# Vitamin c for goats?



## Smallfarmer (Jul 10, 2013)

When the cold sets in people take more vitamins especially C to stay healthy. What would be the goat equivilent of this and is there a cheap or natural way?


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

According to what I've read on here you can give your goats vitamin C tablets. I know that vitamin C is water-soluble so there is no danger of overdosing them - what they don't need/use is excreted in urine. Seems to me it's just a matter of finding one that is palatable enough they would willingly eat it. I'm sure someone will chime in soon and either confirm or deny.


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## OGYC_Laura (Jan 9, 2014)

My first action when hearing a cough or seeing a runny nose is a vit. C tablet crushed up with 2 oz of molasses water. I do this for three days if they feel better or in conjunction with antibiotics if they get a fever or worse. I dose the vit. C just like I would for my human family, weight and age. Any goat over 120 pounds would get two tablets once a day. 
I rarely have to give antibiotics for respiratory problems. The vit c tabs from Wal-Mart is what I use.


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## Goat_in_Himmel (Jun 24, 2013)

Let them get sunshine, if you have any. Goats, and apparently most critters, can metabolize vitamin C as well as vitamin D from sunshine. Cheap and natural.


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## Cadence (Jul 20, 2013)

Actually it is not systhesized from sunshine, but rather part of the general cellular process. If you remember ATP/ADP from High School biology... Vit C is synthesized from its close cousin UDP.

All mammals can do this except apes (and guinea pigs) and humans. They have a mutation in the last step which doesn't let them convert it into Vit C. http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/the-mystery-of-vitamin-c-14167861

And for future reference, a healthy animal can also obtain its own Vit B from the rumen bacteria 

Now you know!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Yes, absolutely. Pat Coleby, author of Natural Goat Care, has used vitamin C powder, in the form of ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate powder, to cure everything from Johne's disease to snakebite. Sodium ascorbate can be injected.
I give it to them instead of antibiotic. So far it's worked very well.


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## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

milkmaid said:


> Yes, absolutely. Pat Coleby, author of Natural Goat Care, has used vitamin C powder, in the form of ascorbic acid or sodium ascorbate powder, to cure everything from Johne's disease to snakebite. Sodium ascorbate can be injected.
> I give it to them instead of antibiotic. So far it's worked very well.


If there was a raised eyebrow Smilie, I would have just used it.

None of the author's claims are made with a foundation of sound, evidence based research. If something as simple at vitamin C cured Johne's disease, then there would be no Johne's disease, it would have been eradicated long ago.

Being able to correctly read and interpret scientific information (or lack thereof) is an important skill to have. It helps us understand research studies better, or weed out 'facts' from actual facts.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

GoatCrazy said:


> According to what I've read on here you can give your goats vitamin C tablets. I know that vitamin C is water-soluble so there is no danger of overdosing them - what they don't need/use is excreted in urine. Seems to me it's just a matter of finding one that is palatable enough they would willingly eat it. I'm sure someone will chime in soon and either confirm or deny.


Well if you were to give them ridiculously large amounts, you could actually induce an abortion with vitamin c.
So I think it be best to stick to a few tablets a day or so.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I don't think vit c alone cures those diseases , but it works with other medications and such to increase the chances of recovery. Vit c strengthens the immune system, which is the key to fighting off the illness.
It's an important part of any goat owner's med kit, and has been known to help in goats with cae, CL, jonnes , mastitis, etc.
You can either buy adult pills and crush them up to mix with their food, or they have chewables and gummies which the goats will usually eat on their own because they are sweet.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> Well if you were to give them ridiculously large amounts, you could actually induce an abortion with vitamin c.
> So I think it be best to stick to a few tablets a day or so.


Point taken. :thumbup: I have a tendency to believe people have a little common sense, even though it has been proven to be not true. My bad. :laugh:


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## Smallfarmer (Jul 10, 2013)

So I baught the vitamin C and the mollasis only to find out that my goats don't like mollasis. Now what?

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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

> If something as simple at vitamin C cured Johne's disease, then there would be no Johne's disease, it would have been eradicated long ago.


Vitamin C, backed up by a healthy diet for a strong immune system, has been known to cure Johne's disease.
I have to respectfully disagree with your statement. I can only point you to Newman Turner's research on many, many livestock diseases that should have been eradicated long ago - or rather, should never have arisen in the first place - diseases that are still here today, and a major threat. Most livestock diseases only exist because of the inferior feeds and barren soils resulting from modern agriculture. We have a lot of backtracking to do if we want healthy animals, plants, and people.
Dr. Weston A. Price also did revolutionary research on what makes healthy people. His book is well worth reading.
So why are so many people ignorant of the true way to nearly-perfect health in livestock and humans? I think there are a lot of reasons, too many to discuss here. I want to make one point though. *No person has any excuse to swallow the bait of big pharmaceutical companies, companies that know the healthier people and animals are, the less money they will make. *I am not accusing anyone of downright malice, just indifference and ignorance.
I know I got kind of off-topic, but the information on animal health is sometimes so overwhelmingly one-sided that it frustrates me! Instead of focusing on prevention of disease by working _with_ the laws of God's creation, conventional medicine focuses on suppressing symptoms and putting band-aids on deeply-rooted problems, problems caused by going against God's natural laws in the first place.
If anyone wants further information, I recommend reading the works of Weston A. Price and Newman Turner.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Smallfarmer said:


> So I baught the vitamin C and the mollasis only to find out that my goats don't like mollasis. Now what?
> 
> Sent from my SCH-S738C using Goat Forum mobile app


Well, I would either crush the tablets, mix with a little water and drench (Valley Vet has a handy little tool to do this, by the way), give the tablet via a bolus gun, see if I could find a gummy they will eat, or forget about it.

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail....55-8414-911073646357&gas=Pill Crusher Syringe


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Did you buy chewable C? My goats like the chewable vitamin C and will fight over them. No problem with them eating it. They think they are getting a treat.


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## CritterCarnival (Sep 18, 2013)

I use the 500 mg, fruit flavored chewable tablets as a once a day treat when I lock them in for the night. Everybody fights for them except Mischief, she acts like she has been poisoned if it even touches her lips. :eyeroll:

I started giving Vit. C when I got my first two does. Sammy wasn't dried off properly and had a very lumpy, bumpy, misshapen udder. Since she was supposedly bred back already, I was trying everything I could to get her milked out and dried off properly. I read that Vit. C helps with congested udders, and Vit. C is an immune booster anyway, so I figured it couldn't hurt. And Dusty must have everything that Sammy gets, so she gets it too. Not sure if it really helped or not, but they sure love them. And Sammy's udder is much better now.

Then I added a couple sale barn misfits...two bucks, Gruffy and Mister, who were quite malnourished and ill. Hmmm...Vit. C, immune booster, why not? They love them too. And I think I remember reading somewhere that the acidity of the Vit. C helps prevent UC in the boys, as well.

So, even if it really helps nothing at all, it's still a healthy, special, once a day treat.


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## Smallfarmer (Jul 10, 2013)

Wow. Thanks everyone for all the great tips and information! I'm going to pick up chewables today.

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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

Our goats LOVE Orange Juice.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Agilitymaster, your comment immediately brought to mind a visual of your goats around the breakfast table, napkins properly tucked in and each with a glass of orange juice in hoof! :lol: :lol: :lol: I think the cold is getting to me. :hammer: :hammer:


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## Smallfarmer (Jul 10, 2013)

GoatCrazy, that made my day. I wish someone would paint/draw that.

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## Smallfarmer (Jul 10, 2013)

I may have to try orange juice cause my goats spit out the gummy vitamins 

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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

Hahahaha. That made me giggle.


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## nchen7 (Feb 25, 2013)

vit C helps prevent and combat mastitis. I put powder in my doe's food sometimes, usually when there's been a lot of rain

ETA: I moisten the food and sprinkle it in. they get it when they eat.


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