Urgent! Signs of goat labor?

francismilker · #1 02/11/11, 11:45 PM

So here's the deal: I've had milk cows my whole life and goats off and on for about 15 years. What I haven't had is a first time freshener to kid.

I have an Alpine doe that's bred, been making an udder for about 5 weeks, and is now stringing some clearish red mucus from the backside.

I've never thought much about goat labor too much. I've had nannies that were pregnant and I arrived at the barn one morning to see new kids nursing. This time though, because she's my son's pet, I've paid a little more attention to her.

What had got me curious is the fact that I haven't noticed any "springing" or vulva enlargening as I notice in cattle.

She appears to be showing all the signs of labor like restlessness, loss of aggresive appetite, and tail sticking out. She appears to be having contractions (if I'm seeing her properly from afar). She'll be standing in the stall nibbling hay and all of a sudden turn an about-face and her tail will raise straight up as if she's going to poop but she doesn't.

Hate to ask such silly questions here, but is a first time freshener on a goat like that of cattle? (minus the swollen vulva?)

Is she in labor? And, if so, how long does it take? I've heard somewhere that goats don't start stringing mucus until they're close up. I know for a fact that heifers can do it for weeks prior.

Thanks for any advice.........

RoyalValley · #2 02/11/11, 11:53 PM

Everything I've heard lately is with goats, if they are showing the 'stuff' then they are close, within 24 hours I would say. But this is my first time too.

From the time I saw a long string of mucus, not just a little touch, it was less than 12 hours.

Good luck!!!

francismilker · #3 02/12/11, 12:09 AM

I think it's definately labor. It's been about an hour since I was out at the barn last. I just went out to check on her and timed it just right. While I was there she all of a sudden poked her tail out real fast, sneezed and (passed gas), and squeezed out about a tablespoon of water mucus out of her vulva. She done this twice while I was there in a span of 5 minutes and then will go right back to nibbling hay.

She's got the ol' far off look in her eyes and I've noticed her ligaments are gone and she's sunken in around her tail head. I still don't see any signs of the bubble appearing and she hasn't laid down that I know of and tried to do any pushing.

Ranger · #4 02/12/11, 04:49 AM

Hi FrancisM, yep it sounds like you're about to have a grandgoat, as my friend's mother calls them. Once she starts pushing it shouldn't take long. Cows can push forever before they calve, goats not so much. I'm sure she'll be fine. Just keep your eye on her and let us know!!

pygmybabies · #5 02/12/11, 08:47 AM

Wondering how its going

ozark_jewels · #6 02/12/11, 06:51 PM

And if nothing happens for a while yet she is doing all the pawing, stringing, hunching the butt, etc, you may need to have a feel and see if all is positioned correctly. A does body will many times tell her NOT to push when the kids are positioned improperly.

Goat Servant · #7 02/12/11, 08:30 PM

How exciting! Yep you should have babies shortly here, mine usually go within an hr of the long amber goo if not before.
Keep us updated we're all rootin for her!

francismilker · #8 02/12/11, 08:43 PM

Update. She had triplets. Two were still born very premature. (not fully developed) and the other was alive for just a short time. If I am reading the calendar correctly, she was two weeks early. I did give a shot of Bo-se and gave about 15ccs of colostrum but the baby never gained enough strentgh to stand.

After further inspection, none of the kids were fully developed in the muzzle area. Even the one that was alive didn't have any movement in it's pallet. It couldn't have nursed if it would've lived. I weighed it this morning and it weighed between 14-15 oz.s. (Too small IMO to have a very good chance at life even though she might have been saved.)

Thanks so much to all of you for the replies and good advice. Once again, I'm a cattle person and this goat stuff is all new to me. It may be relatively close to the same procedure, but it's on a lot smaller scale and takes a little more finess'. Thanks all!