Cattle who are given the freedom to do so will go out away from the herd, under a tree or in a similarly sheltered area, and then return to eat as soon as the calf is stable. I have always managed kidding in more closely confined areas, so I haven’t seen what my goats would Continue Reading
Category: Pregnancy & Kidding
Retiring a Doe from Breeding
In this lesson: How do we know the right time to retire a doe from breeding? Standard advice is to breed until the doe is 10 years old and then retire. This is a good rule of thumb but your doe may need to be retired sooner or she may be able to continue beyond Continue Reading
Manually Dilating a Cervix
In this lesson: This is “stringing.” Amniotic fluid is hanging out and birth is imminent. I bemusedly observed this doe gobbling on food out at the feeder and again in the barn when I tossed a bale down. No indications of labor, no pawing, no obvious contractions, etc. Happily munching away without a seeming care Continue Reading
Doe Bleeding and Discharge After Kidding
After kidding, the uterus must clean out all of the products required for successfully growing fetuses. This process can take as long as six weeks. Discharge will be bloody, sometimes clotty, heavier at times and lighter at others. All of these are normal. Sometimes it may stop for a day or a few and then Continue Reading
Do I Need to Separate Does During Kidding?
The general consensus when does are kidding is to separate them from the herd. Some breeders will separate them out of sight and contact completely from the herd. Others don’t separate at all, leaving does to kid where they will. When determining the best choice in my own herd, I tried to think of how Continue Reading
Doe Short Cycling
Short cycling is when a doe comes in heat and then comes back in heat a few days later or any interval notably sooner than the normal 21-day cycle. While not all cases are caused by minerals, my first stop is always iodine in cases of short cycling or in does who cycle normally but don’t Continue Reading
Bumping after Kidding
Bumping. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s when you lift up just in front of a doe’s udder when she’s kidding to determine if there are any more kids. This is generally advised if some time has passed an an owner is questioning whether or not she’s done. I myself am not a fan Continue Reading
Uterine Infection
Despite the perceived risk in social media groups and the advice to preventively dose antibiotics, which tear down the system in the long run, uterine infection is not that common. I have assisted delivery in at least a few does per year for over a decade. I wear no gloves, but wash my hands thoroughly Continue Reading
Oregano Essential Oil for Goats During Pregnancy
As goat owners become more aware of the power of using essential oils in therapeutic practice for their goats, one of the common questions I hear is, “Is oregano essential oil safe for my pregnant goat?” I won’t give you a direct answer, but instead will provide you with the sources and research available to Continue Reading