Vaccination booster for Clostridium perfringens C and D and tetanus toxoid should be given not less than 3 weeks prior to kidding. Does should be wormed at dry off and also before kidding. The doe should kid in a clean environment, either a well-rotated pasture or stall bedded with straw or other absorbent material. The kid prior to birth has been existing in a germ-free environment and parturition represents exposure to common disease organisms to which the mature animal has developed resistance. The location of the kidding stall or pasture should be near a well-traveled area so that the doe can be frequently observed for kidding difficulties.
Few adult does require assistance at the time of kidding though problems are always a possibility.
First-freshening does should be closely watched, especially if bred to bucks known to sire large kids. At birth, two management practices are critical to the future health and survival of the newborn kid. The navel cord should be dipped in a solution of tincture of iodine to prevent entry of disease-causing organisms through the navel cord and directly into the body of the kid. If necessary, a long navel cord can be cut to 3 or 4 inches in length. A bleeding cord should be tied with surgical suture material.