Saturday morning 11:20, my daughter, Chris and I are in the kitchen preparing for a baby shower. My husband runs to the door,”We have a baby on the ground.” Now this could be considered an issue in some households, but it is just spring at ours. We have goats and it is kidding season. The baby shower we were preparing for was not for a goat, but for our first grandchild. Preparations will have to wait.
We ran out to the goat house and lo and behold, we are blessed to witness our first kid of the season. We have a little doe. She is cappuccino in color and still very wet and wobbly. Her momma is Double Stuff, the baby of Oreo. This is Double Stuff’s first baby. She is a young momma and we are surprised at how well she is handling her new role. The most important thing when a new kid is born, is to make sure that nourishment is acquired quickly. We always have Nutri-drench available to give that quick boost. This is a cocoction of vitamins and electrolytes to help a new kid after the difficult birth process. Within thirty minutes, our tiny doe is on her feet and looking to momma for precious colostrum.
By the time Chris and I must leave for the shower, our new arrival has not had her colostrum. Today it will be my husband on kid duty. His job is to make sure she gets nourishment. Waiting for the little ones to get that first nursing session done is quite tense. Usually it takes a bit to make sure that there is a connection. This is a very important step. Animals are very adept at hiding if they aren’t well, so it can be difficult to tell if kids are well or hiding symptoms of dehydration. He is very diligent and really keeps an eye on her. While we are at the shower, we are keeping up with the events on the farm. Baby is trying. Momma is trying. Baby is staying close. Momma is pushing her back to her teats. But still no visual success of nursing.
As we arrive back home, baby seems strong, but there is still no evidence of her having nursed. Our daughter is a veterinarian, we had her do a physical and it seems she is the perfect specimen of health. We all utter a sigh of relief. As I said animals are very adept, and it seems she has found nourishment without our help. And so the kidding begins.