Doe in labor and a few dumb questions

Ford Zoo · #1 10/31/13, 08:04 PM

I am not a newbie, per say, but I have a doe I just can't figure out:

1) Raging heat about a week ago

2) Now in labor and absolutely NO UDDER!! (I had a doe a few years back that never bagged up until she delivered, but she at least had a minuscule 'something')

3) I can't find the frozen colostrum I was sure I had, but I do have some of that store bought substitute.

Quick history-we got "Boerdoe" a year ago as part of a package deal. BoerX, 2 or 3 years old at the time. Seller said she had never seen a heat and the goat had never delivered. Was with 2 bucks for many months last year and never bred. Put her back with a buck over April and May this year. Never saw anything, no interest from either side. I thought about cystic ovaries, but by the time I got the meds to treat for that, we decided we didn't want December kids and didn't treat.

Fast forward to last month, I'm sure she's bred for all the obvious reasons, but no udder and I don't remember if I pulled her from the buck in Mid or late May, but we separated her into the barn. Her ligs felt like they were getting loose, but she tenses up so hard when I touch her back there it was hard to tell how loose. Last week one day I found her standing at the fence wooing the buck, cooing to him and tail wagging like nuts. Have never seen this behavior. DH put her in with the buck and he bred her immediately while she stood like a hussy.

Four days ago he's wooing her again, but she keeps laying down and wants nothing to do with him, trying to hide her behind.

Tonight I find her in early labor, no ligs, belly dropped, mucous, all the signs....But no udder!! And looking in my freezer, I can't find the colostrum I know I saved from another goat this spring!

Gonna be a long night, I have to work in the morning, have a full schedule of chemo patients so I need my sleep. DH and DS will be home thank goodness, but I really won't be available by phone for most of the day.

I hope like heck she makes some sort of milk quick like!

CJBegins · #2 10/31/13, 08:20 PM

That is scary! I would at least make sure the babies get the colostrum supplement. You could also get some Bovi-Sera. It serum antibodies in it that will act similarly to colostrum.

Ford Zoo · #3 10/31/13, 08:23 PM

Thanks for the reminder! I do have Bovi-sera.

Ford Zoo · #4 10/31/13, 08:27 PM

If she doesn't make an udder, do you think a dose of Pitocin after kidding would help stimulate milk production??

CJBegins · #5 10/31/13, 08:56 PM

Pitocin would cause her to let down her milk.... if she has any. Mo Milk Mix from Fiasco farm is an herbal supplement that contains fennel, fenugreek and dill. Don't know if it works or not. Live yeast cultures might help also....if she has any milk.

Alice In TX/MO · #6 10/31/13, 10:23 PM

I've used Mo Milk on does who are already lactating, and it increased production.

Minelson · #7 11/01/13, 06:28 AM

Sending good thoughts and prayers your way Ford Zoo!
I think she will make some milk right after she delivers

i sure hope you got some sleep last night ((((hugs))))

CJBegins · #8 11/01/13, 09:37 AM

Hmmm, wondering about this doe!

**mygoat** · #9 11/01/13, 09:42 AM

I'd leave the kids with her so that they try to nurse and hopefully stimulate mammogenesis (unless she all out rejects them) BUT bottle feed to 'supplement' if necessary. Some of my boer does don't have that impressive of an udder pre-kidding but that is normal early in lactation when quality of colostrum is more important than quantity.

Each kid only needs about 8oz of colostrum, but demands increase production.

I'd mix colostrum at a goodly rate and feed every 4hrs as much as they want until they are like 12hrs old or so... Then cut back to a more normal schedule.

Waiting for updates! Hope it goes well...

Doug Hodges · #10 11/01/13, 10:20 AM

Updates??

Ford Zoo · #11 11/01/13, 09:04 PM

Still the same. I'm stumped! Talking to a few others, it could be a UTI, cloud burst, the list goes on. I'm going in to check in the morning if something more doesn't happen. Only new signs tonight are that she is holding her tail straight out, and her rump is slopped. Still eating and in no distress.

Thank goodness she isn't in any distress, After an unexpected vet bill of nearly $500 this week with 'her' dog, I'm spent.

Clovers_Clan · #12 11/04/13, 05:58 PM

Any news?

Ford Zoo · #13 11/06/13, 07:19 PM

Really, I was hoping this post would just go away and be forgotten. But hand me my sign and a matching dunce cap!

I did go in and check her-nuthin-nadda-zip. She had three of us fooled, so maybe I need three signs?

She's just been weird since we got her last year. Maybe some extraterrestrial cross?

nod4eight · #14 11/06/13, 07:27 PM

I had a doe that was bagged up and looked pregnant as could be last spring. Then her bag just shrunk and I figured she had aborted it (we've had extreme temps last winter and summer). Then a few weeks ago she had some discharge, enough to make us take notice - but she had NO bag - nothing. We had already separated the billys. We watched her close for a few days and she cleared up. Now she is back to normal. Best of luck!

goatkid · #15 11/06/13, 11:41 PM

Looks like you have a sterile doe with hormonal issues. If you really want to keep her as a brood doe, there are things you can try like a CIDR and PG600 or Cystorelin. If that doesn't work, the choices seem to be to either just keep her as a pet or put her in the freezer.

Ford Zoo · #16 11/07/13, 08:06 PM

Hubby wanted to put her in the freezer last year. Our herd is still small so I was holding out hope. Got some cystorelin equivalent in May, but decided I didn't want winter kids so I didn't use it at that time. Maybe I'll splurge for a preg check and decide to use it since she'll probably be negative anyway.

Hate to say, I'm glad she's not one of the good ones.