kid died--why?

JoannaCW · #1 04/18/11, 08:36 AM

Saturday afternoon our 3yo Alpine doe had two kids. The birthing was quick and easy. The second-born kid (Patch) was larger (incredibly long-legged, especially in back) and more vigorous than his first-born twin (Cloud). Sunday both kids were mobile, but Cloud more energetic than Patch. They both looked fine at 5 pm yesterday. At 6:30 this am Patch was dead and stiff, stretched out on his side. No signs of diarrhea. Cloud was up, nosing at him. I carried him out, changed the bedding, rubbed his dam's teats with iodine on a cloth and then with fresh water. So far the dam and Cloud look healthy enough.(Dam is eating well, Cloud is learning to hop, no one has diarrhea.) But I'm wondering what went wrong and what I need to do to protect the other kid and especially the mother.

The weather is cold--down to 32 last night. The stall is well-ventilated but they can get out of drafts. I'm keeping it pretty clean. No CDT shot this pregnancy--I was not at all sure she was pregnant until a week ago.

pookshollow · #2 04/18/11, 08:50 AM

Hard to say when they're that young. Did you see him nursing? If he was hungry and got chilled, that can take them down pretty fast at that age. I doubt very much it was any kind of disease.

Sorry you lost him.

motdaugrnds · #3 04/18/11, 10:44 AM

A similar situation occurred with one of my does this year. A new born was looking good one day; then checking on it that evening it was dead. (Its head was "under" its mother; so I am guessing she accidentally laid on it.)

Backfourty,MI. · #4 04/18/11, 12:04 PM

I would also guess he got too cold? So sorry about your loss though, it's never easy no matter what the reason.
Probly not anything the doe or other kid have if they are both fine. Probly the cold or she layed on him, etc.

JoannaCW · #5 04/18/11, 12:19 PM

Thanks all. I didn't see him nursing successfully, but his sides didn't seem caved in and his mother's bag wasn't getting hard and overfull, so I thought he must be getting some. I have seen Cloud suckling--messy but some of it got into her.

Not sure what to do about that issue, but will keep the bedding dry and deep. What temps can kids usually withstand?

The lain-on-by-mother theory sounds plausible too; they tended to sleep with the kids in a corner between Mom and the wall--good for insulation, but also a situation that could invite squashing.