Posted by Emmie S on August 7, 2011 at 8:05pm in Kidding
So I'm getting to be about 8 weeks from my does kidding, and wanted to see what time people like to do things before they kid. Do you like to do a final hoof trim? Or when would do you give the doe vaccinations or vitamin boosters? I just want to be sure I'm doing all that I should as we get closer to kidding....!
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We don't do anything, but some people give their does a dairy clip. They just clip the hair on the back of their legs and their udders. Blood will stick to anything, whether there is hair or skin back there, so I'm not sure if it makes things cleaner. In either case, this time of year you should probably wipe off the blood before it dries, so you don't attract flies.
Ok, one more question to throw out there- do you do any rear area or udder clipping? The last time my doe kidded I didn't clip her, but I barely knew her and she was definitely not tame enough. Now I think I could trim her up, if that helps keep things clean...
This is great as my 2 does are about that far from kidding too.I had been wondering about giving selenium in preparation for kidding(read about that on FiasCo farms site)but will call a local vet and county extension first to get a feel if there is deficiency in my area.Why the COWP right after kidding?For parasite control?And what kind of grain are you feeding?I had been thinking of going with rolled barley with a sprinkle of BOSS.I like the idea of keeping things simple.Thanks for the advice
It's sold under the brand name Copasure, which is dosed for cattle. You break the boluses open and redistribute them into smaller capsules for goats -- about 1 g of copper per 20 pounds of goat.
Thanks Deborah! Both girls are already dry so I don't have to worry about that.... I will be sure to give them copper on kidding day, and should be able to keep them on their normal trimming schedule. Thanks for the help, as always!
Two months prior to kidding is when I stop milking pregnant does, and I also stop giving them grain, if they were milkers. Junior does don't get grain after six months anyway, so that's not a change for them. I start giving a cup of grain 1-2 weeks before kidding. We don't vaccinate, and I give COWP the day they kid.
As for hooves, you should continue as usual. Some does need monthly trims; others can go three or four months. The only time it can get tricky is if you have a doe that needs monthly trims, and she is really getting big by three months. You might want to trim hers a bit more often because it can be a little scary trying to make a doe stand on three legs when she's five months pregnant and extremely large.
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Hey
This is great as my 2 does are about that far from kidding too.I had been wondering about giving selenium in preparation for kidding(read about that on FiasCo farms site)but will call a local vet and county extension first to get a feel if there is deficiency in my area.Why the COWP right after kidding?For parasite control?And what kind of grain are you feeding?I had been thinking of going with rolled barley with a sprinkle of BOSS.I like the idea of keeping things simple.Thanks for the advice
Where do you guys buy the COWP? I browsed the web, but didn't come up with really anything on where to get it. Thanks
Thanks Deborah! Both girls are already dry so I don't have to worry about that.... I will be sure to give them copper on kidding day, and should be able to keep them on their normal trimming schedule. Thanks for the help, as always!
Two months prior to kidding is when I stop milking pregnant does, and I also stop giving them grain, if they were milkers. Junior does don't get grain after six months anyway, so that's not a change for them. I start giving a cup of grain 1-2 weeks before kidding. We don't vaccinate, and I give COWP the day they kid.
As for hooves, you should continue as usual. Some does need monthly trims; others can go three or four months. The only time it can get tricky is if you have a doe that needs monthly trims, and she is really getting big by three months. You might want to trim hers a bit more often because it can be a little scary trying to make a doe stand on three legs when she's five months pregnant and extremely large.