In July I wrote asking about a 12 year old doe who swelled up- seemed like a false pregnancy that didn't deliver. Everyone (including the vet) thought it was "middle age spread". Well, after 5 months (so huge she could hardly fit through the door of the pen) she finally did "deliver" and is now back to her normal size. Thought I'd let you know in case it happens to someone else.

-- Lori Friedlander (lbfriedl@hacc.edu), September 13, 2000

Answers

Hi Lori, it's not uncommon for older goats to kid. I have seen does as old as 14-15 years old still kidding and milking. Did she get bred and you didn't know it, or was she very overdue to the point that you guessed she wasn't pregnant?

-- Rebekah (daniel1@transort.com), September 14, 2000.

Sorry I wasn't very clear. She hadn't been bred and wasn't pregnant at all- there is no discharge and no milk (as sometimes happens with a false pregnancy. She must have lost a lot of fluid somewhere, but since she is totally free to roam on 33 acres I haven't found anything.

I plan to breed her this year, hadn't last year 'cause I'd just dried her off after at least 5 straight years of milking.

-- Lori Friedlander (lbfriedl@hacc.edu), September 15, 2000.

Oh, OK, she had a cloudburst, or false pregnancy! I had one do that this year- a la mancha. I think she would have bred this year, but she got so fat from not kidding or milking that I was afraid she wouldn't come into heat so I sold her.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), September 15, 2000.