# poor appetite after kidding



## snuckers (Mar 3, 2013)

My Nigerian doe kidded 4 days ago with triplets, unfortunately we lost one but still have a beautiful buckling and doeling. The vet gave her a shot of oxytocin on the day she kidded since she was not expelling the afterbirth. He also gave her some nutradrench as he thought she seemed a little preeclampsic. He also thought she may have had some tearing since he thought she lost more blood then normal. Since kidding, the mother has had a very poor appetite. She will eat hay but is refusing her pelleted food. She will snarf up chicken scratch like its candy but I don't know how good it is for her. She is producing milk but not sure how good her supply is since the babies seem to want to suck a lot more than her previous kid. But she only had one that time. Mom and babies are active and mom does not have a fever. Any advice to increase her appetite or am I worrying too much. I have tried oatmeal with raisins. No luck. She does not seem to like molasses either.


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I'd give her a good dose of B complex. Also probiotics in the cattle tube, 3 or 4 clicks. You can hit her again with Nutra Drench.
Chicken scratch is not good for her.
Every now & then a doe will not eat or drink well the first few days after kidding.
Has she expelled afterbirth? Does she smell ok back there?
Good she does not have fever but it wouldnt hurt to check temp again.
Is she drinking water ok? If not you can add some electrolytes to it for a day or two.


----------



## snuckers (Mar 3, 2013)

Thank you for the advice. She has been getting nutradrench daily, but I will also add the b complex and probiotics. She did expel the afterbirth, barely any discharge anymore, no smell. I took her temp again and it is still normal. She is drinking and eating alfalfa hay. She took a handful of grain this morning. I am worried that she is not eating enough to establish a good milk supply since the babies seem hungry all the time. Maybe I am just worrying too much...


----------



## Terra Mia (Dec 21, 2011)

Does she have access to dry minerals? If she is ravenous with the chicken scratch then maybe she is seeking some minerals. Sometimes in the past I have switched to dry cob with a little dried beet pulp (which will act like a ant-acid) for does who need bland diet due to clumpy poo or..are recovering from an illness. Give her lots of blackberry leaves if she doesn't have access to fresh forage. I have noticed that when a goat doesn't eat much grain it is because they have a tummy ache. Is she getting probiotics?? Leaving a pan of baking soda near their feed will also help if she is feeling bloaty due to a rumen that is recovering.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

has she been given any calcium since kidding? If not I would give her 30cc of calcium drench or the calcium SQ


----------



## snuckers (Mar 3, 2013)

I gave her CMPK drench the day after kidding. Maybe again?


----------



## snuckers (Mar 3, 2013)

I'm not sure if we have any blackberry leaves around, I'll have to look. She has access to a goat mineral block and baking soda. I have some loose minerals which both my goats refused, but maybe she'll be interested now.


----------

