The afterbirth is the membrane of the embryo, which consists of the placenta, watery, mucous secretions and blood. The kid feeds through its biological membrane while in the womb. After his birth, the placenta, mucus and fluid are expelled. Sometimes a goat's afterbirth does not come off - it remains inside or hangs outside. It can be separated independently - with the help of medicines and folk remedies.
Why doesn't the goat's placenta pass?
The placenta is separated naturally within three to six hours after the kids are born and nursed by the mother. The shell does not come out for a long time for the following reasons:
| Name | Peculiarities |
| Multiple pregnancy | Stretching of the uterus and the accumulation of a large amount of amniotic fluid delays the passage of the placenta |
| Excess weight | Excess body weight reduces reproductive capacity and increases the likelihood of postpartum complications |
| Lack of vitamins and microelements | Vitamin deficiency develops as a result of poor nutrition |
| Genetic pathology as a result of consanguinity | Mating of closely related animals leads to pathologies of fetal development, physical defects in the cubs and retained placenta |
| Weakening of the walls of the uterus | Goats that are not allowed out of the barn and live on a leash have weak muscles |
| Infection | Failure to maintain hygiene in the barn leads to infection of the animal |
| Unsatisfied | In primiparous goats, milk appears after birth, and the placenta leaves after the first feeding of the young. To facilitate the waste of the biological membrane and get more milk, the goat needs to be milked more often. |
The farmer has 24 hours to help the goat get rid of the placenta. If the amniotic sac does not come out within a maximum of 2 days, the animal develops endometritis - inflammation of the mucous walls of the uterus. The condition is accompanied by purulent-bloody discharge with an unpleasant odor. A sedentary lifestyle of goats, poor nutrition and low immunity predispose them to inflammatory processes. With the development of endometritis, the risk of developing sepsis is high.
What medical care should be given to a goat?
If the amniotic sac is retained for a long time, it is better to call a veterinarian. But in rural areas, a doctor is not always nearby. Breeders try to solve an unpleasant problem on their own, without distracting the specialist from a more serious challenge. Home methods help get rid of the placenta within 24 hours. If you were unable to help the goat on your own, and the animal became worse, then you cannot do without the help of a veterinarian.
We increase the contractile capabilities of the uterus
If the placenta has not passed, contractions of the uterine walls are stimulated with medications:
- Oxytocin is a hormone produced by the body. The solution is sold in veterinary and regular pharmacies and is administered intramuscularly in the evening after milking. The dosage should be checked with a veterinarian. A young goat needs a small dose - 0.5 milliliters of the drug. General recommendations for administration are 1 milliliter in the morning and evening for three days;
- "Ditsinon" - a solution strengthens blood vessels and increases blood clotting, sold in ampoules of 2 milliliters. The approximate dose is 6 milliliters per day. The course also lasts 3 days;
- “Vikasol” is a substitute for “Ditsinon” with a similar effect, injected 2 times a day for three days;
- "Bicillin-3" is an antibiotic in powder, diluted with saline solution. The dosage is calculated based on the weight of the animal. The injection is given once a day to prevent bacterial infection.
It is dangerous to prescribe an antibiotic dose on your own. Exceeding the concentration of the drug in the blood weakens the liver and kidneys. The three-day course must be continued even if the outer part of the placenta is expelled, since parts of the placenta that have not separated may remain inside. In difficult cases, veterinarians inject antibiotics into the uterus: Rifacycline, Norsulfazole.
If several goats are expected to give birth, it is better to stock up on Oxytocin or its analogue, Oxylate. In an emergency, the drug will alleviate the condition of the animals until the veterinarian arrives. The doctor should also be notified of the measures taken.
Cleansing the uterus from placenta
If the uterus is not cleansed naturally, the placenta is pulled out manually. After birth, it usually hangs outside like an empty sack. How to remove the afterbirth:
- disinfect the underbelly of the goat and the hanging placenta with a manganese solution;
- wear sterile medical gloves;
- Pull the afterbirth with smooth movements.
It is important not to tear off the placenta near the anus. The part remaining inside is difficult to remove at home. If the placenta cannot be pulled out by hand, you should also call a veterinarian. It is important to do the procedure patiently and carefully. You cannot pull too hard, otherwise the uterus will fall out.
Experienced breeders use the technique of pulling puppies and placenta out of dogs:
- lift the goat by its front legs;
- press on the stomach towards the tail;
- carefully pull the afterbirth.
The technique must be performed by two or three people. Goat breeders also put their hand inside the uterus, find the remains of the placenta by touch and pull it out. If you lack experience, it is better not to use methods of cleansing the uterus. An inexperienced hand can cause pain to an animal. The procedure requires maximum sterility to avoid introducing bacteria. Otherwise, the uterus will become inflamed and sepsis will develop.
To remove intrauterine placental remains, Ichthyol or Furazolidone is used in the form of vaginal suppositories. But their introduction is complicated by the fact that the goat does not allow him to approach him. Experienced goat breeders do not recommend tying the animal. It is better to ask an assistant to hold the goat.
You also need to insert the suppository wearing sterile gloves, having previously lubricated them with Vaseline or Vaseline oil boiled for half an hour. It is recommended to entrust the procedure to a housewife with strong nerves. A woman's hand is smaller and lighter.
The animal may kick in pain, so there is no need to force candles. For small breeds, the introduction of vaginal suppositories is dangerous. It is better to take them to the clinic, where the cleaning procedure will be carried out by inserting a catheter.
Cleansing the uterus is not the first priority. First you need to try more gentle traditional methods or give an injection of oxytocin.
Introduction of important microelements and vitamins
Foods high in vitamins are added to the diet after lambing:
- roots;
- pumpkin;
- zucchini;
- enriched feed;
- young apple and cherry twigs;
- meadow grass.
The retention of the placenta is caused by an unbalanced content of carotene and calcium in the daily diet. Carotene is involved in the synthesis of vitamin A, which is necessary for the health of the uterine mucosa. Lack of vitamin A leads to keratinization of the mucous membrane. The source of the substance is hay from cereals and legumes in the amount of one and a half kilograms per day.
Vitamin C is needed to clot blood and increase immunity. Strong contractions that push the fetus out of the membrane require calcium. Drug treatment is combined with vitamin injections if the cause of delayed placenta is vitamin deficiency and poor nutrition before birth. If the reason for the delay is different, the animal will develop hypervitaminosis from the vitamin cocktail.
Activity of a giving birth goat
If the placenta retention passes without complications, the goat is taken out for a walk.The movement helps free the uterus from the remnants of the fetal membrane. Walking is used as an additional way to help. If the goat feels well, you can combine walks with traditional methods. But it is important to remember that the time for separation of the placenta is limited to a day. After the allotted time has passed, you need to call a veterinarian, even if the animal does not show concern.
Traditional methods
To facilitate the passage of the placenta, the following remedies are effective:
- milking;
- phytotherapy;
- tying the placenta.
A knotted placenta comes out faster, and the release of milk triggers the mechanism for the natural release of the amniotic sac. Farmers notice that before goats give birth, touching the udder is unpleasant. But after giving birth, animals that are accustomed to the hands of their owners tolerate the first milking better.
A medicinal drink is prepared for a woman in labor:
- a decoction of nettle leaves or onion peels - you can give fresh nettles, after dousing them with boiling water, and add salt and sugar to the peels;
- warm boiled sweet water - 2 cups of sugar dissolved in a liter of water;
- flax decoction - brew 25 grams of seeds in 250 milliliters of boiling water and give it to drink an hour after lambing.
- colostrum - 300 grams of sugar are dissolved in 200 milliliters of milk milked after childbirth and given to the goat.
Flaxseed decoction can be added to sweet water. Colostrum stimulates the muscles of the uterus. Even after milking 200 milliliters of colostrum from a first-born goat, after a few hours you can find the placenta in the bedding.
In folk practice, an infusion of the following components is used:
- sunflower baskets - 4 pieces;
- onion peel - 4 cups;
- ergot - 20 grams;
- sugar - 1 glass;
- water - 3 liters.
Mix the ingredients and boil, add sugar and bring the volume to ten liters with water. The infusion promotes rapid removal of the placenta. It is given to the goat to drink after lambing. Another effective folk method that is used for long-term placenta retention is a salt enema. 20 grams of salt are dissolved in two liters of water slightly warmer than room temperature. The solution is poured into a rubber bulb with a soft tip and injected into the uterus. The afterbirth leaves within three hours.
Salt is also added to drinking water. The saline solution helps restore the balance of electrolytes in the goat's body during blood loss and thirst.
Preventive actions
To prevent possible complications, it is better to invite a veterinarian to the first birth. For prevention, changes should be made to the prenatal care of the animal:
- change the diet - before giving birth, feed the goat with ready-made concentrates;
- carry out a launch - gradual abolition of milking begins a month and a half before the birth;
- do not overfeed - obesity leads to the death of kids in the womb and difficult childbirth;
- maintain physical activity - sedentary, overweight animals do not tolerate labor pains well;
- maintain cleanliness in the barn - change the bedding every three days, ventilate the room, heat it in winter and prevent the spread of dampness.
After childbirth, which took place in the absence of the owners, you need to look for the placenta on the bedding in the barn. Sometimes goats eat the afterbirth. If the remnants of the shell do not hang down the back of the goat and are not on the straw, you need to call a doctor. Without accurately determining the location of the amniotic sac, you should not treat the goat with medications and clean the uterus yourself until the veterinarian arrives.
