It does work!!

**mygoat** · #1 06/14/06, 02:02 PM

A friend was telling me about how she uses a stethoscope to count unborn puppies when her Mini poodle is pregnant. I wondered... Could the same be done with my goats? I bought the 5.00 stethoscope from Jeffers.
I tried when Boston was 3 months pregnant but not since. I did find a faint beat, and assumed it was a baby's heart because I stuck my hand into Boston's armpit and the beat didn't match up. It was faint and hard to hear though.
I figured out it's easier to pull the disk thingy under thier hair and to use your palm because you can hear your finger joints sqeaking, lol. Also, it works best if you are in a closed barn and 3 other goats aren't screaming at you point-blank range for thier feed...
Anywho, Boston is now 4 months and 1.5 weeks pregnant (due July 5th) I tried again today and heard a distinct, loud baby heart! Not to mention quite a bit of kicking, lol. I know it was a baby heart because I followed it twice after it moved. I am now almost sure that Boston has one large baby floatin around in there. I'm gonna keep listening regularly to see if I can pick out a second heartbeat, just in case.

Now if only that baby would scream " I"m a boy/girl!!"

cmharris6002 · #2 06/14/06, 02:05 PM

WOW! That sounds like fun. I think I might try it next breeding season.

Spinner · #3 06/14/06, 03:16 PM

Have you listened to the heartbeats of the adults to? I wonder if bucks and does have the same heartrate.

Try counting how many heartbeats per minute on the babies. Keep a record. An easy way is to have someone time you 15 seconds while you count.

Wouldn't it be cool if the males and females have different beats per minute? It would be neat to be able to listen to the heartbeats and find out the sex of the kid before it was born.

This is exciting. I wish I had a herd full of does to test this idea.

Kazahleenah · #4 06/14/06, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinner

Have you listened to the heartbeats of the adults to? I wonder if bucks and does have the same heartrate.

.

I bet they don't during breedin season.

Kaza

**mygoat** · #5 06/14/06, 04:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinner

Have you listened to the heartbeats of the adults to? I wonder if bucks and does have the same heartrate.

Try counting how many heartbeats per minute on the babies. Keep a record. An easy way is to have someone time you 15 seconds while you count.

Wouldn't it be cool if the males and females have different beats per minute? It would be neat to be able to listen to the heartbeats and find out the sex of the kid before it was born.

This is exciting. I wish I had a herd full of does to test this idea.

I don't think the bucks and does would have a different heartrate otherwise when you look up basic health info for goats, they would have male/female heartrates listed... Or do you mean the babies INSIDE The doe?
I'm gonna keep listening for heartbeats and will let you know if I can count the # of heartbeats/babies in either preggo doe!

Spinner · #6 06/15/06, 12:30 PM

Yes, that's what I mean, babies INSIDE The doe. If the heart beats are faster for males or females while they are inside, then you could predict how many doe babies and buck babies you will have by listening to the heartbeats inside the preggo doe.

Someone may have done that in the past, but maybe not. Has anyone heard of such a study?

moosemaniac · #7 06/15/06, 12:31 PM

What state are you in? You may be able to apply for a grant to do a study like that. That would be cool.

Ruth

mary,tx · #8 06/15/06, 03:07 PM

I know when I was in labor with a baby monitor on, they would say one was usually faster or slower than the other. But for people babies, at least, it wasn't a sure thing.

The stethoscope sounds fun.

mary

**mygoat** · #9 06/15/06, 06:49 PM

Hmm, a grant? to buy more pregnant does to do "studies" on, lol.
Hmm, I'm gonna have to look up on the internet to see if it says anything about heartrate and sex of the fetuses... In goats, lol. Might just have to do my own study and leat y'all know how it goes when both does kid... If Boston only has a single, I won't have something to compare it to, ya know? lol

Spinner · #10 06/15/06, 07:29 PM

Hey, I want in on that grant. I'd like to get some of those preggo does to study too. Of course I'd have to use a lot of that grant money to build pens, birthing stalls, provide feed and water containers for their comfort. Oh, and lets not forget bedding and coats to keep the spring babies warm. I could enjoy a study like that! LOL