Intervention When Mom Won’t Accept The Kid(s)

By Deb Haines

Keep in mind…. Early bleating and suckling activities are crucial for the development of maternal bonds between the newborns and their mothers. If a newborn is unable to stand up, suckle and bleat soon after birth, there is slim chance of developing a maternal bond, especially in the case of maiden does. If no maternal bond develops soon after birth, a doe may desert her kids. In this case, there is a high chance of kids’ death unless the caretaker or another doe intervenes.

Steps to take…….Sometimes, for whatever reason, the doe won’t be interested in the kids It could be the result of a difficult delivery, or premature kids, or a first time mom (first freshener). Persistance may be the key, and making sure that there are no other goats around to interfere with bonding is very important. Mom may have to be tied or placed on stanchion and the kids held to her to nurse.

Sometimes the mom may need to be milked out (and milk collected to be used or saved for later) to relieve pressure in the udder, making it less painful and easier for the kids to nurse, and, stimulation of the udder creates milk letdown and a release of “feel good” endorphins that can be helpful in getting her to accept them.

Feeding the doe while the kids nurse can also be helpful. As long as the doe is not trying to hurt the kids, keep them with her and keep initiating nursing by the kids as often as it takes. If the doe is trying to hurt the kids, or has no milk production at all, then the kids will need to become “bottle babies.”

Timeline Interventions When Things Go Wrong.
Mom is willing, but kids can’t find the teats:

• Tie mom to keep her still
• Place Karo syrup on the doe’s teats
• Place Karo syrup on your finger and allow the kid to suckle your finger
• Using your finger while it is in the kid’s mouth, “lead” the kid into the appropriate position…..do not push the kid as that stimulates the “opposition reflex” and they will push back against the pressure, going in the wrong direction.
• Align your finger (with the suckling kid attached), alongside the teat….pull your finger out of the kid’s mouth and put the teat in its place….the kid should suckle now.
• Repeat this process as often as it’s needed.