Need help with newborn

6771 Views 20 Replies 9 Participants Last post by mamawcurry, Dec 3, 2013

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · Dec 1, 2013

I have a crossbred boer that gave birth this evening. Fed her about 6, when I went out to check on her at 9 she had given birth to 2 kids. One was dead and the other one was making noise but very weak. She was laying down and not paying attention to either kid. Brought them both in the house, needed to confirm that the one was dead. Which it was. The little doe is still alive but is like a limp rag. And when I say limp I mean she is still as limp as the little buck that did not survive. She will not suck from a bottle, and no matter what I do to warm her up she doesn't feel warm. Her feet especially are cold.

Any suggestions. I have had limited experience with this. For the last 2 years the kids that were born on the place were up and trying to nurse within minutes.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

ksalvagno

· #2 · Dec 1, 2013

Put some towels in the dryer. You can also put her in a plastic bag with her head out. Then put her in a bath with warm water (keeping her head out of water and don't let her get wet). Wrapping her in a blanket and putting her on a heating pad too.

You must get her temp up to at least 100 before trying to feed her.

goathiker

· #3 · Dec 1, 2013

You're going to have to get her warmed up and DON'T give her any milk until she is at least 100.5 degrees. Put her on a heating pad, wrap her in warm towels from the dryer, anything that you can think of to get her warm.

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #4 · Dec 1, 2013

Thanks Karen, I have had her in the warm towels and heating pad. Will try the water. Didn't know that temp needed to be up to 100 for feeding. Can you tell me why? Also what is your advice for what to feed. The mama has no interest in her what so ever.

ksalvagno

· #5 · Dec 1, 2013

Their rumen needs to be at proper temperature to digest the milk. Proper temperature is 101.5 to 103.5.

You need to milk mom and get that colostrum into her.

Scottyhorse

· #6 · Dec 1, 2013

After you warm her up, you may need to tube her, just in case she still will not suckle. Some vitamin b complex never hurts.

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #7 · Dec 1, 2013

Thank you so much for the info. You guys are awesome. I just took temp and it is 93. Working on getting that up now. I will keep you all posted. Please keep the advice coming.

goathiker

· #8 · Dec 1, 2013

Colostrum from mom is what she needs. Preferably before 12 hours has passed.
She needs to be at least 100 degrees or else she can't digest. The liquid will just sit in her stomach and bloat her when she does warm up.

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #9 · Dec 1, 2013

Thank you all for your help with my newborn kid. Sadly she died around 5:00 this morning. I was able to get her temp up to over 100 and I was encouraged that things might turn around but it was not meant to be. When her temp did go up she seemed to get weaker and more limp then before. She had absolutely no desire to eat. I knew that she was going so I just kept her warm and held her until she passed.

I have a couple of questions. 1. When I found the kids the mom was not paying any attention to them. I am not used to this since the does that I have had kid here are very protective. One kid was dead when I found them. Do you think she knew that they were not going to survive? My family raised dogs and pigs for many years and the moms would push out the ones in her litter that she knew were not strong and probably not make it.
2. I was thinking about milking the doe out to get her colostrum and freezing it just in case I need it with any of my other kids. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for your help

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happybleats

· #10 · Dec 1, 2013

Good advice..Im very sorry you lost her....

luvmywaggintails

· #11 · Dec 1, 2013

So sorry to hear you lost both kids. You didn't say if this was first time kidding for this doe. Sometimes they just don't seem to know what to do and hopefully we are able to intervene. I would definitely milk her for some of the colostrum and freeze it in ice cube trays. Once frozen transfer to a freezer bag, that way you only have to thaw out small amounts when you need it.

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 1, 2013

This was her second kidding, first time with me. The previous said that she had twins last year and raised both. Thanks for the advice on colostrum.

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #13 · Dec 1, 2013

Doe retaining after birth

My doe had her kids last night. I am thinking she might be retaining some afterbirth. She doesn't seem to be straining to remove it. Her temp is normal as well as her appetite. She lost both of her kids so there is nothing nursing on her at the moment. I know that this can turn bad quickly and I have not had this trouble before. What should I be giving her to help her expel any afterbirth?

happybleats

· #14 · Dec 1, 2013

Milk her colostrum out and freeze it...the milking action will help her expell her after birth and the colostrum can come inhandy in the future..we call it liquid gold!...you usually will see one placenta per kid born...If you are in a selenium def. area...giving selenium vit E gel or BoSe can help as well...keep a watch on her temp...offer her electrolytes, hydration also helps in the process...

Homemade Electrolytes

A half gallon of hot water
2-6 Tablespoons of Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses
1-2 Tablespoons of Either Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda or Table Salt.
1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 1, 2013

Thank you for the help. I was thinking that possibly milking her would help.

ksalvagno

· #16 · Dec 1, 2013

If you can go in, I would go in and make sure there isn't another kid in there. If a kid is too weak to nurse, then you can tube them.

toth boer goats

· #17 · Dec 1, 2013

I am so sorry for your loss.

Jessica84

· #18 · Dec 1, 2013

Very sorry

like the others have said yes milk her....that stuff is liquid gold. For the afterbirth do you have a vet to get oxytocin?? And as for the doe.....the breeder you got her from do you know and trust them??? Now your call but this is me.....first I'm thinking the breeder might have had this issue the first go around and for many people this calls for culling. If she was my doe she would be leaving very soon. Again your call but make a mental note if your keeping her and make sure your there when she kids if she does this again. I just find it odd that the last owner would keep her for months just to be old enough to breed then another 5 months to kid out then sell her after that but I have also been burned so my trust does not come easy.

mamawcurry

Discussion Starter · #19 · Dec 3, 2013

Jessica84, your thinking and mine are the same. As soon as I get her built back up a little she will be leaving. I am trying to get higher % does in my herd for breeding. When we purchased her she was with a group of other does that I bought. Almost didn't buy her but for some reason just like the looks of her. Let my heart speak instead of my brain. lol I think the hardest part of all of this is that my oldest granddaughter loved the looks of her (she is marked completely different than all my other goats). I give all of my grandkids their first breeding stock doe for 4-H. She immediately chose this goat for her breeding stock. Even though I tried to talk her out of it due to the fact that she really wasn't that great of a goat. So having to call my daughter to give her the news of the deaths of the babies was as hard as loosing the babies.

NyGoatMom

· #20 · Dec 3, 2013

Awww...so sorry for your losses

Hope you can find your granddaughter a doe she will like as much that will be a better breeder.

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