Ok I am thinking of giving Demi her pre-birthing haircut early... cause ummm well I'm impatient and I want to be able to see her development better. I am just going to shave down from her tail to her udder and a bit on her back legs. I dont want her to look half nekkid, and I can always give her a second haircut before she actually does kid :wink: Buuut, how do y'all hold your goats for this? Last time I tried to touch Demi's udder she kicked like a lil demon and almost fell off the milk stand. And that was just trying to touch it!!! LW
its not easy. I usualy hold one leg up and do it like that. but keep your nose away from the hoof as they do still try to kick with the one in your grasp :angry: Did you see the picture of Angie's udder - I didnt shave anything but the longer hairs on the legs (didnt shave the legs) and the udder itself.
If I know they are going to be terrible when I shave them then I wait till their within the safe zone for Kidding and have at it. They are usually too fat by then to put up a good fight, and the stress might send them into labor. An added bonus. :ROFL: :wink:
When I give the birthing cut, I clip the tail, udder, down the backlegs to the hocks, and about 2-3 inches on each side of the udder. I also shave on top the rump area where the ligaments are so I can see if they appear very mushy or gone. I put all the does on the milk stand for clipping. My one doe that is a kicker I just keep on shaving even if she's kicking. The clip job looks HORRIBLE but I don't immediately quit. If I did that, they would learn kicking gets them out of clipping. They can be quite frustrating especially when we clip for shows because I'm very picky on how they look. lol With my does being full size dairy goats, I can put my nearest leg on the milk stand and hook their back leg over the top of my leg for clipping if need be. That is how I clip rear legs for showing. Much easier when they are grown then fighting them.
hmm the bit about putting your leg under their leg makes sense. I will try that with Demi. I wouldnt shave where her ligaments are, as I find it very easy feeling with my fingers whether ligaments are there, or mushy, or gone, etc. I am going to give her a basic trim when I get back - hopefully. Like - just her udder =] LW
