# Dam Raising: Triplets-Quads-and Beyond



## HMNS (Jul 15, 2019)

Good Morning...
I am not entirely new to goats but, have some "new" concerns to run by you guys before they become anything serious...

We have 2 Nigerian Dwarf does that are pregnant and due in April. This will be their 2nd Freshening. Agnes comes from a litter of triplets and my Sue comes from a litter of quads. The farm that we got them from bottle feeds all of their babies and have limited experience with dam-raising.

Last year, Agnes had triplets (one was born D.O.A.) and dam-raised the two remaining kids with no problems. My other doe, Sue, had twins and also dam-raised with no problems.
THIS YEAR...they both look HUGE to me...noticeably larger than last year! They were both bred in November so are just over 2 months pregnant. I'm thinking that some of the size might also be part of their normal growth/development/filling out because they are only 2 years old...they will be 3 in June/July. (what do you think??????)
Health-wise...everyone checks out just fine. Fat and sassy. : )
Does anyone have experience with does successfully dam-raising larger litters than twins..? Will some need to be bottle fed or do you think the dam can handle the load..?

I'm just trying to "Hope for the Best and Prepare for the Worst" so I can be ready when the time comes. I truly do think we'll see more than twins out of both of them this year and, I'm kind of nervous about it. : )

Thank You for any advice you can share!!


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## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

The hard part of a doe nursing more than two usually comes with the fighting over teat time. A lot of people will bottle anything over two because of this. Some will supplement if the doe is producing enough simply for the teat time stuff. You will really just need watch how the kids “treat” your doe’s teats. Fighting can lead to sore, scratched and hurtin teats for the doe. Weigh everyone frequently and watch their growth. Supplementing does not always mean you need feed cows milk... you can use the does milk if she is producing enough. You can also go out and put the smaller kids on the doe in a private feed a few times a day if you feel they are not getting enough. Some people will pull extras completely from the doe while others let the doe raise the kids and just bottle them even while they are with the doe.


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## HMNS (Jul 15, 2019)

Sfgwife said:


> The hard part of a doe nursing more than two usually comes with the fighting over teat time. A lot of people will bottle anything over two because of this. Some will supplement if the doe is producing enough simply for the teat time stuff. You will really just need watch how the kids "treat" your doe's teats. Fighting can lead to sore, scratched and hurtin teats for the doe. Weigh everyone frequently and watch their growth. Supplementing does not always mean you need feed cows milk... you can use the does milk if she is producing enough. You can also go out and put the smaller kids on the doe in a private feed a few times a day if you feel they are not getting enough. Some people will pull extras completely from the doe while others let the doe raise the kids and just bottle them even while they are with the doe.


Hi Sfgwife...
Thanks for the info. 
As I am sitting here thinking...what about the colostrum..? Should I milk it out and feed via bottle or, separate the kids and let them nurse individually..?


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Just help each kid latch for several colostrum feedings after the doe is finished birthing.


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## MizTam (Feb 18, 2017)

I've had a couple does successfully rear triplets. I've also had does reject and or have the inability to raise triplets. I've only had one set of quads and there were issues with mom so all were bottle fed.
First watch mom and watch the babies some do great with triplets and more and some do not. Some need the help for many different reasons, with the one we pulled last year we could tell the one was listless and just didn't seem as perky as her brothers. We pulled mom aside and tried to milk her some to get milk for the little one, but there was nothing there we knew then that we had to pull the baby.
Most of it is watching the moms and the babies to see if something seems off with one or the other. You will know and you will know quick that something is off with either one and the need to pull a baby off mom becomes obvious. I always try to get colostrum or milk from the mom if it is at all possible to provide them the best start.


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## NDinKY (Aug 3, 2019)

We had three with triplets last year and all successfully dam raised. I do keep a close eye on everyone’s behavior, and have trained some of the smaller ones to a bottle just in case they end up needing extra or are pushed off the rear by bigger ones. My one senior doe was feeding all 3 kids off of one side and we had to milk out her other side as she was so engorged. After a few weeks they started using the other side, but that doe could probably raise 6 at a time with how productive she is. 

I’ll echo what was said above with keeping a very close eye on things. Especially if you have two bucks and a doe. The boys tend to outcompete the girls.


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

I think it depends a lot on the doe. Last year I had a doe raise quads by herself easily. The year before, a different doe kidded triplets, but the smallest triplet had to be supplemented by latching her on to another doe while she was on the milk stand. That was the only case I've had where a triplet needed extra supplementation. 

I'm really obsessive about weighing my babies at least twice a day for the first couple of weeks just to make sure they're growing. It really helps to have that reference to know for sure if and how much they're gaining. Then you can go from there.


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## CBPitts (Jan 29, 2020)

I have an Alpine doe that has trips frequently. I make sure they all get colostrum and then watch closely. If they are all boys they usually do fine but if it’s a mix one of the girls usually needs a bit of tlc. 

I do give all kid a bottle twice a day for the first week. Older dam raised kids are really difficult to get on a bottle but a couple bottles a day the first week and they have learned their lesson. This way if I need to supplement or even if I choose to sell one as a bottle kid it’s not a problem


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## HMNS (Jul 15, 2019)

Thank you, Everyone for your advice!! I am so glad I found The Goat Spot! I love that there is such a wealth of experience and information given freely.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice given.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I agree I think it depends on the doe and kids. For years my does successfully raised quads and trips. I would have that one now and then that was a trip or quad and just not grow as well. By then usually they were so imprinted on the dams that they wouldn’t except a bottle. But wasn’t a big deal. With good feed they eventually would catch up. Then for me it was like BAM BAM I had two does have issues with the kids fighting over teats. One doe got sore and rejected two and then the following year rejected a twin. She only wanted one. And the another doe ended up getting chewed up and got mastitis and lost half her udder. Since it’s not something I can predict happening I don’t even mess with letting them keep more then 2. Having one of my best does not be able to feed more then one was a hard pill to swallow so I just keep that from happening again. But that’s me, lots and lots of people keep trips and quads on the does and have never had a issue


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## HMNS (Jul 15, 2019)

Jessica84 said:


> I agree I think it depends on the doe and kids. For years my does successfully raised quads and trips. I would have that one now and then that was a trip or quad and just not grow as well. By then usually they were so imprinted on the dams that they wouldn't except a bottle. But wasn't a big deal. With good feed they eventually would catch up. Then for me it was like BAM BAM I had two does have issues with the kids fighting over teats. One doe got sore and rejected two and then the following year rejected a twin. She only wanted one. And the another doe ended up getting chewed up and got mastitis and lost half her udder. Since it's not something I can predict happening I don't even mess with letting them keep more then 2. Having one of my best does not be able to feed more then one was a hard pill to swallow so I just keep that from happening again. But that's me, lots and lots of people keep trips and quads on the does and have never had a issue


Oh Jessica...
Thank you for sharing your experiences with me. I REALLY appreciate it. It must've been horrible for your poor doe...and you. I can't even imagine how hard it must've been to make the call between a half-mastectomy and euthanasia. I'm sure your girl is happy you chose "life". 

Do you still breed her..? Is she a dairy breed..? If yes, do you still milk the one side..? Or..is she retired..?

Also, you mentioned that you just "...keep that from happening again..."
Does that mean you bottle-feed ALL of your kids now or just those that are 'multiples' (more than twins...if that makes sense)...the doe raises two and you bottle-feed the rest..?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

She never got to the point with her mastitis that I thought I would have to put her down which I was very happy about! She still has her other half there it just doesn’t fill up. It’s just worthlessly there lol but I still do breed her and she is a boer. So she just gets one kid. Which is such a pain in the butt because she always has quads and triplets! 
I’m sorry I didn’t make my self clear. So anything over twins (or a single with Godiva) I pull after 24 hours and either bottle feed or if I have a doe who has a single I graft one onto that doe. The bottle kids, usually if it’s something I know I don’t want to keep I will start them on a bottle and sell as a bottle baby. I’m pretty much just counting on twins anyways and I don’t have any money invested in them so it works out well.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

I always pull anything over 2 kids to keep the udder even and not stress mom trying to keep up with production. I do dairy, so udder is quite important. I do leave the kid in with mom, but just become the milk source from the beginning. I have had does raise more than two, but over the years, this keeps the stress down from worrying over kids getting enough and mom's health. Just what I do....


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## HMNS (Jul 15, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> I always pull anything over 2 kids to keep the udder even and not stress mom trying to keep up with production. I do dairy, so udder is quite important. I do leave the kid in with mom, but just become the milk source from the beginning. I have had does raise more than two, but over the years, this keeps the stress down from worrying over kids getting enough and mom's health. Just what I do....


Thank You! I will just have to wait and see what the girls give us this spring. (can't wait!!) (dance) We really enjoyed the babies last year! I'm sure I will be back with more questions when they have their kids...esp. if there are more than twins.


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