Sick Goat

[sydneyjd]

Do you think my goats look skinny? This is a few days old. https://cloud.openmailbox.org/public.php...09cf6509d2 They dont seem to want to fatten up though,even though they have unlimited hay(that they love) and 2-3 pounds of grain a day each.

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I de-wormed them all with Cydectin last month,but I have not done a worm test.

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And yes,it was my dad who wants to sell her Tuesday if she gets much worse. I am hoping she will get better. She drank some water this morning.
Thanks for all your advice!!

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My uncle raises goats too,but he dont know to much more about them than I do.

[Nanno]

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.

[Nanno]

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.

[sydneyjd]

Hmm,maybe i should look into loose minerals. I have only been using a block.

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I think the reason she was runny was because she got a overabundance of grain. She is starting to stiffen up,in what little poop she lets off.

[sydneyjd]

Do any of you have a good dewormer you would recommend?

[Emma]

Valbazen works well where I'm at here in Michigan. It's broad spectrum, and it and Ivomec Plus are the only two that I know of that kill liver flukes as well. Don't go by the dose on the bottle, use 1cc per 10 lbs.

[sydneyjd]

Valbazen looks very expensive!! It should be worth it though.
And other all-around dewormers?

[Emma]

It is, it works well. It can't be used on pregnant does, so my back up is Ivomec Plus.

[Dwite Sharp]

The "Correct" dosage for Valbazen is 1 cc for each 25 lbs.
1 cc per 10 lbs is 2-1/2 times the correct dosage, not a good idea for an already sick goat.
And it can be used on pregnant goats but "Not" in the first trimester of their pregnancy.

[deschutes dawn]

I use valbazen I get from my vet. She doesn't believe in over doing because of creating resistant strains of worms. After you get the initial worm problem taken care of there are natural herb wormers that work for some people. I have no experience with these but some people swear by them. My next round when due will be whatever she recommends. This vet is a saint when it comes to goat care. I'm very lucky to have her and my friend Susan, a retired vet, super experienced with caprines. Many of the forum members met Susan at rendy. I have critter experience but there's always some one who has more and is happy to share if you are willing to listen!