# Zinc Deficiency - Causes and Cures?



## wookiee

Hi all,
I have a wonderful 3 year old doe with a chronic Zinc deficiency. She has all the classic symptoms: Zinc responsive dermatosis, sore hooves, abnormal posture where the back is arched and the feet held closely together. She seems most responsive to Zinc Sulfate. I had her on a Zinc chelate supplement and she completely regressed, as if I wasn't providing zinc at all. I supplement her zinc by top dressing her feed (and the occasional drench if I am also giving something else). 

I give her free choice Sweetlix Meat Maker (which does contain Zinc) and will switch her back to Zinc Sulphate, about 1 gm per day, once the supplement comes in the mail. For food, she gets a orchard grass blend hay, free choice, and grain twice a day: 16% dairy pellet, whole oats, beat pulp, BOSS, and alfalfa pellets. I also supplement with kelp, backing soda, and yeast.

My Goat Medicine book said Zinc deficiencies may have a genetic link or may be caused by malabsorption in the intestine. I have one other doe who shows no symptoms of zinc deficiency so I doubt it is environmental. There is something about the zinc deficient doe which is causing her problems. She is, of course, pregnant and on day 90.

1) Could the stress of her pregnancy make her need more Zinc than usual? She seemed to be better earlier in her pregnancy and recently started looking bad again.
2) Could her kids also be born Zinc deficient? Am I breeding kids that will have this condition?
3) It if it's not genetic, what could cause a malabsorption? Some references suggest an excess calcium can prevent availability of zinc, but I find it hard to believe I am overdosing her with calcium.

Any other information, even anecdotal, that you could share about zinc deficient goats would be great. I am having a lot of trouble finding some real data on the condition. Especially if you bred does with this condition, I am interested in how the kids turned out. I would love to keep a doe kid from this pregnancy, but not if she will suffer like her mom. My poor girl, I feel terrible for her.


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## myfainters

I'm interested in hearing info on this subject too.... :whatgoat:

Jess
Faint-Hearted Ranch
www.faintheartedranch.net


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## AlaskaBoers

ii third that, could explain why one of my does still limps.


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## wookiee

Thanks for checking in. I know this is a situation many people don't have much experience with. I wanted to add a couple more data points. The doe in question is very well bred. I won't discuss herd names publicly because of the possible genetic link, but she comes from a long line of champions and *s. Her breeders knew what they were doing. So it makes me think that her dam had no symptoms which maybe indicates not a strong genetic link. I do not know for sure, because I am having trouble tracking the dam down, but I've never heard of any other incidence in this well-known herd.

That gives me hope that her kids may not have it. The buck she was bred to is also well known on this board and I haven't heard anything negative about him. So maybe his wonderful genes will help the kids, if there is a genetic component.

Her kids are due in March and I will update this thread as they progress if they show any signs of a deficiency.

Keep thinking and maybe we can put together a clearer picture!


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## StaceyRosado

i know sweetgoats has delt with zinc deficiency before not sure what she did to cure it


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## RunAround

Add some Blue Seal EZ pels to their grain


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## sweetgoats

OH I am still dealing with it.

YES it gets a lot worse in the stressful situation. She got a lot worse in the last two months of kidding, then when she lot the babies, it was bad, but now getting better again.

What I give her is this



















It is a paste. They now carry it in smaller tubes.

Monica has Sweet Lix meat makers and Sea Kelp free choice.


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## wookiee

I've tried the EZ Pel but it didn't seem to help. She's now on an organic dairy grain because I am striving for organic milk.

Ahhh, but the mineral paste is BRILLIANT! Maybe that would be easier than top dressing with a somewhat picky goat. And I am glad to know that it does get worse in stressful conditions. We are entering the last two months of her pregnancy. 

Thank you very much for your replies!!!


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## RunAround

You can also try Zinc pills.


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## wookiee

Hi RunAround, I have been top dressing my does' feed with zinc supplements in the form of pills. She has been most responsive to zinc sulfate, but I am eager to try the paste as she is good about giving pastes to.

I guess I am more interested in a "root cause" analysis and whether this will affect the health of her kids.


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## RunAround

Are you feeding a grain high in soybeans? There is some evidence to show this leaches goats of their vitamins and minerals.


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## sweetgoats

The paste is a really pretty color also. I know they do have it in shot forum, but that is hard to get, the vets do not want to give it out. It does work better, but we use the paste.

If you can not find it, (kind of hard to find), I have a vet supply store that I get all my stuff from, it is a lot cheaper then Jeffers or anything like that.


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## wookiee

Run Around,
That's a very interesting point. Here is the ingredients list for my grain:
http://greenmountainfeeds.com/pages/fee ... hEnergry16%

The does was on Blue Seal EZ Pel at her previous home, and I continued it for a month when she got here before switching to the organic food. I do sometimes feed roasted soybeans, I will have to watch it. Very interesting.

I do not think it is purely environmental because my other goat does not have the condition and this doe came to me with the condition, having come from a very good breeder. Her condition was disclosed before I bought her. She is, in all other ways, a completely awesome goat! Anyway, the breeder also did not have any other goats with that condition. So two homes, no one else getting it... makes me think it is something about this doe.

I will do more research on the soybeans! Thanks for the tip!

SweetGoats, I just ordered it from a place online. My doe is awesome about taking other pastes so if she will just take this without a fight, it's the way to go. I am sorry Monica lost her kids, but did the kids from her last freshening show any signs of a deficiency?


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## sweetgoats

wookiee said:


> SweetGoats, I just ordered it from a place online. My doe is awesome about taking other pastes so if she will just take this without a fight, it's the way to go. I am sorry Monica lost her kids, but did the kids from her last freshening show any signs of a deficiency?


 No none of her kids have ever had it at all. They have all been great.

She also took Grand Champion doe at the Colorado State fair in 2009, but then again it was not as bad as it is now.


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## wookiee

Sweet Goats, what a relief! You have made me much more at ease. Thanks for sharing your story.

Now if only my Mineral Max will hurry up and I can start helping my girl!


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## wookiee

I wanted to give an update on my zinc deficient doe. On Jan 9, I received my mineral max paste and starter her on a loading dose of 5 cc a day for 1 week. I noticed definitely improvement in her mood and gait after just four days. After the week, I've moved to 5 cc twice a week and then next week, I will go to once a week. 

The Mineral Max does contain copper so I am trying to lower the amount to a more maintenance level.

It's been about 10 days since I started the treatment and the skin around her eyes and her ears is starting to lose its crustiness. The rest of her skin is still very flakey and the poor thing is desperately itchy. I scratch her udder for her every day and she smacks her lips and twirls her head in sheer ecstasy.

I did dust her with CO-RAL on Jan 16 in case mites were exacerbating the situation and have yet to see any improvement in her skin along her back where she was dusted. 

On Jan 21, I have a vet appointment with a vet who raises goats to get more insight on her condition. I also have my zinc sulphate pills on hand and might start supplementing with those when I go back to once a week with the mineral paste.

I am REALLY hoping to get her skin under control before she kids since I do not want to milk a goat with such flakey skin falling in the milk.  Hopefully she is on the mend and it will just take time for her skin to heal and become healthy again.


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## StaceyRosado

thanks for the update - I certainly hope your girl can be put on some kind of maintenance that gives her comfort and makes your life easier.


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## Plumbago

Zinc deficieny can be a casualty of chemical farming.
Too high zinc can also depress copper. 
Usually found the zinc requirements for goats beyond that supplied by seaweed meal does not arise.
I am a great avocate for feeding kelp. The zinc in seaweed like most of the minerals is in their natural form and more effective than if using sulphates.
Suggest having seaweed meal free choice at all times to see if that helps your situation.


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## wookiee

Plumbago, that is an excellent suggestion. Unfortunately, I already provide kelp meal free choice and she does use it (more than the sweetlix mineral at least).

My vet advised to taper off the mineral max paste because it has other ingredients like copper and to top dress 500 mg of zinc sulphate daily. He also made an interesting comment that he's seen zine-reactive dermatitis in goats but it never made them itchy. My poor doe is SOOO itchy. A dog convulsing its hind leg when you scratch its belly has nothing on my poor doe when she gyrates from scratching her udder.

So I am also investigating other dermatitis causes. I did dust with CO-RAL which he also recommended. I have not seen any improvement from that.

Her coat is starting to get the shine back and lay better, but the flakiness continues. I just really hope it's this bad because of her pregnancy (day 111) and she will be more comfortable after she kids. She might be a candidate for carry over milking so she doesn't have to go through a pregnancy every year. Poor thing.


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## DebMc

I know that zinc as a co-factor is vital to various metabolic processes and deficiency - which, btw, can be secondary to other nutrient deficiencies such as Vitamin A and D, as well as be the root cause of others - may have a rippling affect and cause systemwide metabolic derangement leading to organ malfunction. How this may or may not apply to your goat, I wouldn't know. 

You might want to look up the ingredients in the miticide you're using and if toxic, an irritant or in question, switch to a safer, non-toxic alternative (e.g. diatamaceous earth, a dessicant whose mode of action is abrasiveness not toxicity). That is, *if* the goat has mites. Otherwise I wouldn't treat at all, especially not a goat with known metabolic issues and skin problems. 

So sorry you're having to deal with this. Much successful finding and remedying the underlying cause. It sounds like you're really giving it your all. :thumb: 

Deb Mc


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## lissablack

*Re: Mineral Max paste*

Lori - 
Do you only use this when there is a problem? do you dose at 5ml per 100-200 pounds? Or what?

Thanks,
Jan


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## wookiee

Deb Mc, Really good advice and I think I agree. I was concerned about mites because my vet said he had not seen "itchy" cases of zinc responsive dermatosis. So I did more sleuthing...

In my Goat Medicine book, it does attribute pruritis (which is a fancy way to say "itchy") to zinc deficiencies, but its non-constant. And that's what I've seen. The book also confirms that pregnancy can exacerbate the problem and, just like you said, there were a lot of interrelationships between zinc and other vitamins and minerals. In particular, it mentioned calcium. It said an excess in calcium can prevent zinc absorption and there have been cases of non-lactating does developing the dermatosis when fed dairy rations and alfalfa!

I have not fed my doe alfalfa BUT she has been on a dairy pellet since she arrived (I bought her 1 week pregnant). I am always so afraid to give her enough calcium, but maybe I am giving too much!

She is in her last two months of her pregnancy and so I am going to cut out the dairy ration until she delivers and begins lactation. I have CMPK on hand and I can administer it post delivery for a quick boost, but I wonder if I've been overloading her with calcium.

This is a very long winded way of saying, I went back and read the Goat Medicine book and I don't think she has mites OR mange or any of the other nasties out there. She has every classic symptom of zinc deficiency, both as observed in her skin and in her hooves and stance. So I will not be dusting again with CO-RAL unless I suspect mites and I will look into DE as a non-toxic option. I do wonder about CO-RAL but it has been approved for dairy and meat with no withdrawal time. Who knows? :shrug:


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## cdtrum

Has this doe been copper bolused? I didn't read where it said or not..... just a thought......I have a 1 &1/2 yr old wether that had pretty much the same symptoms as your doe and I was also told zinc def....I tried supplementing him also and no improvement......it wasn't until I copper bolused him that I saw great improvement in his hair and skin, hooves.... within a couple of weeks of bolusing him. He now has a very shiny black thick coat and no more flaky skin.


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## wookiee

cdtrum, good thinking. Yes I did bolus her on Dec 12, 09. Is it possible it hasn't kicked in yet? She was previously bolused regularly by her breeder. She weighed 77 lbs on the scale and I gave her 3 g. I was thinking 1 g per 22 lbs.

These are great suggestions! Keep them coming. I am surely missing something!


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## cdtrum

Yep, that is the same dosage that I used with mine!


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## sweetgoats

*Re: Mineral Max paste*



lissablack said:


> Lori -
> Do you only use this when there is a problem? do you dose at 5ml per 100-200 pounds? Or what?
> 
> Thanks,
> Jan


 I give it every few months. and I give her well clicks. Mine comes int eh huge tube that is like a caulking gun. I do 5 clicks.


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## ockeracres

wookiee, I have two pure Nubian does that are heavily bred to a certain well known buck, one has the have the hereditary zinc deficiency. It isn't anything environmental, it's malabsorption. The breeder told me to get Zinpro pellets, but I haven't found it in pellets. I got a loose mineral and top dress the feed.

This is what I've found on a malabsorption zinc deficiency, not sure if it's exactly what my girl has, but it's sounds like it.

Two extremely interesting cases have been described an the University of Vienna: two goats with a zinc-responsive dermatosis which is suggestive of hereditary malabsorption. This syndrome is well known in certain dog breeds like Sibirean Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes. May be it also exists in other species...
Two cases of zinc deficiency in dairy goats from different flocks and not associated with a zinc-deficient diet are described.

Hard, dry, hyperkeratotic skin, hair loss and pruritus especially prominent on the back, legs, udder, face and ears were the most common clinical signs.

Skin biopsy findings revealed a mixture of orthokeratotic and parakeratotic hyperkeratosis.

On initial examination, serum zinc concentrations were low in both goats (461 µg L1 and 521 µg L1, respectively).

Although mild skin lesions persisted during the early stages of zinc supplementation, skin lesions completely resolved after prolonged oral zinc supplementation.

Withdrawal of zinc supplementation resulted in re-appearance of lesions in both animals.

Case 2 gave birth to two kids, one of which showed mild skin lesions at 8 months of age together with a low serum zinc concentration (434 µg L1), suggestive of hereditary zinc malabsorption.
The other kid remained free of skin lesions and had a serum zinc concentration (530 µg L1) within the normal range.

On the basis of historical and clinical findings, the cases presented here more closely resemble Syndrome 1 hereditary zinc deficiency as seen in Nordic dog breeds rather than other zinc deficiency conditions seen in other species.

It is suggested that zinc deficiency in these goats was due to hereditary malabsorption of dietary zinc. This is the first descriptive study of this condition in goats. Life-long zinc supplementation may be necessary in such patients.

Link: http://www.vetcontact.com/dermatology/art.php?a=956&t=


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## Abril

Ok, I have a mini-nubian goat that gets a zinc issue everytime I give her herbs for her mastitis. Signs are very cracked, grey, crusty and sometimes bloody, right above her hooves in her hair line. Starts in her back hooves and looks like mud rot like horses get. Our vet has us give her on 1/4 tsp of zinc silfate (once a day) in grain or orally by drench. It seams to clear up in a few weeks. Hope this helps, Abril


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## schnapps-30

how much paste do you give and at what length of time to give it?


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## odieclark

Do the Hooves grow unevenly with zinc deficiency?


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