When and how can you put baby goats with the herd?
Based on Experts recommendation, baby goat or kid goat should be introduced into the herd when they are between the ages of eight (8) to ten (10)weeks.
Because during this period they must have been weaned properly by their mother and thus, your baby goat should be strong enough at this point to be able to not only socialize but also be able to interact freely with the herds without sustaining any injury.
At this point, when they are released to join the herd, you have to play a key role here by ensure that they are closely monitored at this early stage of interaction between the herds and the baby goat. You are to make sure that the baby goat is protected and not harm or even bullied by the male goats among the herd.
To be on the safer side, you can allow the baby goat to join the herd during the day while you keep watch and see how it goed, then at night you safely remove it from the herd.
If you’re considering adding a baby goat to your herd, there are a few things you need to take into account. One of the things to consider is whether your other goats will accept the new addition. Here are some tips on how to tell if your goats are ready for a new member.
- Do a headcount: Make sure you have enough room in your pasture or enclosure for another goat. If you’re running out of space, it might be time to consider finding a new home for some of your goats.
- Check the hierarchy: Take a look at your goats’ social structure. Is there a clear alpha? If so, introduce the new goat to the alpha first. This will help the rest of the herd accept the newcomer more easily.
- Observe body language: Goats communicate through body language, so pay attention to how they’re interacting with each other. If you see any aggression or bullying, it’s best to wait until things settle down before introducing a new goat.
- Give it time: Don’t expect your goats to all be best friends right away. It can take weeks or even months for them to fully accept a new member into the herd. Be patient and give them time.
Contents
how can you put baby goats with the herd?
To successfully introduce baby goats to a herd without any huddle, you have to follow the listed steps below:
First you should be concerned about their health and diseases on both side; that of the baby goat and the herds. So you should make sure that the herds don’t have any disease and also the baby goat is also free from disease.
The next step you should take is to gradually acclimate the kid goats to the herd. You are to do this over several days if possible; in a nutshell just keep both the baby goat and the kid goat’s pen or pasture close by under close supervision. With this they will get use to each other through their smell under your watch.
Throughout this stage of interaction, you are to play a major role of strict supervision as the baby goat interact and get use to the herds and also you will have time to prevent any form of bullying. Your job is to identify and separate any goat that bully the baby goat, once you notice any form of bully.
Finally you are to extend the amount of time the baby goat spend with other goats in the herd. The period of time must be slowly increased till it get to a time when the baby goat and and the herd is now fully accepted and also full integration has taken place.
Will male goats hurt baby goats?
Male goats are known to be aggressive in nature, they usually or sometimes show aggressive behaviour towards kids or baby goats.
This is usually the case when the baby goat is not their direct offspring but if the baby goat are their offspring they will quickly accept the baby goat into the herds without exhibiting any aggressive nature towards them.
We are not saying that all male goat are aggressive in nature towards baby goats but while introducing the baby goat into the herd you should do this with every caution.
Also it is recommended you always provide a separate space for the female goat during breading and also when they about to give birth to their new baby.
Do goats get along with new goats?
We all know that goat are social animals, they love to be among fellow goats so generally and naturally, goats will get along with other goats irrespective if they are new in or old among the herd.
But you should be careful while introducing new goats into the herd because this process might be challenging sometimes.
The idea thing to do is to carefully and slowly introduce new goats into the herd by so doing they all adjust because each has to know it role in the herd while getting to know each other and getting along.
Can male goats be around baby goats?
male goats can be around baby goats,no doubt about that but what you should be more concerned about is the behaviour of the male goats towards the kid or baby goat.
As you all know, male goats are sometimes aggressive towards the baby goats that are not their offspring and also they can become aggressive during during breading season.
More also male goat are known to mount on young female goat, this does not happen all the time but there is every chances of it happening and this can cause health problem or even injury to young female goats.
You might ask; what should you do? Well at this point it is necessary you closely monitor them especially the interaction between male goats and baby goat and if you see anu threat you can separate them for a while.
Will a male goat kill a baby goat?
It is not common for a baby goat to be killed by a male goat or a buck, but this does not mean that the chances are not there as male goats sometimes are known to be aggressive towards baby goat that are not their offspring, again this doesn’t happen all the time.
Again male goats are likely to show aggressive behaviour to a kid or baby goat in some circumstances. We have noticed this trend during mating, the male goat will be aggressive if it perceived that the baby goat will be an obstruction to mate the adult female goats.
All you should do is to closely monitor this goats, most especially the interaction between male and kid goat or baby goat so as to prevent any bullying or aggressive nature that can harm the baby goat.
Goats are interesting creatures, and baby goats are especially adorable. However, it’s important to make sure that baby goats are safe around male goats.
How long do you keep baby goats separated from the herd?
To allow proper nourishment and bonding with the mother, baby goat should be separated from the herd for a period of two to three months, perhaps the first two to three months of the baby goat’s life.
However you don’t necessarily need to stick to this recommendation to get the best. You can still decide on the length of time the baby goat could stay with the mother based on several factors on ground like the weight and growth rate, specific management practices etc
How soon after kidding can a goat be bred?
You can bred your goat when they are about 3 to 4 months after kidding. Please it is very necessary for you to allow some time for doe to bounce back to health and be in good shape and also for the doe to fully recover from kidding.
However the exact time after kidding a goat can bred again, depend on several factors on ground such as the goat’s nutrition, goat’s breed and various factors. Always try to consult your veterinarian.
Calf panting with tongue out
This is a common sign that your calf is dehydrated. When calves are thirsty, they will lick their lips and tongues. This is called “panting.” If your calf is not drinking enough water, then he/she may begin to pant. If this happens, the calf may become weak and have trouble walking.
If your calf is panting without having its tongue out, then he/she is probably not dehydrated. However, if your calf is panting with his/her tongue out, then he is likely dehydrated.
References
https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/when-to-put-mom-and-kids-back-with-the-herd.186777/
https://opensanctuary.org/new-kid-on-the-block-the-new-goat-arrival-guide/
https://informedfarmers.com/can-you-eat-potbelly-pigs/#:text
Lib
