How to Care For a Newborn Goat
Your goat has recently given birth to an adorable and sweet kid? Congratulations! Now get ready to pamper your newborn goat as you have to play your role in it being brought up. You will just love this experience for sure as newborn goats are always cute, playful and very responsive. Taking care of a newborn goat is more or less like having your own child.
A newborn goat really requires your care, especially if born orphan or in case when the mother goat doesn’t accept the kid. There are proper feeding, nap, and manure schedules that you have to follow skilfully with great patience and consistency.
Instructions
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1
First minutes
It is better to keep an eye on the mother goat during her delivery period in order to handle the possible complications. However, do not forget that you are there to help – not to take charge at all. Once the kid slide out of the mother goat’s uterus, you will it in an amniotic membrane for few minutes. It may look like thoroughly lifeless, but no need to panic. Let the mother goat show her love and lick the kid in order to stimulate its breathing process, cleaning off the mucus.
Here, situation can be different if the mother goat (doe) rejects the kid. Wear sterile gloves and wipe the mucus off with a clean towel.
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2
After half-hour
Healthy kid will try to stand up and nurse within the first half hour. Like human baby, make sure to feed the goat kid during the first 30 minutes. Wear another pair of clean gloves and do some initial milking exercises on the mother goat’s teats in order to do away with any kind of blockages for smooth feeding process.
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3
After First Hour
Once the doe is stable and the kid is dry after about one hour, move them to a clean, dry, warm and comfortable place. It is better to keep them away from rest of the herd – if any. Let the mother and kid take some rest and spend time together.
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4
From first hour to next two days
It is better to inspect the doe and kid time to time in order to make sure that everything is normal. It the kid is accepted by the doe, let her feed it the way she wants. On the other hand, it doe rejects the kid, then you have to take charge. Milk the goat into a container or bowl and pour the milk into a baby bottle and feed the kid. Feeding four times per day is enough.
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5
From day 2 through week 1
After first two days of birth, you will find the kid quiet healthy and naughty – cuddling and bouncing. Now vaccinate the kid with Probios and let it join the doe in eating green grasses or grains. However, do not stop the feeding process as it necessary to make the kid’s bones strong and healthy.
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6
During week 2
After one week, the doe and the kid can join rest of the herd as the baby goat is healthy enough not to be injured or trampled. Give them a free hand to enjoy green grass, hay and grains. Take them out for grazing, making sure that they are back home before sunset.
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7
During Week 3
During week three, make sure to continue feeding the kid with fresh grasses, water, grains, hay etc. Let them go outside during daytime to enjoy grazing with other animals. Moreover, give the kid a dose of Albon Concentrated Solution in order to prevent it from coccidiosis, consulting an animal doctor of your area as this solution depends on the weight of the kid.
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8
During Week 4
Week four will be a busy one for you. The kid will get vaccinated with first dose of CD&T, helpful in prevention of tetanus and bolting. Trim its hooves and get it wormed. Do not forget about the feeding activities and continue nourish the kid with water, grains, grasses, hay and grazing etc.
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9
During Week 6
Give the kid a second dose of CD&T and continue the feeding, grazing and watering activities during this week and week 7.
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10
During Week 8
It is the time to change the feeding routine of the kid, so make separate arrangements for it. Follow the given below activities for this purpose:
- Feed the kid with 3 to 4 cups milk per day.
- Feed the kid with hay once a day during
summer and twice a day during winter.
- Deworm the kid anytime during daytime.
- Trim the kid’s hooves during day time – if getting long.
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11
Week 9
Give the kid second dose of Albon Concentration Solution and let it be on the same schedule as the whole goat herd.
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