kid died last night

wife89 · #1 04/10/12, 08:46 AM

So we brought home our momma's and babies and the boy died last night. Our oldest went to check on them around 9 and all was fine, he was jumping and playing.. Then this morning around 6:30 I went out to feed them and he was laying there..cold...stiff.. I am sick.. Good thing the children had left for school.

My concern is for the momma... what should I do to make sure she doesn't get sick from not nursing.

thanks

wife...and hubby

**mygoat** · #2 04/10/12, 09:15 AM

Dang, that sucks. How old was the baby? Knowing that will help us figure out what happened to him as well as help you with how to dry up the dam without damaging her udder. If you don't want to keep the dam in milk, I suggest you milk her out 1x per day for the time being. This will lower her production somewhat. Then go down to every other day milkout for a while. Then let her bag up for 3 days or so, milk out, and then just milk out as needed. A different scheme may be necessary depending on her production and her point in her lactation.

One thing that kills suddenly like this is enterotoxemia. If your goats haven't been vaccinated with CDT (and even if they have been, new goats ALWAYS get a booster when they arrive here), you should give them a booster now then 4 weeks later. Goat kids generally get their CDT at 4 and 8 weeks of age, then yearly. Does should be vaccinated about a month pre-kidding to impart some immunity to their newborns.

wife89 · #3 04/10/12, 09:17 AM

He was 3 weeks...

Thanks for the info on the dam

KrisD · #4 04/10/12, 09:22 AM

So sorry to hear this. Hugs. How many babies did she have? If you want milk just keep milking her twice a day if she doesn't have kids once a day if she does have kids.

Minelson · #5 04/10/12, 09:25 AM

I'm so sorry for your loss

wife89 · #6 04/10/12, 09:30 AM

Thanks all...
She only had the one.. It was her first....

Now I need to learn how to milk a goat......yikes

Hollowdweller · #7 04/10/12, 09:34 AM

Changing herds is always a lot of stress on a goat.

Cliff · #8 04/10/12, 10:06 AM

Sorry you lost him

Learning to milk is fun, good luck

Best not to hide death from children or shelter them from it. It's a fact of life they need to understand. I say this from the point of view of a nurse - all this sheltering from death we do in our culture has created some very messed up adults who have no idea how to begin to deal with it when a family member or friend dies. I see it all the time and it's sad.

JBarGFarmKeeper · #9 04/10/12, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff

Sorry you lost him

Learning to milk is fun, good luck

Best not to hide death from children or shelter them from it. It's a fact of life they need to understand. I say this from the point of view of a nurse - all this sheltering from death we do in our culture has created some very messed up adults who have no idea how to begin to deal with it when a family member or friend dies. I see it all the time and it's sad.

Wise words. Sorry for your loss...

wife89 · #10 04/10/12, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cliff

Sorry you lost him

Learning to milk is fun, good luck

Best not to hide death from children or shelter them from it. It's a fact of life they need to understand. I say this from the point of view of a nurse - all this sheltering from death we do in our culture has created some very messed up adults who have no idea how to begin to deal with it when a family member or friend dies. I see it all the time and it's sad.

I'll tell them... already had 2 cats die on the Farm, not to mention husband's sister and step father all within a month of each other... I just didn't want them sad at school.... I totally agree about telling our kids...physical death is part of life.

CarolT · #11 04/10/12, 12:46 PM

Hold out one hand in a "thumb's down" position. Then wrap the fingers of your other hand around the thumb. The thumb of the grabbing hand points up. Now squeeze with the first finger, hold and squeeze with next finger, hold, squeeze with ring finger, hold squeeze with pinky. All fingers stay squeezed till you get done with the pinky. Practice till you get some speed and do it with both hands. Now, go try on the goat. Be sure to keep your grip rippling downwards. It keeps milk from squirting back up the teat. There! Your first squirt of milk

It's somewhat simplified, but it was how I was taught in the beginning and it worked...

ETA If the goat has never been milked before, get the kids to help hold her still and calm her if you don't have a goat stand. She won't understand what you're doing and it may take a bit of convincing LOL

Backfourty,MI. · #12 04/10/12, 01:03 PM

Not sure what could have happened to your little buckling but I sure am sorry for your loss. It is definately the part of owning livestock that sucks!

wife89 · #13 04/10/12, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolT

Hold out one hand in a "thumb's down" position. Then wrap the fingers of your other hand around the thumb. The thumb of the grabbing hand points up. Now squeeze with the first finger, hold and squeeze with next finger, hold, squeeze with ring finger, hold squeeze with pinky. All fingers stay squeezed till you get done with the pinky. Practice till you get some speed and do it with both hands. Now, go try on the goat. Be sure to keep your grip rippling downwards. It keeps milk from squirting back up the teat. There! Your first squirt of milk

It's somewhat simplified, but it was how I was taught in the beginning and it worked...

ETA If the goat has never been milked before, get the kids to help hold her still and calm her if you don't have a goat stand. She won't understand what you're doing and it may take a bit of convincing LOL

thanks..that makes sense.......

Jyllie63 · #14 04/10/12, 02:37 PM

I'm so sorry

Windgefluester · #15 04/10/12, 03:28 PM

I'm so sorry for your lost

this is the sad part if you have pets

mabeane · #16 04/10/12, 03:43 PM

As my cheesemaking daughter always says.."when you have livestock sometimes you will have deadstock." Its part of owning animals.