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| New born baby goats in SEVAI Goat farm |
Dairy goats form a fair livelihood for a family. Not only do
they provide meat, but they also give us manure for our gardens. They're
smaller and easier to handle than cows, eat less, and they really like people.
When our goats occasionally get out they don't run away down the road, they are
such a beneficial animal on the homestead. Raising a baby goat is like having a
child. SEVAI farm in Sirugamani have goats, heifer, and cows. One of our goats
had three baby goats recently. The baby goats are small. We feed the baby goats
regularly. Baby goats have small stomachs and require feeding at least four or
more times a day.SEVAI provides these baby goats with a place to sleep that
would be warm and safe. SEVAI Team keeps the baby goats clean in her face,
ears, and body daily. When she was around three weeks, I started giving her
grass and hay to get her used to grazing. In three weeks by now SEVAI would
take the baby goats outside and give her the grass mixture and let them walk
around and graze, so they would get in the habit of knowing what weeds, grass
she liked to eat. There are feeding schedules, nap schedules etc. Soon after
birth, the kids usually struggle to their wobbly feet and search for milk,
usually at the wrong end of Mom. But soon they'll find the teat and start to
suck. Sometimes, especially with does with large, pendulous teats, new kids
can't find the teat or figure out how to get it bent around into their mouths. We
may need to help a little here. We have even had to nearly milk out a doe's
udder so that the new guys could get hold of the teat. They won't nurse much or
long, but as long as they do get a snack, they'll be alright for several hours.
The first day and night are important; be sure the kids are nursing and getting
milk. Look for the little wagging tails, and you'll know they are being
satisfied. Newborn kids will nurse fairly often, but not long at a time. That
will increase, and they'll nurse less often and get more milk at one time. Govin
