Any tips for goat kids being shipped by air?

Hi! We're soon to have two doelings flown in to us. We've never done this before, so wondered if there are any suggestions as to what we should do for them on arrival. Our vet suggested no grain on the day of travel, due to being rather still for a long time and it sitting in their bellies. Other than that, should we do a Nutri Drench or anything? Also, should we offer just hay and water once they're home or a bit of grain as well that day, or wait until the following day? And..when we pick them up at the airport, we have a two hour drive home. Should we stop somewhere quiet and let them out for a minute, or is it best to just keep going until we're home? Before they arrive, they have a two hr drive to the airport, a mandatory two hr wait and then about a two hr flight..plus our drive home. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

We've shipped lots of kids to new owners over the years, and we had a buckling shipped to us from Alaska. They've all done fine without doing anything special. I personally don't like using NutriDrench unless an animal is having serious problems and off feed. I learned first hand that it causes their blood sugar to skyrocket, which is definitely not good for them. I also don't recommend letting the out of the crate until you are home in a secure area. I've heard of too many people losing goats in rest areas. The kids will be freaked out about going to a new place, so the best thing you can do for them is to keep them in a very secure-feeling space, which means the shipping crate so they feel like they're hiding. If you let them in a wide open space like a rest area, their instinct will be to run and hide. Only once did I ever have a goat transported by car by someone else, and they stopped and put the goats in a pen, and our buckling tried to jump the fence, got his leg caught in it and wound up with a spiral fracture.

Replies

Donna Peck July 20, 2015 at 11:00pm

Wow, Deborah! Thank you so much for all the useful information. It all makes sense and my hunch was to just leave them the way they are, but I just wanted to be sure. Now they'll certainly remain safely tucked away in their crate until quietly set up safe and sound at home. Your response eases my mind for the trip home and thanks again!
Deborah Niemann-Boehle July 20, 2015 at 9:20am

We've shipped lots of kids to new owners over the years, and we had a buckling shipped to us from Alaska. They've all done fine without doing anything special. I personally don't like using NutriDrench unless an animal is having serious problems and off feed. I learned first hand that it causes their blood sugar to skyrocket, which is definitely not good for them. I also don't recommend letting the out of the crate until you are home in a secure area. I've heard of too many people losing goats in rest areas. The kids will be freaked out about going to a new place, so the best thing you can do for them is to keep them in a very secure-feeling space, which means the shipping crate so they feel like they're hiding. If you let them in a wide open space like a rest area, their instinct will be to run and hide. Only once did I ever have a goat transported by car by someone else, and they stopped and put the goats in a pen, and our buckling tried to jump the fence, got his leg caught in it and wound up with a spiral fracture.

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