# New to Goats...I need help!!!



## bcassady (Jun 27, 2013)

Two days ago when I checked on my goats, I found our 6mo old doe Roxy in distress. She was very lethargic, couldn't really walk or move. I gave her electrolytes and yesterday morning my vet gave me a dose of nuflor and b12/steroids. She seems fine, but yesterday I went to check on the others...my first goat was in distress and one of my nannies. I hydrated them. Also, I gave nuflor. A fellow goat friend gave me Banamine to give them. This morning our little goat was dead. No diarrhea, fever, or anything...I'm clueless! Any ideas???


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

I had the same problem except no sickness no vet.2 of our does had diarreah but I don't think she did. I would also like some ideas. Anyone?


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## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

Well, you wont know for sure unless you spend the money for an autopsy, and by the sound of things it is contagious, so you need to do this before they all are down with this whatever it is.. I have seen salmonella do this. Fine before bed and dead the next morning. Have you had a wet summer? Micro-organisms get washed up and activated with wet weather. I worked at a huge dairy in california with an american indian man who taught me a very valuable lesson. He said that flies will tell you before any symptoms appear. So if you see an animal with alot of flies on it, treat it quick. The flies are attacking because the animal is not feeling well enough to try to get rid of them. He was so right.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Agree with Enchantredgoats, only a necropsy will be able to tell you.

I would start with having a fecal done to include coccidia for the rest of your goats. If you can't do individual samples for each goat, do the one in worst shape.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Pneumonia can also sweep a herd clean out as well. Or plant poisoning...get a autopsy done, it's worth the expense to save the rest.


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## bcassady (Jun 27, 2013)

I had a necropsy done today. Just at first glance, the vet tech said intestinal parasites, just by looking at the eyes. Haemonchus Contortus is the culprit, causing severe anemia. I have wormed faithfully and rotated pastures. I have treated my other sickly ones with cydectin again. My nanny is very weak, I'm not sure she will make it until daylight. She has twins, but they are weaned. Losing her will be more painful than Kayne. You would think that someone would invent something to spray in the pastures to kill this. I've learned so much about the FAMACHA CHART. If you are not aware of it, I suggest you google it. Also, researching Haemonchus Contortus has been interesting, but depressing. Our animals are becoming resistant against treatment. Thank you all!!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Im sorry you lost the little one...I agree a fecal is in order to be sure your wormer is working...Also
for mom you to also treat the Anemia 
iron injection or red cell ( 6 cc per 100# double day one then reg. dose for a week then once a week until color begins to build in lids) along with vit B 12.(2 cc per 100# daily).High protein feeds and plenty of green leaves will help her rebuild the red blood cells..
B complex for energy and electrolytes to encourage her to drink
I would also be giving CD Antitoxin and thiamine until she was on her feet well
best wishes
Homemade Electrolytes

A half gallon of hot water
2-6 Tablespoons of Unsulphured Blackstrap Molasses
1-2 Tablespoons of Either Sea Salt, Epsom Salt, Baking Soda or Table Salt.
1 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar


Mix well and drench or let them drink it.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

You can clean a pasture. The process of mowing and drying the grass leaves a pasture pretty clean. Everytime you switch mow and dry the grass. Also the larvae can only climb up 4" so move the goats before they eat it down further. Now, this one will sound weird. Never worm your goats and move them to a new pasture. Also never worm all your goats at once.
By keeping goats you are also breeding parasites and it's important never to lose sight of that. No wormer kills 100% of the worms. By worming and putting the animals on a clean pasture, you are leaving only the resistant worms to breed, thus contaminating that pasture with only resistant worms. Same thing if you worm your herd all at the same time. There are more resistant worms left to breed and few of the easily killed ones. 
The trick is to never let the resistant worms be all that's left, ever. Always leave a population of the easily killed ones to keep you from breeding super worms.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

enchantedgoats said:


> Well, you wont know for sure unless you spend the money for an autopsy, and by the sound of things it is contagious, so you need to do this before they all are down with this whatever it is.. I have seen salmonella do this. Fine before bed and dead the next morning. Have you had a wet summer? Micro-organisms get washed up and activated with wet weather. I worked at a huge dairy in california with an american indian man who taught me a very valuable lesson. He said that flies will tell you before any symptoms appear. So if you see an animal with alot of flies on it, treat it quick. The flies are attacking because the animal is not feeling well enough to try to get rid of them. He was so right.


 It's been about a month since mine died and no body else got sick and they are all healthy.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

goathiker said:


> You can clean a pasture. The process of mowing and drying the grass leaves a pasture pretty clean. Everytime you switch mow and dry the grass. Also the larvae can only climb up 4" so move the goats before they eat it down further. Now, this one will sound weird. Never worm your goats and move them to a new pasture. Also never worm all your goats at once.
> By keeping goats you are also breeding parasites and it's important never to lose sight of that. No wormer kills 100% of the worms. By worming and putting the animals on a clean pasture, you are leaving only the resistant worms to breed, thus contaminating that pasture with only resistant worms. Same thing if you worm your herd all at the same time. There are more resistant worms left to breed and few of the easily killed ones.
> The trick is to never let the resistant worms be all that's left, ever. Always leave a population of the easily killed ones to keep you from breeding super worms.


 What do mean don't put hem in a new pasture? My goats need pasture and the place where they live doesn't have any so I put them out in the back pasture. Should I not do this and jsut pay the 3-4 dollars a bale a day?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

She said don't worm your goats and then move them to a new pasture. As in if you worm your goats, keep them on their old pasture for say a week and then move them.


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

then some of my goats are safe 3 of them but I have a goat that I've been putting out and this is her last day of worming. What should I do?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about it. I assume you don't have small pastures that you rotate on a regular basis?


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## katie (Dec 3, 2012)

We do but the horses eat so much of it and we have a stall issue. when we didn't have our Horse a=we would rotate them because we didn't feel bad leaving the pony out without shelter. We have one stall that fits the horses and then we have a shelter in the back. rotation has become rather difficult.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

I have heard, that as you rotate pasture you should follow the goats with another animal...I follow the goats with the mini horses (I do not do this with the alpacas). As the worms are "species specific". IDK if its working? Also, I think keeping the goats "copper requirements", utd, helps keep worm populations under control.

We also keep our pastures mowed. Good luck.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Di said:


> I have heard, that as you rotate pasture you should follow the goats with another animal...I follow the goats with the mini horses (I do not do this with the alpacas). As the worms are "species specific". IDK if its working? Also, I think keeping the goats "copper requirements", utd, helps keep worm populations under control.
> 
> We also keep our pastures mowed. Good luck.


Cattle are great to cycle with goats.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I saw a clip that the people rotated goats first then sheep then ducks... forgot why that order LOL


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

happybleats said:


> I saw a clip that the people rotated goats first then sheep then ducks... forgot why that order LOL


I saw that too! I can't remember exactly why either. Might have to do a little digging.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

> I saw that too! I can't remember exactly why either. Might have to do a little digging.


I think it has to do with each grazing different..humm..yep guess we better dig that p lol..it will drive me nuts lol


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

happybleats said:


> I think it has to do with each grazing different..humm..yep guess we better dig that p lol..it will drive me nuts lol


Yes something about one species ate one thing during a certain cycle of life of the parasite. Ugg. Looking now.


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## Texaslass (May 15, 2013)

So many things to learn!!


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Something like this:

http://www.rollingrivernursery.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=29


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