Author Topic: Is the vet wrong?  (Read 9831 times)

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Is the vet wrong?
« on: May 22, 2013, 12:58:55 pm »
I sent one of my girls off to the billy in early January. The chap reckoned she didn't stand properly for the billy so we haven't been sure if she was pregnant or not. Last week I took her to our vet to get her scanned as I thought she might be. They only had a cattle scanner which didn't work through her belly so he tried rectally. He said he couldn't see any kids there. Today I have noticed that her udder is developing. Do you think the vet could have missed any kids or is this the flush of spring grass bringing her into milk without being pregnant? Are there any other signs that might help or am I just being overly optimistic?
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2013, 01:48:53 pm »
Well the surest sign would have been if she had come back into season, if she didn't she is most likely in-kid - I would think. Is she a goatling/first kidder? If yes, I would think the udder would start to develop around now, it is not always possible to tell from their shape that they are in kid, especially if it is only a single in there (My 1st kidder BT looked fairly neat and dropped triplets  :o ).
Her tailbone will also move up a bit, but some goats only start this very late on, others do it for weeks beforehand, so not a safe indicator.
I would increase her feed ration a bit now, although if she is out on fresh grass maybe not needed too much (mine never kid this late), and watch that she keeps eating some concentrate (pregnancy toxaemia). I would also give her a booster clostridial vaccine about 3 weeks before the expected due date, just to be on the safe side.
However if she goes past her due date I would start milking her out after a week late, if she is from high-yielding stock she may well be a maiden milker (although if she has been to see the billy and he most likely did some sort of business, not sure she would be a "maiden" anymore, but I leave that discussion to others... ;D )
She may just surprise you! (Please keep us posted!)

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2013, 01:58:25 pm »
Thanks Anke. She has kidded before. I reckon her due date is about June 8th.


If she is pregnant it will be our first time kidding. Do I need anything in my kidding kit that would be different from my lambing kit?
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

tizaala

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Dolau, Llandrindod Wells,Powys
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2013, 02:11:33 pm »
Tempted to say prayer mat ,( but some people don't have a sense of humour and might rush out and buy one )  but Having experience of vets , and their lack of knowledge concerning goats , I would be tempted to treat her as if she was pregnant, just as Anke said. So, if she is then it's a bonus , and if not , then she might cloudbust.
 :fc:

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2013, 03:29:19 pm »
oh Tiz - you make me smile  ;D
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2013, 04:13:42 pm »
Same problem here Clydesdale, my goatling was due on the 10th May but nothing - she was kept with the billy for an additional 3 weeks so I'm not giving up hope until the end of May, hoping she was caught.  She is a big girl compared to the others anyway so it's hard to tell - sometimes I think definately, then sometimes ... hmmm maybe not.  Just have to sit and wait.  She's acting completely normal.  a couple of times I've questioned if she's been in season but maybe it was just behing for her food.  Last year she screamed the place down when in season, but nothing much last Autumn, took her to the billy anyway.
 
Let us know how you get on  :fc: , and oh yes, I think your vet could be wrong unless he/she's seen goats in kid before. ::)
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2013, 05:10:46 pm »



If she is pregnant it will be our first time kidding. Do I need anything in my kidding kit that would be different from my lambing kit?
Not really, I would put her in a clean pen of her own (if she is amenable to such arrangements) about a week beforehand, but she can go out with the herd to graze as long as she wants. Mine normally "tell" me when they want to go inside to kid. Watch her behind for a few days before - it will become pink and puffy if something is about to happen. Also keep a check on her udder, so that if it becomes hard and shiny you may have to milk some out before any kids appear (I never had to do this yet).
But as Tizaala says - you will have milk one way or another if her udder is developing..., kid(s) may be a bonus! Make sure you have a milking stand and some big food grade plastic buckets or a stainless steel milking bucket (but I still use the plastic ones on a day-to-day basis), plus a jug (for when you are learning). Some unscented babywipes for cleaning the udder/teats before milking, and I am a believer of teat dipping (diluted iodine solution in a teat-dip-cup) afterwards. Some udder cream (like e45 or unscented hand cream or similar, if you can't get (cows) cheap udder cream at your local merchant) also quite useful, I have had quite a few dry-ish udders this year.
Shall we start a sweepstake on how many kids? ;)

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #7 on: May 22, 2013, 07:03:48 pm »
I have milked her before as she was milking when I bought her last year so at least I don't need to worry about learning to milk  :thumbsup:  It would be so nice to have a female kid from her though as she is such a darling I would love to keep one of her offspring.
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #8 on: May 22, 2013, 09:19:28 pm »
I have milked her before as she was milking when I bought her last year so at least I don't need to worry about learning to milk  :thumbsup:  It would be so nice to have a female kid from her though as she is such a darling I would love to keep one of her offspring.
Sorry, I didn't want to sound patronising, it is just you said that this was your first kidding.... Let's hope she is in kid, and it will be a girl..  :fc:

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #9 on: May 22, 2013, 09:56:10 pm »
(although if she has been to see the billy and he most likely did some sort of business, not sure she would be a "maiden" anymore, but I leave that discussion to others... ;D )

 :roflanim: :roflanim:

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2013, 08:43:36 am »

Sorry, I didn't want to sound patronising, it is just you said that this was your first kidding.... Let's hope she is in kid, and it will be a girl..  :fc:


It wasn't patronising at all. All advice is very much appreciated.
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2013, 08:03:12 pm »
Well I really don't know what to think now. My other goat who has been nowhere near a billy is now developing an udder. she did this last year at the same time and I posted then about maiden milkers. So now I don't know if the one who went to the billy is doing the same or is actually pregnant  :-\  The plot thickens ....
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

goosepimple

  • Joined May 2010
  • nr Lauder, Scottish Borders
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #12 on: May 24, 2013, 08:22:05 pm »
Hmmm..I've just been outside for an evening meander in the sun and noticed a big balloon of an udder has suddenly developed on my girl Clydes and I was getting all excited there - now I've read your post I'm feeling a bit  ???  again! 
 
Tell you what let's have a race  ;D  and a wager  ;D .
 
Think your number 2 is coming out all hormonal for number 1 which can happen, they get confused. 
Bet your number 1 has a girl and a boy.  First few days of June. :fc:
registered soay, castlemilk moorit  and north ronaldsay sheep, pygmy goats, steinbacher geese, muscovy ducks, various hens, lots of visiting mallards, a naughty border collie, a puss and a couple of guinea pigs

clydesdaleclopper

  • Joined Aug 2009
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #13 on: May 24, 2013, 09:13:07 pm »
Lets hope that both yours and mine produce the goods eh  :fc:
Our holding has Anglo Nubian and British Toggenburg goats, Gotland sheep, Franconian Geese, Blue Swedish ducks, a whole load of mongrel hens and two semi-feral children.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Is the vet wrong?
« Reply #14 on: May 24, 2013, 09:45:25 pm »
We all want to know now.

 

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