I let them out as usual right after I got home around 5:15 pm and everyone seemed just fine. Meaning they all ran out, headed off to find something to munch on. Since it is pretty much dark, I go in the house and do a few things while checking out the window to make sure everyone is behaving.
When I went out about 45 minutes later, Jersey was standing off by herself. I went to check her and noticed she had some thick blood coming from her vagina and her sides were heaving. Not a significant amount of blood at all. I convinced her to walk to her pen, but she did it very slowly.
She plopped down behind the goat shed on some cold cement. I helped her get in to the house and settled on the straw.
Boyd needed me to help shuttle equipment from the other farm, so I went with him and was only gone about 45 minutes.
When I got back to check on Jersey, she was breathing heavily. Not long after I returned, she got up and gave the most mournful, painful cry. She stood as if she was trying to push something out. She can't be pregnant, so I was really confused what was happening. She repeated this lay down, then jump up suddenly and wail routine only two more times. The last time she went into convulsion and died. All I could do was pet her back and talk calmly to her. From the time I returned home to check on her until she passed was only a matter of 15 minutes.
Jersey was almost 10 years old. The life expectancy of a pygmy goat is around 8-12 yrs.
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| Jersey with her twin brother, Angus. Jersey is the caramel colored goat. |
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