Ya know - those of us that have been doing this awhile know that death is part of life on the farm...but I always take it real personally. Not so much just sadness - but even more of a "what did I do wrong - and what can I learn from this - and how can I prevent it in the future." This gal was a challenge from the beginning. I had talked to her former owner about a year after I bought her. Asked if the goat had ever been slick and fat and she admitted that she'd had issues with her too. She went back to the breeder and asked the same question. Breeder said that she'd nearly lost her to coccidiosis as a kid. Evidently her digestive tract was so scarred that she never absorbed nutrients properly and had no defense against parasites. She tried though... she delivered triplets earlier this year (I didn't PLAN on breeding her - but ya know how that goes)...but she couldn't make enough milk for 'em. They were some of the bottle babies I had this spring. Even my vet, who I've used for decades, was like...."she is just a poor do-er and will probably never get better than she is right now - but she'll certainly get worse." He was right.Some we cannot save and I'm sure you gave it your all but, still hurts.
