Can milking goats get mastitis if their babies are feeding off of them???

Question

answer ASAP

Answer 1

Yes, they can, no doubt about it.  I lost an Oberhasli doe about a week after she kidded to mastitis.  Despite her having healthy twins nursing off her, she got a TERRIBLE case of mastitis, and died, despite the best efforts of my Vetrinarian.

~Garnet

Permaculture homesteading/farming over 20 years

Raising meat goats since 1999

P.S. If you have a doe kid that nursed of a mother with mastitis, she is more likely to herself develop mastitis when she gets old enough to have kids.  Better to also cull any baby doe kids, or keep them ONLY as pets, and not breed them that nursed off a mother with mastitis.

Answer 2

Yes.. Because Mastitis is one of the more common health problems affecting sheep and goats.

By definition, mastitis is an inflammatory condition of the mammary gland, based on the changes in the physical characteristics of the udder or milk. Mastitis, usually caused by a bacteria or virus, is a common reason for culling a doe. Several factors which may increase in incidence of mastitis include failure to keep bedding clean, bruising from nursing kids, and trauma to the udder or teats.

The most frequent organism associated with caprine mastitis is the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Other bacterial causes include Escherichia coli, Actinomyces pyogenes, and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV) has been implicated in a condition known as Hard Udder.

Answer 3

Actually, they are more likely to get mastitis if the babies don't feed off of them. Its a possibility if the goat is milked, nursing or not milked at all.

Answer 4

anything lactating can get mastitis. if the babies are effective, master nursers it will be less of a problem. watch for signs of pain or fatigue, swelling at the site or lesions. lumps too.