# What more can I do!?



## Hillsideboers (Sep 1, 2019)

I had a nice big doeling born last night but I'm having some issues. She won't suck. I've giving BoSe and b complex. What else can I do?? I use a syringe and fed her about 10 mL of milk she swallowed it but she doesn't suck on my fingers or suck on a teat.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Are you absolutely sure that she hasn’t nursed while you were not around?


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

What is her temp


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## CountyLineAcres (Jan 22, 2014)

You will need to tube her if it’s been this long without nursing. She will get too weak. But like Jessica said - is it possible she nursed throughout the night and is just full and not hungry?


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Hillside it could be that she already ate. But the small amount I know about baby goats they dont stop on their own. Maybe a little honey or syryp in the mouth or on moms nipple? Otherwise check her pallet?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Get a temp right away, if sub, do not feed anything until the temp is up to 100 degree's.

Feel the belly is it full or empty?


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## Hillsideboers (Sep 1, 2019)

Caught her eat on the cam we’re are all good thanks everyone!! Sorry I panicked a little!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good to hear.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Just a little F.Y.I. a low selenium in baby goats can cause a not able to suck. Other than a hole in its palate. So you can give the baby a little bit of zinc tablet in water, drench her, and it will help her sucking response. Low zinc = low selenium. In newborns zinc works faster. Only use about 1/4 a smashed 50gram tablet of zinc in about 1cc of water. (thumbup)


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

I learnt something new too. Glad she is good.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Tanya said:


> Hillside it could be that she already ate. But the small amount I know about baby goats they dont stop on their own. Maybe a little honey or syryp in the mouth or on moms nipple? Otherwise check her pallet?


Newborns are not like older kids. The first few days at least the eat as much as they want when they want. Moms will stand there and let them nurse and not move. As they get older then the whole starving to death, I'll eat until I die kicks in lol
But yay she ate! They can be so very sneaky about it and they can drive a person crazy about it. One thing that I do to take that unknown stress out of the picture is help them latch on as soon as they can after being born. I'll help them a few times to latch on and then at least I know something is in their stomach and they can in fact suck. Now it's not fool proof, I've had some VERY stubborn kids that just would not latch on with help. On those it is very much a pain to sit back and watch to make sure they could in fact do it on their own. But helping at least takes less time then sitting there waiting lol


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Nothing more aggravating than standing on your head, trying to hold a reluctant (or wild) doe who is dancing all over, and get a kid to latch on. They root around, try everything but the actual teat and meanwhile, all the blood has gone to your head, your back is killing you and still the kid won't eat. Throw up your hands in frustration, walk way and see the kid happily nursing on its own! :ahhheadsmash):imok:


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Lol I didn’t say it was fun actually I have a handy trick. So I grab the teat like I’m going to milk her and grab baby by the back of the head. This usually ticks the kid off really good and when it screams I put the teat in its mouth and squeeze. But yeah even then it’s fun being hunched over. I have cruddy clothing for kidding now and I no longer care. I’ll lay in the birth if I have to to try and save my back


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## Hillsideboers (Sep 1, 2019)

I always help kids right away but this one just wouldn’t latch that’s why I got worried. And normally with the kids in the past if you put your finger in their mouth they suck, well not this one! She was definitely a stubborn kid!! But she is doing great.

I am having to milk out Gemmas one side, I don’t think baby can latch, it seems awfully big. I’ve tried to put the kid on it but again she is extremely stubborn! Any tips? I can get a pic of the teat later if that’s easier but I think it’s a fisher teat, like two in one. The other side is nice a soft and definitely getting nursed on this side not so much. I worry about her getting mastitis.


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## Abby Wootan (May 7, 2020)

I had a little doeling asperated in the sack we had to tube her because she would not suck a teat. It took a few hours but she started to take a teat.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Is it a single kid? If so I’ve only had very few single kids that nurse off both sides and usually it’s the ones from dams with not a whole lot of milk. Basically if they can get enough from the favorite side they don’t go to the other. Anyways I’m not really sure what you can do. You really can’t force her every single time to nurse off that side, even if you can force her to nurse that side she will still go to the other when your not around. I would just keep a eye on her other side, if it get super engorged milk her out but the more you milk the more she’s going to make. There’s kinda a fine line there. 
If not a single usually they end up figuring out that if you want more then what sibling leaves behind you have to go for the other side.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Very good info here.


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Some of the Dairy goatees tape the teat so little ones use the other side.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

That’s a good idea! Definitely get a picture of the teat first before you do that though. If it’s a badly fish teat it might just be best to let her/ them have the one side.


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## Hillsideboers (Sep 1, 2019)

Sorry I haven't responded been very busy around here! This is what I'm working with. I'm currently milking her twice a day because she gets so engorged. I'm currently getting a quart twice a day and that's not even milking her out completely. I think the teat is too big for the kid. I don't mind milking her but if there are other suggestions I would take them


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Sometimes the fish teat has a opening to be milked also. Have you tried milking it? So it would be like 2 active openings on 1 side. I had a kidd teach me that on 1 of my does. She actually preferred the spur..rather than the actual teat.


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