Few questions

TbarM Ranch · #1 02/15/12, 04:17 PM

I have three Nubian does that are due to kid the end of March, best I can figure. They are very attached to each other. I figure I need to separate them into individual stalls to kid, correct? They will be separated by a wooden wall and not able to see each other. Will this stress them too much and should I start separating them now so they get use to it?
Also, they are due for a CDT vaccine. Is it safe to give to them? I'm sure it is, but I want to be safe. I was told they need this 4-6 weeks before they give birth. What happens if they kid before or after this 4-6 week period?
They are due to be dewormed with ivermectin also. Is it fine to give the dewormer at the same time that I give the CDT, or is it too much of a shock on them being that they are due to give birth soon?
I grew up raising horses, we had 20 to 30 foals a year. The goats are new to me though and I want to learn as much as I can with them. I love my goats, now I get why folks raise goats.

Thanks,
Tom

madness · #2 02/15/12, 04:42 PM

Separation: We do separate when the doe is in imminent labor...if she will let us! Sometimes they don't want to go and the other goats leave them alone. We really have only had a problem with our herd queen. She is too busy bossing everyone around to get down to pushing, so she does need to go into a separate stall. We only keep them separate to make sure the babies are up and doing their thing. We sometimes keep them separate at night too. Everyone does something different, but I think you can wait until they kid. How long do you plan on keeping them separate?

CD&T: You want to give this to them before they kid but with enough time for the doe to process it and pass on the immunity through her colostrum. If you give it too early in the pregnancy, I don't think it's really an issue, but if you give it too late, just be sure to hit the kids when you band/disbud. (by the way, I'm more than willing to be corrected on this info - this seems to be something that I always change my understanding about!)

Dewormer: You're gonna have to wait for someone else on this! When they are heavy pregnant and they have no signs of bad worm load, we wait until the day they kid. do you NEED to deworm them now - i.e. are they showing high worm load?

Goat Servant · #3 02/15/12, 04:51 PM

TBar, we CDT ours 2 or 3 weeks out from kidding.
As for worming the very best time to do that would be the day they kid, after the newborns have eaten & mama settled in.
Kidding causes lots of stress on the doe's body, a perfect time for parasite parties. Then worm again in 10 days to kill any hatching eggs.

TbarM Ranch · #4 02/15/12, 04:53 PM

Thanks Madness, I don't want them to be apart any longer than they have to. So any advice on the separation is much appreciated. They are not overdue on the deworming at all. But one of my girls has a cough. I have not used ivermectin since I purchased them so I am concerned of lung worms. No signs of worms otherwise. She just coughs when she runs up to eat and maybe once or twice while she is eating. I have not heard her cough otherwise. Not sure if its just her thing when she gets excited or what it is.

TbarM Ranch · #5 02/15/12, 04:57 PM

Thanks Goat Servant, I will make a note of that to keep in my records.

Backfourty,MI. · #6 02/15/12, 06:54 PM

I would wait to worm them until they kid also if possible. I try to never worm any of the girls while their pregnant. I do just like Goat Servant does with the 10 days & re-worm.

I give my CD & T about 3-4 weeks before they kid. If it is a little past their year mark for the vaccination it will not hurt them to wait to time it with their due dates.

I too don't separate our does' until labor starts. Our goats seem to want to stay together. Then I only separate them long enough for the babies to be up & nursing well & getting around good. Depends on the goats but that could be a day or overnight, etc.
We used pallets for our stall walls though so the goats can see each other while they are apart.

TbarM Ranch · #7 02/15/12, 11:07 PM

Thank you Katie for that advise. I will wait to worm them until they kid then again 10 days later. Do you alternate wormers on the re-worm, or any particular ones you use? I will also give the CD & T at about 4 weeks before they kid.

I am very glad that I don't need to separate them until labor and not for long. My stalls are foaling stalls and the walls are removable. So I may pull them down and put a cattle panel or pallets in place of the solid wood if they decide to kid at the same time.

Thank you all so much for your advice. I feel so much better now. This site is a great spot for new goat owners like myself to learn from the experts. My experience with goat owners has been all positive and you all seem to be willing to help newbies like myself. What a great group of folks!!

KrisD · #8 02/15/12, 11:37 PM

If your foaling stall has a removable wall why not just remove the top half so the goats can see each other over the top rail? That's what I did at my old house.

Ranger · #9 02/16/12, 06:50 AM

Hi Tom. You're already getting good advice on kidding, so I just wanted to say welcome to goats and to the forum!

prairiedog · #10 02/16/12, 07:00 AM

We don't separate till the labor starts here either out stalls also have a wire wall between them so they can see each other.

Backfourty,MI. · #11 02/16/12, 10:08 AM

I use the same wormer when I re-worm 10 days later. I use Cydectin. If you only have 3 goats you may want to buy Quest paste wormer instead as it's more cost prohibative for just a few goats. Although the Cydectin will last you a long time.

http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php?P...1&topic=8934.0

The above link is great for dosages & types of wormers to use for what.

chewie · #12 02/16/12, 01:10 PM

my barn has a large loafing area. when I see some action starting, I just take a 16' combo panel (wire panel) and bend it around to meet to walls, leaving the doe in a small corner stall. it is low enough for me to hop over, she can see everyone but they can't get to her and the rest can see the new babies, which all seem to like. when its done, remove the panel, clean the corner, and let them go.