[lovenmranch]

I had a doe last year that got Ketosis, pulled her out of in no problem. Told my self this year I am going to watch her more closely.

Well we are at 137 days today and the doe doesn’t want to eat and is laying around. Check the ketones they are not as bad as last time, But I see a problem started/ing and its happening again. This doe has had alfalfa pellets, alfalfa hay etc.. Obviously I should have added grain to her diet also, I did grain her last year and still got ketosis when she was 15 days away from kidding so I thought that grain was the problem….because her kids got to big. So I modified my feeding program for her and gave her free choice alfalfa hay and hay pellets and some calf mana would be perfect.. well I was wrong again. NONE of my other doe's do this. Just her. Anyways.. I am working on her and doctoring on her… but if I have to induce her .. I was wondering what everyone’s success and well not so successful preemies have been. I caught it early this time. so I am pretty sure all will be fine. but if not..., well you know..

thanks
Melissa

 

[Sondra]

to answer your question 10 days is abt the earliest that you may possibly save the kids
but maybe reading over this article by Sue Reith would help get her going to continue with this pregnacy.

http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php?topic=31.0

 

[Ashley]

I may be showing some ignorance here, but can't the doe just be given some form of sugar, and started on some grain, carefully of course?

 

[lovenmranch]

Yes in most cases if caught early.. but for some people that have to induce to save kids or doe ( not in my case) My doe normally pulls through with treatment. but there are some more serious cases, where even with treatment some does need to be induced..I think it would be a good discussion.

Melissa

 

[NubianSoaps.com]

The problem is your diagnosis. It is highly unlikely she has ketosis. It is much more plausable that you are dealing with hypocalcemia like in Sue's post, go read it, treat her for it. Just because you are feeding her alfalfa, does not mean she is consuming enough, or has high enough blood levels of calcium, you could have something blocking the absorption and a biggy is too much protein, shoot girl how much protein is in calf manna? Add your alfalfa hay protein and that is over the top.

Get her slowly onto some grain, as much alfalfa as she wants, CMPK injectable, continue the propolyn glycol or sugars orally she will turn around. Get the old ketosis notion out of your head, a goat who is throwing ketones has long been in hypocalcemia, and then starts ketosis from lack of energy. Treating for Ketosis will kill your kids and the doe eventually. It is very old bad ruminant medicine. The only way to get a doe out of true ketosis is to abort her. If she is your best milker, or the one who carries the most kids, she demands the best care, she can't take normal care like your other does. Good luck with her but read the article, it's a whole different way of looking at the management of your milkers, whose pregnancy nutrition starts before you breed them. Even after getting her over this, kid her out with calcium on hand for contractions, and also to stave off milk fever, which she will come down with next. She is in a metobolic crisis and will take months to get over. Vicki