When a doe is within two weeks of kidding, her body is full of kids, thereby reducing the size of her rumen. If she is fed a very high-protein diet, she does not have enough room left to accomodate the roughage she needs to stimulate her rumen. Goats must have roughage to induce rumen activity or they cannot digest their food. Ketosis usually occurs immediately after kidding and results from inadequate protein in the dam's diet. When her body begins to draw upon its own protein reserves to grow her babies inside her, ketones are produced which begin to kill her.
Some producers practice a method of feeding called flushing for several weeks prior to kidding.
Research indicates that the number of fetuses is determined much earlier , at time of conception. Goat Medicine is the authorative book on goats. Although written for professionals and hence a bit technical, it is an invaluable addition to your goat library. If you own no other book on goats, this is the one to have. Directory of Goat Vets Across the United States - Recognizing that many folks live in areas where finding vets who know anything about goats is difficult, the owner of the Cybergoat site on the Internet has begun a listing of knowledgeable goat vets nationwide.