About Goat Kidding

When breeding goats, it is important to know about goat kidding and what to expect when a goat gives birth. Helping the animal stay calm can make the event easier on the mother and kid, and it can also be a rewarding experience for the breeder. Educate yourself before the does due date that you're prepared to see to her needs.

  1. Prepare for Kidding

    • To prepare for a goat to give birth, you need to have a few items ready in case you need to intervene. These include a bucket for warm water, lubricant gel, surgical scissors, a kid feeding bottle and nipple, paper towels and a surgical scrub. Make sure the pen that the goat will give birth in is thoroughly cleaned and your fingernails are cut short in case you need to assist directly.

    Signs of Labor

    • To successfully help a doe through the kidding process, it is important you can identify when she is about to give birth. Some signs are the doe pawing at the ground to make a nest, a raised spine near the tail and making unusual sounds. Her vulva may also appear swollen and the doe might move away from the rest of the herd or become restless. Eventually, the water bag will become visible. Once this bag has broken, you have around 30 minutes before the birth.

    Normal Birth

    • At the beginning of labor, a doe will begin to physically strain. The kid's feet and head should soon become visible, moving out of the mother's vagina. The feet should come first with the head between and above them although it is not unusual for kids to be born hind feet first. Normally the front feet should point downwards as the kid is born. The feet pointing upwards indicates a breach birth, after which it is important to ensure the kid is breathing properly. Do not cut the umbilical cord. This will break by itself when the doe stands up and cutting it could cause her to bleed.

    Assisted Birth

    • It should take about an hour for a kid to be born. If you feel the birth is progressing too slowly, you may need to assist the doe. To do this, scrub your hands and arms in disinfectant and slowly insert one hand and arm into the doe's vagina, one finger at a time. Once you can feel the kids legs, pull one and then the other gently to ease the baby through the cervix. Do not pull both at once. Research assisted birth extensively prior to the doe's due date so you are prepared to help without harming the mother or baby.

    After Birth Care

    • After the birth, turn the kid upside down and massage his sides vigorously. This should help any fluid in his lungs come out and help him breathe. Lay the kid near the doe so she can clean him. This is very important for bonding. Once the doe has finished giving birth to all of her kids, take her and the newborns to a smaller pen where she can look after them properly.