THE HEART OF THE HERD— THE DOES 161 



tained (see page 165). After the expulsion of the 

 foetus and placenta, the doe will need more care and 

 nursing than after a normal birth. Abortion is a great 

 shock to the system of an animal, and she recovers slowly. 

 If any udder at all has formed, she should be milked 

 patiently and regularly, even if there is very little yield. 

 It is possible that as the doe recovers her strength her 

 yield will increase, so that the loss from her misfortune 

 will not in this respect be so great. It is probably always 

 best to hold the doe for several months before breeding 

 again, until she gives every indication of being once more 

 in normal condition, with a good appetite, good, smooth 

 coat, bright eyes, and a substantial amount of flesh on 

 her body. It is a temptation to make good the loss from 

 abortion by breeding the doe again at the first oppor- 

 tunity offered. This, however, is a mistaken policy, 

 leading to the further weakening of the animal and the 

 likelihood that her misfortune will be repeated. 



Period of Gestation. — The normal period of gesta- 

 tion is usually said to be 150 days. It not infrequently 

 is less than this by several days, the normal birth of 

 vigorous kids occurring at 146 or 147 days. With the 

 large Swiss goats, however, it occurs even more fre- 

 quently that birth is delayed to 152 or 154 days. The 

 normal signs that a doe is about to drop her kids are : a 



sudden filling and stiffening of the udder, restlessness, 

 11 



