Lactating male goats
Keywords: lactation, male, caprine, goat
An adult male Saanen goat showed transient lactation; increasing and decreasing over a period of several years, producing as much as 250 to 300 ml per day. When milking was stopped for several weeks then lactation diminished significantly. This suggested (as expected) that the physical stimulus of milking stimulated lactation in this male.
This buck had normal libido and a breeding soundness examination showed his semen to be normal. He was highly fertile; 14 of 17 does conceiving to first service by this buck.
Lactation in male goats is unusual but not rare. Lactation in male goats is poorly understood. The karyotypes of these bucks are usually normal i.e. 60XY. Critical scrutiny of this syndrome is lacking.
An adult male Saanen goat showed transient lactation; increasing and decreasing over a period of several years, producing as much as 250 to 300 ml per day. When milking was stopped for several weeks then lactation diminished significantly. This suggested (as expected) that the physical stimulus of milking stimulated lactation in this male.
This buck had normal libido and a breeding soundness examination showed his semen to be normal. He was highly fertile; 14 of 17 does conceiving to first service by this buck.
Lactation in male goats is unusual but not rare. Lactation in male goats is poorly understood. The karyotypes of these bucks are usually normal i.e. 60XY. Critical scrutiny of this syndrome is lacking.
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It is interesting to contemplate the potential roles that estradiol and prolactin play in lactation. These samples (the number is shown within each bar) were taken at 2 day intervals from the lactating buck shown above, a lactating castrated male goat with an adrenal adenoma, and lastly, a normal, non-lactating castrated buck.
It is interesting to contemplate the potential roles that estradiol and prolactin play in lactation. These samples (the number is shown within each bar) were taken at 2 day intervals from the lactating buck shown above, a lactating castrated male goat with an adrenal adenoma, and lastly, a normal, non-lactating castrated buck.
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The role of estradiol in the genesis of lactation is discussed elsewhere in LORI, in the context of the lactating male goat with the adrenal adenoma. It would appear that estradiol plays a role in lactation in non-castrated males as well. The source of estradiol in affected goats could be either adrenal or testicular in origin; this has not been established in goats without neoplasia.
Interestingly, lactation is not uncommon in virgin female goats as well, some producing substantial amounts of milk over many years. This suggests that the caprine mammary gland may be highly sensitive slight galactogenic stimuli.
Interestingly, lactation is not uncommon in virgin female goats as well, some producing substantial amounts of milk over many years. This suggests that the caprine mammary gland may be highly sensitive slight galactogenic stimuli.
