When to shave?

[madcow]

Okay, I know you guys have experience as to when to shave a doe's udders before she gives birth. When do you do it if you really aren't sure when she will be giving birth? Ginger is due anytime between mid January to late January, which is a pretty good stretch of time, especially since it could be somewhat earlier or even later. Also, being it's winter, if I shave her won't it be drafty for her backside? Does it absolutely need to be done before birthing? I do plan on milking her, but that won't be until the kid(s) is(are) about 2 weeks old, and of course, I see the need at that point to shave her for hygienic proposes. What would you suggest I do? Thanks for the help!

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Of course you don't need to do it. I don't do it and will not do it. Goats have been having kids for thousands of years and they are fine. I know some like to shave them and do shave them but that's not for me. haha

 

[GLENMAR]

You could do it now. I did mine the other day. They won't grow in that much. You may have to do a touch up later.

 

[RainySunday]

I do ours about 1-2 weeks before the earliest due date. If they still haven't kidded 2-3 weeks after that, I sometimes do it again, depends on the doe. For us, it really helps with not only milking cleanliness, but also with clean up post-birth.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Straw Hat Kikos is right. You don't have to do it. We didn't the first kids we had.

Glenmar is right you can do it now or you can do it the first of January.

I Wouldn't sweat trimming before kidding to much.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Straw Hat Kikos is right. You don't have to do it. We didn't the first kids we had.

Glenmar is right you can do it now or you can do it the first of January.

I Wouldn't sweat trimming before kidding to much.

Read you topic again. We've never shaved. Just clip their hair close.

 

[Ms E]

As the rookie in the room, it sure made clean up easy. We shaved Stella last week and she kidded today.

 

[OneFineAcre]

As the rookie in the room, it sure made clean up easy. We shaved Stella last week and she kidded today.

Sure it does.

I read her post again, she said "shave her udder". When we clip them before they kid, we clip about the back 25% pretty much from their pelvis to half way down their leg.

 

[meme]

I was wondering the same thing for Rachel. This is her first freshening, so it would probably be extremely difficult to try to shave it. I was thinking about waiting until she freshened, then shaving her udder before we begin milking her.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

It depends on the doe. One of our girls was really hairy and because we milk ours, we trimmed her udder (along with her backside to help keep her cleaner after kidding). We filter out milk right after collecting but have the udder shaved down helped to keep any strays to a minimum.