The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Brucklay on April 16, 2010, 07:18:34 am
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I suppose after our first kidding I had delusions of being super mum - yesterday put me in my place - FeeBee showed signs about 11.30am and I stayed with her till 3.30 then decided to call the vet, she said to monitor for another half hour and she's call back. I immediately went back to FeeBee to find she was trying to kid - the head was out and she was "screaming" - I tried to help the kid and however many time you see these sorts of thing is doesn't prepare you for it when it's your loving, trusting animal. I couldn't feel a leg to ran back to the house to call the vet, via the office. To cut a long panic short, I did manage to get the kid out but she was unfortunately dead by then. The vet did come and check FeeBee in case of other kids but the wasn't any so I must say at least she's fine. But typing this the tears are still falling - I can't remember when I last felt so sad, it is like my heart has broken. I know these things happen and I must be brave and everthing need let out and fed the same as yesterday morning but it's just not quite the same - sorry for going on! So now worried FeeBee had lost of milk and no kid - should I try to milk her to curb Mastitis - she's not to comfortable with the idea but I will persaver if that what I should do - thanks.
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I know exactly how you feel, it is an awful experience when you loose an animal and you always feel helpless. I think, however, you should be angry at your vet perhaps? I know nothing will bring back the kid but get out there and take comfort from the animals that are still needing your love and attention. :)
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Sorry about your loss. :(
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Really sorry Brucklay :( this is so sad for you and FeeBee x
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I'm so sorry to hear about your loss :-* The silver lining in your cloud though is that FeeBee is okay, if you hadn't been around things could have been very different.
My gut instinct with her would be to milk her a little to relieve the pressure or perhaps there's meds to dry the milk up ? but Roxy or Ballingall will be able to advise you better.
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Thank you for all you posts - I am so glad FeeBee is ok - I did try and relieve a bit of pressure last nigh and this morning and will continue to monitor - should I speak to the vet re med's? thanks
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I think your vet should have come out when you rang first. That is such a shame, I was so upset when I lost one of Belle's pups. The placenta had come away - I think caused by a scrap with one of my other girls when I wasn't here, my dogsitter took them out together against my orders. So I blamed my self for leaving her with someone else two weeks before whelping. But I consoled myself that I knew enough to get her to the vet and help deliver 5 healthy ones, and have a fantastic vet practice. I have punished myself by keeping one of the boys, quite a handful - but, as it happens, the pick of the litter. But maybe that's not really punishment, is it? ;D I'm so glad you saved FeeBee, and hope she recovers soon from her (and your) ordeal
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I am so sorry about your kid. Usually you will see the head with the feet there. Its possible a leg was bent back or something. It sounds like you did all you could in the circumstances. It is very easy to read about things in books, but when they go wrong in real life, its a different matter. If you have livestock, these things happen.
I have had goats etc. many years. This year, we have had two dead billy kids at birth. I was monitoring both goats regularly, but they kidded in between visits. Had I been there, I may, or may not have been able to do anything. But, its no use beating yourself up, your nanny goat is still with you. She will be able to have more kids and next time things will go well. I was fortunate that another of my goats had twin females a few weeks later, and this cheered me up no end.
I did not milk the goat who lost the kid as it was a pygmy, and the other had a surviving kid. If you want to have goats milk, they you can start milking her. Although don't use it for the first day or two, as it will be strong and yellow, but ok for cats!! Just remember though, once you start to milk her, you will need to carry on.
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Thank you Roxy - she not really comfortable been touched 'underneath' so if it's not going to do her any harm I'll leave her be - could have used it for the orphan lambs but I think mixing power will be a lot less stress for me and FeeBee!! Thank you for your words of experience - I guess it something anyone who has animals expecting dreads and I don't mean to sound cruel but it sort of good to hear it's not just me. Piper is due any day now so hopefully that will go better - she is bigger but you can bet I'll be camping out in the goat shed and won't leave her for a second.
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I know how you feel, my girls always come and sleep in my bedroom a week before whelping. Piper will be absolutely fine, I am sure.
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So sorry to hear about the loss of the kid, how distressing for you and FeeBee.
And good luck for Piper.
x
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And I bet your girl will wait until you nip into the house for a cuppa ....and then kid all by herself with no problem. I do hope that happens, and you return to find a lovely kid ......or two waiting for you!!! Please don't worry, I am sure it will all go well. If you think how many kids are born every year, most of them are born with no outside assistance. I think anyone keeping goats, or other livestock for that matter, needs to be aware that things can and do go wrong sometimes. We have to accept thats part of keeping animals.
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Hi,
Sorry to hear it didn't go well. And yes I think the vet should have come out when you first called. Vets can be guilty of thinking an owner is just panicking needlessly, especially if they think you maybe haven't had livestock that long. Roxy is absolutely right, we all lose kids. We didn't have a very good year this year, we lost a mum, a female kid and 3 males all to natural causes. That isn't a good record, even if you consider it was out of 6 goats kidding and 15 kids.
I have never had pygmies, but I would think as long you monitor her udder and keep an eye for signs of mastitis (udder being tight or hard or really hot and swollen) then you should be ok to not milk her.
What I would say is that, what signs was she showing at 11:30am? 11:30am until 3:30pm is a long time for a labour. Once they have really started- have long trails of discharge or started pushing, then I would expect something in about an hour.
Beth
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I don't want to upset anyone, or sound macabre, so my apologies in advance, but I must ask - what do you do with the bodies?
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You are not supposed to bury "fallen" ie dead livestock, which means they need to be collected by the "knackers" or slaughtermen. I did think there might have been an exception for stillborn kids (I'm sure I remember a man from SEERAD telling me that, but it may have changed).
And obviously, you have to pay for that priviledge.
Beth
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I think you are supposed to record the deaths of any newborn kids, whether stillborn, or they die after birth .....but really, how many goat keepers, or sheep keepers for that matter do this. And as to disposing of them, like the recording the death .....who knows these goat kids every existed!!!!!
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You should of got an orphan lamb or two and fostered them onto her.
It's always a Shame when you wait months for something and it gets snatched away at the last minute.
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Sort of a nice idea with the orphan lambs - but I sure I read somewhere that;s 'not done' and also 2 of my orphan lambs would no way fit under FeeBee!!! she's a bit of a midget! She's doing ok though - was worried that her udder was getting a bit warm so will now be milking her for the duration just so we don't have any further problems - she didn't like it as first but did calm down - now need a very low pot/pan/bucket so I can feed it to the lambs!! oh the joys - still lots done today and only one fed to go
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Re putting lambs onto goats should not be done, as they can damage the nanny's udder. Milking and bottle feeding is fine.
Also i would put the nanny on a low-calorie diet, just hay for a few days. That will reduce her milk production, and once udder is soft, you could go back to your normal maintenance ration.
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Anke - thanks for the info - I'll do that - I knew I read somethere not to put lambs on goats but couldn't remember where as read so much!! I had been giving her a wee bit of 'crunchies' so I'll not do that and follow your advice.