What caused this...goat question.

[GwenFarms]

My boys were out watering this morning. One came running in and said there was a baby animal in the yard. I asked what kind, thinking bird, or squirrel and he said he didn't know. He thought it loooked like an ugly puppy. I asked him if it was alive and he said no. I ran out and found it just in the goat pen. At first i couldn't figure out what it was. It looked alot like a fetal pig from biology class way back when, but then it hit me the only thing it could be is a fetal goat. I looked at the three nannies that I am keeping temporarily for a friend and sure enough one had alot of show on her back end and had clearly given birth. This little one was only a few months along. The size of a puppy, pink all over and underdeveloped features.

I've raised goats most of my life and this is only the second time I've been aware of a miscarriage. I had one goat several years ago to have some show, but never found a fetus anywhere, just a bloody backend, but not all of the show this goat had. This goat was much farther along then the first one I think.

I feel particularly bad because these are a friend's goats. I just have them here with my two whethers while he secures his fences a little better. What do you all think may have caused this? I'm pretty sure one of the other nannies is bred as well and if it is something environmental I want to make whatever change is neccesary.

 

[helmstead]

So sad! What an unfortunate thing.

First things that come to mind:

STRESS of moving, it's bad to move one that's preggers.
Injury
Moldy Hay or Feed
Pregnancy Toxemia
Chlamydia
Toxoplasma (do you have barn cats?)
Salmonella (chickens? turtles? lizards?)
John's disease
Listeria

But ya know, sometimes these things just happen. I'm so sorry!

 

[MissPrissy]

Oh, I am so sorry.

Have the goats shown signs of stress since being moved?

 

[GwenFarms]

Thanks Kate. I knew if you were around today you could help. I'm not too concerned with injury, as she appears healthy, or the feed/hay. The cat doesn't go out that way much either. So, that still leaves a hefty list. Now I'm assuming Chlamydia would pass from buck to doe, should there be some testing done for this? I'm familiar with Toxemia and know there is not much preventative. I'm not familiar with John's Disease. I think if there was exposure to Salmonella, or Listeria I would have more illness don't you? Thanks for any help.

Thanks Ms. Prissy, I don't think it would have been moving stress, as they have been here for a couple of weeks now. They are actually sceduled to go back home next week.

I haven't called my friend yet. He will be home from work soon.

 

[helmstead]

That's the scary thing about chlamydia - there may be no signs. If any of the goats have had pink eye - THAT is chlamydia...but there may be no signs.

Best course in my opinion is to treat ALL the does as if they have chlamydia (oxytet). The catch 22 is that oxytet can cause birth defects if the does are already preggers...so...call the owner.

ETA My doe Holly had pinkeye early (very early) in her last pregnancy. I treated her for a week with LA200 and it was curative - AND she kidded a healthy doeling last month, no problems. That's my only personal experience. I did have to treat the whole herd for chlamydia...and have had no abortions to date.

 

[Chirpy]

The only other things that came to my mind (that wasn't mentioned) is maybe being 'butted' by another goat. That can cause an abortion.

Or, eating a poisonous plant? (I'm guessing you've got that one covered though.)

 

[Chatychick]

Most of the time they take a bad hit from another doe...I have had it happen a week before kidding and the baby died in uretro...I have had them abort also. I get the oxcetetracycline crumbles from the feed store and medicate by feedingit to them. It will clear up the problem,. I had a small abortion storm last year and a goat friend here told me to get those medicated crumbles and feed to the goats. No more problems and I feed them this also if there is a drastic weather change also to ward off colds and pneumonia. Who knows what happened..lots of other things come to mind just like waht Kate said. And sometimes the baby dies and she will abort for no reason at all. Sorry for your loss