03/27/2026
Goats and farming goats have been in the headlines of local and national news this week. I have been debating making a post… But instead I am going to make a post about my sweet Mae.
Mae is in the early stages of labor. She is nesting, digging around in the maternity stall in my milk room and her udder is filling. She is more vocal this morning when she is normally quiet. I know my does. I have a plan if Mae has an emergency during kidding. This plan starts well before Mae is in the kidding stall… An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of a cure. My plan actually starts well before Mae is bred. All of my animals are tested yearly via blood and pooled fecals for disease. They are regularly checked for parasites (external and internal- not limited to lice, mites, round worms, strongyles, coccidia) and treated accordingly if needed. Our goats have access to high quality loose minerals formulated for their digestive system as well as organic kelp for iodine. Before breeding season, I make decisions. We don’t breed just because a doe is in heat and a buck is willing. I look at the does… Are they able to carry a pregnancy to full term? Is their pelvis wide enough to birth independently? I pair the does and bucks based on improvements I am trying to make- udder attachments, teat placement, overall conformation to breed standards. I want to breed animals that are parasite resistant, easy to maintain body condition, wide enough to birth independently and with udders that will stand the test of time and nursing their babies. This may sound crazy to your average person, but this is what farmers do. They look at their herds and they seek to better them.
After does are bred, I give them a monthly dose of Replamin- a vitamin packed supplement to boost the does through their pregnancy. At 45 days post breeding, I ultrasound the does to count the babies so I know what to anticipate around 145 days (birth). Throughout pregnancy, the does are fed high quality local hay and alfalfa as well as a grain that is specially formulated at our local feed mill just for them.
Around day 140 of gestation, does come into my milk room at night for their dinner and sleep in the heated stall under cameras. I sleep with alarms set every 2 hours as well as my phone on with volume up to watch them on cameras/hear anyone giving birth.
Around day 145-147, the doe begins displaying signs that labor is imminent: her tail may flop over as the ligaments around her pelvis loosen, she may begin nesting behaviors like digging for a comfortable spot, licking her belly, yawning constantly and becoming more vocal. These are my signs to keep the camera pulled up on an iPad to watch her.
Delivery: All deliveries come with risk. All of them. No matter what you’re breeding for- pets, show animals or commercial dairy stock. The difference is preparation. Having a Kelly’s Kid Puller, lubricant, gloves, towels, a mucus suction bulb… But most of all, a plan if you can’t help your doe. Have we had stuck kids before? Absolutely. Is it stressful? Undoubtedly. If I have a kid that is not coming out due to dystocia (ie: head too big, baby presenting in such a way that I cannot turn them, other methods of extraction have failed) or ring womb (cervix not properly dilating to allow kid to pass into the birth canal), my first thought is to call my vet’s emergency service line. If he cannot get to me, I am loading the doe into the car and driving her to the nearby teaching hospital (New Bolton Center) or to Quakertown Veterinary Clinic which has a 24 hour a day walk in service. If there is a need for a true terminal c-section, it would be for a catastrophic injury or illness to the birthing doe- if she was bleeding out due to a torn uterus (yes this happens), if she had a severe case of toxemia that became terminal and she was seizing, or some other life threatening illness she was not expected to survive. In the case of a true terminal c-section, the doe would be quickly dispatched so she is no longer in pain or suffering, and then the kids are extracted. I have thankfully never had to do this. My does mean the world to me. Their health and well being are always at the forefront of my mind.
Real farming is boring because you are prepared, have a plan and are educated about the animals under your care. We are stewards of these beautiful, sentient creatures and to say they are “just livestock” or this is “just how farming goes” underestimates who and what goats are. If you purchase an animal from me- you also get my guidance, help and mentorship. It is important that I do right by the animals that I love so much.
I take pride in breeding to improve the Nigerian Dwarf breed.
Thank a veterinarian. Hug your goats.
