# feeding medicated feed to milking does



## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

I feed all my goats the same feed, a medicated pellet that has Decox in it. Now I milk my does and yes we drink the milk. We have been doing this for a month now, but I am hearing that you should not drink the milk while they are getting a medicated feed. I have searched and cannot find why this would be and what problems would result from this.

I understand that it might transfer a little to the milk but is it going to be enough to hurt a human and what would the side effects be.


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

It depends on the feed. I use a feed called Positive pellet and there is no milk dump with that one. As far as the med in milk, yes there will be some, but not enough to harm in most cases. Its just an FDA thing for saftey. If your feed dosent state a milk withdrawl then you should be fine.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I don't know the affects on people but it is strongly reccomended that there be a 24 hour milk withdrawal on it.

http://www.vkvboers.com/drugwithdrawtimeJan05.pdf

This is a list of commonly used drugs in the goatworld....and Deccox is on it.


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

I dont remember it giving a milkdump time but it does say not to feed to milking does. But I took that as the FDA thing as most things are that they way. I still cannot find what the side affect are.


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## rebelshope (Sep 21, 2008)

I would say that if it is a FDA thing for safety, that maybe it would be a good idea to dump it.

Sarah, thanks for that withholding time chart for commonly used drugs. I am going to find that SO helpful.


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

Awesome table :thumb: That is great guidelines


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

I will look at one of the feed bags tonight and see if it gives a withdrawel time on it. I just might have to change my feed around. As for the chart, thanks, I have already printed it out and put it into my binder.


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## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

Ive always been told never to give the medicated feed to the milkers :? 

We creep feed the kids with medicated, and make sure the does are getting a premium dairy goat pellet along with beet pulp and alfalfa pellets. 
When the kids are fully weaned they only get the medicated feed. Havent had a cocci case here yet this year with 30 kids :clap: *knock on wood*


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

Wow... so according to this chart, if I worm everyone with Ivomec today, then I have to withdraw milking for 40 days? I might as well let everyone dry up, hadn't I? Either that or skip worming those I want to keep in milk, and I hate doing that, because I like everyone to be on the same schedule.  Guess I could just keep Cinnamon in milk... Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Angie


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I like to use herbal dewormers with my milking does. There is a recipe for coccidia treatment using herbs.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Those guideines are for if you are selling the milk. For personal use I wait about a week after giving ivermectin.

And on my medicated feed bags it says not to feed to lactating does being milked for Human consumption. So you can feed it to them, but it probably isn't a good idea if you are drinking the milk.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

fwiw, I drank milk from a doe on medicated feed for 2 mths ... the feed clearly said on the label 'do not use in lactating does producing milk for human consumption' but being blonde, I'd missed that completely. 

didnt seem to do any harm to me :shrug:


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## Firestone Creek Farm (Jul 11, 2008)

oh my Keren! I'm glad you suffered no ill effects from doing that.  We allllllllllll make mistakes like that. I'd just hate to make anyone else sick.. lol... since several people drink the milk, including my 4 year old son.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I use ivermectin paste to worm my goats, including the does in milk....personally I only "dump" the milk for 3 days...my dogs enjoy the treat. Milk that I keep after that is for my personal use....I do follow the total withdrawal time for milk that may be "given" to someone else...so milk that I have for myself is marked with an I and the date, so I know which day after the worming it was produced, The ivermectin is used in people to treat parasite problems so I would think that it would be safe to consume milk from a goat that was dosed with it. I dose my goats orally too so it is likely out of their system faster than the injectable. If you don't feel comfortable not worming on schedule, have fecals done on your milkers, if they need dosed then go with something that you would feel ok using milk from a short withdrawal time, if they don't need wormed then the problem would be solved as far as the withdrawal as there would be no need to dump it.

Also, I only worm 3 times a year...after kidding in the spring, a fecal run and wormed again mid summer, another fecal and wormed again mid fall. So far with this I've had no problems with parasites.


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