Top things in your "birthing kit"
 

My girls are supposed to start kidding in about 20 days - I have one that looks like she is almost ready. This is my second go around - but I have twice as many girls bred and they all look much bigger than last year.

I have most of my "birthing kit" together - but occasionally see things on this forum that I am not sure what they are for or that I do not have. So, to help me and other relative "newbies" like me, I thought it might be helpful to get a list of "must haves" from those of you who have more experience. :grin:

Thank-you! I appreciate the wisdom I gain here!

Tin Mom, I make sure I have plenty of old, dry towels, iodine for navel-dipping. BO-SE in case the newborn(s) need 1/4 to 1/2 cc. Syringes in order to administer the BO-SE. Some form of CMPK in case the dam is experiencing milk fever (shivering, lack of contractions). Some type of lube (mineral oil) in case I have to "go in".

Hmmm. Better go check my kit. I'm sure there's more.

Hope this was helpful, though.

Syringes - 1cc with 25ga needle is perfect for newborns. Or an insulin syringe.

I also have plenty of towels handy, iodine for navals, I use a vitamin E capsule(just the liquid-poke a hole in it) to squirt in each newborns mouth.

I also have dental floss in my kit in case I have to tie off an umbilical cord, but so far never have had to.

A human baby nasal bulb in case I need to suction out their little noses.
The lube & rubber gloves in case I need to go in.
I keep the CMPK gel on hand just in case.
Recipe for the homemade electrolyte water too.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, there's so many things in my goat cupboard, I just like to make sure I have it if I need it kind of stuff.

I have one of the square, plastic kitty litter pails with handle in which to stuff the most important things. Easy to tote out to the barn when needed.

All my goodies are in a big ol' IKEA bag.

In the bag:

Bo-se
CMPK injectable
B-complex injectable
Banamine
syringes/needles

Iodine
Scissors (sharp!)
dental floss (tie off umbilicus)
towels
baby wipes

KY
bag balm
hand sanitizer
rubber gloves

When I was assembling the bag, it reminded me of the days when I was pregnant, and I had an overwhelming urge to put some Charms lollipops in there...

Okay,

Towels & iodine I have. where do I get the recipe for the homemade electrolyte? Nasal bulb, vitamin e capsule - great idea!!!!

CMPK?
B complex?
Bo Se?
B complex?

What & where & why? (and how administered?) Those are the things I keep seeing that I am totally clueless about.

This has been very helpful!! Thank-you.

CMPK injectable and Bo-Se both you get from the vet. CMPK will help with a sluggish labor and help a doe if she starts having hypocalcemia. Bo-Se helps kids who are born rather weak and without a good suck reflex. We usually also give a vit e gel cap, snip the end and squeeze the content into the baby's mouth. B-Complex because it gives the mom a boost and helps her appetite.

I am anxiously awaiting the birth for your babies Tin Mom :) I am almost as anxious about your girls as I am my own,LOL

What size are your girls? Dosages for everything but vaccines is by weight. (With vaccines, the dosage is the same for a mouse as an elephant. Bummer if you're a mouse who needs CDT; 2 cc's would hurt!)

CMPK is given by injection, subcutaneously (under the skin). The bottle from the vet is pretty good sized. My gal is BIG, so she gets between 30 and 60 cc. It is not fun for her, so Nick stands at the ready with carrots and other treats while I inject. It's shelf-stable until you open it, but even then, it can hold its own if it's refrigerated. As long as it's not cloudy, you're good to go.

Banamine (analgesic), B Complex (vitamins), and Bo-Se (selenium/vit E) are also injectables, though the vet told me that you can give them orally. I'm not inclined to do so, b/c of the ruminant metabolism. Not quite confident that the meds get to where I want them to be as quickly as I want them there if they have to go through the digestive system.

If you're comfortable giving IV injections, Banamine and CMPK are a little bit more efficacious going that route. Not everyone is comfortable with that, though, and with the speedy goat metabolism, it's not critical. Getting the meds into the blood stream by the easiest route is the goal.

:hysterical: I got such a laugh out of the "bummer if you're the mouse"

I skimmed all the responses. One of my must haves after having a large herd of Boer goats (now just my 2 Alpine dairy does and my Shetland sheep) A feeding tube and syringe. I like to know they have gotten some colostrum when kidding in cold MN spring weather. I use it routinely with excellent results.
Jerry
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/m..._2008/1403.jpg

Ah, great idea, Jerry.

I forgot that I have the bottles and nipples on hand, but they're not in my kit. If I can't get the kids to latch on first thing, I figure I have enough time to get some colostrum milked out and then into the house for the feeding equipment. But it's a VERY good idea to have the tube feeder.

Gonna get one.

Tomorrow. ;)

Olive oil, and clean towels or rags, and that's all. I kept those things in the barn up high on a shelf. The olive oil is the best, smoothest lube, spread easily even when cold, and stays slippery, which is vital.

In the house I kept blackstrap molasses and cider vinegar, and I'd mix some of that up in a bucket of hot water and give it to each doe after she birthed.

Other than clean hands, I really never did need anything else. Well, a blanket to lay down on while my arm was in the doe up to my elbow might have been nice.....but I managed. ;)

In this area, you can get CMPK at the feed store - injectible, oral and paste.

In Kansas CMPK is an Rx but Tin Mom, you live right at the border, you might be able to find a feed store in Nevada,Mo that you can get it at.

LOL! I forget about that! Really silly since we are only 2 miles from the state line (and lower property taxes ;)).

I have the vet coming out Monday to draw blood on all my girls for our 1st annual CAE tests. I will ask him to bring the Rx then. If not, then Nevada here I come!

How does the feeding tube work? How do you install it? Thanks, Jerry! Sorry if that is a stupid question -

Thanks everyone for the list. There have been several things mentioned that I need to get next week when we can get out of the driveway. Please keep the suggestions flowing. I would rather have something & hopefully not need it then need it & not have it!!!

I have lots of olive oil & AC vinegar! I like those kinds of supplies! Great idea! Thanks!

kid snare is nice if you have a head back that you need to pull forward. Navel clamps some times they tend to bleed. Baby barrets will work in pinch.Lute and oxy in case she wont open up. A good antibiotic in case you have to be real invasive getting the kids out. Probios to help with the rumen in case of antibiotic use. Wormer for after kidding worming. Syringes of various sizes and needles. Milk bucket for milking out the colostrum
after kiddding. Thermos of coffee for me

Same here, OBF! Be sure to post pics!

Do you give the vit e to every baby? Same with the B-Complex - every mom?

Do you worm immediately after kidding?

Where do I get lute?

Can I have some merlot instead of coffee?

Tube feeding--it comes with instructions
Keep the tube in your pocket so its warm- not cold and stiff.
.you are standing...You hold the kid in a standing position between your legs..-- Kid's head slightly raised, Slowly guide the tube down the center of the kid's mouth.....do not force it.......it will slide down the kid's throat.... when you have about 6-7 inches down its in the stomach- Instructions say Check for air escaping the tube- if so you are in a lung--But I have Never in 15 years of using a tube feeder gotten it in a lung So don't worry.....fill syringe Place on tube and slowly push in the colostrum....you can leave the tube in place if you are doing to do a second syringe right away
Unless the kids or lambs were born without me present and they are up Actively nursing or sleeping with full tummies I tube every baby One less thing to worry about
Jerry

RUM! 90 proof,straight, yum yum. Probably should stick with the coffee during kidding. We'll have wine and rum after its all over and the momma's are milked and babies are asleep with full bellies.

Yes B-complex to every mom. Give her wormer as soon as the kids are taken care of and she is milked out. We use the Quest horse paste. Lute and Oxy both have to come from a vet, make sure you study the use of them and the dosages before attempting to use them. And vit e to every kid.

Of course I will post pics :)

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I have an electrical extension cord with a hair dryer for such occasions as well as the other items mentioned herein as well as a small bottle of "hand sanitizer" (for my own hands).

Also, I have 2 large (5 lb sugar came in) heavy-duty plastic cans with tight-fitting lids. (I put hot soapy water & a wash cloth in one to wash the doe's udder and in the other I put extra warm drinking water with a couple of Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar as this is what I offer the new mother to drink.) I also have a baggy with a handful of her favorite treat in it waiting for her after she gets thru with all the cleaning.

I also like to have a couple of trash bags and a large roll of paper towels. I use one plastic bag to put dirty stuff in that I will throw away and another to hold what I will be washing.

Can you tell us the recipe for home made electrolytes? Please? Thanks!

you will need more towels than you think, if you are there at the birth and help clean it off, I used 3 on one baby yesterday, so get more towels

I have:

bo-se
betadine scrub in case i have to go looking for stuck babies
lubricant for the same reason
kid tube- I learned on YOU TUBE...best thing I ever learned last year how to do
needles
1 cc syringes
banamine when I can get it RX here and depending on which vet is in the office, you can sometimes get a couple doses (I think people abuse it here?)
lots and lots and lots of old towels
a hanging fish scale and a costco bag for weighing newborns
7 percent iodine now RX here too cause it can be used to make drugs?
wormer for mom
heat lamp-rarely ever have had to use it
(something I DON'T have but heard about) Nuflor? I think this is supposed to help those kids that have respiratory distress at birth? I'd like to learn more.

Lots of good stuff on here. I would just add. I have CMPK and didn't get it from the vet. I can't remember if I got it at the farm store or I might have ordered it through Jeffers. I'm leaning towards Jeffers, might be an easier route than seeing the vet.

downhome

I was reading the other day in a goat book (can't remember now which one) that the author does not give any injections unless absolutely necessary, because of the higher % of abcesses. She apparently gives most medicines, herbs, etc. by mouth. I am pretty sure this was a holistic goat care book. Any thoughts?

Did you get the injectable or oral? Even in the Valley Vet cataloge the injectable is Rx.

As long as the injection is given properly, I don't see that there is an issue.

Oral administration is slower and may not be as efficacious as injectable.

I keep many things around at all times but the main ones for kidding season:

Banamine for hard labours.
Oxytocin for hard labours.
Penicilan in case I have a doe with an exceptionally hard labour and I fear a uterine tear.
Cut and sifted Red Raspberry herb for does who had hard labours.
Cut and sifted Feverfew herb for does that I fear may retain placenta due to hard labour.
Towels.
Banana boxes for newborn kids.
Weak kid syringe just in case.
One pritchard nipple in case of premies.
Empty plastic pop bottles and Lambar nipples for feeding.
Cydectin for the does post-kidding worming.
Copper bolus for their post-kidding bolus.
Hoof trimmers for their post-kidding hoof trim.
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And a *really* reliable alarm clock!!:p

I think the bottles of stuff I have, called MFO, is similar to CMPK? It is a liquid calcium replacement...maybe the M is for magnesium or something like that? We've used it when does go into a milk fever; its cheap and great insurance, just in case.

I'm not sure what the MFO stands for but I have heard of it. CMPK is Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous and potassium.

http://www.agrilabs.com/Products.asp...&ProductUid=91
MFO is oral and caustic to the throat, but good in a pinch and if you cannot get the injectable CMPK.
You can also get Calcium Gluconate 23% over the counter at most farm stores. CMPK is better. Though I've used Cal Glu twice this year on does with sluggish labors with success.

One thing we now keep on hand that I have not seen mentioned is a good sharp knife/scalpel...just in case. After last year, I have added one to our kit.

Beyond that, my basic kit for kidding includes lots and lots of towels, hemostats (for bleeders), clean hands, and a tubing syringe.
We have the other basic supplies as well anyways. BoSe, Nipples, colostrum, iodine, etc.