# PREGNANT BUT VERY SKINNY??



## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

These fainting goats seem very hollowed out and skinny...any suggestions??


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

It looks like you need to up their feed...I would grain them as well. Have they been tested for Johne's disease? Their coats do look really good so i'm guessing they are getting everything needed...how much are you feeding them per day and what?


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

I am feeding sweet feed, hay and they have a mineral block. They are in a pen by themselves as of Wednesday because they should be kidding in the next week or so. I will give them a little more grain. I just didn't know if this looked like the "hollowed out" look they get when about to kid or what?? Two of the three just look too skinny...just kinda worried!!

Thanks!!


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

Forgot to answer...they have not been tested since I have owned them.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

The hollowing out is due to being pregnant and probably due to age and the pregnancy, but you can see their hip and back bone...they are definately underweight. The hollowing is fairly normal if they are late in pregnancy with multiple kids or have kidded quite a few times before and are older does. For fainters they should be quite a bit thicker...pregnancy can take quite a bit out of a goat though.


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

They were pretty thick when I got them and seemed to be doing OK until a few days ago when I noticed they were getting thin...I have separated them from other does and will give them more grain. 

Thanks!!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Honestly, the grain I probably wouldn't increase very much. I would free choice the hay until they start getting their weight up. How much grain do you give them per day? Also, when was the last time they were dewormed or treated/checked for cocci? Looking at their coats I don't think parasites are causing any issues, but good to be sure.


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

I just put them in a separate pen and feed them about a coffee can full of grain. They have hay in the barn available at all times. I wormed them about two weeks ago...but dont think they got a whole lot of the pellets. Is it safe to worm them again so close to their kidding?? I use a wormer called positive pellet.
I also wonder i its because all the grass/grazing is pretty much gone due to cool weather and they are geting adjusted to the hay and grain? I dont know...just hate seeing the two so skinny. They are all three fed the same but two are thinner. Their coats looks good...getting thicker and longer for the cold weather.
I'm not real sure about their age...the man i purchased them from was basically feeding them grain only because he had run out of any pasture...said he bought them as pets for his kids but they were just getting to be too much trouble and he couldnt afford to feed them. I dont do much grain in the summer because i have plenty for them to graze on...maybe i should have continued to give them some grain. But I also had no intention of them getting bred...thats was my neighbors bucks idea!!!


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

Here is a picture of the third fainter doe...she's not quite as thin as he other two. The tan with white spot on side.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Yes, all 3 does are VERY skinny. I would worm all 3 asap with Ivomec orally at 1cc per 22 lbs of body weight. Worm again in 10 days and again 10 days after that. What kind of hay are you feeding?? I would double the amount of hay and put them on a goat grain.... Purina goat chow and added Sunflower seeds for weight gain would be good. 

If they don't start gaining significant weight within the next month... I'd have them tested for Johnes. 

I would also order some Goatade if I were you and give it to both the does and the kids when they are born. Tums would also be a helpful supplement to give them now for added calcium.


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

make sure not to feed them too much grain at once, you could onset pregnancy toxemia/ketosis. so just up their grain very slightly until they're looking better. I don't think it'd be Johnes, but i would offer them hay free choice


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

Ok...thank you. They do have access to hay at all times now. The hay is just a prarie grass hay...bought it from the same guy/same field as last year and it was fine all winter. I will worm them this morning. Thank you all very much!!


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

What would be the best type of hay to get for them to help fatten them up?? I don't notice these three eating as much of the hay. I think the previous owner grazed them and then grain fed them in the winter time. Would something like Alfalfa be more tasty to them just to get them started on the hay?? All the rest of my goats eat the hat I have so I am sure the hay is good.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

KFOWLER said:


> What would be the best type of hay to get for them to help fatten them up?? I don't notice these three eating as much of the hay. I think the previous owner grazed them and then grain fed them in the winter time. Would something like Alfalfa be more tasty to them just to get them started on the hay?? All the rest of my goats eat the hat I have so I am sure the hay is good.


Yes, I always feed my pregnant does alfalfa.... It keeps them nice and fat plus gives them the extra calcium and protein they need for growing those babies.


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## lissablack (Nov 30, 2009)

Alfalfa has a lot more calories and nutrients. I have trouble getting anything else, and it is really hard to keep my goats from being too fat. I would switch them slowly to it, and maybe only partly, if that puts weight on them. They really are thin.

Jan


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

I will try to get some Alfalfa today...weather is not co-operating right now...it's raining. But I will call around to the local feed/supply stores and get some. What about alfalfa cubes?? Would something like that work? I just don't want them to be this thin when they are fixing to kid...


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Try feeding beet pulp pellets and some weight builder supplement. You can get it at TSC and sprinkle it over their grain. Also deworm with safeguard for 5 days straight. Will get rid of anything the ivomec doesn't get without being to strong for how weak they probably are.


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Oh and also give them red cell when you worm them.... it has iron and will help them with anemia from the worming. Some B-12 supplement wouldn't hurt either.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

TSC also has Alfalfa Pellets, it's more economical to five mixed with the grain ration if you don't have access to bales.


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## KFOWLER (Oct 5, 2010)

Wormed the does yesterday...one has diarrea...the other two seem fine. Went to store and got alfalfa pelllets and some black oil sunflower seeds. Gonna get a couple bales of Alfalfa hay tomorrow. Hopefully they will all three look better in a few days!!!


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## Shepherd Sue (Sep 15, 2011)

I would worm with Valbazen as it gets worms that Ivomec misses. Just in case


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Shepherd Sue said:


> I would worm with Valbazen as it gets worms that Ivomec misses. Just in case


 I agree, they have that Liver Flukey look to them. Hollowed out with dry hair on the topline.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

O my word.. a coffee can full of grain? That would have plumped up and killed my goats from being fat. They must be having something internally eating up that grain besides the babies. Hmmmm.... hard to know on different breeds but they could probably use a good de-worming and then some pro-bios paste with B vitamens.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Hoping you are doing ok .. . Goats get skinny so fast in such a short time. We always feel bad when that happens and I hope you are not feeling too bad. .. they really can go skinny super fast with worms and it ends up being something we all get more in tune to as we go along in learning about goats.. The goat spot people will truly be here to help you and I know there will be a lot of confusing advice at times.... but you are doing well to take care of them from here on out and I am hoping you are doing ok. There is a general guide on here to de-worming goats that is on a thread that will help walk you through the whole process as this was one of the hardest things for me to get on top of at first. Now that I finally got the worm situation taken care of .. my goats have the other problem.... Tubby tubs on just barely any food at all it seems.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

The Positive Pellet and most of the other pelleted wormer are not very effective for killing worms. Your better off spending your money on Ivermectin/cydectin (Quest)/Prohibit/valbazen and the like.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

For a pregnant goat.. the amount of pellet wormers you would have to give them is a lot to eat ... and they just don't work as well. I also would just stick to the ivermectin on a pregnant goat as I am not sure valbazen is safe for them in pregnancy. Quest is a strong one too that I would avoid until after they kid out. Ivermectin works on most worms. I'm just worried that they are really loaded and that too many worms will break free from the gut too quickly and cause all sorts of issues.. You need help on this from the worm forum as it can explain it very well. I've learned from this site by typing in the search box forum on worming.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm thinking these goats are either dead or over their problem - the date on this thread is 2010. :laugh:


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

LOL I didn't even look.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Oh I didnt see that either.. very old thread that popped up again new? Thats odd. Well... hmm.. I sure rambled on.


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