[Aozora]

So my young Nubian doeling went into heat as usual in September, but I wasn't concerned because the buck had an apron. Until I came in the next day and the apron was slightly askew. Uh-oh, but maybe it's okay since it was just slightly askew? Three weeks later, she didn't go into heat again. I waited the agonizing 45 days, and took her to the vet for the blood test. It was a long wait due to COVID backing up testing, 3 weeks later, confirmed preggo. Okay, so we ordered lute for her, and the buck has a sheep buddy and his own special living area now.

Due to all the COVID-related aborting of pigs and such earlier in the year, there were shortages and it took a month to get the lute in. She had a shot last Friday, nothing happened. Went back and had another shot on Monday, nothing happened. Yesterday morning, we took her back again and the vet gave her a shot of dex as well. Nothing happened.

The vet gave her a clean bill of health--she's big for her age (9 months and over 100lbs, already 2/3 the size of the adults) and an ultrasound confirmed twins, so at least we don't have to worry about a monster kid she can't deliver. She will be due in February, when she's 11 months old.

What do I do for her to ensure that she's getting the nutrition she needs, but isn't cooking the kids too big? I have her on Replamin Plus once a week, looks like it's time to step up selenium gel once a month and dose her with a copper bolus to make sure she's good there too. She gets free choice alfalfa and about 1/2c of grain a day.

I absolutely will not have her stay in milk or raise the kids. I'll pull them, milk her for about a week so that I have enough to get the twins well started, then dry her up so she can keep putting her energy into growth.

 

[Ranger1]

Nothing, just feed her like normal, except don't give grain.

 

[Ranger1]

It would likely be totally fine to milk her or allow her to raise her kids. Actually, if she’s from high production lines, it’s pretty likely to do more harm to her udder than good to her body to try forcing her to dry up that early.

 

[Aozora]

She is from very high production and show lines (Hoanbu and J&M Hideaway Farms). She's already starting to develop an udder, not that I would expect anything less from this goat... She's been herd queen since she was 4 months old. Type A personality all the way, screams more than any Nubian I ever met if she doesn't get her way and all the attention in the world. I call her Celeste the Chaos Elemental. So of course she WOULD get teen pregnant.

She's growing very well, good muscle and fat ratio, can't feel her ribs or spine. I will have to watch her like a hawk when she goes into milk. Okay, I will cut back on her grain for now although she will NOT be amused...

 

[lottsagoats1]

Replace the grain with alfalfa pellets mixed with hay replacer pellets, maybe a bit of soaked beet pulp added for bulk.

I would either keep milking her or keep the kids on her instead of drying her right up. Drying her up immediately can set production amounts and lactation length for life, and limit how much and how long she will produce as an adult. Plus, if she lives up to her production genetics, you could risk a case of mastitis.

100 pounds is a good size to breed, and with twins, she will be fine. Just make sure she gets enough calcium and loose minerals to help keep her growth rate steady. I've never had early kiddings stunt the growth of my girls.

 

[Aozora]

Thank you! I feel much better about the situation now. I don't think she will be mentally mature enough to raise kids, so I will probably still have to hand raise them, but I will certainly milk her.

Also, I went back and looked at my records, and she is older than I thought. She will be a year old when she kids, so she was bred at 7 months, not 6. In that case, she's still a good size but not large for her age.

 

[toth boer goats]

I agree with the others.

But have to say, she will need a little bit of molasses grain the last month of pregnancy.
It doesn’t have to be a lot and just once a day.

1 month prior to kidding give CD&T etc.



Make sure she gets alfalfa the last 2 months of pregnancy.

 

[ksalvagno]

There is a LOT of selenium in Replamin Plus. Definitely don't add more selenium with the gel

Unless you want to pull kids for other reasons, I'd certainly give her a chance to raise her own kids. Plenty of young does turn out to be great mothers.