Adorable Baby Goat - A Sad Story

My brother has two goats, and when I was visiting in November, Zebra was very pregnant and was expected to give birth soon.  I happened to be back in town again this week and stopped by his house to drop something off and this adorable creature was there to greet me!

He had been born the day before along with a girl kid.  Isn't he just precious?  Unfortunately, the girl goat had died earlier in the morning.  This kid is inside in this picture because he had been found lying on the ground and very, very cold.  He was put over a heating vent on the floor and wrapped with towels and put under an incandescent bulb to help warm him. (Not a heat lamp, just a regular, non-CFL bulb.)  I fell in love as soon as I saw this little guy. He was so soft!  I decided at that very minute that I wish I had my own goat!  After he warmed up he seemed to be doing a bit better, and they were able to get some milk into him using a baby bottle.  Of course I don't know anything about raising goats, and I have no idea what is normal for a 2-day-old kid.  He sure could bleat loudly though!  He'd make a really loud noise and kind of stick his tongue out.  I thought maybe this was a good sign.  Not the sticking-the-tongue-out part, but the making-loud-noise part. 

He didn't move other than to stretch his legs or move his head.  I think they are supposed to be able to stand up right away like horses do.  I realize now that should have been a clue that things weren't as well as I hoped they were.  :(  After I left my brothers house, I was gone for several hours and assumed things would be progressing for the good with the kid.  Later that evening I got back to my parent's house, where I was staying, and my sister-in-law was there.  I asked her how the kid was doing and she said he didn't make it.  I'm so sad! I thought for sure he would be okay.  My poor nephews were devasted. And poor Zebra (mommy goat).  My brother and sister-in-law are pretty sure Zebra had mastitis and that the kids died because they picked up the infection from her and that's why they died.  I just hope Zebra will be okay.  It seems to be a pretty common occurence in goats from what I tried to find online.

I was so excited that Zebra had her goats and I took 25 pictures of the baby boy goat. I was all set to blog about it so I could show everyone the pictures. But then my happy cute goat story was blown apart when the poor dear died. I don't think I could ever raise animals like that. It would be too heartbreaking to have to go through things like this! At least with dogs and cats they are domesticated enough to be easier to take care of.