First freshener and baby goat struggling to nurse

[User635240]

Hi all, I have a 1.5yr old doe (Boer-Alpine cross), she just kidded a huge, healthy singleton buckling (sire is huge Alpine buck). I gave him oral Vitamins B, A/D/E and selenium day 1. Doe really wants to be a good mom (she keeps him warm at night, and stands guard over him 24/7, etc.), but she is not nursing him well. She wants him to nurse and calls anxiously when he hasn't nursed for several hours. But when he gets onto the teat, she pulls up her leg (trying to be helpful?), nuzzles his butt, and then steps back a step - all these things pull the teat out of his mouth. I am intervening a few times a day, by moving him into position and forcibly hold her hock down with both hands so she stays in place. She kicks me repeatedly when I try to strip the unused, bloated teat (without the kid). I can tell when he hasn't nursed for 6-8 hrs because he is sleepy and weak; as soon as he nurses he is back to jumping and climbing. Have not weighed him but he looks at least an inch taller since birth, but thin body frame. How can I a) strip the milk from the unused teat, b) make sure he gets enough milk, c) possibly give him some kind of supplemental nutrition?

 

[BantyChooks]

Have you asked this on BackYard Herds? I know there are a couple goat people here but you might have better luck there. I hope you can get the little guy some food and hopefully momma cooperates better.
Here's a link: https://www.backyardherds.com/

 

[cassie]

Either tie the doe up very short or put her in a milking stand. You are going to have to restrain her one way or the other. Do you have a clipping stanchion or something? You are just going to have to milk her out whether she pitches a fit or not. She will eventually get used to it. Will the kid take a bottle? If so, after you put him on the teat offer him a bottle.

 

[my spoiled chickens]

Hi all, I have a 1.5yr old doe (Boer-Alpine cross), she just kidded a huge, healthy singleton buckling (sire is huge Alpine buck). I gave him oral Vitamins B, A/D/E and selenium day 1. Doe really wants to be a good mom (she keeps him warm at night, and stands guard over him 24/7, etc.), but she is not nursing him well. She wants him to nurse and calls anxiously when he hasn't nursed for several hours. But when he gets onto the teat, she pulls up her leg (trying to be helpful?), nuzzles his butt, and then steps back a step - all these things pull the teat out of his mouth. I am intervening a few times a day, by moving him into position and forcibly hold her hock down with both hands so she stays in place. She kicks me repeatedly when I try to strip the unused, bloated teat (without the kid). I can tell when he hasn't nursed for 6-8 hrs because he is sleepy and weak; as soon as he nurses he is back to jumping and climbing. Have not weighed him but he looks at least an inch taller since birth, but thin body frame. How can I a) strip the milk from the unused teat, b) make sure he gets enough milk, c) possibly give him some kind of supplemental nutrition?

be prepared you may need to bottle feed him gmr or milk the mama and sometimes you may need to bottle feed so it wouldn't hurt to get a bottle if you plan on breeding goats

 

[cassie]

You are just going to have to milk the unused teat. Tie her up very short and restrain her any way you can. She is going to have a temper tantrum and throw a hissy fit. That is a given. You just have to be more stubborn than she is.