Lalabugs - Kidding done

[Goat Whisperer]

Those are awesome weights for quads. Rose is probably happy to be a few pounds lighter

I don’t know much about freemartins, but I have had quite a few doelings born from triplets/quads/quints and have no problem being bred. Except one doe, but I don’t know if it’s related to her being a quint. Her sister got bred with no problem and is due to kid next month.

I would start supplementing a few kids, that way they are accustomed to the bottle and will take one if Rose isn’t keeping up.

ETA UC Davis can do freemartin testing… for $50 a goat.

 

[Latestarter]

Just curious... what brought up the freemartin question/issue/subject? I didn't think that was an all that common occurrence (w/goats) and more predominant with m/f twins in cattle... Congrats on a successful quad delivery! I'm sure you must feel very relieved that you got through it! Nicely done! Great pics! Thanks for sharing. So you have one more to go, right?

 

[Wehner Homestead]

I have to agree with Latestarter. We had Boers before and had litters with both genders and the only doe we ever had an issue breeding was a single. Free martins are a bovine issue that some people have tried to gift the attribute to caprines. I think you should be just just fine to keep her!

 

[lalabugs]

I witnessed the doe humping her brother this morning. At first I thought she was just trying to play, but no she got up grabbed a hold of him and started it again.

I weighed all of the quads. The only one who is not up is the smallest. He is now at 2 lb 4 oz from 3 lb last night. He was just laying around with no energy. I made sure all got colostrum last night. Gave him a bottle. He took 3/4 oz.

 

[lalabugs]

Honey is the only one we have left to kid. She's due in 4 days.

 

[Latestarter]

I don't think the humping issue really means anything at this point... I think that's more a dominance issue than anything else (at this point). Additionally, I've never heard that (humping) as an indication of free martin... Again, I have no idea... just curious...

 

[Latestarter]

OK... https://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/freemartin-goat.php "Incidence of freemartinism in goats is generally low (less than 1%), increased risk has been observed when litter sizes are four or more." Humph... nice to know... Still, not very common...

 

[Goat Whisperer]

FM’s can happen with goats. But it’s not very common. I really wouldn’t worry about it unless the doe isn’t settling. But you do run a bigger risk with quads/quints etc.
We’ve had several sets of quads. The does bred/carried kids just fine. 2 years ago Leah (ND) had quints, 3 bucks 2 does. I kept both doelings. One bred and settled first time. She’s due next month. Her sister on the other hand has not settled despite being bred several times, with different bucks.
But she developed a rough coat, which is odd because the rest of the herd looks good and have very healthy coats. So it could be a mineral issue. She had a copper bolus as did the rest of the herd, who all settled without issue. She was the only doe we gave Selenium to pre-breeding since she didn’t settle when we bred her last spring. I’m not doing any testing right now, but if she doesn’t take by spring I probably will run a FM test.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Posting at the same time as LS…

 

[lalabugs]

It could be. I'm not really sure I have not seen doe kids do that this young. Then again I am still relatively new to goats. Only 2nd year breeding. I have only seen does do that when another doe was in heat.

I did a google search, coming across one study.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261215349_Freemartinism_Three_Cases_in_Goats

It was an interesting read.