Sunday, May 9, 2010

Bummer

Well, sad news. The smaller baby goat did not make it last night. I noticed on the 2nd and 3rd feeding that she was not sucking very well on the bottle. She would take a pull or two and then move her mouth off the bottle. I would then have to open her mouth, stick the nipple in and hold her jaw closed around it while she sucked a few times. When I picked her up, her coat was warm so I don't think that she got chilled during the night. I think that she was just weak and probably not having a good start with Maggie ( the mom) didn't help matters.

Now the baby that is still alive? That little one is a live wire! She sucks on my pants, my shoes, my fingers. If she can get her mouth on it she will try and nurse. She ate just fine this morning. Being that I thought that I was going to feed two babies there was lots of milk. I didn't feed her all of it, but she did get a little bit more.

I got Maggie on the stand, no, she did not "hop" up. I had to pull her up and push her on to the stand. I again tied her short to the stand. She did a little better then yesterday. By that I mean that she did not pick her feet up as much and did not try and kick. I did not get as much milk.
But I milked both sides and I milked till I could not get any more out. I don't know how many ways you can squeeze a teat but I milked from all angles and bumped her udder and massaged it to get the milk down. With Maggie being tense maybe she was holding back some.

My BIL says that I should be getting a half gallon. I think that might be a bit much. From what I read, first time fresheners are not the biggest milkers and I don't think that her milk has come in yet. Her udder was not very full looking, and what I did get from her was thick and pale yellow, kind of like the color of butter.

I will talk to goat lady at church today and ask her how much I should be getting now and I think that I will ask her to come over and check both Juju and Maggie and the baby out.

12 comments:

  1. Maybe Farmer Tim had different kinds of goats growing up that were great milkers so they got more than yours is giving. I don't know. I'm sorry the little one died. I know J & J lose several baby goats when they are birthing and they are experts so it can happen. Do you think you can force Maggie to let it nurse?

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  2. Aw, I'm sorry to hear about the one baby, that's sad....

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  3. Bummer... I am so sorry about the little baby. I hope that the goat lady is about to come help and give you some good pointers.

    Maybe Maggie is just a sex-pot and not mother material. JuJu did not give in as quickly so maybe she will take to motherhood.

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  4. Oh Krissy, that's really sad. I was already worrying for you last night and then look what happened. Darn.

    Let's just hope JuJu has her babies soon so she can take over as the nursing mom for ALL the baby goats.

    I hope Maggie gets her act together and cooperates for you. Did you try threatening her????

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  5. That's horrible!!My sympathies. First freshners don't give alot of milk. But she should be giving more than that. It sounds like she's not letting her milk down. Make sure you make milking a routine and it should come around. Our routine is milking twice a day at the same times 6 am and 6 pm. She gets on the stand and eats her grain. I brush her and talk to her. Then I squirt 3 squirts from each teat in the strip cup. Then I go at it. By this time, she knows she has to let her milk down. Within 5 minutes I have 2-3 litres of milk. Mind you Febe is not a first freshner. An experienced goat is worth their weight in gold.

    Good luck.
    Lisa

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  6. Oh...it's hard to lose an animal. I hope the second little goat keeps her feisty nature and holds onto life well. I hope Juju will be a better momma and a good example to Maggie.

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  7. well shoot!! That's sad about the baby goat not making it. Sounds like the other one will be just fine. You should name her Cinnamon like Patty suggested or maybe Nutmeg. Meg for short.

    I think you will have to get Maggie more calmed down and happy so you can milk her properly. You can do it! You are the Goat Whisperer after all!!

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  8. That's too bad. You will figure out the whole milking thing, no worries.

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  9. I'm so sorry, Aunt Krissy. I worry that my girls will reject their babies too. It happened to my neighbor's goatie baby last month too. Perhaps Mother Nature knows something we don't?

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  10. If you are getting thick, creamy milk and the babies are less than a week old, then what you are getting from the goat is colostrum. Freeze several ice cube trays of it and keep it in the freezer for next year. Let your vet know you have it also. Goat colostrum is worth it's weight in gold to someone who has orphaned critters of any species.

    My small Alpine/Saanan cross gives me half a gallon of milk a day but I only milk once a day.

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  11. Oh Krissy Krissy Krissy - I see that just being "Testicle Tessie" when you would come to the ranch you should have also been introduced to milking the cow (oh wait a minute, as soon as my brother and I graduated, my dad got rid of the cow so he didn't have to do all the milking!!! Besides tying the goats head, do you give her any feed to occupy/relax her or do that they that with goats. The milk cow(s) loved me as they would get twice the amount of grain than when bro or dad milked as I was so much slower. Learned pretty fast that when your date was waiting for you to milk out only half of normal amount, turn calf in, add water after straining milk to fill up gallon jars to normal amount - did my dad never notice the "2%" milk or just not say anything??!! So sorry about the other baby. Have you restrained momma so baby can nurse??

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