Pygmy Kid - Born in snow and very cold/weak

[smoknz28]

Very sorry for your loss.

Did you give your does a CD&T vaccine 30 days prior to kidding?

Thank you....

No, we have never vaccinated our goats. I have taken an approach that I don't want to push vaccines in them until I feel they have a need for it. We have had goats for the past 4-years and have never vaccinated them. We have had one birth on our farm as well from one of our Pygmy's and her offspring is still very healthy 2-years later. We've not had any issues with diseases with any of them.

I'm not fully against vaccinating them, but again, I just would rather not push drugs in them if it's really not needed. Not saying my way is right, but it has worked for me successfully for the past 4 years.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Here is the list @smoknz28

My kidding kit includes:
Towels! Lots of em!
Paper towels
Trash bags
Floss (for the navel)
Iodine+ a cup
Scissors
Rubbing alcohol- I use this to clean the scissors before cutting the navel
Flashlight
Thermometer
Bulb syringe
Bottle/nipples
Frozen colostrum
Disposable gloves
Shoulder length gloves
Lube
CMT mastitis kit along with TODAY mastitis treatment tubes

Weak kid syringe-I haven't had to use it and I hope I never will, but it is a great thing to have on hand.

Small dog sweaters for the baby goat kids- if it is cold outside

I also keep on hand-
Jumpstart Plus paste, I got it from TSC and I don't think 2 of my kids would be alive without it. It was a rough birth and they were very weak and this stuff helped a lot.

Nutri-Drench

Molasses- I give some in some warm water after the doe kids.

Penn G* (antibiotic)

LA 200* (antibiotic)

*These antibiotics aren't really for kidding- I always keep them on hand and if the doe had an issue such as a retianed placenta or stillborn kids, an antibiotic may be necessary.

NOTE: Do not give molasses or Nutri-Drench to an animal with a fever, it will only make it worse.

Other things that are great to have are heating pads, premiere1 heat lamps and other safe heat sources.

It is best to milk out the colostrum now and freeze it and GRADUALLY dry her up. You don't want to just leave her be, doing so will open you up to more issues.

I'm not sure how long it will take a Pygmy to dry up, maybe @frustratedearthmother will have an idea on how long it will take.

 

[smoknz28]

Here is the list @smoknz28

It is best to milk out the colostrum now and freeze it and GRADUALLY dry her up. You don't want to just leave her be, doing so will open you up to more issues.

I'm not sure how long it will take a Pygmy to dry up, maybe @frustratedearthmother will have an idea on how long it will take.

Please help me understand what harm can come about if we don't milk her out. This is interesting and we certainly don't want harm to come of her...she's already lost two of her kids...

Thank you so much!

 

[Goat Whisperer]

I know you said you don't want to milk every day or other day... For the first few days this might be necessary. Normally the kid would be using up all her milk, but obviously she doesn't have them anymore. So know it is up to YOU to take care of her and don't let her go thru unnecessary pain of getting an engorged udder. You won't need to milk her for months on end but you might want milk tonight, Friday, and then milk small amounts of milk out when she starts looking over uddered.

Letting her get over uddered can cause her to leak milk, opening her udder up to bacteria that can cause mastitis. Mastitis can not only ruin the use of the udder but it can also kill the goat itself depending how bad the infection is.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

You did very well with this and there is always a learning curve. Our first kidding went great. A week later, I was a sobbing puddle after a too big buckling died before I could get him out of our second pregnant doe. It happens and you learn and even then, just when you think you got it, life gives you more lessons.

All good info from others on a kidding kit. I would urge you to consider the CDT vaccine--the death from tetanus is awful and that plus cd bacteria are everywhere. It is the only vaccine we do here.

 

[smoknz28]

I know you said you don't want to milk every day or other day... For the first few days this might be necessary. Normally the kid would be using up all her milk, but obviously she doesn't have them anymore. So know it is up to YOU to take care of her and don't let her go thru unnecessary pain of getting an engorged udder. You won't need to milk her for months on end but you might want milk tonight, Friday, and then milk small amounts of milk out when she starts looking over uddered.

Letting her get over uddered can cause her to leak milk, opening her udder up to bacteria that can cause mastitis. Mastitis can not only ruin the use of the udder but it can also kill the goat itself depending how bad the infection is.

Knowledge is power my friend! Thank you so much for the educational informational information. We will start milking her tomorrow and as you instructed. Thank you!

 

[smoknz28]

All,

What a beautiful day it was just a few hours before this posting...

My other Doe, who was born on our farm a couple years ago gave birth to a very healthy kid!

We have one more Doe, the mother of the Doe who gave birth today...is also pregnant and we expect her to give birth to two. We have about a couple more weeks before she gives birth.

Well, here's the new kid.

 

[Latestarter]

Congrats! That's wonderful! How is the other doing who lost her kids?

 

[Southern by choice]

Awww that is wonderful!

That is the bittersweet life on a farm.... there is loss that takes your heart and then you turn around and there is new life.

Glad all are well.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

Congratulations!!