Goat Pregnancy Toximia

Three dreadful words I hope never to hear again.

The main problem was, I had never heard of them before. And wish I never had. Ignorance IS bliss...well not really. As a first time goat owner I still have lots to learn. However experience is a brutal teacher.


Before we brought the goatie girls home two years ago, we thought that we did plenty of the research we would need to successfully raise goats. Ha ha very funny.

After purchasing the girls we found out just a little we knew. At four and six weeks old they were both a joy and a handful. The bottle feeding of course bonded us, and all of our attention turned them from livestock into pets (read : family). The morning and evening walks around our property and the rides on the golf cart did even more to cement the bonds of love. We didn't endure the destructiveness that most encounter when raising goats. Maybe it's because we got them so young and showered them with attention or maybe were just lucky. However Fern showed us just how closely goats are related to mules with her stubbornness at times. That and her meanness towards Peaches earned her the nickname "Fern-instein", because at times she was a real monster
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When it was time for their first breeding season we were torn over the decision we had to make. It was either breed them then or wait until next year when they would be fully mature. We decided to wait. Last November when we had the girls bred by the neighbors Billy we were hoping that only Fern would get pregnant. However such was not the case. Peaches fell immediately in love, while Fern wanted nothing to do with this new goat. In fact we figured the Billy was going to be too short to even reach Fern. After about 10 days Fern no longer wanted the Billy anywhere near her, Peaches or our farm. She was constantly butting him with her head or chasing him. So we sent him back home. By the end of December it was apparent that Peaches was pregnant and took another month before Fern started to show. By the size difference in the two goats, I figured that Peaches would probably have three or four kids and Fern probably just one
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Things went well and we were expecting births take place sometime around April 9. However this was all the change, for the worse. Here are my notes on the following event:



Friday, March 15 - Noticed hesitancy to go outside this evening. Laid down while chewing bark from pine tree by picnic table and had a very hard time getting up.

Saturday, March 16 - Would not stand unaided. Front legs shook when standing. Not inclined to walk. She gets around by standing on her hind legs and crawling on her front knees. From the looks of the bedding she has been getting to her food and water okay. We assumed that the problem was with her feet because her hooves needed to be trimmed badly, something I've been putting off because I was worried about the trauma to her and her babies. She absolutely hates having her hooves trimmed and it's a real battle both physically and mentally to get the job done. However this time she didn't put up much of a fight at all. But after the best trim job ever she still wouldn't stand on her own.

Sunday, March 17 -  No change other than appetite loss, she just nibbles at her food and hay. Doesn't seem too interested in water and will sip a little if the bucket is brought to her. Wifey checked internet for help and feared it might be "Pregnancy Toximia" . Some advice as to what to do was given. Our local TSC didn't have the NUTRI-DRENCH to help give more energy and restore appetite. So we had to make a two hour drive to get it. Started giving three times a day. After yesterday's surprise with easy hoof trimming, today it was the usual knock down drag out fight to try and get the medicine in her. I bought a special syringe with the long metal and nozzle and bulb tip, to administer the liquid between her cheek and back teeth. I had to put her into a headlock so that Wifey could attempt to get some of the liquid in her mouth. About half of what she got in was spit back out. One fluid ounce doesn't sound like much but it sure looks like a lot when it covered Wifey, me and Fern's face.  Also purchased a pro-biotic paste that we had to force down her once daily to aid digestion.

Monday, March 18 - this morning I called all of our local vets looking for someone who dealt with goats, of course none did, but they recommended the  "Mayville Vet Clinic" . I called and spoke with Dr. Nicole who confirmed our diagnosis, given the symtoms over the phone. She couldn't come until Thursday afternoon to check Fern out. There was no way we could get the 150+ pounds very pregnant goat to her office to be seen earlier. She told us to continue treatments and make Fern stand as often as possible. Oh my aching back. You should try lifting an unwilling goat and try to keep her standing. It's a job for much younger man than I.

Thursday,March 21 - Continued decline, harder to get Fern up and standing, and her continued fighting at medicine times is wearing us all out. Hard to say just how much she is actually ingesting. We never see her eating or drinking any more.
Dr. Nicole came and confirmed diagnosis of Pregnancy Toxemia but without Ketosis as is normal. Our hopes rose until she confirmed that she would still have to start labor to save Fern's life. The kids would not survive this. Fern got an injection of Lutalyse and one of Dexamethasone. We were told labor would begin in 2 to 80 hours and to watch her close and continue as we have been doing, She also gave us her emergency phone number and told to keep her updated daily to Fern's condition. She also showed me an easier way to lift her.

Friday, March 22 - Called Maville Vet Clinic because Fern started a vaginal prolapse. Sent photos via the Internet. Dr. Nicole called back to say all is ok. Lynn has been spending most of the day and night with Fern since the injections. I relieve her as often as I can and we sleep in shifts. Fern seems to enjoy the music Lynn plays for her via her laptop. We have added an electric heater to the heat lamp to keep everybody warm in these freezing temps. Also a blanket for Fern.

Saturday, March 23 - Called Dr. Nicole because the prolapse is getting bigger and Fern is having contractions but also seems to be weakening fast. She decided to come check Fern out. Fern was just barely begining to dialate but she forced dialation manually and started pulling kids out. They were very floppy and none lived very long. I tried my hardest on the only doeling as she seemed like the strongest but to no avail. It was very sad. Peaches got very upset when one of the three kids bleated and almost trampled Fern and the Dr. to get to the door.
Fern recieved an injection of Oxytetracycline and one of Oxytocin to ward off infection and help her deliver the placentas.
All of the anxiety and worrying for the last week was nothing compared to watching those three baby goats attempt to live. Even knowing before hand what the outcome would be, it was still heart wrenching.

Sunday, March 24a - Fern has delivered only one placenta and seems to e getting weaker as the day progresses. The vet called to see how she was doing and prescribbed 2 regular asprin every 12 hours for pain, Also to try force feeding her ground up goat food mixed with water.  We could only get an ounce or two in at time and we continued her medications.  During our last check at 4 am. I told Lynn she wouldn't make it till morning.  We decided to call the vet and have her put down if she did.

Monday, March 25 - Fern died sometime before I checked on her this morning. Probably shortly after our last visit with her judging from the rigormortis.
Goodbye Goaty Girl.


We're still getting over this tragic ordeal. I have watched my parents die and this was no less stressful or painful.

Forcing a sick creature to do something it doesn't want to do is not easy. Even when you think it is best for them. All of our blood, sweat, tears and prayers didn't seem to help in this case. And we still wonder if there isn't something could've done to prevent this in the first place. The vet told us in her 15 years of practice, that this was by far the worst year ever for pregnancy toxemia in all livestock. Her belief was that last year's drought caused a deficiency in the feed supply due to improper nutrients.

Again we found out that whatever you search for on the Internet always has two sides. It was no different in this case. Pros and cons of what to do all sound plausible and is up to you to decide the best course for yourself. Luckily we found a very caring and concerned veterinarian who was willing to go the extra distance for us. Thank you Dr. Nicole.

Disposing of the bodies was another ordeal. The ground was frozen and we had to wait a few days for it thaw enough to bury Fern and her babies in the orchard. It takes a long time for a couple of crippled old farts dig a 5' x 4' hole 4 foot deep even in sandy soil. After we buried the bodies we covered the grave with fieldstone to try to keep dogs and other creatures from digging there. RIP Fern and family.

We are awaiting Peaches birthing any day now.Needless to say we of been watching her extra careful for any signs of toxemia. She misses Fern something fierce and we have been trying to make up for the loss by showering her with extra attention during the day and checking on her often during the night. Hopefully her births will be uncomplicated and provide her with the much-needed companionship of her own kind.

And Life Goes On....

Since the death of their father, the juvenile turkeys have been searching all over for him.  They have even started going across the road and have expanded their search territory to include all of the surrounding land.

Easter

Easter, as we called our broad breasted Bronze tom meat turkey, had gotten too heavy keep up and was in a tizzy.  He had injured a leg jumping off a perch a while back and his limping around and plaintive calls were just too much to bear any longer.  So yesterday we had him butchered.  We hated to but it had to be done.  He has been such a good father/mother to the little ones since their mother was killed by a coyote.  Poor Easter had been the target for our new Barred Rock Rooster and just the other day Floyd Jr. decided to challenge him for control of the flock.

Floyd Junior

It was both comical and horrifying to watch.  Poor Easter acted like he couldn't believe the little guy was attacking him and did his best to avoid injury without hurting the little tom.  Luckily one of the other little toms and Mrs. T cane to his rescue.   They chased and scolded Jr. until he gave up all thoughts of domination.  I had never paid much attention to the turkey flock until Floyd's death.  I have learned a few things and no longer believe that turkeys are as stupid as people say.  They have a social order and evidently care for each other too.  I know Easter has protected the little ones when their own father wouldn't.  He cared for them just like their own mother did. Who would have thought that a tom turkey would do that? And they weren't even related.  Oh and the two Lavender Guineas in the top photo are part of the juvenile turkey flock.  After the death of their mother, we had to cage them up for a couple of weeks and the little Guineas were the same size so we put them all together. Hence they now believe they are turkeys too.  They were also under Easter's protection and care.  They used to love to crawl under him for warmth or to hide from the chickens they were harassing.  Hence the wrath of Jack was incurred on Easter.

Jack

 















We also had Mrs. T butchered as she had no control over the juveniles and missed Floyd terribly too.   We also plan on selling 3 of the 7 juveniles before winter.  We just don't have room for all of them.  I also had my 4 remaining American Chinchilla\ Flemish Giant rabbit bucks butchered.  I have retained one for breeding purposes.

Big Red

 I hated to get rid of these lovable guys but again no room and I did not need so many.  I am now down to 9 rabbits including my Darling Duo.

sisters Suzy II & Fuzz Ball

The geese and ducks may also be slated for the freezer.

Last week I sold my 5 remaining Coturnix Quail.  Now I have only one pair of Jumbo Bobwhite Quail and 2 extra males.

We are searching for a billy goat to breed Fern to this fall and maybe Peaches too.

So we are downsizing and getting ready for the snow to start.  In the spring, our adventures in farming will start all over again.

A MURDER ON THE FARM

The Tragic Death of Pretty Boy Floyd.

I named him after a gangster of the '20's.  From the monent he grew his first tail feathers Floyd was in constant display. And when you called him a "pretty boy" he would really strut his stuff.

Born June 18, 2011, he was one of the seven turkey chicks I helped from their shells in the incubator.  These were Spanish Black Turkeys that I was hatching for a friend of a friend, and he graciously left me three of them for my troubles.

They became Floyd, Mrs. T and Maude.

Here are Floyd and Mrs. T.
Floyd usually chose to either be alone or with humans when possible.

In fact Floyd was a real people person. I truely believe that he thought he was human.  Whenever we had visitors, Floyd was always right there doing his Floyd thing.  This consisted of him walking around a person in full display and very slowly inching his way closer and closer until he finally touched them with his feathers. Unless they tried to touch him, in which case he moved away and started all over again.  Floyd did NOT like to be touched.  Occaisionally I was able to pet him when he was on his roost for the night, but usually he just moved out of reach.

This year Floyd and the girls supplied us with many eggs to incubate.  Then Maude snuck off one day and started a nest outside.  She hatched 12 chicks and did her best to raise them outside by herself. (This put Mrs. T into brood mode, she immediately built a nest and tried to hatch her own too. However the chickens added to her nest at every opportunity and when the first egg hatched she abandoned the nest. A couple of weeks later she realised she had hatched a chicken and abandoned that too. However she has continued to lay an egg a day for the last 4 months.) Then week by week they dwindled until she only had 9 left. Then disaster struck.  One morning I woke up to find the baby turkeys in the duck pen with the ducks.  No sign of Maude so I went searching for the very protective mom.  I found piles of feathers where the apparent coyote attack happened and a trail of feathers where it dragged her off.  We gathered up the chicks and put them in a cage.  Two were sold along with some of the incubated turkeys to make up our final order.  We must have sold about 60 turkey chicks this year.  The remaining 7 are still here and doing well.

"Pretty Boy" Floyd and one of the young 'uns.

We have been trying to figure out what we were going to do with all of the extra turkeys this winter and Wifey suggested getting rid of Floyd and Mrs. T when we get our last meat turkey butchered.  However such a ruckus was formed by family and friends when this was mentioned that we had to keep them.  So a neighbor will be buying our extras.

Then today another disaster.  About 3:15 this afternoon I was over at my Step-mother's when I recieved a call from Wifey.  Someone had murdered Floyd.

A guy had stopped his SUV on the road by the house, got out of his vehicle and shot Floyd twice in our yard.  By the time Wifey got to the front porch he was dispatching poor Pretty Boy my stomping his head into the ground.  Wifey hollered at him "What the Hell are you doing shooting my animals."  But he just ignored her and picked up Floyd and threw him in the back of his vehicle and sped off down the road.

As soon as I got home we went in search of the vehicle at the local DNR parking lots but to no avail.  We came home and called the DNR and reported the incident.

Talk about pissed off !!!

It's degenerates like this that give hunters a bad name.  Not only to be driving with a loaded gun in the car, but to stop 50 feet from a house, on the road and shoot a tom turkey surrounded by our other turkeys, chickens, ducks and geese in their yard.

The best 30 foot shots of his life. And he needed 2 and still didn't get the job done right.

Somewhere tonight this a_ _ hole is bragging to his friends about his hunting abilities.

Well I hope he chokes on his turkey dinner.