Chat
07-19-2014, 09:49 AM
I second Charlene's advice. Find someone who knows goats (not dairy cows) and can take a first-hand look at your goat and help you figure out what's going on. Often my "goat mentors" have been more valuable and more knowledgeable than a vet. They teach us things that we can then pass on to others one day when they are starting out, and they can look over your herd management practices, whereas if you take an animal to a vet, he can't tell you anything about its living conditions.
A good "goat mentor" can help you out with whole herd management practices that will prevent a lot of illnesses. Preventing illness is so much cheaper in the long run than trying to cure it when it crops up! In the chat room the other day you mentioned that your big Saanens and LaManchas are only producing a quart of milk per day. That is very, very low production for those breeds and points to other things going wrong in your herd that have not yet shown themselves in outright sickness, but that need correction now.
If you know they are getting enough food and minerals (something a goat mentor can help you determine), then worm load is the next good place to start. If you can't afford to send fecal samples to a vet, invest in a microscope and learn to do them yourself. The wonderful thing about the internet is that you can teach yourself a lot of things that would have previously only been available in college courses. It's important to know which worms your goats have so that you can de-worm correctly. Certain de-wormers work only on certain parasites, and some parasites have become resistant to certain families of de-wormers. Unfortunately, just because you practice broad-spectrum de-worming doesn't mean your goats are worm-free, and you may have to change your program.
You might also contact your local ag cooperative extension office and see what free programs, classes, and services they offer. This is a good place to find other goat breeders in your area.
A good "goat mentor" can help you out with whole herd management practices that will prevent a lot of illnesses. Preventing illness is so much cheaper in the long run than trying to cure it when it crops up! In the chat room the other day you mentioned that your big Saanens and LaManchas are only producing a quart of milk per day. That is very, very low production for those breeds and points to other things going wrong in your herd that have not yet shown themselves in outright sickness, but that need correction now.
If you know they are getting enough food and minerals (something a goat mentor can help you determine), then worm load is the next good place to start. If you can't afford to send fecal samples to a vet, invest in a microscope and learn to do them yourself. The wonderful thing about the internet is that you can teach yourself a lot of things that would have previously only been available in college courses. It's important to know which worms your goats have so that you can de-worm correctly. Certain de-wormers work only on certain parasites, and some parasites have become resistant to certain families of de-wormers. Unfortunately, just because you practice broad-spectrum de-worming doesn't mean your goats are worm-free, and you may have to change your program.
You might also contact your local ag cooperative extension office and see what free programs, classes, and services they offer. This is a good place to find other goat breeders in your area.