Early babies

[mdavenport0121]

I've been reading the last two weeks that two other posters had their goats kid about a month early. Well today it was my turn. I checked the girls last night and everyone seemed fine. Today about 4:30 PM I go out to check and see a white spot on the ground out in the pasture. I have an idea what it was at that point. I went over and sure enough one of my girls, a FF that is about a year old, had a single kid a month early. Of course the kid was dead, dang doe at that! I put her with the buck the first of November for the first time, so I knew the due date. The kid had very short hair and was very small.

What could cause a premature birth in goats?

I didn't see a placenta, but she came up with the other girls at feeding time.

 

[SheepGirl]

Early parturition is considered an abortion. You need to figure out what kind of abortion it is (what caused it) and start treating your other goats to prevent them from giving birth early (likely with dead kids). Could've been caused by a head butt, bacteria, virus, or a poisonous plant.

 

[mdavenport0121]

Out of the three choices, I would have to choose trauma. I had one that went full term two weeks ago. I have two more to kid the first of April. Hopefully they will make it full term. My other four girls kidded in Dec/Jan and I have not put them back with the buck yet.