JUST KIDDING

Dr. Beth Johnson, Office of State Veterinarian, Kentucky Department of Agriculture

The key to any successful business is to produce as much product as efficiently as possible with minimal financial input. As all goat producers know, the major goal of a meat goat producer is to get as many pounds of a sellable product out of a single doe as possible. To achieve this goal we must have live kids born that survive to weaning or later depending on the producers plans for their kids.

Hopefully this handout will help many producers with problems associated with kidding and raising healthy kids.

PARTUITION: (Kidding time)

Signs to look for which indicate the doe is close to kidding:

• Depression at the tail head (thurls and pin bones), loosening of the pelvic ligaments

• Restless, nesting response (digging), talkative, ears held out if normally pendulous

• Doe seeks isolation from the group

• Udder development and enlargement of vulva

• Clear to white mucous discharge from vulva

When you see these signs, it is important that the doe be housed in a draft free, dry, clean area especially in the colder months. In the warmer months, kidding does out in a clean dry pasture is recommended as long as the dam bonds with her kids and the environment is conducive to minimal disruptions or risks to the newborns. After she delivers her kids, she can be housed in a kidding “jug” with her kids for several days, which allows for the doe to bond with her kids. This also allows the producer to monitor the health of the dam and her kids during the periparturient period.

Normal progression of events during kidding:

First stage: Loosening of the pelvic area. This is the time you will see the doe being restless with nesting behavior and “talking”. You may also see a mucous discharge from the vulva. This stage can last 24 hours.

Second stage: Delivery of the kids. Normal presentation is with two front feet with the head on top of the legs. You should observe the amniotic sac (water bag) first. This sac should rupture within 30 minutes followed soon after with delivery of the kid.

Third Stage: Expulsion of the fetal membranes. Does usually do not pass their fetal membranes (placenta) until after delivery of all fetuses. They usually expel these membranes within 6 hours after delivery of the fetuses. If they have not passed their placenta, it might be wise to check and make sure you don’t have another malpresented fetus. If no fetus is felt the doe should be given 2cc Oxytocin IM to assist in expulsion of the membranes.

SIGNS OF TROUBLE DURING PARTUITION:

• The water bag has been present for longer than 30 minutes or no progression of delivery of the kid after 30 minutes.

• Two feet observed without a head.

• One foot and head or only one foot present.

• Head is the only visible structure.

• Feet are turned up (usually a sign of a backwards kid or a kid being delivered upside down).

• Water bag ruptured over 30 minutes ago and no sign of a fetus. This is always a sign to seek intervention as it can be evidence of a breech or other abnormal fetal presentation or lack of cervical dilation.

If you encounter any of these problems it is time to intervene and perform a vaginal exam or call someone who can examine the doe.

Care of the Newborn Kid:

Don’t forget the important stuff!

• Make sure the doe has functional teats and colostrum present.

• DIP the umbilical cord with 7% Iodine or Super 7 Ultra Naval Care© .

• Give all newborn kids 0.5cc Bo-Se either IM or SQ.

• Be sure that the kid gets 1 oz./lb BW (i.e. 8lb kid needs 8oz.) of colostrum in first 12 hours of birth.

• Make sure the kid stays warm by providing a clean, dry, and well bedded environment

• Heat Lamps????? Use only if you can secure them well and be 100% sure they are goat proof. Consider kid coats!

Care of the postparturient doe:

• Be sure her udder has two functional teats and that she has colostrum.

• Give Oxytocin (2cc IM) to assist with passage of the fetal membranes and milk letdown.

• Deworm at this time if necessary.

• Trim hooves!

VACCINATIONS:

Give a pregnant doe her booster Clostridium perfringens Type C & D/Tetanus, 30 days prior to kidding.

Give newborn kids from unvaccinated does their first Clostridium perfringens Type C&D/Tetanus vaccination when they are approximately one week of age. Give boosters in 4 weeks, then when they are 4 months of age.

Give newborn kids from properly vaccinated does their first Clostridium perfringens Type C & D/Tetanus vaccination when they are one month old, then booster in 4 weeks followed by booster at 4 months of age.

NUTRITION:

Kids: provide a creep feeding area that only allows the kids to enter. Provide a kid creep feed free-choice that is approximately 18% protein until they are eating large amounts. Be sure there is a coccidiostat (assist in the control of coccidiosis) and ammonium chloride (prevents urinary calculi) present in this feed and that you do not blend in corn or other by-product feed which dilutes out the coccidiostat/ammonium chloride. Sources of the coccidiostats are Monensin (rumensin) and Lasalocid (Bovatec). Provide hay or pasture ad lib.

Does: Monitor body condition and feed grain &/or hay as needed. Usually provide 2 lbs. of a 16% grain ration per head for meat goats. If they are milking heavy, nursing multiple kids, or milking dairy goats, base their grain intake by their milk production which is 1lb/2lbs of milk produced, i.e. a doe milking 8 lbs should receive 4 lbs of grain daily. Provide approximately 5-10 lbs of hay per head per day depending on the quality of hay and their access to pasture.

FECAL EXAMINATIONS: Perform fecal exams on kids 3 weeks of age or older to determine parasite burden and deworm for intestinal worms or treat for coccidiosis as needed. Check for lice infestation and treat if needed.

---

Dr. Beth Johnson is a Staff Veterinarian in the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and has 40 years of experience raising and treating small ruminants. Her family farms in Parksville, KY where she raises Gelbvieh cattle and Boer goats.