My friends' nubian goat miscarried a couple days ago. What went wrong? She was told it is uncommon. She said her goat was only about a month along. When she went to the barn, the goat was bloody down the back of her legs and tail. She assumed that is what happened. She says she seems to be fine . Any ideas what happened?

-- Pat Mikul (pmikul@pcpros.net), February 20, 2000

Answers

Hi Pat, I don't think it is that unusual for a goat to miscarry. It can be caused by a fright, abrupt change in diet, mouldy hay, disease or malformed embryos. I know that it can become an epidemic in a herd and the other does will follow suit, so it is important to isolate to miscarrying doe for a few days. As long as she is healthy, she may go back into season and can be bred back.

-- christine allen (cfallen00@hotmail.com), February 20, 2000.

HI!!! There can be several reasons for miscarriage and the person who responded earlier touched on a lot of the resaons. Some others include wormer medications, valbazen being a number one culprit. Also, chamlydia (infection in vagina) can cause it, my friend who raises Nubians experienced some miscarriages with her does from this and they got it from a buck who caught it from other does he bred. She was able to breed them back in 2 months. watch her for any infection after her miscarriage. Good luck. Bernice

PS, miscarriages are not all that uncommon, they happen a lot.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), February 20, 2000.

HI!!! There can be several reasons for miscarriage and the person who responded earlier touched on a lot of the resaons. Some others include wormer medications, valbazen being a number one culprit. Also, chamlydia (infection in vagina) can cause it, my friend who raises Nubians experienced some miscarriages with her does from this and they got it from a buck who caught it from other does he bred. She was able to breed them back in 2 months. watch her for any infection after her miscarriage. Good luck. Bernice

PS, miscarriages are not all that uncommon, they happen a lot. And nutrition can also cause miscarriages, especially selinium deficiencies.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), February 20, 2000.

We had one little doe that miscarried twice, and then we got rid of her. I think she was the "low goat on the totem pole," and some of the goat barn politics can be pretty rough. I wondered if she got bashed too hard by one of the bigger goats. Just a thought....

-- Leann Banta (thelionandlamb@hotmail.com), February 20, 2000.

Hi, last year i had a doe that also miscarried about this time of year it was do to the fact that she got out into the pasture early in the morning and over-ate on frosted vegetation-the vet said that when vegetation has been under heavy frost something in the plant causes a reaction in the goats system and can cause a miscarriage. So i guess this is another reason to add to the very good list contributed by others.

-- Lisa Huffman (thumper1@bright.net), February 20, 2000.

Lots of great advice. the only thig i can think to add is, how does the doe look and act. Is she alert, with good appetite, hops around like it's almost spring? then she is fine and give her a dose of vitamins and put her back with the buck. If she is listless, still draining a bad smelling discharge,coat rough, no appetite, then she needs professional help, probably anitbiotics, and TLC. It is not too late to breed a Nubian so don't give up. karen

-- karen mauk (dairygoatmama@hotmail.com), February 26, 2000.