Latest Arrival

We had a new arrival today, not from a mum I have been expecting to give birth! About 10am I went out into the field to check on Ispy who I have been watching closely, expecting her to delivery any day now, she has been bulging out quite a bit, but she was fine, no signs of labour at all!! Then there are three others who I have also been keeping a close an eye on

But it was none of those!! While checking on the expected girls, I noticed Faith following me around and humming, very strange for faith as she is quite a shy girl and normal moves away when you go near her!

She was only at 327 days so as far as I was concerned should not be delivering just yet, this is also her first cria and to me she didnt look very big. (well what a surprise we were in for!!)

She didnt have any other signs except the humming, so I decided to watch from the mobile with the faithful binoculars as not to crowd her too much. She us up and down, going around and around and rolling. I still stayed watching from the mobile.

About 11.30 it looked like there was something poking out the back, so we collected the birthing box and wandered over. Yes there was something, but it was one leg!! on no alarm bells started to ring, we watch for as she pushed and pushed but nothing else appeared.

So I decided to have a check to see what was going on, at first I could only feel the one leg, so gently pushed it back in and then felt to see what else was there, I felt what seemed to be a nose, one leg and nothing else!! Next thing back out comes one leg and a nose. I had another feel, but could still not find the other leg!

So it was on the phone to another breeder for advice (have read all the books, but have no experience of this!) just as they answered the phone out popped the other leg, but it still didnt look quite right. But decided to give her a bit of time. She had lots of attempts to push further but nothing was happening.

So again I decided to step in and try to reposition the cria, by this time it was obvious the sack had broken and we could just see the cria was breathing. With a little manipulation I managed to get the legs in the correct position, but still she was struggling, she sat down and I gave her help by gently pulling when she had contractions, and a few pushes he was out and we could see why she was struggling he was huge, on weighing him he just over 9.5kg.

He certainly was a strong lad, within 5 minutes he was sat up and within half hour he was standing and searching for the milk bar.

Here is his first photos.


And his first steps out into the field.



He has had a really good afternoon, although it has been quite windy here with some heavy showers so has had a rug on, but he seems to be at the milk bar every 5 minutes, so fingers crossed he has his important colostrum.

I did have to seperate the herd though, as I caught one of yearling girls trying to feed from his mum!! And then the placenta split and only half broke away leaving a long peice hanging, which did eventually come away.

As yet he doesn't have a name, we are looking for names beginning with X, so any suggestions please let me know.

Ginnie