Goat issues

roneil76 · #1 01/10/09, 07:46 PM

I bought a bred doe on 1-6-2009. She looked healthy and very preggo. The farmer I got her from was not sure when she was bred but thought she was 3weeks away.

Anyway I got her home and she was doing well. I put her with my myotonic buck, he took to her well and they have been pallin around since.

ok, all is good so far. This morning I go out to feed them and there is two kids dead in the hay. Her afterbirth was dispelled on the other side of the housing. From the reaction of the doe when I removed everything I dont believe the kids were ever alive. Now I'm no expert but I would assume if they were ever alive she would show some sort of attachment when I was pulling them out. litterally she looked at me and kept it moving. She had no concern for me or my presence. she looks as though she had filled with milk but she wont let me near her udders at all. She jumps and runs and is not interested in me checking things out.

Now, the kids are of course gone (Me and my children are bumbed beyond belief) and she is in with the buck doing well. She seems just fine and I've been keepin a good eye on her all day. So far no signs of any complications, sadness , or even fatigue. This is my first doe and birth on farm, can she still be milked. If so how do I calm her down to let me try. is it to late its been all day and I believe she had them some time after midnight last night and 5 in the morn. I've been discumbobulated about this all day. I really was hoping for a better experience.
thank you all in dvance.

goatkid · #2 01/10/09, 08:01 PM

Is this doe a myotonic or a dairy goat? If she's a fainter or other meat breed, I'd just let her dry up unless you need the milk. If she's a dairy breed, she should be milked and it's not to late to start. Catch the doe and put her on the stanchion. If you don't have one, someone else will have to hold her while you milk her and I'd buy or build a stanchion. When you milk her, she'll start to bond with you. I had one first freshener who didn't want anything to do with her kid and she was wild. I pulled the kid to bottle her and put a drag rope on the doe. This made it easier to catch her. She still isn't quite as tame as my bottle raised does, but she comes in to be milked, will jump on the milk stand and let me milk her. It just takes patience and a little work. Sorry you lost the kids.

Chaty · #3 01/10/09, 08:04 PM

I agree
the stress of the move could of caused labor and ...some goats dont care about the babies especially some FF's. If they have kidded before and been only milked they wont do anything with babies. I know its strange but had 1 that would just look at the babies and didnt want anything to do with them. Some milk cows are that way also.

roneil76 · #4 01/10/09, 08:05 PM

hey thanx she is a boer but I wanted the milk to make some cheese and stuff.

roneil76 · #5 01/10/09, 08:20 PM

Quote:

I agree
the stress of the move could of caused labor and ...some goats dont care about the babies especially some FF's. If they have kidded before and been only milked they wont do anything with babies. I know its strange but had 1 that would just look at the babies and didnt want anything to do with them. Some milk cows are that way also.

That is my thought. The move messed things up.
The farmer I got her from sd she had a buck and a doe last time and she raised em til they were weaned. This time she had a buck and a doe as well. That is why we took her cause she was experienced and we are not. They have a large herd everything looks real healthy. I dont know - just a bumber is all. We thought we were going to have little goats in about 3 weeks . Instead we got what we got. Anyway if we could get some milk I guess it wont be all for not. We spent extra on her (which we really didnt have )cause she was bred but that didnt pan out. Im not bitter just a bit let down is all.

roneil76 · #6 01/10/09, 08:26 PM

any ideas on how to calm her down to milk er

Alice In TX/MO · #7 01/10/09, 08:32 PM

Build a milk stanchion with a feed pan for her to eat while you are milking.

Hobble her on the milk stand every time you milk until she settles down. This may take a couple of weeks.... or more. Be persistent, but not angry.

I had a Nubian first freshener who danced for a month.

roneil76 · #8 01/10/09, 08:40 PM

how often should I try to get her goin. I mean she has no interest in me bein down there at all.
Any ideas for a stand?
is wood ok?
how long before she drys up? I'm new as new to goats and milk for that matter. thank you

Quote:

Build a milk stanchion with a feed pan for her to eat while you are milking.

Hobble her on the milk stand every time you milk until she settles down. This may take a couple of weeks.... or more. Be persistent, but not angry.

I had a Nubian first freshener who danced for a month.

HappyFarmer · #9 01/10/09, 09:18 PM

Probably the stress of the move or the buck could have butted her and the kids, too. I'm sorry for your loss.

I agree, catch her & start milking her. Freeze the colustrum for later use or dispose of it, milk should be drinkable in a few days. Expect her to stomp the pail of milk until she settles down. She's not a milking breed so I wouldn't expect the volume or length of time compared to a milking breed, plus a lot depends on how long she nursed her kids the last few kiddings as to the duration, conditioning has something to do with it.

You can google milk stand plans, just make sure they are for similar sized breed, and wood would be fine.
HF

roneil76 · #10 01/10/09, 09:26 PM

catchin her is no problem leading her to a pan of food noproblem. once i reach in to grab a teat she looses it . she goes bullistick as if i've done something terribly wrong. kinda funny actually. not productive in the least but a bit funny.

how long before she dries up and its to late. she has no kids on 'em so she aint dispelled any milk yet and I cant get any out. how often should I try and for how long per try . I dont want to stress her out or anything . not to mention I dont realy even knw what I'm doing. So, IF she lets me I still may have questions even then. oh boy! gonna be a fun filled sunday .

sadie6447 · #11 01/10/09, 11:21 PM

You can have your local ffa build you a milk stand for your goats. Our local ffa just charges for the materials and the kids get credit for their project. I currently have ffa building our goat chariot for the show wethers.

hoofinitnorth · #12 01/10/09, 11:58 PM

I'm sorry this happened.

For future reference, it's probably not a good idea to put a goat that pregnant in with your buck, especially if she is new to the herd. Many pregnant goats stay with their bucks for many months, but are removed a few weeks prior to kidding to minimize risk to the kids.

A quarantine period for new arrivals is always a good thing, plus it may help cut down on stress (notice I said "may", sometimes it seems to add to the stress because they are suddenly alone - this is when it's advisable to buy goats in pairs, if at all possible, or use a sacrificial wether that you could let go in case of any obvious disease presence).

How developed were the babies? She may not have been very premature, if at all. If you got her on 1-6 and she was "about 3 weeks away." Some does will "normally" deliver up to 10 days "early" but I also wonder about the dates of the actual breeding.

Do you have another goat that can live with your buck when he's not with the doe and vice versa?