07-19-2014, 10:02 AM
Looking at your photos, it's hard to tell if your goats are too skinny because of their long hair coats. The long, dull hair is a bit concerning actually. It's summer and they should be short and sleek by now. The dull hair and low milk production point to mineral deficiencies or worm load (perhaps both). A goat that is mineral deficient is more susceptible to worm infestations, and a goat with a heavy worm load won't be able to absorb minerals properly, which is a vicious cycle. Goats should have minerals available at all times. Loose minerals are better than a block (I keep both because my loose minerals have to live outside and tend to get water-logged in bad weather, so I've got the block for back-up). Make sure the minerals are made for goats so they have the right calcium/phosphorus ratio and enough copper. Goats need lots of copper. In fact, I recently gave all my goats copper boluses and it immediately improved their coats and even Lilly's milk tastes better.