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The basic care of goats is pretty simple:
(Never
use feed/minerals that say for sheep & goats!!!) Sheep cannot
tolerate the amount of copper that goats Require.
Do Not Feed Bucks/Wethers "Grain". If they require
supplementation beyond hay, feed a grain pellet specifically for
bucks,
or dry oatmeal, in moderation, is a good choice.
Goats love treats: Fallen tree branches, Grapes/raisins,
bread/crackers, animal crackers are a favorite here.
Feed
Fresh, nutritious hay (with or without alfalfa - as needed).
Provide Clean water in a clean bucket (ice free in winter).
Loose minerals/mineral block that is available at all times.
Salt, available in a separate dish or block.
Well balanced grain product for your does. It gives them added
nutrients & minerals that they need. It is easy to over do it
with grain, so watch your animals condition to determine how
much/little they may need. During lactation, more protein is
needed.
Hoof
trimming is necessary every 4-6 weeks, to keep your animal from
developing hoof rot and leg/hoof issues.
We vaccinate annually with c/d tetanus, and give Bo-Se and
Copper supplements as needed.
Make sure
everyone comes running at feed time - If they don't, something
is wrong.
Watch your goats coat condition - A dull, course, or thin coat
can give you many clues to worm load or nutrient deficiency.
Watch your animals legs for any bowing (back or inward), as this
can indicate a nutrient deficiency.
If your
animal has diahrea, take a fecal sample to your local Vet
ASAP!!!
This
is the ONLY way to find out what you might be dealing
with... (Worm load & what type, or Coccidia).
This is the correct way to determine the problem, and also to
get the correct medication.
Worms & Coccidia are very common, and they are also the #1
killers of goats.
Did you
Know... Goats are ruminants
(with 4
stomach chambers)
When a Baby goat/kid is born, the only developed
stomach chamber is the abomasum (true stomach)
Baby goats/Kids initially function as a
single-stomached animal.
As soon as a kid starts eating solid foods, its
rumen begins to develop.
When the kid chews its cud, all 4 chambers are
functioning, and the animal has become a true
ruminant
4 Stomach
Chambers of a Goat:
Rumen ~ Largest chamber, representing about
80% of the stomach (fermentation vat)
Reticulum ~ 2nd chamber, looks like a
honeycomb & functions as a fluid pump (actually
part of the rumen, separated by a partial wall)
Omasum ~ Also called many ply as it
consists of folds of tissue for better
absorption (like leaves of a cabbage)
Abomasum ~ 2nd largest chamber & true
stomach, where actual digestion occurs.
Ruminants require the proper proportion of
roughage to grain in order to maintain good
rumen action.
Adult goats that lack adequate fiber in their
diets, lose rumen capacity, and their digestive
systems begin to function
more like those of a single-stomached animal.
Too much grain in relation to roughage works
against rumen muscle tone.
When too much fiber is fed without necessary
amounts of energy to aid digestion, rumen
impaction may result.
When a ruminant eats, food mixes with saliva and
is sent down to the 1st & largest compartment of
the stomach (rumen)
To help fiber break down, soft masses of "cud"
are sent back by the rumen to the mouth for
rechewing.
In both the rumen & the 2nd chamber (reticulum),
fatty acids and vitamins produced during
fermentation are absorbed
into the goat's bloodstream. In the 3rd &
4th chambers (omasum & abomasum), food is
further liquified
and broken down so that more of its nutrients
can be absorbed.
Housing:
Provide
draft free housing for your goat with bedding that is clean and
dry.
I prefer shavings over straw, as it is more absorbent, and
I believe it to be more comfortable for them to lay on.
Make sure that any enclosed space is kept clean and free of
strong urine odor. Fresh air is necessary even in the cold of
winter.
During those long, cold winter months you can also provide a
heat lamp or a goat coat on the nights that are below freezing,
but I believe they stay plenty warm with their thick winter
coats, and a draft free, dry house & a friend
or two to snuggle
up to for warmth.
Fencing:
I've found,
through years of trial and error, that cattle panels are the
best fencing to use for goats.
Easy to install using steel
fence posts. Sturdy and strong enough to withstand your
goats abuse. You can buy gates made from the same
material as well, or use a chain link gate or devise one of your own. You might want to
get the combination bottom style
if you are housing young goats
that can escape through the bottom panels. You can easily
attach screen or wire to the bottom
temporarily for those small
escape artists.
Once they are about 6 months old even most miniatures are too big to fit through the regular
cattle panels.
Feeders:
I've found that it is difficult to keep goats from wasting hay.
Any feeder you have chosen, hay bag, hay rack, milk
crate,
Expensive feeder or whatever you might use, goats will eat
what they pull out of the feeder in their mouth,
and let the rest
fall to the ground where it is Now Bedding or
garbage for us to clean up.
Feeders should be at eye level or lower, as chafe falling into
the goats eyes can cause eye irritations & pink eye.
Supplements:
Loose Minerals should be available to your
goats at all times. Provide a feeder in a dry location. Baking soda
can be
added to loose minerals, it helps expel gases from the
rumen. My goats eat it like
candy.
There is a special buck mineral available.
However, I choose to feed all in my herd the same mineral,
but I add "Ammonium Chloride" to my buck minerals as it is a
preventative for urinary calculi.
Poison Ivy
Treatment for Poison Ivy ~ A product called Rhus Tox, which is sold in
health food stores for arthritis.
It comes in little tablets & 5 tablets of the 30c Rhus Tox
dissolved under the tongue
several times a day will clear a poison ivy rash faster than
steroids &
makes you immune to poison ivy allergies as well.
Iodine Deficiency:
Very common in grazing stock and goats are particularly susceptible. Iodine is
related to the functioning of the thyroid gland.
Thyroid hormones are
required for the normal development of the fetus. Thyroxin does not pass from
mother to fetus.
The fetus has to make its own. The iodine status of the doe
during gestation is therefore very important.
(Iodine does pass from doe to
fetus across the placenta.) It is evident that thyroid
hormones are very much involved
in the normal growth and development of the
fetus and thyroid gland deficiencies can result in a higher proportion of weak
or still born kids being born than would otherwise be the case. Prevention Supplementing with iodine can be
accomplished
by feeding out as a supplement in troughs. Drenching should take place 4 weeks
before mating, 6 to 8 weeks
before kidding and 2 weeks before kidding.
Copper deficiency:
Can be the result of low levels of the mineral in the soil and in
grass/hay/grains raised
on the soil. This is primary copper deficiency. However, both the feed and the
soil can have adequate copper but its absorption can be interfered with by
minerals known as copper antagonists: lead, iron, manganese, various sulfates,
cadmium, and molybdenum. This is secondary copper deficiency.
Congenital copper deficiency is the term used to describe the kid who did not
receive sufficient copper in utero.
Copper is essential in the proper
development of the central nervous system, correct bone growth, and hair
pigmentation.
Copper-deficient goats have difficulty conceiving kids and, if
bred, abortions are not uncommon. Kids who appear to be fine
at birth but
develop symptoms at around three months of age are said to have the delayed form
of copper deficiency.
Secondary copper deficiency tends to be more responsive to
treatment than primary copper deficiency.
Insufficient weight gain, poor appetite,
and weight loss are seen in copper-deficient goats of growing age.
Adults
display more subtle signs of copper deficiency. They are generally unthrifty,
anemic poor milk producers,
and sometimes have diarrhea.
The most visible
sign of copper deficiency in adults is loss of hair, and/or hair color.
Copper is essential
for melanin production that causes hair pigmentation.
Hair discoloration occurs
when copper-containing enzyme is missing. On a black goat, you might see
brown coloration
behind the rear legs & thin tail hairs, to the point that you can see the tail
stub through the hair.
Other symptoms which may indicate copper
deficiency are
difficulty in conceiving kids, delayed shedding of hair coat,
extreme hair loss, lowered libido in males, slight hoof deformities, bent legs in yearlings,
and other immune-deficiency
problems such as frequent bouts with pneumonia,
mange or fungus-type lesions, and lice infestation.
Copper deficiency may play a
role in Floppy Kid Syndrome if the dams were copper deficient,
leaving the kids
with only enough stored copper for a week ten days after being born.
Copper can be given to
pregnant does and newborns (SQ) in the form of copper glycinate
or orally in the does' drinking water
via copper sulfate. Severely
copper-deficient goats are sometimes given copper boluses which attach to the
inside of the
body and slowly deliver copper at a predetermined rate. It is
possible to induce copper toxicity in goats.
Copper accumulates in the liver.
Red/brown urine may be a sign of copper poisoning.
Do
NOT use products labeled "for sheep & goats" because they are
insufficient in the amount of copper needed by goats.
Enterotoxemia:
Also called
"Overeating disease". This occurs when specific bacteria
(Clostridium perfringens, type C or D), infects the rumen
when an animal is suffering from indigestion. This
bacteria quickly multiplies, taking advantage of the acidic
environment to
produce its own toxins, poisoning the animal.
When the balance of bacteria in the stomach is thrown off (by
eating too much pasture or grain...etc.), C. perfringens
become prolific and produce toxins. Animals
suffering from this disease may exhibit twitching,
a swollen stomach, teeth grinding and fever.
There is no effective cure. It is usually fatal and
does not respond well to any treatment.
This can be prevented by annual vaccination and by avoiding
abrupt changes in your goats diet.
Animals on pasture or those at risk of getting into the grain
shed and devouring the rations should be vaccinated.
Young nursing kids are at risk, especially if their dam is
producing lots of milk.
Goats kept on dry lots with absolutely no chance of getting
excess grain may not need this vaccine.
Johne's Disease:
This disease
is caused by mycobacterium paratuberculosis. Goats are
infected as kids by indirectly ingesting stool from
infected adults. This disease has a 1-5 year incubation
period. Bacteria damage the intestinal lining, resulting
in
malabsorption of nutrients and wasting. The animal will
become anemic, weak and develope a poor hair coat.
Diarrhea may be a symptom.
Johne's disease can spread through a herd. Goats can be
carriers of the disease and show no signs of infection.
The disease is passed through droppings, which can be consumed
by other goats that then become infected.
Diagnosis is made by blood test (AGID tests) or fecal testing.
Unfortunately, results take about 10 weeks, and can often
be inconclusive. Some goats are unapparent carriers and may not
show the virus at the time of the tests.
These goats can test negative by culture. Treatment is not
effective and the disease is contagious.
No vaccine
currently available in the U.S.
CAE:
Caprine
Arthritis Encephalitis is a problem to be enlightened about, as
it can be quite a problem in goat herds.
This is a disease that contributes to the early demise or
crippling of many goats. It is caused by a virus that is carried
in both milk an colostrum, and is easily absorbed by a kid.
This virus does not cross the placental barrier, which means
CAE clean kids are born from infected does. If kids are
pulled at birth (never nurse from dam), and are fed "heat
treated"
colostrum and milk, they can escape this crippling disease. CAE
can be detected by a blood test.
Young animals afflicted with this disease tend to exhibit
neurological symptoms. Weakness and lack of coordination
begins in the hind legs and progresses to include the forelegs.
Kids do not run a fever and remain bright and alert,
though most do not survive the disease. Some kids may show signs
of arthritis or pneumonia. Older animals, usually
over a year, will develop swollen knees, stifles or hocks with a
slowly progressive lameness. They lose body and coat
condition. Pneumonia, wasting and udder edema also may occur
with this virus.
White
Muscle Disease:
Nutritional
muscular dystrophy is characterized by a muscle malfunction
involving leg and/or heart muscle. It is
caused by mineral deficiencies, especially selenium.
Selenium is a trace mineral and is required by the body in
small,
but specific amounts. Too little can cause deficiency
symptoms and too much can cause toxicity. Both can be
fatal.
Many disorders of goats are now associated with selenium
deficiency
These
include white muscle disease, retained placentas, infertility,
slowed growth and other related problems.
Usually young animals exhibit the most symptoms, while older
animals may have equal problems that are not as clinically
apparent. Selenium deficiency affects the muscular system,
although other systems may be affected as well, including
the liver, gastrointestinal system and reproductive system.
Animals affected from birth to 3 months of age may show
difficulty in rising and unsteadiness standing or walking.
Animals with affected heart muscle may exhibit pneumonia like
symptoms that will not respond to treatment.
Older animals may have weak pasterns as their only physical sign
of deficiency. Some animals don't grow properly, and
this is usually evident by 4 months of age. The lack of proper
growth is often accompanied by a liver disorder.
Pregnant does are more readily affected by a selenium deficiency
since they must supply selenium for both themselves
and their kids. Some does will fail to "take", when bred,
others will absorb the embryo if there is a lack of selenium.
Selenium deficient does can have difficulty during delivery due
to lack of uterine tone, which is needed to expel kids.
To prevent this deficiency, use an injectable selenium (Bo-Se),
as per the need of your animals.
Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL):
At one
point, CL was the most common Caprine disease in the U.S.
It is caused by (Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis).
This organism has a thick outer wall and survives well even in
harsh environments. It can enter the body through lightly
abraded skin. It is carried to the local lymph node and the node
becomes abscessed. 75% of the abscesses occur in the
head and neck area. External abscesses are not uncomfortable to
the goat and rarely cause clinical signs, though they
are unsightly and may rupture. The pus emitted from a
ruptured abscess will spread the disease to other goats.
It is best to surgically remove the smaller abscesses before
they rupture. If surgery is not an option, isolate the goat
before
the abscess ruptures. You may lance the abscess, but don't
do so without first determining that it is definitely an
abscess.
To do this, you gently insert a needle into the possible abscess
and draw back on the syringe plunger. It it is an abscess,
pus will fill the syringe. Some lumps on the body are
caused by hernias and should not be cut open. Some lumps
are
caused by c/d tetanus vaccinations, which leave a lump, and
should not be treated as CL.
If you do determined that a lump is CL, and you proceed to lance
it, you will need to flush the wound with iodine
and peroxide twice daily, so that the wound heals from the
inside out. Do not allow the outside of the wound or
incision
to heal too quickly, or the whole process will repeat.
Keep the wound covered with antibiotic ointment and bandage to
heal
thoroughly. Do not return the goat to the herd until the wound
is healed.
CL is far easier to prevent than to treat, and retention of an
animal with this ailment is a personal choice.
Bloat:
You should always have
Bloat Release or Therabloat on hand as well as Probios, which
replaces good bacteria needed to help
the rumen function
properly. These items are very reasonably priced, and if you
have need of the product, it can easily
save your goats life and
save you a hefty vet bill. If an animal tends toward
bloat, feed the most course hay you
can
find as the softer grassy hay seems to aggravate this
condition almost as much as grazing on fresh grass.
Vegetable
oil can also be used as a preventative or treatment if bloat
occurs although the Therabloat or bloat
release is the better
remedy. What I found is that tubing to release air is
very tricky and doesn't always work, as the
object is to get the
tube far enough into the stomach to release the air. What worked
for my animal was to use
a 16 gauge needle through the outer wall into
the rumen. You can see where the rumen is located,
as it
is usually always the most distended area when the animal is
bloated, high up on the left
side of the stomach.
Clip a small area of hair, use alcohol to clean the skin very well, so that you don't carry
anything through with the needle.
Poke the needle all the way through, and you should be able to hear the air releasing, as if from a balloon.
Massage the stomach to help the air free
itself, and when the animal has been relieved, and you can see
that the stomach is once again flat, remove the
needle. I have always given (1 cc) of penicillin
in the muscle for 3 consecutive days
after this procedure
to fight off any bacteria that might have
been introduced. You do not want your animal to get peritonitis.
There are no surefire answers, and I am
certainly not a vet, only experienced through necessity in
dealing with this problem.
I have only had one
animal that has ever suffered from this condition, and it continued to worsen
until we had to put the animal down.
Coccidiosis:
A contagious one
celled organism which can cause severe diarrhea and weight loss,
especially in young animals.
It is generally transmitted through
fecal matter in the soil from infected animals.
Kids are more susceptible to this condition than are adult
animals. First sign is generally diahrea & poor condition,
such as bloated belly & looking Ribby.
It is very
important to stop diahrea quickly so that it does not cause
dehydration, or worse yet, Death.
I always recommend having a fecal run when dealing with
persistent diahrea, as you want to treat immediately
with the proper medication.
You need to know for sure if you're dealing with worms or
coccidia, or both.
There are a few different treatments for coccidiosis.
Sulfa meds (Sulmet or DeMethox) can be added to the water, but
then you can't be sure how much of the medication
the animal is getting. I like to treat each animal
individually to be sure of exact dosage.
Therefore I use Sulmet with a dosing syringe, so that each
animal gets what it needs.
I have found that Sulfa drugs are more effective in treatment of
coccidia than any other medication available.
CoRid
is used to treat, but we are finding that the CoRid is
no longer effective.
Albon is the
alternate used, and has been a bit more effective in treating,
yet not 100%, and sometimes
must be given at such a high dose that it's dangerous for the
animal you are treating.
When treating with CoRid & Albon:
Please give vitamin B shots (At
least every other day), to
eradicate the risk of polio, related to depleted vitamin B
in the goats system, due to illness & use of these meds.
Also, keep in mind that you should replenish the gut with live
bacteria via "probios", after use of antibiotics.
Antibiotics kill good bacteria as well as bad, and good bacteria
must be reintroduced.
Pink Eye:
A contagious eye ailment. This looks like a foggy eye.
You will notice that the animal holds it's eye squinted shut,
and it seems
that the eye is causing them pain, which it is.
You must treat this problem immediately & aggressively to avoid
it spreading
to your other animals & to avoid more serious eye
problems, such as blindness. Penicillin may be used, as
well as LA 200 (Not in unison).
You would give a sub Q shot daily, as well
as treating with the penicillin squirted from a syringe directly into the eye as well.
Draw
fluid out of bottle with needle, then remove the needle & put a
drop or two in the affected eye to treat (2 x per day).
1 shot
or penicillin per day. You must continue this process until all
fogginess is gone, and the animal shows
no tenderness & is not
sensitive to light in the eye.
Urinary Calculi or
Urethral Obstruction:
Male goats, especially wethers, are at risk of urethral obstruction from small
bladder stones.
The Male goats penis is long and has an "S" shaped curve (sigmoid flexure).
The urethra, through which the urine passes, is
small in all males and may be smaller in wethers because of stunted development,
which causes bladder stones to lodge and
obstruct the urethra. The goat will strain to urinate, exhibiting
discomfort when lying down, and occasionally cry out in pain.
Dampness and occasional crystals may be found around the opening of the penis.
As the ailment progresses, the urethral
tissue swells around the stone and no urine can pass. The bladder fills to over
normal capacity, and if the obstruction is not
relieved, either the bladder or urethra will rupture to relieve the pressure.
This is painful and often fatal.
It is easy to mistake a straining goat as constipated, causing many goats to
mistakenly be treated with laxatives.
Caused by an improper ratio of calcium to
phosphorus in the diet. Corn contains high amounts of
phosphorus, thus is not good for bucks. Sweetened Grain is
a contributor to this factor in males, and should be avoided.
Ammonium chloride
added to free choice trace minerals is a good preventative and
definitely worth your time & expense.
The additional salt/minerals consumed will result in the buck
drinking more water, therefore washing out his system. Always
have plenty of fresh, clean water available. Especially in
the warmer summer months, make sure to refill water buckets
every day, as stale warm water is not as quickly consumed as
fresh, cold water.
Anti-inflammatory drugs and smooth muscle relaxants may enable
the goat to pass the stones. Treatment of the blocked goat
requires removal of the obstruction. If the stone is in
the urethral process, an extension of the urethra, located at
the tip of the
penis, it is simply amputated with scissors. If stones are
caught at the sigmoid flexure, they must be removed surgically.
If the obstruction cannot be relieved, surgery can be performed
to create a new urethral opening under the goats tail and
bypass most of the penis. This procedure "perineal
urethrostomy", will eliminate the breeding capabilities of the
buck.
If there are stones remaining in the bladder, the vet can
perform a cystotomy to remove the stones at the time of surgery.
Ketosis:
Not contagious.
This is pregnancy toxemia attributed to low blood sugar.
Most often seen in late pregnancy, and first weeks of lactation.
Usually brought on by a combination of an increase in grain,
and the inability for the animal to eat enough roughage, due to
the large area that multiple kids take up in the stomach area.
Doe will be lethargic and go off feed. Cut back all grain
intake until you have this issue resolved.
Do not be afraid to give high doses of of propylene glycol (6-12
cc's), 2-3 times per day.
Feed only roughage until the animal is eating well, then you may
reintroduce grain.
Propylene glycol cannot hurt them, and it will turn them around
quickly, which is what is needed.
Always keep propylene glycol
on hand for kidding season.
Home remedy for
Ketosis:
White or brown sugar, corn
syrup, molasses or honey.
Yearly Vaccinations
Necessary:
c/d Tetanus - Dosage is 2 cc's. First
year it must be given twice. Booster 21 days after initial
vaccination.
Bo-se (selenium
& Vitamin E) - most areas are deficient in this trace
mineral. Dosage is 2.5 ml per 100 lbs. Use a weigh
tape for adult animals, and use a scale (bathroom scale will
work), for younger kids as the tape isn't precise enough at
lower weights.
I give Pregnant Does
their Annual c/d Tetanus & Bo-Se shot 1 month before their
approximate delivery
date.
If the doe is given these vaccinations at
least 3 weeks before delivery, the kid is covered by this
vaccination until
they are about 8 weeks old. I would
still give 1 cc of c/d Tetanus at disbudding to be safe.
Always keep epinephrine
with you any time you are giving shots to your animals.
You never know what might cause anaphylactic shock, and you must
be prepared.
Epinephrine is to be given I.M. at first sign of anaphylactic shock (1/2 to 1
cc).
Kid Vaccinations:
If Doe was vaccinated at
least 3 weeks prior to delivery:
c/d tetanus: 2 cc's at disbudding, 2 cc's at 8 weeks, and another 2 cc's
21 days after that.
This completes the yearly vaccinations
required for this kid.
If Doe was not vaccinated
prior to delivery of kids:
Bo-Se:
1/10th cc at birth. c/d tetanus:
2 cc's at disbudding, 2 cc's at 8 weeks old, and 2 cc's again 21
days later.
c/d Tetanus:
For those of us that show, and do
not want a noticeable lump on our goats neck, you can give this
shot along
the rib cage behind the front leg, Sub Q.
Where to vaccinate:
We all know that the
c/d tetanus shot, which is to be given sub Q (under the skin),
leaves a bump that lasts quite a while.
Because of this,
many people have started giving this shot I.M. (in the muscle).
This is not the correct way to give this shot.
Giving in
the muscle distributes the medication too quickly and doesn't
give the proper protection for this vaccination.
You must
give the c/d tetanus shot sub Q for it to be an effective
vaccination.
Bo-Se:
This shot is to
be given I.M. You can choose the muscle in the back of the rear
leg, but be careful as there are many nerves running down
through the rear leg. You may choose to give this shot in
the muscle behind the front shoulder bone. This muscle
covers the front of the ribcage along the side of the animals
body.
Calcium Requirements:
Pregnant
does and does in milk require plenty of calcium so that they do
not begin leaching calcium from their own bones to
replace what they are producing in milk for the kids needs.
You may want to provide a calcium drench, but be careful to use
the proper dosage.
Doe in Milk:
Keep a close watch on your
does condition, and if it begins to deteriorate, take action.
You might want to increase grain or feed a better quality
hay/alfalfa. Protein requirements are high during
production of milk, especially for the feeding of multiple kids.
Feed your doe appropriately. If you see her condition
deteriorating, increase feed ration.
Penicillin:
Must be
refrigerated. To give a penicillin shot. This is a shot to
be given I.M. When given, you must draw back on
the
syringe to be sure you do not see blood before giving this shot.
If you see blood, it means you have hit a vein, and if
you give
this shot directly into a vein, you will KILL the animal.
Also, always have epinephrine (1/2 to 1 cc - to be given I.M.)
on hand when giving this shot, as it is higher risk for
anaphylactic shock reaction.
Epinephrine:
Must be refrigerated. If ever you need it, you will
need it immediately. You will not have time to run to the
refrigerator to get it. (1/2 to 1 cc - to be given I.M.) This shot is given to save an animal having a
negative reaction to any vaccine.
Feeding:
Goats need roughage to keep their rumen
working properly. Hay should be the main diet.
Grain provides a lot of protein in a small
amount of feed and because of this, should be fed with great
care.
Feeding grain to a wether, for instance, can lead to
urinary tract blockage.
During Gestation
(5 months):
Grain is a necessary supplement to the
pregnant does diet, as is Alfalfa which provides much
needed Calcium.
I usually start graining about 1 month
prior to expected kidding date, so that they don't become too
fat,
but it will help them right at the time they will need to
begin producing milk for their kids.
As a doe becomes larger in the last month of
gestation, the stomach is restricted and she cannot eat as much,
so you must
make sure that what she is eating is high enough in
protein to fill the requirements for her and her unborn kids.
If not, you risk Hypocalcemia and ketosis. A pregnant doe should get
plenty of exercise and fresh air, and stay in premium condition
for kidding.
Long range consequences
of nutritional imbalance:
You effect the condition of the fetus as well as the kid (after
birth), if you have not fed the doe appropriately during
gestation.
The long range effects last beyond birth, and
can cause a kid that was malnourished during gestation to have
problems that could
have been avoided. I learned this
lesson the hard way, purchasing a doe that was pregnant.
The doe was extremely
undernourished when she came, 2 weeks
prior to kidding. She was not able to provide milk for her
kids and one of her kids
died before birth. Another kid
that I received from the same breeder as a 9 week old, was never
right, and her legs began
to bow at 20 days of ownership.
I had started supplements and the best feed upon her arrival, as
she was so thin and tiny, but it
did little to no good, as the damage
had already been done.
This doe went on to have multiple
problems, which eventually led to her being euthanized at 9 months
of age.
Water:
Clean, fresh water must be available always,
as goats will go off feed without it, and will choose not to
drink out of a dirty water bucket. Use an electric bucket
in the winter as goats will drink water that is a little warmer
in the winter, and they cannot break through even the thinnest
of an ice coating and will go without if it freezes over.
Basic care:
Keep hooves
trimmed as overgrown hooves can cause leg and feet problems.
Trimming should be done approximately every 4-6 weeks, but
younger kids hooves tend to grow a bit quicker, so keep an eye
on them.
When it's muddy & wet outside the last thing you probably want
to do is pick up their feet, but it is the best time to trim
hooves,
as the mud really softens them up, and they should not
be left in mud with over long hooves, because this is the
perfect condition
for foot problems to develop due to mud &
bacteria being trapped inside.
Those young goats can sometimes put up quite a fight when you
are trying to trim those back feet, and you or your goat can get
jabbed with those sharp tipped nippers. I have developed a
very easy way to stop the kicking & fighting of those young
ones.
If you have them on your milk stand, simply sit
under them so that their back legs can stand between your legs.
This way you can trap the foot you're not trimming, while you
trim the other. It helps to support them while you have
one
foot up, and it gives your back a much needed break from
leaning over. You will find that they do not kick and
struggle as much
using this method. It's a little messier, but if
you're wearing your barn grubs, as you should be, it really
doesn't matter.
Wearing light, soft leather gloves while trimming hooves is also
a very good idea.
It will save your hands from blisters &
maybe a snip from the nippers too.
Happy trimming!
Check coat and skin
occasionally for mites, fleas or ring worm or any other nasty
feeding creatures. If you see any bald spots
always check it out
as it can be caused by any one of these problems.
Check
your goats ears
occasionally for ear mites. Head shaking can be a clue.
In
the winter/spring it's not uncommon to have to dust your
goats for mites.
Worm control:
In an effort to avoid immunity to wormers it is very
important that you worm only when necessary. You can
quickly find out if your goats carry any worm load by having a
fecal done, or by purchasing your own supplies to check for
worms. The vet or yourself can collect fecal matter
from the goat and you or your vet can do a worm count. You will
also want to check for coccidiosis. Worms & coccidiosis are invisible killers
and can take a goat down quickly. Many people check the
gums of the animal for paleness, which indicates worminess in
goats, but to be sure of what type of worm you need to treat
for, a fecal is your best indicator. There are wormers on
the market to treat for different types of worms. You can
find this information in any of a number of
different catalogs
that sell these products.
There is a new system
designed to control the parasite
Haemonchus Contortus in sheep & goats. This parasite is one of the most problematic among small ruminants. The
parasite sucks large amounts of blood from the true stomach of
the animal, and the result is a severely anemic animal.
This new system, called
Famacha, involves checking the under eyelid of the animal
for color. You want to see a healthy pink/red coloring to
the eyelid and eye tissue. If you see pale or white, you
are looking at an animal that is definitely carrying a load of
these worms, and you would want to treat that animal.
Beware of wormers that are
not safe for pregnant animals. If they are labeled as
such, follow instruction. Do not worm a pregnant animal
with such a product, as you seriously risk losing the kids.
I believe it is important
to worm a pregnant doe about 1 month before delivery, with a
wormer labeled safe for pregnant animals. It is a time when she
is more susceptible to any risk of worms and the possibility of
transmitting them to the kids. You should always worm a
doe within days after kidding as well. Some worms are just
waiting to infect those newborn kids, and you must protect them!
Dehorning or
Disbudding:
This is a procedure that many people abhor and cannot bring
themselves to perform. The option is to take your animal to the
vet or find someone locally that can perform this procedure for
you. I do my own disbudding, as it can get costly being that it
may have to be done more than once, especially on young bucks,
and sometimes for persistent growth in does as well. Keep
in mind that you may need to touch up horns if you see growth,
but it is well worth the effort, as animals with horns cannot be
taken into a show ring. You can read about dehorning in
the
Hoegger or Caprine
goat supply catalogs, and they give a pretty good description of
the task.
Tattooing:
This is another, not very
pleasant task, that many would rather not have to perform. Some
have opted to microchip instead. The problem
with that can be a floating chip
that can't be located, and having no identification for that
animal. It's still a good idea to tattoo for backup
identification. But I have found that even the tattoo's can fade
away and cannot be read. At this point in time
ADGA does not accept micro chipping as the only means of
identification. Tattooing can be tricky. You
will probably want to have the guidance of someone that has done
it before. You must be very careful to place the tattoo
correctly, in the correct ear and such. You
will want to have a piece of paper to test the tattoo letters on
before you actually tattoo the animal's ear. Make sure
that you can read an ear tattoo
before taking an animal into the show ring, as
the judge must be able to identify that animal by the tattoo in
case of a win. In my experience tattoos don't
stay for long, especially in dark ears, and many times must be
done again. This can be very frustrating and worrisome, as you
do not want a tattoo to become unreadable. I've found that
green ink works the best, especially in the dark ears. You
can read about the procedure for tattooing in the above
mentioned catalogs. You would do well to order each of
these catalogs.
Hoegger (800) 221-4628
/ Caprine (800) 646-7736.
Ringworm:
Fungus - Very contagious. Hair loss and scaling.
Transmitted through direct contact, even to humans. Treat with
antifungal creme applied directly to area. May need
treatment a few times a day until gone. You can use
antifungal foot creme purchased from Walmart, as well as the
higher priced products for treating fungus. This can be
transferred to your animal through soil or wood that emits a spore.
Soremouth:
Virus - Very contagious. Scabs or open sores on lips,
face, ears and sometimes udders. Contagious to humans, so
use care during treatment. Treat with ointments or cremes to
help soothe pain. You can choose to isolate effected
animals and let it run it's course, generally 2-4 weeks.
As sore mouth heals & sores dry up, scabs fall off. These
scabs are very infectious. It is very important to
completely disinfect pen area & be sure to clean up ground &
bedding/feeding areas.
Tube feeding a
weak/failing kid:
If you are at risk of
losing a kid that is down, cold, and will not suckle, you must
take action or you will lost it. Your choices are
few. You will need a weak kid or save-a-kid
syringe. They run about $5.00 for the tube and syringe,
and well worth the money!
Do not feed a kid that's
too chilled to raise it's head, as this could send the animal
into shock. First warm it up, and once it's warm, then tube it.
Never use dirty tubes or syringes, and be sure to have extra
tubes in case one wears out unexpectedly. Feed through the tube
slowly until you've gotten 25-40 cc's
of warm colostrum into the stomach.
It is Very important
that a kid receives colostrum as it's first meal as it provides
antibodies that the animal needs, and it activates the proper
balance of naturally occurring microorganisms in the stomach.
Assemble your supplies. Measure your tube from nose to the chest floor &
mark with black marker. This is the maximum depth you need to insert the
tube. Hold the kid securely & dip the end of the tube in water to soften
it. Insert the tube from the center of the kid's mouth, over the tongue
and down the throat until you reach the mark. They should still be able to
cry with the tube inserted. Very important to get the tube in the right
spot. If you pour fluids into the kids lungs, it will die. Test to
make sure the tube is in the stomach & not the lungs - listen at the end of the
tube to see if you hear breath sounds (you should not), or stick the other end
of the tube in water to make sure it doesn't blow bubbles, which would indicate
that you are in the lungs.
Time is an important factor. You must get colostrum into the kids within
24 hours or you don't stand a very good chance of saving the kid. After
you are sure that the tube is in the right place, attach the syringe to the end
of the tube. The liquid should flow freely down the tube. If not, withdraw
the tube about 2" and push it back in. It may be up against the wall of
the stomach or kinked. If the liquid flows freely down the tube, slowly
add 2-3 ounces of fluid into the syringe. Let gravity push the liquid down
the tube, hold the syringe up above the kids head. Much easier done with
two people.
After all the feed has flowed through the tube, add about 10 cc's of water to
rinse the tube before removal, as milk or medication that aspirates as the tube
is removed, can cause pneumonia, but a little water should be absorbed. Be
sure to cover the end of the tube as you are removing it. This keeps the
fluid from leaking as it is being pulled out.
Be sure to rinse all your supplies very
well with hot water & Betadine.
Needles & Syringes:
For these
miniature small ruminants I never use a needle longer than
1/2 inch. It's not necessary to use a longer needle,
even with the adult animals. You can order these needles
separately or by the box from many goat catalogs, as well as the
syringes you would need. I would recommend having plenty
on hand at all times for your needs.
Never use a
needle more than once!
You may re-use the syringe, and I do when I'm giving shots to a
bunch of animals at the same time.
I would also recommend
having different size syringes as well, for dosing
recommendations. You should keep 6 cc & 12 cc syringes on
hand as well as the more common 3 cc syringes.
Kidding Kit
Necessities:
Clean bucket & Surgical soap (dish soap in a pinch) ~ just in
case you need to assist.
Lubricant in tube, that you can throw into hot soapy water to
warm up.
Rubber gloves. Dishrag to wash up doe prior to assisting.
Iodine for dipping naval cord of kid. Bottles & nipples
for those of us that bottle feed.
I keep a plastic tub w/towels & soft, warm blanket near kidding
stall for newborns.
Nutri-drench for
weak kids. The 1st thing kids should have in their belly is
colostrum.
Do not feed/tube a cold/chilled kid ~ Warm them 1st.
If you have to assist by turning or pulling a kid ~ be sure to treat
doe with penicillin shots (2 cc/1 x per day - 3 days)
Powdered kid milk
replacer:
We Never use
it ~ But some may want to try, so read below.
Be very careful to mix the
appropriate amount with water for feeding, as an improper mix
can cause diarrhea. If you continue to have a problem with
diarrhea and you've eliminated other causes look once again to
the kid milk replacer. You might want to try using whole
cows milk instead, if the milk replacer is causing illness. You may want to cut back
on the amount of milk you are feeding, and supplement with
hay/alfalfa to compensate for the reduction of milk.
Keep a very close eye on the condition of your kids at all
times while experimenting with feed levels and different brands
of feed.
Also, there has been a
recall on Manna Pro products Spring 2007. Many young kids
have become ill from use of the kid milk replacer.
If you
are using this product and having a problem with the health of
your kids, stop using it immediately.
If kid milk replacer
is a grayish color & the smell is off, do not ever use it to
feed your kids.
Recipe for
Rhododendron Poisoning ~
It's Worked for others!
1/4 cup cooking oil, 1/2
cup strong, strong, cold tea (6-8 bags removed) "English tea", 1
teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking soda. Mix all
together and drench goat with the complete mixture.
Kick start for weak
newborn:
Karo syrup in 2 pints of
water, or give black coffee. These should be followed up
with colostrum which every newborn requires.
Recipe for
Colostrum Replacement:
3 cups whole milk, 1 beaten
egg, 1 tsp cod liver oil, 1 Tbs sugar.
Colostrum Trick :
Freeze your
colostrum in ice cube trays & put into a plastic freezer bag.
This way you can thaw a cube at a time for a kid that should
need it, and keep from wasting a very valuable resource.
Excellent Goat
Information to be found at
Fiasco Farm
&
Kinne
Also Excellent
Information to be found at
Active Farming
&
Mauldin
Boer Goat site.
Always remember that it's
better to be safe than sorry.
Call for HELP if you cannot handle a health matter with your animal.
Waiting too long can mean the difference between life and death.
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