Mercy's Story

One month ago MFS received a phone call from Hillside School Farm. I was told one of their goats seemed to have another baby "stuck" inside and she couldn't deliver it. I suggested they bring the goat to MFS and while we're not a vet service, we'd try and help.

Within the hour the van drove in with the barn manager and a dairy farmer and his wife. They carried the goat out of the van and onto our lawn. Looking at this poor goat I could see her condition was dire. She was exhausted, malnourished and dehydrated. I gave her a lumbar score of 1. (A score of 3 or 4 is optimal a score of 5 would be overweight). Then they told me she couldn't get up, which in cows, sheep and goats, if the baby isn't able to deliver in a timely fashion and the mother is down, nerves can be pinched and even permanently damaged.

So, I went to work hoping to save this sweet goat. I sanitized my gloved hand and reached in to find the fetus pushed back in the uterus not even in a position one would expect for delivery. I asked the barn manager the history of this goat and he admitted that both he and the dairy farmer were trying to get to what they thought was a baby but they couldn't get their hands in far enough. Simply put, the baby kept getting pushed back into the mother. Then I asked how long had this been going on? They said "just overnight." My observations estimated possibly twice that time. They admitted they didn't even think she was pregnant. As I continued to gently feel for anatomical landmarks I finally found the babies back legs and as I positioned the kid for delivery, and I was certain it had been dead for awhile. While Mom was exhausted she managed a few feeble pushes to help get the kid out. Once delivered my negotiating began to keep this goat because without a doubt, returning to this farm would insure her death.

We were successful in securing this weak little soul and could see in her eyes there was still a will to live. She received our intensive care under the watchful eye of our wonderful veterinarian who approved of each round of treatment given. It took one month to get her strong enough and healed enough to stand without our assistance. Today, she is able to stand on her own, and walk around the barn. While her stance is not perfect this strong little goat has a lumbar score of 2+ and climbing. Her new name is Mercy.

It is rescues like this as well as, the maintenance of the barns, fences, and other improvements that make your donations so vital.

 

Recently Maple Farm Sanctuary has hosted several first year veterinarians from Tufts Veterinary School in North Grafton, MA. The Adopt-A-Vet program sends students to farms to learn animal care techniques, farm equipment operation and safety, techniques of growing and harvesting hay and much more.

What MFS had to offer was much more than expected. Since we came from farming animals and have evolved to the rescue and long term care of farmed animals there was much knowledge to pass on.

In a conventional farmed animal operation if there is a sick animal, few measures are taken to save its life. If the illness is simple, antibiotics are given. If the disease process or trauma is too expensive to treat, the animal is shipped to slaughter. So, vets don't always see the long term care of elderly or special needs farm animals. The first students to come through were very happy with the experience and we, in turn, were so happy to share our experiences and knowledge. While it does take precious time from our work schedule, we feel it's so important to pass on what ever knowledge we can share regarding the various Sanctuary settings.

We plan to have another group come in late April for two days of learning and much appreciated volunteer work!

Peaceable Kingdom is coming to the Berkshire Film Festival
June 3 - June 6, 2010

http://www.peaceablekingdomfilm.org/
 

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