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Urgent - FF Pre-Labor, No Udder?

738 views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  Caprice Acres 
#1 ·
As it says, I have a FF Nubian at day 152 who is busy arching her back and shoving her head into everything, with softer but not gone ligaments, who has no udder to speak of. She's probably going to kid within 24 hours. I thought she had lost her pregnancy until she started arching. She's got a long body which apparently doesn't show pregnancy well, and she has nothing for an udder. Her teats have elongated in the past few days, I've noticed, but still no udder.

What do I do? I have some colostrum paste for any potential kids, and I did think ahead to have milk on hand if I need to bottle raise a kid. But I know how important colostrum is for a newborn. Even if she suddenly does bag up, I don't know if it would be enough. God forbid she has twins. (I doubt it with how little she was showing.)

Please help!
 
#4 ·
If you feel you need to, then go for it. My only issue with that would be, the kid(s) suckling is what brings on milk production. If you fill the little ones up they may not be inclined to eat off Mom.

It will be OK! One step at a time... first see to it the kid(s) make it out of her safely, then worry about them nursing. Generally speaking though, especially with FF's no visible milk production isn't something to panic about. I would trust in nature to take its course unless it has been several hours after kidding and you are sure the kids haven't eaten and are beginning to become weak.
It goes without saying you can't give colostrum gel to an unborn kid. ;)
 
#7 ·
Colostrum is vital, so if you're worried put out feelers for colostrum from another healthy herd in your area. I'd still heat treat it to be safe. Colostrum is mandatory and if you can't get your hands on any, a REPLACER is necessary. Most pastes are a supplement, not a replacer. If you're working with a small volume, I'd be looking for another source. Volume is important because even good colostrum requires a certain delivery volume, depending on the concentration of IgG. Most goat raisers aren't measuring their colostrum, but it is pretty usual for young animals to have poorer quality colostrum than older. If the volume is still adequate for the lower concentration levels, then passive immunity is still attainable.

Failure of onset of lactation is annoying and often requires supplementation of the kid(s) with bottes until the milk comes in. Allowing kids to nurse or continuing to milk to stimulate onset of lactation is necessary. Many does that have failure of onset of lactation will come into a normal lactation with time if you don't give up on them. It can take a few weeks for the production to be adequate for the kid(s), however. Once or twice daily supplementation is suggested if needed.

In the future, freeze extra colostrum if you get some. Its liquid gold! :D
 
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