My Nubians always drop one kid pretty soon after the other, and lose the afterbirth sometime in the next few hours. Yesterday, my Saanen/Alpine kidded, her second kidding, first with me. Labor and birthing seemed easy, but there was an hour or so between kids, and she is still holding onto a substantial piece of afterbirth this morning.(She kidded around noon yesterday) She seems fine, and is taking very good care of the babies. Is this normal for this breed, or should I be talking to the vet about a pitocin(?) shot? thanks, mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 22, 2001

Answers

Is any part of the afterbirth hanging from her? you could try milking her to see if the uterine contractions caused by the milking will help expel the placenta. I don't think breed has anything to do with it. I have alpines, and have had saanens, and the usual with my does is to drop the placenta within half an hourt of the kids. It might be a good idea to call your vet and see what he or she has to say about it.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 22, 2001.

I've had goats take time between kids and also have the placenta hang from them, too. To help the placenta out I tie a couple of large nuts (the metal kind that go with a bolt)that are about one inch across to the hanging portion. Use some twine or floss to tie them on. The small added weight will get it to come on out without harming the doe. I hope this helps. Oh yeah I have a togg and a togg/alpine cross.

-- Nancy in CA (sonflower35@icqmail.com), February 22, 2001.

I don't let my does go much beyond 15 minutes, without going inside and helping the next kidding along. And honsetly 15 mintues is probably on the long side. My kids are my cash crop, I certainly don't want to loose one to just a wrong position that can easily be fixed with just a leg pulled forward, etc. My does are expected to bounce up after kidding to milk, and then usually on to a show in several weekends, certainly not going to happen with a prolonged labor in which they sap their strength pushing against a mal- positioned kid. I think most folks (and my vet :) go about kidding much to "let nature take its course" and act like it is only a vets job to enter the birth canal. We routinely teach our 4H kids and customers to go in, not only to know what a closed cervix is, but what an open one is, to know what teeth and front toes feel like, and how to slide your hand up the toe to feel if it is a knee (front leg) or hock (rear leg) very important to know before you assist. And other than really big bucklings, their really is no pulling about it, just entering your hand in the cervix will make her bare down against you.

After 12 hours you have what is a retained placenta. At 12 hours I would also milk the doe out, really massaging the udder to release natural oxytocin. Massaging the uterus, giving the doe a big bear hug right in front of the fore udder, and giving her lots of massaging and pulling up with my arms with all my strength. I would also give a Bo-se shot. If after several episodes of this she doesn't have contractions I would give a shot of oxytocin every 6 hours until she does pass the placenta, I also would have gone in to make sure their were no more kids before giving the oxytocin. If this is just an isolated incident than chalk it up to experience. But if you have other does do this, or have kids born in sacks they can't break, I would look at my nutrition especially my minerals. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 22, 2001.

Thank you all for your thoughtful responses. She dropped the placenta on her own before lunchtime today. I just have never seen one take so long, and would honestly have been more concerned about the whole episode(I was nervous when I saw the placenta still hanging this morning) but the doe never seemed the least bit distressed. It was probably the easiest labor I have witnessed. And she has seemed perfectly well since. I had wondered if it was a breed thing, because I also had never seen anything like it. Thanks again, mary

-- mary, texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 22, 2001.