# Bad hay miscarriages and abortions.



## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

I am not 100 percent sure but I noticed the hay my pregnant goats were eating was very dusty and dark. It led me to believe that the hay was moldy. I started seeing miscarriages and this month 2 goats aborted. The first the Kid was born dead. This time 2 kids 3 weeks later the heart was betting but no hair and not breathing. I have a few more that is pregnant I don't want to lose them what can I do?


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## StarMFarm (Jan 17, 2013)

Very possible. Does it smell moldy? It should smell sweet and be green.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

You are going to need to throw that moldy stuff out & get fresh.
If you can exchange it so much the better.
Sorry this has happened!


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

Abortions now?


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

Sorry I threw out hay got new hay 30 days ago. How do I stop the abortions now?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Are they still aborting with the new hay?


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## dan354 (Dec 20, 2012)

moldy hay is caused by moisture. Moldy hay can cause abortion in any farm animal. the best and easiest way to avoid getting moldy hay is to cut open several bales if you are buying a trailer load of hay. A good honest farmer won't have any objection to you doing that. if you notice any white powder or if the hay feels damp do not take it. A good bale of hay will smell good and should have at least a green tint to it (at least on the inside). Another indication of wet hay is the hay will feel hot on the inside indicating it was baled too early in the day or a farmer trying to make a money selling bad hay. It happens all the time. Hay can also get wet in your barn when it rains. 
changing hay right now is the best thing you can do for your goats, but only time will tell if you done it early enough.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Are you positive it was the hay? What kind of hay are you feeding? Can you get some pictures of it?
Are you sure your not dealing with something like chlamydia?


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

It could be the hay, but if they continue aborting on different hay...i'd start considering chlamydia which can cause an aborting storm in a herd.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Just to be safe, you may want to start them on aeromycin crumbles or something similar in case it is chlamydia.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I've heard LA200 can also help with chlamydia. I was terrified 2 new does had it, part of my paranoia when looking for a reason for a FF who aborted. I remember reading that LA200 is very affective, but I am not sure how often the shots should be given.

IMO I'd look up information on it just as a precaution. Better to be safe than sorry.

Also, IMO if this happens again <hope it doesn't!>, then I would most certainly have some of the placenta and baby tested just in case.

BTW, is the placenta normal? discharge normal? no unusual kinds of discharge, or anything that doesn't seem right with the babies, placenta or ?


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

ThreeHavens said:


> Are they still aborting with the new hay?


Yes some are. I notice a few are still holding though. I need 30 more days and they should be well.


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

HoosierShadow said:


> Are you positive it was the hay? What kind of hay are you feeding? Can you get some pictures of it?
> Are you sure your not dealing with something like chlamydia?


It was fescue. And I wish I could say I was positive. But it was very dark and dusty.


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

KW Farms said:


> It could be the hay, but if they continue aborting on different hay...i'd start considering chlamydia which can cause an aborting storm in a herd.


Any signs to look for besides abortions with this?


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

HoosierShadow said:


> I've heard LA200 can also help with chlamydia. I was terrified 2 new does had it, part of my paranoia when looking for a reason for a FF who aborted. I remember reading that LA200 is very affective, but I am not sure how often the shots should be given.
> 
> IMO I'd look up information on it just as a precaution. Better to be safe than sorry.
> 
> ...


It's my first time so I don't know. It looks very normal though. One of the two had a heart beat but just coming out to early.


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

I punt know if this makes a difference but one f the kids had a heart beat I could see it moving. They are jut to early.


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

HoosierShadow said:


> Are you positive it was the hay? What kind of hay are you feeding? Can you get some pictures of it?
> Are you sure your not dealing with something like chlamydia?


Unfortunately it was almost 5 weeks ago. So I do not.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Look for the sacs the babies are in to be thicker. And I mean a lot thicker than normal. Fescue will do that.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

ksalvagno said:


> Look for the sacs the babies are in to be thicker. And I mean a lot thicker than normal. Fescue will do that.


Yep she is 110% right about that! That's why we quit feeding fescue. We had a doe kid last spring that had a very thick sack, it was so strange! It never ruptured, even when the kid hit the ground NONE of the sacks ruptured, and were extremely thick, I had trouble getting them open. 
Kid was fine and full term though.

The hay we use right now for the adult doe has fescue in it, but we don't feed this kind of hay to pregnant goats. We use a clover/mix hay that doesn't have the fescue.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree..cover all your bases...clean mold free hay..which you have done and treat for chlamydia....
here is an article on chlamydia...I needed to read this too..wasn't sure exactly what it was after seeing in mentioned here often...
http://www.tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/chlamydia.html


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Nothing to add other then I sure hope you get some babies.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

only certain kinds of fescue can be a problem, 
Treat for kidding deseases like chlamydia and toxoplasmosis by treating with one of the follwoing for 5 days at treatment levels. Treat everyone in your herd that is an adult, including your bucks with one of the following:
La 200 or equivalant such as biomycin, 1 cc per 40 lbs injected for 5 days.
Aureomycin 4g crumbles, feed it, 1 cup per 150 lbs of body weight every day for 5 days. 
Duramycin in the water, treat at the recommended rate of 10 mg of active ingrediects per lb of body weight in the drinking water per day for 5 days. 

This is just a guess on our part, having a vet test the fetuses, afterbirth, and doing blood work and consulting with that vet is a good idea at this point, since it is hard to diagnose over the internet. 

If the abortions stop after treating, then more than likely it was a kidding disease.
Treat your entire herd again 30 days before you breed them next year and again about 5 weeks before they are due to kid next year. 

Good luck. 
Fescue can cause a toughening of the sack around the kid and cause the kid to not be able to come out of the sack on its own resulting in more stillborns if you aren't there to see them kid. 
I would tend to think that your abortions at this point may very well be due to a kidding disease or a mineral deficiency. 

Do you feed any goat grain or put out goat minerals? 

selenium is very important in some areas. We would have a lot of weak kids with out giving Bo-se shots(Selenium vit E injections).


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with the mods  I am so sorry you are dealing with this.


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## Ursalesguru (Nov 3, 2012)

Hi just an update I found out it was toxoplasma that is causing the abortions. Thanks for support.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I'm glad you found the cause but so sorry you had to go through this.


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