Newbie here. I am thinking of raising meat goats and was wondering just how important it is to be there when they start having babies? I have a full time job this something I'm wanting to do on the side. I didn't know if needed to make sure somebody is around.
kidding
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Everyone here makes fun of me that I am there as soon as they start to go into labor, I say I have too much money, time, and love to not be there. Most of the time I never have to help at all. My advise would be to make sure you purchase does that have nice wide hips and not first timers. I have a nice wide old lady that pushed my hand and a 9lb kid with a leg bent back like it was nothing, she is a for sure keeper in my books.
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Being there is very important as it can be the difference between life and death of not only the kids, but the dam herself. If you're looking for "something on the side", I would suggest you look into selling newspapers, avon, writing articles, or some other part time thing that does not involve living, breathing creatures that experience pain and can suffer. Just my .02.
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I have never made fun of you for that, and I never will. I never leave for more than an hour or two when I have does kidding, and I always check them before I do that.
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Hi jessica
I would NEVER make fun of you or anyone out there. I have not been off my property for 5 days and wont till my last 2 does kid. It has been all good till today when 2nd quads were born, 2 were breech & would not have survived had i not been here. So you go girl 110% support from me
. Pics in birth annoucement...This pic is of Hannah (she had 1boy saturday) resting her head on my shoulder while in labour!!!!!
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Ohhh no....no one on here people at home...my family lol. My husband even gets a little earatated that I sleep with a baby monitor on....he thinks I'm crazy. But we are cattle people that's were they make fun of me. 99% of the cows will give birth with no one around the only ones they really keep a eye on are first calf heifers. I tell them this is my thing and I'll do it the way I want to and that's being there for every kid. It doesn't help my first kidding I killed both kid and mother and the second I was stupid and didn't check for another kid. So I still get nervous
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Ohhh totally forgot why I came on here to post lol.....if your wanting to do meat goats feed off weeds what ever your reason and make money at it you could buy young kids that are weaned but not butcher size and resell later. A man I know from Nebraska does that and does the breeding and says he makes more money at the resell. I have tried that and not made money but have bought thin does to resell later and made good money. If you go that way just pay attention to the animals you want thin or small basically hungry not ones with snot noses abscesses the runs etc.......just another idea for ya
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I try to be here for every kidding. If it's not possible my husband or my mother is here. Doesn't mean I haven't missed them here and there. Usually I have fallen asleep after being up all night checking on a doe and get jolted awake by a family member exclaiming someone has kidded. Not every doe needs help, but I like to get navels and hooves dipped, and make sure they have nursed. First fresheners make me the most nervous at kidding time, you never know how they are going to be.
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Well after being around different livestock over the years... goats rather surprised me with their desire to have me with them durring kidding season. Goats are such sensitive creatures. We just assumed they would be out in the pasture and would not want any one of us around but they are not like cows that will go and hide away nor like our miniature horses that want to foal out in private. Our Abelene crys out - yells out with her head facing the house as if to say... "Get out here now or I'm gonna die- I need to go in the kidding pen now! NOW ... HURRY UP HUMAN! I NEED HELP!"
So.. no- you don't have to be present to have a successful kidding but your presence will be appreciated & relieve their stress and most importantly you can see to any problems. Your chances of losing a doe and kids will be one of the risks involved but sometimes... you can not always be there so you just have to try to feed & care for them well during pregnancy, put them in a warmer safe area when you are gone & buy good stock to start your herd. There are many ranches that are large and have field births all the time- their goats are more wild. I guess that with our little place- the goats would probably die from panic if I wasnt present to help them get all settled in.. Yes..they get pampered, but we have not yet had any die here from birth or sickness. (YET, that is- it does happen and we are only 4 years so will eventually have a problem I am sure) but I want to be there if there is ever a problem.
Now.. Miniature horses- always good to be present for sure if possible as they are known to have a higher percentage of redbag(placenta previa) I tried.. i really did.. but as soon as I left her alone.. she waited until I was gone and had the foal.
Goats are very different- seem to depend on people more and accept help more-even with the babies and would gladly give me one of their triplets... I always say... "NO..you feed ALL of them" You can and you had better mamma up and take ALL of them" We have never had a Doe reject one as being present has also helped this. I make sure ALL have nursed and she has claimed All 3 and first time Does do need help usually especially if they havent seen or been around older Does with babies.
So.. no- you don't have to be present to have a successful kidding but your presence will be appreciated & relieve their stress and most importantly you can see to any problems. Your chances of losing a doe and kids will be one of the risks involved but sometimes... you can not always be there so you just have to try to feed & care for them well during pregnancy, put them in a warmer safe area when you are gone & buy good stock to start your herd. There are many ranches that are large and have field births all the time- their goats are more wild. I guess that with our little place- the goats would probably die from panic if I wasnt present to help them get all settled in.. Yes..they get pampered, but we have not yet had any die here from birth or sickness. (YET, that is- it does happen and we are only 4 years so will eventually have a problem I am sure) but I want to be there if there is ever a problem.
Now.. Miniature horses- always good to be present for sure if possible as they are known to have a higher percentage of redbag(placenta previa) I tried.. i really did.. but as soon as I left her alone.. she waited until I was gone and had the foal.
Goats are very different- seem to depend on people more and accept help more-even with the babies and would gladly give me one of their triplets... I always say... "NO..you feed ALL of them" You can and you had better mamma up and take ALL of them" We have never had a Doe reject one as being present has also helped this. I make sure ALL have nursed and she has claimed All 3 and first time Does do need help usually especially if they havent seen or been around older Does with babies.
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i didn't know you had to dip their hooves , why ? and what do you use iodine?
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Most people don't dip the hooves. If you keep a clean area and barn, there should be no need to dip the hooves. Just treat the naval area. They are not that fragile... their hooves have a protection covering on them.. i wouldnt mess that up with iodine.
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You don't need to dip the hooves, it isn't necessary and I have never done it, it is the cord, that is very important.
As to being there for kidding. You should be or have someone there, if the Doe is close to watch her. Sometimes things can happen and they need help.
If we aren't there within a certain time frame. The kids and/or Doe can parish.
As to being there for kidding. You should be or have someone there, if the Doe is close to watch her. Sometimes things can happen and they need help.
If we aren't there within a certain time frame. The kids and/or Doe can parish.
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