IN winter period Large and small livestock are usually kept in boxes and do not have access to free range. Some farmers practice a system of free grazing of cows and goats throughout the year, which is quite unusual for our consciousness, for which windrows of hay are specially prepared and arranged in a special way for the winter. How to properly feed goats in winter, and what features the diet of young animals, pregnant females, as well as animals after lambing and during the milking period has, read in this review.
Types of food for goats in winter
The winter diet of farm animals differs significantly from the summer diet, since the inevitable lack of vitamins and additional energy requirements to maintain thermal balance in the body must somehow be replenished.
Regardless of the time of year, the diet of domestic goats is usually formed over count of three main components: roughage, succulent and concentrated feed. However, if concentrates are an out-of-season product, then the composition of the first two categories of food looks different in winter and summer. 
Rough
Traditional food for the domestic goat is green parts of plants (meadow grass, young shoots of trees, tops of garden crops, cabbage leaves). The animal cannot obtain such food, which is the cheapest and most accessible in the summer, in the winter.
For this reason, the lack of succulent food in the diet of goats has to be replaced with coarse food, primarily hay and straw.
Important! The minimum amount of roughage in a goat's winter diet should be 1 kilogram per adult, the optimal is 2- 3 kilogram. To ensure that the animal does not lack this essential component, it is necessaryAlwayshave fresh hay in the box where the goats are kept.
Small even-toed ungulates need solid food for proper operation the rumen and the digestive system as a whole. During the cold season, it is also an additional source of vitamins.
In addition, the process of chewing and digesting food is accompanied by heat production (thus, roughage in the diet of ruminants acts as a natural heating system).
Goats eat hay much better if it is chopped up first. There are special crushing machines, but you can use a regular ax or garden knife.
Straw also belongs to roughage, but of lower value compared to hay. Nevertheless, the hay deficiency can be partially (no more than 15%) compensated for by straw, a good source of fiber. 
Goats eat it reluctantly, so it is best to mix roughage with wet or concentrated feed, and even in this case it is recommended to first pour boiling water over the straw for a few minutes.
A special type of roughage that is absent from a goat's diet in the summer, but greatly helps the farmer in the winter, is grain. Energy reserves can be easily replenished with high-calorie cereals: corn, oats, wheat (seeds) and barley.
For a goat, such food is not very familiar, so it is better to feed it by mixing it with hay. During the day, ½ kg of crushed cereal or grain mixture can be allocated per adult.
Finally, roughage that allows goats to easily survive the winter includes tree branches. If you prepare them in sufficient quantities, you can feed them to animals in equal parts with hay (you cannot replace hay with branches in a larger proportion, since they are still inferior in nutritional value to dry grass).
With maximum appetite, ruminants eat twigs of birch, willow, willow, linden, alder, hazel and poplar.
Did you know? North Dakota farmers practice a year-round free-grazing system. Meanwhile in this state winter frosts often reach -16 °C. As for extreme cold, the thermometer here dropped even below fifty degrees below zero.
It is interesting that goats can obtain a certain amount of roughage in the form of dead wood for themselves in the winter if they are accustomed to regular walking in the fall. When faced with snow for the first time, lying in the place of yesterday's dry grass, the goats quickly figure out how to find it under it.
Many herbs growing in steppe zones have a very powerful, well-developed root system, and therefore their above-ground parts retain high nutritional value for a very long time. Among such plants are feather grass, wormwood, fescue, bluegrass, alfalfa, clover, wheatgrass, and wild oats.
Juicy
In the absence of green forbs, goats can obtain succulent food in winter mainly in the form of root crops - potatoes, fodder beets, carrots. The last two vegetables can be given raw; the potatoes should be boiled first. Cabbage and pumpkin are good vegetables to preserve in winter. 
But if goats like cabbage leaves, not all goats like melons.
Important! Goats love apples, but this fruit should be given to them with great caution. Apples contain too much acid, which causes irritation of the animal's oral mucosa, after which it has problems chewing other food. A goat can choke on a whole apple, so the fruit should be chopped before serving to livestock.
In addition to fresh vegetables and fruits with a long shelf life, silage perfectly complements the juicy component of goat feed in winter.
Approximate consumption rates for this category of food per head per day are:
- potatoes - no more than 2 kg;
- root vegetables, cabbage, pumpkin - 2-4 kg;
- silage - 3-4 kg.
In total, succulent feed should account for 15 to 25% of the animal’s total diet.
Concentrated
Despite the fact that concentrated feed (as their manufacturers assure) is a perfectly balanced mixture that allows the body of ruminants to be provided with all the nutrients they need, such a product should under no circumstances be used as the basis for the winter diet of goats. 
And not because it is too expensive (which is also a serious disadvantage of concentrated feed compared to natural preparations). Such food is not natural for a goat, and the animal’s digestive system does not tolerate it very well.
Important! It has been proven that concentrates (especially if abused) can cause the formation of kidney and bladder stones in small cattle. This is explained by the increased composition of anionic salts (ammonium and magnesium chlorides, ammonium and magnesium sulfates).
Concentrates should be included in the diet of a wintering goat herd in doses, no more than 300-500 g per day per adult.
How to make a diet for goats
During the stall period, goats should be fed 3 times a day, and the order in which roughage, wet and concentrated feed is given is important.
It is best to adhere to the following feeding schedule:
In the absence of access to green and lush grass, it is very important that there is always fresh water in the stall where goats are kept. This is especially necessary for males, in whom dehydration easily leads to the development of urolithiasis. 
To make it easier for animals to stay warm in frosty weather, they need to heat up the water (it is even advisable to install a special automatic heating system in the drinking bowls).
Did you know? The normal body temperature of a goat ranges from +39°C up to +40 °C. Perhaps for this reason, these artiodactyls happily drink water so hot that farmers often shrug, wondering how the animal manages not to burn its oral mucosa.
For adult animals (bucks and goats during the dry period), a four-day ration per head can be composed, for example, as follows:
The composition of products can be changed based on available capabilities, adhering only to the general recommended proportions.
The winter diet of pregnant, lambing and milking goats has some peculiarities.
During pregnancy
The nutrition of a pregnant (pregnant) goat differs from that of a dry goat not so much qualitatively as quantitatively.
Did you know? The gestation period for goats lasts on average about one hundred and fifty days, that is, almost half as long as for a cow.
Starting from the second half of this period, the total volume of feed per animal should be increased by approximately one and a half times. Make sure that the female does not overeat, otherwise serious complications may occur during childbirth. 
An approximate daily diet for a pregnant goat, starting from the third month of pregnancy, may look like this:
During the same period, goats begin to be given 10 g of crushed chalk and table salt daily to maintain the balance of minerals in the body.
Approximately two weeks before the expected lambing, concentrated feed should be completely excluded from the goat’s diet, replacing them with juicy and as liquid as possible (grain during this period is best given in the form of steamed porridge; root vegetables should be thoroughly crushed and mixed with bran and water).
After lambing
For the first seven days after lambing, to replenish strength and establish lactation, the goat should be fed approximately the same way as before giving birth: liquid and easily digestible food should predominate in the animal’s diet.
Important! The taste of goat's milk depends on many factors - breed, health, age, individual characteristics of the animal. The list of these conditions also includes the sanitary conditions in which the individual is kept, as well as its diet. Many farmers advise adding more beets to the milk goat's feed, which supposedly makes the milk sweeter.
The best products during this period are bran swill, chopped root vegetables and legume hay. 
Starting from the eighth day, the consistency and composition of the products offered to the animal are gradually returned to standard parameters. In order for a goat's milk productivity to remain at a high level, it must receive high-quality hay instead of branches and straw, and root crops instead of concentrates and silage.
Depending on the weight of the female, the amount of each of these ingredients per day should be from three to four kilograms.
Milk
A dairy goat needs more high-calorie nutrition than a dry goat. It is believed that the taste of its milk directly depends on what a dairy animal eats (“a cow and a goat have milk on their tongue” is a proverb that expresses this idea). However, most likely, this statement is only partially true, and here's why.
The table shows two possible options diet for a dairy goat in winter, one involves the use of only natural food, the other contains concentrated feed.
The norms are calculated for a goat weighing about 40 kg (for larger animals the corresponding figures should be proportionally increased):
| Name of food component | With low milk yield (2 liters per day) - weight in kilograms | With high milk yield (4 liters per day) - weight in kilograms |
| First option: | ||
| Hay | 1,5 | 2,5 |
| tree branches | 0,5 | 1 |
| Root vegetables (beets, carrots) and other wet foods | 1 | 2 |
| Grain (dry peas, barley, oats, corn, sprouted wheat) | 0,4 | 0,9 |
| Table salt | 0,01 | 0,01 |
| Powdered chalk | ||
| Second option: | ||
| Hay | 2 | 3 |
| Straw | 0,6 | 0,5 |
| Wet food | 1 | 2 |
| Concentrated feed | 0,8 | 0,9 |
| Table salt | 0,01 | 0,01 |
| Powdered chalk | 0,01 | 0,01 |
It is recommended to set the diet of a dairy goat as follows:
- number of meals - three times (for example, at 6-00, at 12-00 and at 18-00, but always at the same time);
- roughage is given last. At this time or after feeding, you can start milking;
- Feeding should begin with concentrate, then juicy foods are given;
- It is better to allocate silage for morning or afternoon feeding, since it is less digestible than root vegetables. This type of wet food reduces the fat content of milk and the amount of protein it contains, that is, precisely those substances that are the most valuable in milk.
Did you know? It is believed that 2 liters of milk per day is the normal milk yield for the average domestic goat. Over the entire lactation period, with all amendments, this animal produces about 400 liters. Special dairy breeds demonstrate higher performance. If we talk about records, then in 1949, a goat named Katya, living in the Moscow region, produced 1120 liters of milk in more than ten months, and at the beginning of lactation her milk yield was up to 7 liters per day.
Features of feeding kids
Since kids from a domestic goat can appear at any time of the year, the farmer needs to know how to feed young animals taking into account seasonal characteristics. 
Newborns
The only product that newborn goats and calves should receive until they reach one and a half weeks of age is mother's milk.
Did you know? In nature, wild goats kitten once a year. The mating season usually begins in the middle of winter (accordingly, kids are born around May, which allows them to become sufficiently strong before the onset of cold weather). In households, goats can give birth twice a year. However, it has been noticed that the female’s body wears out greatly, and her milk production is not high.
Since one of the main purposes of raising goats is to obtain milk, spending a valuable product on feeding kids is an unaffordable luxury for most households (not to mention livestock farms).
But in any case, on the first day it is still better to give babies colostrum, secreted by the mammary glands of a lambing goat. This substance contains much less fat than regular goat milk, but it contains the entire set of antibodies and other important substances that provide immune protection to the kid in the first days of his life.
The first feeding should be carried out no later than an hour after lambing. This time (the only one!) the baby goat can be fed from a bottle with a nipple, but starting from the second feeding, the milk should be poured into a bowl. 
Under the uterus
This method involves the baby goat receiving mother's milk until the age of three months (or even a little longer). Since the baby is next to his mother all this time, the farmer does not have any special problems with preparing his diet.
The only thing you need to worry about is making sure that the goat:
- there were no signs of mastitis or other inflammatory processes associated with the mammary glands;
- the udder was always clean;
- lactation was sufficient (you can easily guess that the kid is starving from its behavior and appearance- such a baby does not gain weight well, behaves restlessly or, conversely, shows apathy and weakness).
Important! If during the first 24 hours the kid drinks a sufficient amount of milk (or colostrum), the baby’s gastrointestinal tract is quickly cleared of meconium, the specific original feces left after the birth, and starts to independent work. With the generally accepted daily norm of 500 ml, a newborn baby can drink three times as much, there is nothing wrong with that.
In parallel with mother's milk, starting from the age of three days, goat kids begin to try “adult” food, so it is very important that during this period there is only the best and freshest hay in the stall.
Weaning of kids from the uterus usually occurs at age three months and takes from seven to ten days. During this period, the young animals are gradually transferred to starter feed, root crops and hay.
First, the kid is fed similar food for one day, returning it to its mother the next day, then it is taken away for two days, then for three, and finally it is completely left without mother’s milk. 
Without a uterus
Kids raised without a uterus are fed six times a day for the first five days of life. Then the number of meals is gradually reduced to five (from the sixth to the tenth day), four (up to a month) and then three times.
The diet of cubs from birth until they reach the age of three months consists of the following products:
- whole milk;
- liquid oatmeal;
- succulent feed;
- starting concentrates.
Each subsequent type of food is introduced into the diet of goat kids gradually, followed by a decrease in the proportion of the previous ones. During the first ten days, babies' food should consist only of whole milk. Then part of it is replaced with oatmeal, and starting from the age of one month, babies can already get acquainted with coarser food.
Did you know? In France, goat kids are fed cow's milk instead of goat's milk, since this product costs at least three times less. From such food, animals grow up to be low-productive: goats give little milk, goats demonstrate weak sexual activity with low-fertility conception.
To feed goat kids without a uterus, instead of cow's milk, it is better to use special mixtures - whole milk substitutes for kids.
The volume of milk required by a goat without a uterus is determined by the following table:
| Age (in days) | Daily milk intake (in grams) | Daily intake of liquid oatmeal (in grams) |
| 1 | 480 | 0 |
| 2 | 600 | 0 |
| 3 | 720 | 0 |
| 4 | 840 | 0 |
| 5 | 960 | 0 |
| 6-10 | 1100 | 0 |
| 11-12 | 1200 | 200 |
| 21-30 | 1200 | 300 |
| 31-40 | 1050 | 500 |
| 41-50 | 750 | 700 |
| 51-60 | 450 | 800 |
| 61-70 | 300 | 800 |
| 71-80 | 300 | 0 |
| 81-90 | 300 | 0 |
Root vegetables and concentrates begin to be added according to the following scheme:
Starting from the age of one month, crushed chalk and bone meal are added to the diet of goat kids - approximately 7 g per day for each individual.
Procurement and storage of feed in winter
It is best to make hay at the beginning of summer, using young plants for these purposes, since they are more tender and contain a significantly higher amount of nutrients.
Adults eat hay from aged, thick and coarse stems with reluctance; such food is not at all suitable for kids. 
Raw materials for harvesting can be mowed in a meadow or in a forest, giving preference to forbs, as well as mixtures of cereals and legumes.
It is extremely undesirable to mow near highways or industrial enterprises, where harmful atmospheric emissions turn green spaces into a kind of periodic system of chemical elements.
Important! Meadow hay is more valuable than hay collected in the forest or swamp. The latter option is equivalent to straw in its composition and calorie content.
Mow grass for hay in the morning, as soon as the dew dries, or in the late afternoon. It is better to dry hay not on the ground, but on special stands, otherwise the evaporation of moisture occurs unevenly, and the product is of lower quality.
You can determine the readiness of the hay by taking a small bunch of dried grass and twisting it into a rope. The correct degree of preparation (about 15% moisture) is manifested in the fact that the rope unwinds with a bang.
The absence of this effect, as well as the feeling of coolness and moisture on the hands upon contact with the workpiece, indicates that the hay is not dried enough.
Straw is also harvested by drying. But there is one thing here important rule: For goats' winter diet, it is highly recommended to use stems from spring crops, since winter crops have lower nutritional value and make the final product an even less valuable alternative to hay. 
Tree branches are cut in mid-summer (the length of the twigs can be 50-60 cm, the thickness is no more than 1 cm), tied in the form of brooms, dried for several weeks in a shaded place, and then stored in a cellar or barn.
It is important that the room is dry and has good ventilation. In winter, brooms are perfectly stored directly in the snow.
Grain added to the winter diet of goats should also be stored in a dry place, and checked very carefully for fungal damage before serving to livestock.
Silage is prepared by mixing and subsequent fermentation in special containers under plastic film. different types green and succulent feed - cabbage leaves, meadow grass, stems and fruits of legumes, grains and other crops (sunflower, corn).
Remember that some plants ensile poorly due to high humidity, while others produce too much acid. The first problem can be solved by drying the raw material a little in the sun or mixing it with straw; the second - adding crushed chalk to the preparation (about 1 g per kilogram of green mass).
In any case, there are two important secrets to obtaining high-quality silage: grinding as finely as possible and compacting as tightly as possible. 
Since silage is the cheapest option for succulent feed in winter, it needs to be harvested in very large quantities. The normal consumption for the season is 600-800 kg of silage for each adult animal.
What not to feed a goat
There are many foods that should not be included in a goat's diet. The consequences of their consumption by animals can be different.
Some plants contain substances that are toxic to small livestock; others have a detrimental effect on the milk production of females; still others cause intestinal disorders; the fourth have a detrimental effect on the condition of the coat. A good farmer should know all such subtleties. Below are the most basic ones.
Severe poisoning, even death, in goats is caused by:
- fern (fresh, dried, in silage) - causes internal bleeding;
- hellebore (especially in hay) - affects the respiratory tract;
- wolf bean (in hay) - in small doses causes infertility, in large doses it leads to paralysis of the respiratory tract.
Severe, although not fatal, poisoning, as well as other negative consequences (for example, miscarriage in a pregnant goat) can cause:
- nightshade;
- wild rosemary;
- red clover;
- thistle;
- Datura-herb;
- feather grass;
- trailer;
- setaria (bristleweed);
- sprouted potatoes (especially with the presence of greenery on the tubers);
- cake of flax, hemp, rapeseed, mustard, rapeseed, camelina;
- Rotten, sour, fungal or pest infested products.
In addition to some of the above, the following plants have a detrimental effect on goat fur:
- Crimean burdock;
- most representatives of the genus cocklebur (common, needle-shaped, Californian);
- succession;
- burdock;
- black root;
- bonfire;
- Velcro.
To obtain high milk yields and good taste characteristics of milk, it is better to exclude from the diet of dairy goats:
- sorrel;
- tansy;
- marigold;
- sagebrush;
- cabbage leaves;
- celandine;
- sugar beets;
- garlic;
- wild garlic;
- madder;
- anemone (anemone);
- chamomile;
- rapeseed;
- horsetail;
- bedbugs
Basic rules for keeping goats
Keeping goats in winter involves not only a specially formulated diet. 
To make it easier for animals to survive the cold, the farmer should follow these important rules:
Did you know? To prevent frostbite, indigenous peoples of the Far North smear exposed areas of their bodies with fish oil, as well as the oil of seals and local birds - geese and black ducks. So natural« cosmetics» not only protects the skin from direct contact with cold air and wind, but also preserves its natural moisture and elasticity.
Since in the cold season there is nowhere for the animal to get green grass, which is the basis of the goat’s natural diet, the lack of free grazing must be replaced with full-fledged analogues - primarily hay, straw, chopped branches, silage and root crops.
If you prepare all this in advance, the farmer will not have any problems with keeping goats in winter.
From the very moment of birth, the kid requires care and attention not only from the mother, but also from the farmer. Proper care, feeding kids from the first days of life and a responsible attitude will help the breeder ensure a healthy future for the young animals, and in the future their high productivity.
Lambing in goats is usually easy. The female gives birth naturally, sometimes even without the help of the owner. After the baby is born, the farmer's intervention is required. It performs the following actions:
- Cuts the umbilical cord.
- Dries the newborn with a clean towel.
- Removes mucus from the newborn's nose and mouth so that it does not enter the lungs and cause infectious diseases.
- Cover the animal with a dry towel, since the newborn has poor heat exchange.
- Washing a goat's udder.
- Gives several streams of colostrum. The first drops are considered harmful and may contain bacteria.
- Within 1 hour after birth, gives the kid access to colostrum and mother's milk. This can be done artificially (through a bottle with a nipple) or naturally (under the uterus).
Goat colostrum contains all the necessary substances to activate the immune system of a newborn goat. It contains easily digestible protein, a lot of fats and enzymes that promote digestion of the animal's fragile stomach.
Feeding methods
There are two ways to feed kids: under the uterus and without the uterus. It all depends on the productivity of the female.
Feeding under the uterus
Natural rearing is convenient not only for the farmer, but also for the animals themselves. The kid is given free access to the mother's udder until the age of three months. The farmer does not need to control this process. One has only to observe the condition of the mammary glands of an adult. If, after the baby has finished sucking his portion of milk, there is still some product left in the udder, it is worth milking him. This will prevent the goat from developing mastitis.
As the kid gets older, his diet is filled with new foods. At the age of three weeks they begin to be fed with salt, bone meal or chalk. These substances help strengthen bones and regulate the absorption of calcium. The total weight of products should not exceed 10 g per day. When the animal is three months old, the amount of supplements is doubled.
Bone meal prices
Bone meal
Benefits of natural feeding
- the amount of nutrients and their preservation during natural feeding is higher than feeding with the same milk, but through a bottle;
- goat kids develop a stronger immune system;
- growth and weight gain have better indicators;
- staying with a goat contributes to better learning of young animals in matters of feeding and getting used to living conditions on the farm;
- Farmer intervention is kept to a minimum. Time spent on care is reduced.
Disadvantages of natural feeding
- the likelihood of mastitis in the goat;
- During feeding, young animals often damage their mother's rudimentary nipples. This causes pain and sometimes swelling. The consequences may lead to the need drug treatment animal.
Artificial feeding of kids
Feeding without a uterus is considered a more troublesome process than natural feeding. Most often, the method is used when raising highly productive dairy goats. A newborn goat is taken from its mother and the first feeding is done by feeding milked colostrum and milk through a bottle with a nipple. The product temperature should not exceed 38°C.
Farmers recommend immediately teaching animals to drink from a bowl. If, due to the death of the uterus or other circumstances, it is not possible to feed the kids with mother's milk, it is necessary to use an artificial formula. To ensure that the composition is as similar as possible to a natural product, it is worth monitoring the presence of milk powder, vitamin supplements, fats of animal and vegetable origin, as well as minerals.
Prices for felucene mineral lick for goats
Felucene mineral lick
Benefits of breastfeeding without a uterus
- the farmer can independently adjust the diet of his charges;
- The milk of adult females is not used to feed the young, but for sale.
Disadvantages of artificial feeding
- the method requires increased financial and time costs;
- weaker immunity of artificial goats can cause many diseases;
- Excessive savings by the breeder on artificial nutrition can cause slow development of kids and poor weight gain.
Approximate scheme for feeding goat kids in the first months of life
| Age | Number of feedings | Amount of milk per feeding, g | Approximate time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | As needed | ||
| 1 week | 6 | 300 | 8, 11, 14, 17, 20, 23 |
| 2-3 weeks | 5 | 300 | 8, 12, 16, 20, 23 |
| 4-6 weeks | 4 | 600 | 8, 12, 16, 20 |
| 7-8 weeks | 3 | 600 | 8, 14, 20 |
| Week 9 | 2 | 600 | 8,20 |
| 10 week | 1 | 600 | As needed |
How to feed newborn goats
The diet of a newborn goat mainly consists of colostrum and milk. They are given at first 5–6 times a day. From the second week of life, the number of feedings decreases to four times. The third week provides for three meals a day for babies. Colostrum is given first; if it is not enough, the animal is fed with warm milk. Many farmers introduce semolina porridge into the diet of 10-day-old kids. For 0.5 liters of water take 1 tbsp. l. porridge. The cooked product is diluted with warm milk.
Feeding two week old kids
At this age, hay can be introduced into the diet of young animals. Early accustoming to roughage will help stomachs quickly adapt to an adult diet. At this same age, farmers resort to using the “growth elixir”. In 1 liter of milk dilute 10 g of salt and 15 g fish oil. 2 - 3 eggs are also mixed in here. The mixture is heated to the usual temperature and fed to the goats in small portions.
Feeding monthly goats
At this age, milk gradually begins to be diluted with water. To replace products, add bran or flaxseed meal to liquid nutrition. Sometimes mashed potatoes are added for added nutrition. By the age of seven months, the proportion of milk should be reduced to zero. Concentrated and combined feeds should appear in the diet. Also at this age, young animals can be released to pasture. If it is winter outside, the kids can be fed with hay and vegetables prepared for future use. Washed carrots and beets, as well as cabbage leaves, work well.
What to feed a three month old kid
At three months of age, the diet no longer contains milk. It is weaned from the uterus, or milk is removed from the artificial diet. The young begin to feed together with the adults. Milk is replaced by other nutritious products of plant origin:
- grass;
- twig food;
- silage;
- dried grass and straw in winter;
- vegetables and root vegetables prepared for future use;
- concentrated feed at a rate of 200 g per day per adult animal;
- milled cereals (alternating grains, oats, corn and wheat);
- legumes and their tops (beans, peas, asparagus);
- vitamin and mineral components.
If the kid is left without a mother
Goat's milk is definitely best product for feeding a kid. But sometimes it happens that after lambing a goat dies. In such cases, the farmer has to care for the newborn. In households, breeders use milk from other goats. The most prudent farmers have frozen colostrum in stock. Large farms feed goat kids using whole milk replacer (WMS). It must be selected based on the age of the animal and its species. Thus, the goat substitute is adapted exclusively for goats. This means that a product created for cows will not benefit the newborn, and may even be harmful.
When using CCM, you should follow the rules:
- Observe the drinking volumes. Do not overfeed your goat. Exceeding the animal's natural needs can lead to diarrhea. Stomach upset in fragile kids can be fatal.
- Reduce the number of feedings as their volume increases. The older the animal, the less often it is fed. From five meals a day in the first weeks of life, the number of feedings decreases to three by the age of one month. At the same time, the diet of young animals is gradually being replaced by non-dairy ones due to the introduction of new products.
- No formula can replace colostrum. If the lambing goat is dead, use frozen colostrum or transitional milk from another queen. The first four days of a kid's life, colostrum builds its immunity.
- Transfer young animals to milk replacer gradually to avoid stomach problems. You should also remember that milk substitute contains antibiotics.
- If there is no colostrum, no milk, no substitute, cow's milk will come to the aid of the farmer. The transition to its consumption should also be gradual. It is important to know that such a kid will be able to survive, but its performance will be significantly inferior to that of kids raised under the uterus.
- The introduction of a milk substitute obliges the farmer to maintain the cleanliness of drinking bowls. It is recommended to install them so that animals cannot pollute the water.
How to prepare mixture for young animals
It will take about 45 days to raise a kid on whole milk replacer. During this time, one individual consumes about 9 kg of dry mixture. For 1 kg of milk replacer use 5 liters of water. The mixture is placed on the stove and heated to 40-45°C, stirring constantly. The finished mixture is filtered to remove any lumps. At the age of two to seven days, the daily intake is 0.9 - 1.2 liters per day. From one week of age to three weeks, 1.3 - 1.6 liters should be given. Further, until the age of two months, 1.7 - 1.9 liters of the mixture are required per individual. Older goats no longer need milk substitutes, since they completely switch to an adult diet.
- To prevent milk yield from decreasing, after lambing the kid is taken away from its mother immediately after she licks it clean of mucus.
- After lambing, the goat is fed with steamed dill. Brew several branches of herbs in 5 liters of water, 1 tbsp. l. salt and 150 g sugar. The temperature of the decoction should not exceed 40°C. This drink helps restore strength after childbirth.
- The milked colostrum is heated in a water bath. Never heat it in the microwave.
- During the first feeding immediately after lambing, pour colostrum into a bowl and bring it to the kid. If he doesn't drink right away, gently poke his muzzle into the bowl. At the same time, you should not pour a lot of milk so that it does not go down your nose.
- On the first day, feeding is not rationed in volume. Be prepared for the first 2-3 meals to take place no more than an hour apart.
- On the second day of life, the kid begins to be released outside the goat's enclosure. Curiosity makes the animal walk and develop muscles. After just three days, the kid is able to walk 1 km.
- After the baby is weaned from the uterus, there will be little milk. Milk your goat 4 times a day to increase milk supply.
- From the first days of life, young animals are provided with access to clean water at room temperature.
Video - Raising and feeding goat kids
If a sick kid is born
The sick goat weighs less than 2 kg, cannot stand on its feet, eats poorly and holds its head weakly. These symptoms indicate physiological inferiority. Among doctors, this condition is called antenatal hypotrophy. The causes of the disease may be the following:
- premature lambing;
- fetal prematurity;
- malnutrition of the goat during pregnancy;
- violation of conditions of detention;
- lack of magnesium in the mother's diet;
- inbreeding of parental individuals.
This article describes in detail the process of giving birth to kids. Is it worth helping a goat during childbirth? How to care for a pregnant goat and what to feed during pregnancy to avoid problems when the offspring appear.
All these reasons lead to metabolic disorders in the goat’s body. As a result, the formation of the internal organs of the kid does not fit into the norms and occurs with a lag. In all cases, except for family relationships and magnesium deficiency, the kid manages to get back on its feet. For this you need:
The birth of a baby goat requires care not only from the goat, but also from the farmer. The better the owner takes care of his charges, the more likely it is that they will grow up healthy and capable of reproduction. Proper nutrition and care after birth ensures future productivity of animals.
Every farmer who has animals such as goats on his farm is obliged to carefully prepare a diet for his charges. The reason is that food in summer and winter differs in many ways. In summer, a goat can graze in a clearing and obtain its own food, thereby replenishing the body with useful microelements and vitamins. If we talk about winter feeding, then it should be as rich as possible in all elements, otherwise it will be very difficult to achieve high-quality milk.
Feeding and diet
With a properly formulated goat diet, every farmer can increase the productivity of his pet. Proper nutrition includes the use of such food and in such a volume that the pet can become moderately well-fed and produce the greatest productivity.
It is very necessary to carefully prepare a diet for goats that are pregnant. Here you need to choose the best food. In hot weather, it is necessary to feed goats in slightly increased quantities if maximum milk yield is present. In hot weather, the animal should consume at least 2-3 kg of green food. Providing this condition in the summer will not be difficult, because most of the time the goat is out for a walk. In addition, goats need to replenish their body with food, taking into account the calculation: 1 kg per individual. IN in this case You can use barley or oats.
How long does a goat walk when pregnant?
Grain crops must be given to animals in the morning, before driving them outside. Immediately before feeding, finely chop the grain. An alternative to green feed can be special feed developed specifically for goats. Bran is also a great option for feeding goats. Before giving it to goats, you need to soak it.
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The number of feedings in the summer should be 2. The first should be done in the morning, before taking the goat out. In this case, the animal’s body must be replenished with concentrated feed. It is in the morning that the goat needs a lot of strength, which only grain crops can give it. Most of the time in the summer, goats are out on the range, so they consume most of the food in the wild. In this case, there is no need to perform auxiliary feeding.
Feed the animal a second time before bedtime. The food must contain the required amount of protein. Then you need to give legume hay. There is 1-1.5 kg of dry grass per individual. If there is no legume hay, then it is quite possible to replace it with regular hay.
You will find a photo of the Ayrshire breed of cows.
In addition, all meals should involve the use of succulent food, namely root vegetables. To ensure ideal feeding, one individual must consume at least 2 kg of succulent feed per day. Root vegetables are the most suitable option for this, because they contain a large supply of vitamins, fiber and other substances that increase the body’s performance. You can give succulent food raw or boiled. Fresh vegetables are a real storehouse of vitamins. When boiled, these vitamins are present in smaller quantities. But boiled vegetables are used to make mash.
How to feed correctly in winter so that the goat gives more milk
In the cold season, it is quite problematic to find green food. In this case, the goat can eat regular hay. In winter, it is recommended to consume at least 2.5-3 kg of roughage. The best option for goats will be the use of meadow and forest hay.
It is worth making coarse hay in the summer. Grass is cut from meadow and forest glades. Prepared food must be kept in stock. In addition to regular grass, you need to take care of preparing branch food. You can use birch, poplar, and willow branches. You can store and dry them in the attic. The process of drying the branches is carried out over 10 days.
After this, transfer them somewhere dry. The amount of hay can be reduced if dried twigs are present in the goats' diet. In winter, it is very important to give goats spruce shoots for adequate nutrition. They contain more vitamins, which are so important for goats that produce milk. The preparation of roughage is carried out taking into account the duration of the stall period. There are 300-400 kg of hay per individual.
A description of the Simmental breed of cows is presented.
Cereal crops are characterized by a large supply of nutrients. An adult must consume 1 kg of them per day. A goat's diet may include oats and small barley. Since it is simply impossible to find green, succulent food in winter, you can replace it. For this purpose, the goat is given root vegetables. The animal consumes them pure form. In winter, such a drink is simply priceless, because it contains many vitamins. There are 2-4 root crops per individual.
In winter, goats should eat 3-4 times a day. The first feeding involves the use of concentrates, hay and root vegetables. For the second feeding, it is necessary to use potato mash, and for the third and fourth feedings, hay and root vegetables.
What to feed a pregnant goat
During pregnancy, it is very important to give crushed chalk or ground bones to goats. These components play an important role in building the baby’s bones. Thanks to this, the kids that are born will develop faster. Give queens 20 g, and small kids – 7-10 g per goat.
For those who want to raise not only goats and cows, but also chickens and other poultry in their backyard, you need to know what to do to ensure that the chickens lay eggs well.
Why chickens don’t lay eggs and what to do in this situation will help you understand.
Only fresh feed should be used to feed pregnant goats. If the food is already baked, then this negatively affects the health of the uterus, its milk yield decreases and the quality of the dairy product deteriorates.
The number of feedings of animals is 3-4 times a day. The time between meals should be as equal as possible. If you disrupt the animals' daily routine, this will all affect their milking. The process of obtaining milk from goats must occur after feeding.
Feed must be given in a specific sequence. If all types of feed are given to the goat for feeding at once, then it is recommended to give concentrated feed first, then juicy feed, and finally roughage. Each subsequent food must be given after, provided that the previous one has been completely eaten. For dinner, a pregnant goat's diet should include easily digestible food. In the morning or afternoon, you can dilute the diet with food waste and silage. This food should be given to pets when they are physically active.
The dimensions of the nest for laying hens can be found.
For a pregnant goat, you can use the following feeding schedule:
- in the morning - food from concentrates and root vegetables, after milking, consumption of water, hay;
- in the afternoon - eating root vegetables or silage, you can give kitchen scraps, then milking, eating hay;
- dinner - consumption of concentrates, milking, watering;
- At night, put hay and one broom in the feeder.
Nutrition before and after lambing, is it possible to give grain?
If you are an experienced livestock breeder, then it should not be difficult for you to determine the correct diet for a goat after lambing. In order to prepare for it, you need to radically change your feeding technique a couple of days before its appearance. A week before the required date, the animal can eat only water, root vegetables and hay. At this time, you need to give up mash, mixed feed and grain crops. You can start following proper nutrition 3 days before the upcoming event, but this is done only if the animal is severely exhausted.
The vegetables you eat should not cause bloating. It is necessary to exclude rutabaga and fresh white cabbage from the diet. They are allowed to be included in the diet in small quantities.
After 3 days after birth, it is necessary to eliminate the intake of vegetables. The goat's diet should include only high-quality hay and drink. This way, you can ensure that excess fluid and mucus are removed before delivery.
Video
This video will tell you how to feed a pregnant goat.
Making food for a goat is not difficult. The main thing is that it is rich in vitamins and required microelements. Only under this condition will your animal feel good, and the resulting milk will have excellent taste. How much milk gives per day will help you understand.
Every year, goat breeding is becoming an increasingly popular activity. From them they obtain the most valuable products - wool, fluff, skins, meat and milk. Goat meat and milk have unique healing properties for the body, including children's. Kefir, cheese, yogurt and other products made from goat's milk are also useful.
When purchasing an animal, the question arises: “How to properly care for it at home?”
It is important to provide goats with comfortable, warm living conditions (see video).
As well as high-calorie, balanced nutrition. You can make feeders for goats yourself; as shown in the video, it’s not difficult to do it yourself.
A goat is an unpretentious animal and does not require much attention, but still, you need to know some issues regarding care and maintenance.
Particular attention should be paid to animals in the period before, during, and after lambing. Therefore, let us dwell on these issues in more detail.
Caring for a pregnant goat at home
During the period before birth, the animal must be treated with special care. This applies, first of all, to his food.
Features of feeding goats before lambing:
- The animal should be given only high-quality feed. Strictly ensure that the goat does not eat spoiled, moldy or low-quality products. This can affect the pregnancy and cause miscarriage.
- You need to properly water the animal. You cannot give your goat cold water; it should only be at room temperature. The bucket and water must be clean.
- You need to feed and water the goat at the same time.
- Root vegetables need to be boiled, and turnips and rutabaga should be completely excluded from the diet.
- It is necessary to control the weight of the animal. A well-fed goat may have weak labor and stillborn kids. Therefore, if the goat is heavy, two to three weeks before lambing, the volume of feed begins to be gradually reduced.
- Two weeks before giving birth, it is recommended to start giving bran diluted in warm water, boiled vegetables (beets, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, etc.).
What you need to pay attention to:
- Mechanical impact - shocks, blows, as well as sharp sounds, can also cause premature birth.
- For two months before lambing, the animal should be in a warm, dry, ventilated room with a thick layer of clean bedding on the floor.
- Before lambing, it is advisable to walk the animal in the fresh air, but make sure that it does not become hypothermic or overheated.
- A pregnant goat should only walk in open, flat areas; fear and all sudden movements (jumping over ditches, holes, fences, benches, etc.) must be avoided.
- A dangerous phenomenon after childbirth is the inflammatory process of the udder - mastitis. Therefore, before lambing, it is recommended to gently and gently massage the udder. You can milk the colostrum lightly.
Caring for a goat during lambing
A goat, like any animal breeding at home, during this difficult period for it, needs to be provided with care and special care.
A novice goat breeder needs to pay attention to the following recommendations and strictly follow them:
- Before lambing, the goat is placed in a separate room, which is dry and warm; the floor and feeders are washed in advance with a special disinfectant solution. The floor must be covered with a thick layer of dry bedding. A bucket of water at room temperature is placed in front of the expectant mother, and high-quality hay is placed in the feeder.
- When labor has begun, it is better to leave the goat alone. For beginners, you can invite a veterinarian at this time or first familiarize yourself with special recommendations.
You can help the goat, but without jerking or sudden movements, as shown in the video.
- After giving birth, you can prepare a warm mash for the animal - pour boiling water over the oatmeal and bring it to the consistency of liquid sour cream. After a difficult, protracted birth, to restore strength, the goat is given a glass of light warm wine.
- After lambing at home, the animal also needs to be cared for correctly:
- change the bedding, remove traces of mucus and blood;
- wash the udder with warm water and wipe dry with a clean towel;
- carefully milk a small part of the colostrum into a separate container;
- help the kids find their nipples and give them colostrum to drink.
- Three days after lambing, give the goat easily digestible food, warm water with a pinch of salt, chopped beets, carrots, or other vegetables, and high-quality hay.
- After a while, dairy and concentrated feeds are added to the diet.
Caring for a goat after birth
An hour to an hour and a half after giving birth, the goat can be given warm water. Next - give no more than a liter every three hours until she is satisfied.
You need to feed the goat often, but in small portions. Preferably in summer period give chopped, wilted grass, and high-quality hay.
Only after a few days can you give food that affects lactation. Compound feed, chalk, salt, cake, charcoal, bone meal, etc. will help replenish the supply of vitamins and minerals.
If a goat grazes outdoors, you need to pay attention to its habits and behavior. So, for example, the fact that she puts bags, paper into her mouth or eats soil can be a manifestation of vitamin deficiency. Then the goat’s diet needs to be urgently adjusted.
How to properly milk and care for a goat after giving birth at home is shown in the video.
In order for the goat’s health to remain strong, and its milk to be fatty and plentiful, it must be milked correctly.
Beginners need to know that this procedure must be done immediately, and at least four times a day, at the same time, at equal intervals. To prevent mastitis, after each milking, the udder should be massaged with warm, clean hands. This must be done carefully so as not to injure him.
Not earlier than after five days, milking is switched to three times a day.
Sometimes you need to help the mother get used to her kids. To do this, they are brought to the udder at intervals of three hours. This procedure will require an assistant to hold the goat. Many goat breeders build a small milking machine for this purpose.
It’s not difficult to make it yourself, see the video.
In the future, the goat can be with the rest of its relatives.
Childbirth and the postpartum period are a troublesome time for goat farmers. If you do not have enough knowledge and experience, read the recommendations of specialists or invite a veterinarian for consultation. By carefully observing the behavior and habits of the animal, you can avoid health problems and detect the onset of a disease in time. Only when proper feeding and care, your animal will be vigorous and healthy, and the daily menu of your family members will include tasty and healthy dairy products in sufficient quantities.
Goat breeding allows you to significantly enrich your farm with valuable products: milk, meat, wool and leather. In order for the livestock to grow strong and healthy, farmers need to know about the signs of pregnancy in livestock and how to deliver a baby. About what birth is called in a goat, how to determine that your animal will lamb soon, how to find out about possible pathologies during childbirth and other subtleties of breeding these animals, you will learn from this article.
Signs of labor in a goat
Goat birth is correctly called lambing. In order not to miss the start of lambing in a goat, carefully monitor the first sign of impending birth in the animal. First, the goat's udder swells. Once you notice this, the animal needs to be constantly monitored.
At the root of the animal's tail, you will notice dimples located symmetrically on the sides. They indicate the divergence of the pelvic bones. This happens so that the animal can safely give birth to the baby.
The mother's behavior before giving birth can also be a sign that the goat is ready to have offspring. She will sniff the straw bedding, adjust it, preparing it for the kid. Turn around, lie down and get up in anticipation.
To make the goat feel calmer, it is necessary to create silence in the room. The most correct thing would be to leave the goat to give birth on its own. However, if the goat is primiparous or gets very nervous when the owner leaves, it is better to stay in the barn. At the same time, you can communicate with the animal in a calm and confident voice.
Did you know? The goat's pupil has an unusual horizontal rectangular shape, which allows it to see 340° around itself without turning its head.
The total gestation period for a goat is 150 to 155 days. After mating with a male, it is necessary to keep the goat's health under control. If you know exactly the day of mating, then you need to count 147 days. Around this day, the animal should give birth.
If the mating day is not marked, you can calculate the due date yourself. The animal loses heat (swelling of the genitals, change in color and a special whitish discharge). The female's behavior changes, she becomes calmer, lies down a lot and eats. Also, by the second month of pregnancy, you may notice a bulge on the stomach, on the right. When palpating for more later you will be able to feel the fetus moving. When you first notice this, count down 2 months. At the specified time, the goat should begin giving birth.
How to give birth correctly?
Childbirth in a goat occurs in several stages.
To help the animal, the owner must know the steps of this procedure:
- The mucus plug comes out first. The cork comes out in parts, and the goat will approach each piece that comes out, sniff and lick it. If there are no problems at this stage, it will come out completely in 10–30 minutes.
- The next stage is the release of the amniotic sac and amniotic fluid. The bubble must be punctured. A container is placed under the goat to collect amniotic fluid. Subsequently, the animal will drink them. This is necessary to restore the female’s energy, so that during stronger contractions she has the strength to give birth. At this stage you can see the baby goat's legs.
- Next, more frequent contractions will begin. You will see the baby's front legs and face. The head should be brought close to the forelimbs.
- If the baby's head appears first, this means the baby goat's front legs are located under the belly. If the female cannot cope during contractions, you need to carefully push the kid back, and then, holding the chin with your fingers, pull out the legs. All actions must be carried out with the utmost care. This procedure can only be done during the break between contractions.
- During labor, two contractions are usually enough to complete the birth. The signal for completion is the fully emerged head of the kid.
Video: Lambing a goat and caring for a goat and kids
The goat has lambed: what to do next?
As soon as the goat lambs, the kids need to be treated. They need proper care, feeding and keeping warm. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to the health of the mother: follow the diet, milk her correctly and care for the animal.
Processing and further care of goat kids
The first thing to do is to clear the baby's mouth and nose of mucus so that they do not enter the respiratory system and cause inflammation. Then treat the body, remove any remaining amniotic fluid and blood. To do this, use clean, soft straw and then a towel.
Do not leave a newborn goat with wet skin, as the newborn has not yet developed thermoregulation. It can become hypothermic at a temperature of +15°C, which can lead to the death of the kid. Therefore, in the first days of the baby’s life, it is necessary to wrap him in a warm blanket or other materials and bring him into the house. In the house it needs to be wiped well to keep it warm. Rubbing not only warms, but also improves the baby’s blood circulation and breathing, and also enhances intestinal motility, which allows the original feces, that is, meconium, which is black in color, to be expelled faster.
Newly born kids should never be washed with water, as they may become hypothermic, which can lead to respiratory disease and ultimately death. 
After rubbing and drying the kid, you need to start processing the umbilical cord. It must be cut with disinfected scissors at a distance of 2 cm from the abdomen. For disinfection, soap is used, which is used to wash the scissors, then wipe them and treat them with alcohol. If the umbilical cord needs to be cut in several kids, then after each newborn the scissor blade is wiped with alcohol.
After you cut the umbilical cord, run your finger along it, gently squeezing out any remaining blood, then tie it with silk thread and blot it with iodine. Within 14 days the umbilical cord will fall off. The length of the umbilical cord should not be long, since the animal moves, at this moment the umbilical cord is injured on the bedding and an inflammatory process may begin.
The main thing you need to pay attention to is feeding the young animals. The time from the moment the baby is born to feeding should be 30 minutes, maximum an hour, since the animal is born with a weak immune system. The body is exposed to intoxication due to a lack of immunoglobulin in the blood, which is found in colostrum. The sooner you feed the kid, the more reliably he will be protected from diseases.
Colostrum should be the kid's first meal. Born with completely sterile stomachs, goat kids will acquire bacteria from the environment unless they are fed colostrum first. And this is fraught with serious problems with the digestive tract as you grow older. 
Colostrum allows babies to receive beneficial bacteria, which will become the basis of the digestive system. Thanks to the beneficial microflora, pathogens will not multiply in the goat’s stomach. Colostrum is also very nutritious; it quickly saturates the young body with necessary substances and provides energy for growth and development.
Important!is a contraindication for feeding colostrum to newborn kids. It contains a lot of harmful bacteria that are harmful to the kid. This milk is very thick, with sediment that may contain blood clots.
Requirements for the place in which kids should be kept after birth:
- clean and spacious room;
- clean straw bedding, there should be no signs of rot;
- humidity is unacceptable, as it promotes the development of pathogenic bacteria;
- The room should be regularly ventilated.
As soon as the kids are a month old, they can be taken out for walks in the fresh air, provided that the weather is warm enough. There, young animals are allowed to pinch fresh grass, this will diversify their digestion. 
To maintain immunity, it is very important to supplement children’s diet with vitamins and nutritional supplements:
- fish oil (at least 5 g per day);
- fresh pine needles;
- table salt.
Important! Remember that at any age, goats should receive unlimited access to fresh, clean water.
Goat care
The process of childbirth is a stressful process for the animal. In a goat it lasts from one to three hours. During this time, the animal loses a lot of strength, which is very important to restore as soon as possible so that the animal can feed its kids.
First of all, the female must be given water to drink. The liquid must be clean and fresh; it is unacceptable to drink it with stagnant water. Amniotic fluid is often given to the female to maintain strength, so during childbirth you should not immediately pour it out.
After the birth of the offspring, the female should not be heavily fed. High-quality hay, cereals and legumes are suitable for feeding. You can add root vegetables and bran mash. Nutritional supplements in the form of concentrates, haylage and silage should be given in small portions. 
Composition of the diet of a lambing goat:
- grass hay - 2.5–3 kg;
- oats, barley - 200 g;
- root vegetables (chopped) - 0.5–1 kg;
- wheat bran - 100 g.
Most often, drugs are administered intravenously if the animal refuses to eat after birth.
How much milk does a goat give after lambing?
Immediately after the birth of the offspring, the goat gives a small milk yield. To increase the amount of milk, the female is milked, given a special massage and given a high-carbohydrate diet. These procedures trigger the goat's body, thanks to which it produces milk for 6-11 months, depending on the breed.
Did you know? The record for milk yield belongs to the Saanen goat. It can produce up to 3500 liters per year.
Milking is carried out in two ways: manually and with the help of kids. On large farms, it is preferable to harvest by hand. During the first milking period after lambing, the goat gives 1.5 liters of milk. Before the first milking, the udder must be washed with warm water and wiped dry with a soft cloth. The nipples are lubricated with special ointments to prevent cracks from appearing on them. Milking must be done quickly so that the procedure brings as little stress as possible to the goat.
What to do in case of complications?
The birth process is a complex, long period for a goat, during which the owner must be nearby to notice signs of complications and prevent them. Most often, the animal can give birth on its own, but there are cases when lambing occurs with complications.
These include:
- abnormal position of the fetus;
- narrow pelvis;
- absence labor activity.
Excessive weight leads to metabolic disturbances in the female’s body, which at the time of childbirth leads to decreased labor activity, absence of contractions and pushing. Incorrect placement of the fetus or its large size also often causes problematic contractions.
In order to facilitate the goat's onset of labor and to stimulate it, the drug oxytocin or uteroton is administered. These substances enhance muscle function, allowing the expectant mother to give birth faster. No more than 10 units of the drug can be administered at a time. Amniotic fluid has a similar effect. They are collected in a separate container, first the amniotic sac is ruptured, the water is drained and then soldered to the goat.
In case of prolonged and painful contractions in a female, it is necessary to act manually. To do this, you need to grab the baby’s limbs with your hands, or with an ordinary loop of rope. Then you need to wait for the attempts and gradually pull him by the legs, helping him to get out.
Actions should be carried out exclusively during contractions, massaging the vagina so that the animal can easily pass through the narrow pelvis. As a rule, to do this, gently rub the mucous membranes with your hand; Vaseline can be used as a lubricant. If you notice that the fetus is too large, you need to resort to surgery. To do this, an incision is made in the median sulcus.
With the help of palpation during childbirth, you can identify the incorrect position of the fetus: a wrapped head, tangled limbs, belly-to-back presentation. To eliminate this problem, you need to use your fingers to gently push the baby’s limbs back and turn the legs to the correct position. In case of complications, you should immediately contact a veterinarian.
Features of winter lambing
The birth of offspring in winter requires increased attention from the owner due to the temperature and climatic conditions in which the animal is located.
The stall in which the goat will give birth must be clean, with fresh bedding, and have enough space for the mother and brood. The room should be quiet, it is advisable to isolate other animals from the giving birth. Kids born in winter quickly acclimatize to cold temperatures and grow hardened and resistant to disease. To prevent the animal from getting sick due to the cold, it is necessary to create warmth in the room where they are born, as well as where they will be kept for the first month.
In addition, it is imperative to give colostrum to babies, as this will strengthen their immune system. 
Possible problems
Immediately after giving birth, the female is in a weakened state and her health requires care and attention from the owner. There are several problems that may appear immediately after childbirth.
- absence of placenta;
- eating the placenta by the female.
The afterbirth does not come out
The afterbirth comes out within 1–3 hours during labor. Consists of amniotic fluid and mucus mixed with blood.
There are several reasons why the placenta does not come out:
- excess weight;
- non-compliance with diet;
- lack of activity, movement, free walks;
- the presence of several babies in the litter;
- close relationship with the male at mating;
- infectious diseases.
The goat ate the afterbirth
When the afterbirth comes out, you should not remove it, since the goat must independently decide whether to eat it or not. It contains many minerals that may be necessary for the female body. If she eats it, it means she needs extra useful substances, if not, then it can be removed.
Childbirth is a complex process that requires special knowledge. Knowing about possible difficulties during pregnancy, you can prevent them, as well as help the female give birth to pain-free, healthy offspring.
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