The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Belladonna01 on September 19, 2019, 06:32:36 pm
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Hello all, I separated a kid at 4 months from the mother to wean off. I put them back together two weeks ago thinking all was well, but today I saw the kid suckling for a while . I am hoping to breed off the mother in November, but I am thinking will she be ready ? . other than separating again is there something I Could put on the teats that would deter the youngster suckling. :llama:
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How long were they separate? If you can - keep them separate, but also watch for when she is freshly kidded that the previous kid doesn't push the new one off...
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I had them apart for 4 weeks, don't plan to mate the mother until mid november , if her condition improves.
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I would a) keep the kid away, but just behind a hurdle or similar, so can sniff each other but no suck, and b) if she is still quite skinny maybe put back the mating another couple of months unless you are desperate for spring kids. Any chance you can run her through on let's say once a day milking? She would slowly put on weight over the winter and then a lot more next spring & summer.
What breed are we talking about?
I am usually not keen to mate my goats every year, unless they are in danger of going overfat during the winter (on twice a day milking mind).
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I used micropore to stop my kids suckling a goat who was not their mother. They were getting their first course from Mum then a second lot from auntie. I did it for about two weeks and that did the trick.