Feel Like Lazy Goat Owner..Kid Died

Helena · #1 04/18/05, 10:23 AM

I always feel so terrible when a kid dies and I am actually in the house not far from the barn. Suppose we all can't live with out goats..but actually I think that isn't a bad idea sometimes when we are out in the world. Well...have a year old doe..Maddie..a large goat and didn't intend to bred her last fall..but guess it happened against "Mother's" judgement. She didn't look pregnant to me but I kept looking at her lately..not bagging up etc. Well, this morning I took about an hour longer getting to the barn..busy family weekend and just was tired and poked along getting up to the barn and when I did there was a little doe lying dead !! :no: She was cold..but tried the "goat" CPR and rubbing all all. Mother goat licked her etc but she was dead..dead. :waa: The kid had been cleaned off and was full grown and complete and a doe..more upset with myself then anythin Now the new mother is bawling..feel so terrible. I suppose the kid wasn't strong enough to get up and function...but just yesterday another little 8 week old doe died..She had been having problems since birth and I knew she wasn't healthy with lungs or heart so wasn't surprised. But something like this this morning really makes me sad and angry with myself. I know we can't be here 24/7 but I still feel guilty..The doe still doesn't seem to have much of a bag or any milk..so I'll have to watch her to make sure she doesn't bag up fast. She past the afterbirth after I was there and I searched for a second kid in the barn but there was only the one. Guess we take the good with the bad..but the bad sure does hurt sometimes...even after 25 years.

debitaber · #2 04/18/05, 10:49 AM

sorry for your loss, it alwats hurts. I start my kids on cocci treatment, when 3 weeks old. but can be started younger. might help in the kids. but do you give your goats, BO SE shots? It will help in the kidding. I think my kids are stronger also .

mpillow · #3 04/18/05, 11:45 AM

Strange sad things eventually happen to us all....we live and learn the hard way mostly!

livestockmom · #4 04/18/05, 03:20 PM

Im so sorry for your loss Helena, yes, we really beat ourselves up when these things happen, they happen to all of us. Hugs from our home to yours.

bethlaf · #5 04/18/05, 04:18 PM

sounds like a simple mistake, i used to have a barn monitor for just such cases,
it was an old brown radio shack monitor, worked good , especially when kidding time

as for the unthrify kid, dont know what to say theres a million things that could have been the source of the death ,
same with the kid shes a new mommy, its her first time, if you had been sleeping in the barn rather than at home in the bed, perhaps you could have helped her, but since you werent sure she was pregnant, theres really no reason to beat yourself up over it

back up , make soem chai with the milk you get from your girls , and think back on the things youve done RIGHT
we all make mistakes
no matter how long or how old we are .

Beth

TexCountryWoman · #6 04/18/05, 04:27 PM

It always hurts, no matter how long you've been at it. But sometimes it can simply be Mother Nature and nothing you could have done...so don't blame yourself with what ifs. The little goat baby could have had internal congenital defects or something...nothing you could have done. Nature insures that only the strong survive to live and reproduce. Release your bad feelings and don't think of it as something you did wrong. There are always good years and bad years on any farm. I prayed that you will not shoulder feelings of pain and guilt over this. Enjoy the good things today....Diane

Helena · #7 04/18/05, 05:43 PM

Yes our girls and bucks get their Bo-Se shots...today the does were out with me while I was pruning the grape vines. All day she just cried..I showed her the dead baby and she nuzzled at it..but she was upset all day. Gave her a big bowl of warm water and molasses as a treat and actually she followed me into the house and she enjoyed it in the kitchen with me !! I know..perhaps my goats are "too" much a part of my life..but ..hey, why not !! I tried to milk her tonight and she didn't have any milk to speak of and not bagged up at all. So..perhaps as you all have said something wasn't quite right with her and the kid. Now..my older doe is going to kid within a day or two..she is so huge and usually kids 3 kids..once 4..so on to happy thoughts and days. You better believe I will be watching her closely in the next few days. Hopefully she will kid when either my husband or I are home. Thanks again you guys !