# garlic and goats



## serpentbird (May 17, 2012)

Hi All
I have been doing research in how to prevent worms and parasites in and on goats. I found articles everywhere proclaiming garlic fed daily to your goat will help prevent worms/parasites from making a home in your critters. Also if your goat is not keen on garlic at first that you may add a lick or two of molasses and eventually your goat will go ape for the garlic all by itself. Those that wrote the articles figure it makes for a hostile living environment inside the goat and out too because of the skin giving off the scent of garlic. Supposedly flying and crawling bugs leave them alone too. Is any of this true, judging by any and all of your experiences? Will garlic hurt their insides from such constant exposure? I ask because this lung worm thing that went down here really wigged me out and if I can find a prevention method it would be so great, and so great to share with folks here too.  Thanks guys!


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## NavaBoerFarm (Dec 15, 2012)

I have a bunch of wild garlic growing everywhere. The goats don't touch it though. Can't wait to hear if its true so I can try and force feed lol


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## serpentbird (May 17, 2012)

Me too and its trying to take over the whole area! lol It would be nice to get some practical use out of all of it.  I can only use so much in my terrible cooking....lol


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

I have heard just as many positive as negative results about the garlic thing. I saw a study for people that in order to actually get protection from bugs they had to rub it onto their skin. I actually use and herbal wormer for mine that contains wormwood, fennel, garlic, and something else that I can't remember. It seems to be working well for mine at the present, unless they are like immune to worms, but I doubt that because we live in South Georgia with the Alapaha River literally in our back yard, so perfect environment for worms. From what I've read, herbals work well for some goats (and owners) and just plain sucks for others. Wish I could help more!


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

I feed garlic to my girls daily. if they seem wormy, I give a little more. doesn't seem to hurt them, and I haven't noticed mites or anything on them in a while (i'm in the tropics..mites and stuff around all year long). 

raw garlic is generally such a health food. don't see why it would be bad to give them a clove or two per day...


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

It isn't bad for them, I have just read that sometimes it doesn't do anything. I guess I should've worded that a little better. 
It gets like a jungle here in the summer, temps go into the 100's, and the humidity is so bad that when you walk outside your clothes instantly glue to your body and you can't breathe haha. Worms are a huge problem down here, and I don't like using harsh chemicals, so I'm always looking for homeopathic remedies for my goats.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

same here! I was using natural wormer for my doe who kidded over two weeks ago, and she seemed to be fine, but started getting wormy. had her on for 3 days of herbal wormers, double dose, and she's gotten worse. I broke and gave her chemical wormer today. my other doe is doing alright on the herbal wormer and daily garlic, and it was raining here almost non stop for two weeks!


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## Curious (Feb 6, 2013)

Poor girl. Some goats are just very susceptible to parasites. I'm constantly watching my goats because those lung worms and liver flukes scare the life out of me. In response to the OP, garlic is full of antioxidants and vitamin C, and are very good for your goats (and you for that matter!) giving them some every day is fine. I would do it if you think it's going to help you, it can't hurt them as far as I know.


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## animalfamily (Nov 23, 2012)

I have been having the garlic discussion it seems, a lot recently with people on various forums.

I have been using garlic for my goats for a long time, it is a good antibiotic as well !! I've never encountered any problems using it.

Also, [I mentioned this on another thread somewhere here, I just can't remember where ] we have a ton of walnut trees on our property. Walnut is also good for expelling worms, my goats can't get enough of them, so I seldom have a worm problem.
When I do need to give them some garlic I mix it with a little molasses [brewers yeast is supposed to be good to mix in also, but I never seem to have it around] and they just gobble it up!

I'm still trying to get a definitive answer as to whether or not garlic is harmful to dogs?? I know it is not good for cats, but I always thought it was okay for dogs. I have given it to my dog in the past, not very often though. Now I'm hearing it's harmful to dogs as well........
I don't know what to believe because some say it's okay and other say it's not ???????


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If you are milking the goats, too much garlic will flavor the milk. So that would be the downside, garlic flavored milk.


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## serpentbird (May 17, 2012)

This is super info to have! Thanks for sharing guys. I have heard pine needles and myrtle wood also work like walnut to expel worms...anyone have experience with pine needles or myrtle wood? I love knowing natural ways to get rid of worms and bugs. Nature kicked worm back half before the chemical stuff made by man came along and I think its important to re find those lost ways, its really important for all species. I have given my dogs one clove of garlic per week because that is what my Grandpa did and reading the artlicles online made me think of his logic about garlic. All his dogs, and mine, lived to be old and worm free. No heart worms or even fleas. Of course we had some cedar bedding to battle the fleas too. We all know what dogs get up to eating when they believe nobody is watching, especially on a farm type place. Stuff like that can have anything creeping around on it. lol Our Pitbull/Dingo mix (yep I said Dingo!  ) lived to be almost 22 and she had garlic every weekend. That is the big reason I was researching about garlic and goats and what real experiences people had with it. I am not sure why I never put two and two together before now. So I thank you for helping to ease my stress a bit and make up my mind and what to do for my precious critters.


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## serpentbird (May 17, 2012)

One more thing on garlic and dogs: In my experience when the mother of pups has garlic during her pregnancy its ok but stop the garlic treatment when she gives birth. I am wondering if this would be true with goats too. May prevent worms in mama goats and also the babies like it does in dogs that have been treated with garlic once a week their entire lives, excluding the time of nursing young. Something to think about.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I tried adding a "made for dogs" yeast & garlic supplement to my dogs' food for several months in an effort to prevent fleas. Didn't seem to do anything. Tried just garlic powder too (which was the main ingredient in the more expensive "made for dogs" version. Also no effect - except garlic breath, which is arguably better than dog breath). Though I will say that a ton of the homeopathic parasite preventatives for dogs all contain garlic... so it should be fine. Although I do find it a bit odd... since onion can build to toxic levels in dogs, and they're both alliums. ???? 

As far as goats go... I'd just be concerned about altering the taste of the milk. Well... that and the fact that it didn't seem to actually do anything for the dogs.


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## serenityfarmnm (Jan 6, 2013)

I can't say for sure.... about pine needles helping with worms but I have read that it does in several "natural" sites. My goats personally think that pine branches were sent to them straight from the gods of goats!


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## serpentbird (May 17, 2012)

Thanks guys! Learning more every day about goat critters and I am happy to have found a place to ask questions and no one makes me feel dumb because I lack the know how right now. Much appreciated assistance in helping me make the best possible living conditions for my friends. Have an excellent day everybody! I'm telling all my human friends about this site.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Here is a good article http://doctorvolpe.com/neuropathy/allithiamine/


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

I have used garlic in wounds with great success (raw honey too), but when it comes to internal parasites, living in Texas, I have not found ANY "natural dewormer" to be effective. The parasites down our way are just too numerous and resistant, since we are often hot, wet, and have no hard freezes to kill them.


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## 8566 (Jul 18, 2012)

I mentioned to my goat vet that I give garlic as an immune booster and she mentioned that I should be careful because too much garlie will create an anemic goat.

Not sure what the "too much" is but wanted to pass on and see if it pops up in your research.

HTH,


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

The research from another site, determined 'too much' to be more like pounds a day for extended periods. Not what would be used in an herbal wormer, or as a dietary aid.


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## HappyHarrisFarm97 (Apr 13, 2013)

ksalvagno said:


> If you are milking the goats, too much garlic will flavor the milk. So that would be the downside, garlic flavored milk.


Unless you were making a garlic and herb flavored cheese!!!!! Mmmmmm.....


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## ms_mac (Oct 7, 2012)

*brewers yeast with garlic*



animalfamily said:


> I have been having the garlic discussion it seems, a lot recently with people on various forums.
> 
> I have been using garlic for my goats for a long time, it is a good antibiotic as well !! I've never encountered any problems using it.
> 
> ...


I have been giving my outside dogs brewer's yeast with garlic for several years and it is a good flea and tick preventive. They still get them occasionally but I am satisfied with the results


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Oh God. I cant even imagine the nastiness of a goats cud burp after eating garlic... thats enough to give you nightmares!


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## louandotis (Aug 12, 2013)

I've been holding off on giving my wethers brewers yeast because of the cal/phos ratio (1:3) I cant give it to a wether right?


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

louandotis said:


> I've been holding off on giving my wethers brewers yeast because of the cal/phos ratio (1:3) I cant give it to a wether right?


Not on a regular basis. Unless you fed them alfalfa which is a 5:1 ratio average. Regardless of what you feed a wether, I always suggest AC as well.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

We have an ACV that has garlic in the mix. I add a little of this to their night grain and they all love it. I also have a garlic mixture (will find out exactly what's in it) that I add a teaspoon into the morning feed of any that seem to be getting a cold for a few days and it seems to help. They all get this once a week any ways.


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

This is the garlic mix.


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