Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
1. Stop milking. After the last milking, some goat keepers recommend using a dry-cow anti-
biotic infusion to reduce the possibility of mastitis. This is done by injecting antibiotics into
the teat canal. Use a teat dip.
2. Stop feeding the goat high-nutrient foods that encourage milk production. Switch to a dry
doe ration with lower concentrate and protein content.
3. Continue dipping the teats twice daily for the next four to five days.
4. If substantial pressure still exists in the udder after four days, milk out the doe, give anoth-
er antibiotic infusion, and start over.
Just before she gives birth, a doe's udder will begin to “bag up” with milk in preparation for
her kids. A high-yield milker may need to be milked once or twice at this time if her udder be-
comes too full.
Signs a doe is ready to give birth
A doe almost ready to give birth becomes nervous and restless. She may lose her appetite;
turn around, lie down, and get up again repeatedly; bleat; and turn her head toward her tail.
The vulva becomes red and swollen and may trail a long string of clear mucus. The mucus be-
comes opaque and yellow when the birth is imminent. The goat may withdraw from the herd,
sometimes taking another doe along with her. Other does in the herd will show exaggerated
interest in a doe that is about to kid. If they come too close, she will reject them. Do not isol-
ate a doe from the herd immediately before she gives birth, as this can upset her; wait until
after the kids are born to move her to her own stall.
A veteran doe usually begins to bag up — her udder fills with milk — about ten days before
birth. Some does, however, do not bag up until later. A doe experiencing her first pregnancy
will begin to build an udder four to six weeks before birth.
About 140 days after the doe was bred, start watching for signs that she is about to give birth.
Make a note of pre-kidding signals on the goat's health record. No two does behave in exactly
the same way, but a doe is likely to repeat the same kidding signals every time she gives birth.
If you take good notes the first time, you will be better prepared the next year. You should be
able to feel the kids on the right side of the doe until about 12 hours before birth. Then the
uterus begins to tense, and one of the kids will be forced into the neck of the womb. At this
point, the slope of the doe's rump becomes more horizontal, and birth can be expected in
about two hours.
