are several abscesses, one should consider antibiotic injections as well. Most respond fairly rapidly to treatment once started


Udder acne
1429


Acne refers to pustules on the skin of the udder and the teats, frequently near the base. Standard treatment treatment is to wash the udder before and after milking, then apply an antibiotic ointment. Most of the commercial teat washes will prevent its spread. Be sure to milk with dry hands and that the udder surface is completely dry after milking.This condition is sometimes helped by reducing the amount of grain in the ration.

Udder edema
1427


Swellings or strange fillings in the udder of the doe beforedelivery are best left alone. Milking the doe before she delivers, although it may look a little tempting, can lead to milk fever and/ or mastitis.

Urticaria (Hives)

An allergic swelling of the skin. If this is the cause, there will probably be swelling on other parts of the body. May be from bedding or from allergic reaction to plants. You can give people-type over-the-counter antihistamines for this. If the condition persists for more than a day or day, contact your vet for further diagnosis and treatment.

Warts

Can tie them off with a string or thread. Compound W® will help, but tedious. Will sometimes drop off on their own. Not very common in goats.

Maryland Small Ruminant, Mastitis [A]
Terry C. Gerros, DVM,MS,DACVIM at site of Apollonia Farm Dairy Goats, Suzanne Nee   [Mastitis]

Goat Handbook [Mastitis - A]

Goat Handbook [Mastitis - B]

Univ of Minnesota   [Mastitis]

CONSULTANT ©   Cornell's Diagnostic program

[mikey]

Prevention of Mastitis
in Dairy Goats

By Nancy Nickel 


Prevention of mastitis (inflammation of the udder which can result in abnormal milk) in dairy goats begins long before a producer of milk even considers it to be a problem. Feeding caprine kids milk, without the benefit of pasteurization, from does who are infected can spread mastitis to doelings months before they are mature enough to breed and develop a functioning mammary system of their own. Allowing kids to nurse dams, or to steal milk from their mother's affected herd mates, presents vectors for transmission that a herdsman may be unaware of in sub-clinical cases-long before the diseased udder becomes acute and is presented for treatment. Spread of infectious bacteria from dam to daughter and laterally by kids nursing multiple milkers is a high consideration in determination of heard health practices. In addition to the spread of mastitis causing bacteria by these methods, examination of milking practices in the parlor causes us at Nickel's Dairy Goats, Clark, Missouri, to be very careful in the procedures and products we use to safeguard the udders of does in our herd.

The teat is designed to be wonderfully effective in prevention of the entry into the udder of bacteria from the environment. It has a small opening in the end, which is supple enough to allow the passage of milk out while closing small enough to prevent dirt from coming in. The skin of the teat remains elastic and smooth under most conditions, presenting a surface that is resistant to bacteria. The waxy plug at the end, and waxy canal lining is somewhat germicidal, so after an hour or so from milking it has reformed an impenetrable barrier to most pathogens. That this is true, and that it creates a system that works well, is evident in the number of mammaries that are milked and the number of days that we milk them in comparison with the few cases of mastitis needing treatment over time.

Preserving the elasticity and smoothness of the teat skin is considered when man-made products are used to prevent chapping and sunburn. Bag Balm is useful and easily applied when needed after milking in times of adverse weather. Cracked and flaking skin on teats and udder harbors bacteria and dirt which may be introduced during the milking process. Prewashing when milking lowers the bacteria gathered from the environment. We like to use a germicidal wash in warm water applied with a single use paper towel. Nolvasan is gentle on the skin and effective against bacterial agents as well. The thought of the udder as a large reservoir which is kept at a perfect temperature to grow bacteria, helps us see that it is essential to prevent contamination.

The waxy surface on teat ends and in the teat canal must be undisturbed if it is to do its job. Nolvasan is an effective cleaning agent that does not disturb the continuity of this barrier. Over the years we have had people tell us that they make their own prewash usually incorporating bleach or iodine as the germicidal. While I have no doubt that these chemical agents are germicidal, I also know that they are caustic to skin and the wax of the teat plug. In the vigorous manner in which bleach and iodine destroy cells they are likely to destroy the doe's natural defenses against environmental bacteria as well. The end result is often a case of mastitis instead of the prevention one is hoping for.

The careful dairy goat manager should draw milk only from clean udders. Likewise, only sanitized udders should be milked. Milk only with clean, sanitized hands. Using single-use paper towels for washing and drying udders prior to milking, minimizes the lateral spread of bacteria in the milk room. The milker not only dips the paper towel into the udder wash to prepare each doe but dips his or her hands as well. Human skin is porous and a good vector of disease if not properly disinfected. Each doe should be dried completely before she is milked by machine or by hand. Milking only until the flow of milk stops is also an important part of udder health.

When the udder is empty, a final massage by hand helps to prevent growth of any bacteria introduced. Over-milking can be a factor in destroying the waxy layer of the teat canal or teat end and create stress on the skin which might allow bacteria to enter. Even when letting a machine do the work the milker must be aware of when the udder is empty. Paying strict attention to the amount of vacuum actually delivered to the inflation is an essential part of machine maintenance for mastitis prevention.

Following milking, an application of uncontaminated teat sealant is suggested. The process of using a teat spray is superior to using a dip cup. It has been found in University study that some teat dips are actually able to grow bacteria and that the dip cup is capable of spreading these bacteria from one doe to the next. The product chosen to spray must have the ability to coat the teat orifice and encourage the teat skin to remain smooth and supple. At Nickel's Dairy Goats, we like to use a spray that contains glycerin for this purpose. Glycerin can seal the teat orifice temporarily until the wax can be recreated and the natural seal formed.

We make sure we clean all equipment between each milking, using chemicals and soaps specifically designed for the cleaning of dairy equipment. Milk stone build up can provide a place for bacteria to grow. The dairy industry in general based on cow production, has benefited the goat keeper who has the ability to share the research and knowledge accumulated over many years. It is far more economical to make use of this information than it is to risk experimentation and perhaps develop mastitis in even one doe.

Cattle research shows that the younger members of the milking string have come in contact with less bacteria than the older individuals. Therefore, it is beneficial to milk in the same order, youngest to oldest based on number of lactations, every milking. The does should be milked in the same stanchion day after day. We visited a cow dairy in which ten rounds of cows came into a 12-stall parlor. Stanchion number four on the right had four cows with uneven mammaries, the result of bacteria picked up during milking and spread to the cows who used that milker. The infection of only four cows of over a hundred herd mates was due to the fact that the cows did not share equipment within the herd. The uneven cows were then marked and milked last, from that day until culture showed that the mastitis had been cured and bacteria was no longer being shed.

It is important to keep the environment for dairy animals dry and clean. The natural inclination of the goat to remain dry and avoid dirty surroundings is a great aid in achieving this goal. At shows, bed pens deep and always choose pens on the outside rows of the barn. Avoid high traffic areas to prevent does from walking where others may have spilled milk. At home keep lounging areas clean and dry. The use of lime screenings as a base is a good idea. Here in Missouri the quarry sometimes calls this "chat" as well. Lime from this source is not anti-bacterial, in that it will not kill bacteria as Barn Lime or caustic lime can. However lime screenings as a base will not harm skin and is effective in that it does not present a medium where bacteria will grow. Keeping areas around feeders and waterers free of build up or mud is a good step in prevention of bacteria as well.

Natural sunlight disinfects without adding chemicals to the environment. Choosing to pen at shows and at home where the sun can shine on the ground or floor is a very good strategy. Ultraviolet light does kill bacteria and the drying effect of the sun prevents moisture conducive to bacterial growth as well.

When the lactation is over, we always dry treat all does. To dry treat helps to reduce the production of milk. It is done with the hope that the addition of antibiotics into the mammary will be effective against the growth of bacteria during a time when milk is allowed to sit in the udder. Dry treating always twice, a week apart, has proven to be effective for us. However in cases where the doe was difficult to dry off a third treatment might be needed.

In choosing replacement does for any dairy goat herd, take care not to buy into trouble. Personally assess the udders of any prospects for lumps, unevenness, or skin abnormalities.

Milk all new additions last and separately, until convinced they are indeed as healthy as the home team. In purchasing dry stock and kids we are sure to ask how they were raised and what the source of milk and colostrum was. When assessing the risks of exposure to harmful bacteria, keep in mind the possibility that pathogens in the milk fed to kids can live in the forming mammary tissue of that kid and come to life as a full blown case of mastitis when she freshens or even before.

Over the years we have managed a dairy goat herd our goal has been high production as well as longevity in the show ring. While a case of mastitis may not always be life threatening, it would signal the end of usefulness to our breeding program. To ensure the continuity of the genetics in our herd, prevention is not the best choice-it is the only choice, economically as well as for the health of our does
 

[mikey]

What to Do About
Mastitis and Uneven Udders
No Time to "Wait and See"

By Nancy Nickel 


Sometimes mastitis just happens. Even though the barn lot is kept dry and the bedding clean, the prewash and post milking spray used effectively, sometimes an individual will exhibit signs of mastitis. It is unfortunate that by the time noticeable signs present themselves, the udder has undergone permanent and damaging changes. In the few cases that we have dealt with at Nickel Farms near Clark, Missouri, we have observed that the doe which has had clinical mastitis never milks to her expected potential and often exhibits changes in the capacity of the effected side. Sometimes knots or lumps in the mammary tissue remain despite modern medicine and a herdsman's best efforts. This too has a direct effect on production from that half. In a show string, these does do not milk down well in addition to being judged at a disadvantage due to the texture or uneven capacity of the halves.

The difficulty of dealing with these individuals in a dairy situation becomes even more acute when considering that they may at any time become actively mastitic again, shedding high somatic cells which can contribute to the entire bulk tank being sold at a lesser price. It is difficult at best to tell if these herd members are likely to contribute to the spread of pathogens throughout the herd. They are possibly endangering not only the milk check, but any future herd replacements as well. It has been established throughout the cattle dairy industry that herds who follow the practice of feeding raw milk containing bacteria from infected females experience as much as an 80% increase in mastitis among the first fresheners when they come into milk. Lateral transmission of bacterial pathogens on the hands of the milker or milking equipment is another concern as sub-clinical mastitis is as likely to become a source of infection to other animals as is an acute case.

Methods of detecting sub-clinical mastitis in dairy goats are not well defined or developed. Because goats secrete milk in a different manner than cows, the use of detection plans serving cattle dairies are not effective for use by goat herdsmen. The strip cup, which shows clots of milk, will warn you of a problem, but by the time this abnormal milk is discovered, damage has already occurred in the mammary system.

Chemical solutions that are used to combine with a small sample of milk likewise will not provide a definitive reading when used with goat milk—until the udder is harboring enough bacteria to cause lasting damage.

Somatic cell counts will be high when the milk from active cases is examined at the DHIA lab. This has its drawbacks as well in that the milk test is usually performed on a sporadic and intermittent basis and at a monthly interval. To cloud the diagnostic situation, it is important to note that there are many other causes for high somatic cell counts in dairy goats. To list a few, one might wish to consider if she has just come fresh, or is drying off and lessening in production. Some families of does will shed high somatic cell counts when they are in estrus or coming into estrus.

Being aware and alert to potential difficulties is the best preventative tool when dealing with mastitis. At each and every milking, our milkers are well advised to handle the udder, examine the flow and consistency of milk, and evaluate the texture after the flow of milk has stopped. We know that there are low selenium levels in feeds from our area, so we offer minerals to provide adequate balance. Zinc is another added component to our free choice mineral offering. Both zinc and selenium work to promote healthy skin and general well-being at the cellular level. Helping the does maintain optimum health is the most important factor. There are well known herds who booster their does with E. coli vaccines and vaccines against the staph bacteria that is most common to cattle dairies. When these organisms are likely to be potential troublemakers, this is a very inexpensive precaution.

Don Langly, an old friend and experienced goat keeper, once told me, "When you are dealing with possible mastitis you must act quickly. If you are inclined to ‘wait and see' then don't waste that time, ‘dig the hole' while you are waiting."

We have kept this in mind whenever we have had a doe with a potential problem. Isolation of both the doe and her milk is the first step. Drawing a sterile sample of milk from the suspect side is next. This need not be sent to the lab for diagnostics immediately, but is kept in the refrigerator. Sometimes this proves to have been unneeded, but better safe than sorry. When the alarm of a hot udder, or decrease in volume of milk produced proves to be the precursor of mastitis, treatment with what might be the best-guess medication will not destroy accurate results of the growth of culture made from the milk you have saved initially.

We consider that this first case could very well be the first of a full-blown mastitis epidemic and our sterile culture added to others in the near future could provide valuable data in assessing general herd health and in trouble shooting the underlying causes.

It is difficult to effectively introduce antibiotics into a mammary system. The udder is rather effectively walled off from most systemic drugs. To complicate the story, the udder is a perfect medium for the growth and culturing of bacteria. Most of our old favorite antibiotics are ineffective against the pathogens, in addition to the fact that they do not arrive in the udder in effective strength to do any good.

We have in the past been very successful using Naxcel and Erythromycin to save two does from mastitis. Both of these drugs are staples of our medicine cabinet at home and on the road. They are never administered without the consultation of our veterinarian and only under his guidance. (He prefers Naxcel to Exanel for this use, indicating that the antibiotic is the same, but the carriers are different. Naxcel is better able to penetrate the mammary system via the blood stream than Exanel.)

One success story involves a lovely LaMancha yearling who we were showing and had high hopes for. She was perfect in every way when we loaded her into the trailer and set out for a show five hours away. As we unloaded the does to pen in the show barn, we noticed a slight unevenness in her udder. Upon closer examination the right side of the mammary was warmer than the left and had a slightly firmer texture. We penned her in our trailer and began her on a treatment of Naxcell immediately. Throughout the afternoon and night we milked her out every two hours taking all antiseptic care to wash hands and dispose of the infected milk. By the second day she was no longer producing milk out of that side, but a serous fluid quite red with blood. She had stopped eating and was running a temperature of 106°F. No other members of our show string exhibited signs of ill health, but the yearlings we were carrying, who had lived in the same barn with her, were not shown out of respect for the other exhibitors in those classes.

Our doe seemed to be through the worst of the acute stage by the time we arrived home Sunday night. We continued to milk her every three or four hours. Monday morning we added infusions of Ceftiofur hydrochloride at each milking which was suggested by our vet as a compliment to the Naxcel. This little doe lived! Which according to our vet is not usually the outcome of "hot" cases. By the end of the first week she was once again starting to produce a fluid that looked like pink milk. Gradually it became more normal in color and the flow increased.

My hopes of ever seeing that lovely mammary even and productive were very slim, but Bruce was determined that she would not be a loss to us and to the breeding program. Both her sire and dam were animals that we had judged to be cornerstones of our breeding program and she was the first doe to be born to them. Conformation and the promise shown early in that lactation indicated we were indeed headed in the right direction. Bruce kept milking her several times a day, and never with the rest of the milking string. Gradually the udder tissue came back to life, and as her udder matured the side that had been sick began to grow as well. We did culture the milk prior to adding her to the herd once again. With a clean bill of health, it took until August for this doe to be even enough once again to compete at shows, and by September she was able to win a large class at a regional fair. Never has a blue ribbon been viewed as such a triumph!

When she was dried off she was dry-treated three times. All seemed to be rather uneventful. Milk production this lactation was not what we had envisioned for her when she first freshened, but even with the heart of her lactation in such difficulty, she did milk enough in 305 days to make her star on both butterfat and fluid pounds.

She bred back readily, which is not always the case with does that have had mastitis. At the advice of Dr. Marion at the University of Missouri Vet School we marked her breeding date and expected kidding date on two calendars. His plan for her was to start her on Naxcel 10 days before she kidded the following spring. It was his theory that the Naxcell would be taken up into the udder as the milk secreting tissues came to life for the second lactation. He was correct. She freshened with an even udder totally devoid of scar tissue and proceeded to milk her way to a Top Ten lactation. I believe it was aggressive and immediate treatment that allowed her to be the exception to the rule.

Sometimes udders that have gone uneven from sub clinical causes in a less dramatic manner than our little yearlings can be brought back in following lactations by the prudent use of Naxcell before kidding. Our second success was such a case of sub-clinical mastitis of a nature that we were never able to determine. The culture and sensitivity done by the lab was muddled and inconclusive. We treated her with a variety of drugs without any visual success or increase in production from the light side. When she was dried off we dry treated her and followed the plan to use Naxcell on her 10 days prior to kidding. She freshened with a slightly uneven udder that did not seem to be responding to the increase in size one sees when a doe comes into production. Our vet suggested we give her Erythromycin in addition to Naxcel for five more days. This was a stiff treatment of systemic antibiotics, making us fear we would destroy the microbials in her rumen. Probiotics and "rough hay" were added to her diet and grain ration was reduced to a minimum. This doe did not milk well that year. Most likely the low protein ration and reduction of rumen flora from the antibiotics did not allow her the nutrition she needed to start an excellent lactation. Does milk at a deficit of calories and protein both during the first 90 days fresh. To save the evenness of the udder we were willing to make this sacrifice. She did milk her full 305 days and the next year, came into milk with a lovely, show quality mammary system making the 3,000 pounds plus as we had hoped she would do.

In situations where does with the potential to pass mastitis to herd mates are allowed to run and be milked with the herd, neither tests, nor cultures will safeguard herd health. The best mastitis care is vigilance and cleanliness with reliance on proven udder wash and post milking sprays. Isolation of suspect carriers will go a long way toward keeping the environment clean of pathogens and allow for observation as well as treatment. To know the animals and observe them all critically on a twice daily basis, we feel is our most valuable contribution to herd health. Thanks to Don Langly, we know there is no time to "wait and see."