teat size on mini macha

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treeclimber233

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I have two mini manchas does that I want to milk. However they both have very tiny teats. Is this common in all F1 mini Manchas ? How can I get larger teats that I can actually grasp and not have to "two-finger"?
 
Pearce Pastures

Pearce Pastures

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Not sure if it is mini-mancha thing but with progressive freshenings, teats tend to lengthen. At least with our does, they have gotten longer and more capacious with each time they kid.
 
Southern by choice

Southern by choice

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Depends on the goat. We have found F-1 FF do have smaller teats but they do get larger... when then can fill fully that helps as well. Other factors contribute -whether you hand milk, machine milk, or if they are dam raised.
 
elevan

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As the others have said...it depends. Some goats just have small teats. Just because they come from a dairy breed doesn't mean that they are gonna have perfect teats and udder. Unfortunately it seems there are so many "pop up" breeders wanting to breed minis because they are the hot thing right now. And they're not all breeding for dairy correctness as well as size.

I've milked pygmies - talk about tiny teats! As Pearce Pastures said, with progressive freshenings teats tend to lengthen - hopefully that'll happen in your case.
 
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treeclimber233

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Both of them are well bred dairy lines. They aren't just "goats from down the road". one of them has kidded 4 times and raised her babies. I was hoping her teats would get bigger but it hasn't happened yet for her. Now I have another doe that kidded 3 weeks ago that I am trying to milk. I have a hand pump that I use. The second doe has larger teats but only slightly larger. This is her first freshening.
 
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treeclimber233

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yes I dam raise. hoping the babies pulling and nursing will make the teats bigger.
 
Southern by choice

Southern by choice

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So far we have found pulling and allowing good fill has increased teat size. Is the udder soft? How are her orifices... sounds strange but it does make a difference.
 
Southern by choice

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Also look at your buck. We had a buck that improved teat size drastically, we no longer have him (he died) but wow what a difference. One of the bucks we are using now improves attachment but not teats. We have several bucks we have just started using and haven't determined what they contribute in that area yet but it is something we look at.
 
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This is the first year that I have gotten girls (only 2 this year) so I will find out what my buck is contributing. He has so far given me about 95% boys. Still waiting for a girl year.....


Edited to say: This is the first year that I have gotten girls to survive birth. I have gotten girls but they have died at birth or shortly after for some reason. So far these 2 girls have made it 3 weeks and still seem very healthy. Of course the boys (the ones I can't milk) make it . But then they go to freezer camp.
 
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