Here’s my welcome-to-the-word protocol for new goat kids (same with lambs too):
- trim umbilical cord + dip in iodine to prevent infection
- make sure new kids start to nurse and get colostrum to ensure a strong and healthy start. Sometimes this means I might have to help. Most often the kids instinctually know what to do
- weigh kids and record
- ear tag
- band males (if kids are really little we will wait on this)
- record: sex, weight, ear tag and anything notable with the birth
Typically I’m keeping my notes on a note pad and then I’ll move it to our online record keeping system. I would prefer to do it all at once online, but my phone doesn’t always work well with the internet in our barn.
The doe and her kids then will go into a small pen, often called a jug, for 24-48 hours to help with bonding. If there are more than twins or a mom and kids seem like they might need more time in this stage they’ll stay together in this pen for another day or two.
Watch this short video from Instagram with me working with a new baby goat.
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