# Keys to a healthy kidding... suggestions?



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I'm doing a presentation called keys to a healthy kidding. What are some.basic things to include? How do you ready does to be bred? What about feeding during pregnancy? Abortion prevention? 

I just want to make sure I don't leave anything out... I have a tendency to be.forgetful when giving presentations. 

Thanks


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Always start does off (well, all your goats) with a good loose mineral with high copper content.
Lack of adequete minerals can lead to poor condition & difficulty positioning and kidding as well as fighting off any parasites.
You will not find enough in your feed.
Since we are in low selenium area we BoSe does & buck a week or so before breeding, as well as graining them (called flushing) until a week or so after being covered.
10 days or so from kidding another BoSe & annual CDT.
We start grain up slowly until on full ration till weaning.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Do they sell Bo se online I hunk I saw it a hoggers ?


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Jodi - Bo-Se is a vet Rx only. You can get selenium e gel without a prescription though. I like that stuff, it's generally very easy to give since most of our goats will eat it right off my finger 

So Dani you might mention Bo-Se and selenium e gel especially since many people may not be able to get Bo-Se. Also, that selenium e gel is usually found on the stores on line, not something most feed stores carry - I've never ever seen it around here.

We do what Nancy said, except we give Bo-Se and a cd/t a month before they are due to kid. When we gave the selenium e gel we also gave it at 4 weeks before kidding, and then again after kidding as well as putting some of the kids tongue after they've nursed.

I like to check for hoof trimming regularly through the first 3-4 months, but after that I try not to mess with their feet unless I absolutely have too, but I do check a foot to make sure they aren't too bad, especially if the grounds been really wet.

We grain regularly the first 4 months of pregnancy, and then start slacking off a little each week the last month. I have been told and I've read that kids grow the most in the last month, and you don't want to overdo it with grain and then have great big babies that make it hard for the doe to deliver.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Keys to a healthy kidding:
1. Management for does and bucks that include good quality browse as well as hay, good loose mineral that provides what browse doesn't as far as mineral/vitamin content.
2. Good management as far as a clean enough area to keep goats healthy and parasite free
3. Some breeders don't vaccinate, I do and give CD/T 4-5 weeks prior to delivery
4. Knowing the breed date will help prevent problems with you being nuts not knowing when to start supplements, vaccination etc.
5. Having the time to do everything neccesary to ensure a healthy herd, keeping numbers manageable and not having too many does due to kid at the same time where you run out of healthy space to keep them.
6. Being available when kidding starts to ensure that any potential problem can be corrected ASAP


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Thanks for all the answers! I'll be sure to add them in presentation. 

Alot of it is stuff I know, but I'm so forgetful and plus, its fun to see what everyone else says. Thanks again for the answers!


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