# 4 Month Old Boer Mix



## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I know I ask a lot of questions, but here goes another one.  I was wondering how healthy my boer mix baby looks. She's about 4 to 4 1/2 months old. I have definitely learned that she was not kept in the best environment at her old place. She was in a dirt pen with males and other babies. I got her at about 3 months so I'm not worried about pregnancy. But I doubt she's had minerals before she moved here, I know she has worms which I'm treating for, and she just doesn't seem to be growing. To they grow pretty slow? Her horns look weird to me too and her back hoofs are all bent. I have a hoof guy coming out, but I'm not sure if it'll be fixable just by trimming. So here's some pics and I'd like opinions.


I was distracted by the cute when I went out to look at her and didn't pay attention (or know much better) to anything else.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Her feet do need help. I think with good trimming she will come out of it. Really she does not look bad. She seems to have a nice healthy coat. Her tail does look a bit thin so maybe in need of some extra copper.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Looks like a bad disbudding job. Looks like scurs to me. You can trim them if needed.

I would get a shot of BoSe into her. I would also treat her for coccidia.

She is a cutie pie.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thank you! I will look into those treatments. I didn't think scurs because none of the other goats in the herd were disbudded. I just didn't know if they were normal baby horns or thin from lack of calcium. Hopefully she'll continue getting healthier.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If she was not disbudded, then her horns are showing serious lack of nutrition.

Normally I would say get a fecal done first, but I would get some DiMethox or Sulmet and get her on coccidia treatment ASAP. She also probably should get Ivomec at 1cc per 20 lbs orally. I would also copper bolus her and get selenium (preferably BoSe from the vet) into her.

Do you have a good loose goat mineral out for her?


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Yes. I have manapro goat minerals. I was following the directions on the bag and giving them just a bit a day. Then I read on here about free choice, so been doing that the last few days. I give them goat feed (switched from sweet feed) and alfalfa/grass hay. Plus they eat grass and leaves out in the yard.

Can I get all that at tractor supply? I want the vet to check both the goats, but I've got to call around and check prices.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

BoSe comes from the vet, but you can get some selenium/vit. e paste from TSC. DO NOT give it once a month like it says to. 

Cocci treatments are from TSC also. Same as Ivomec


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

How often do you give it then? Just once or as needed?

Do I have to give B complex something or other too? (I was reading other threads.)

I had been reading about Molly's herbal wormer for all animals and I wanted to use that after everything gets straightened out, since I can use it on, well, all the animals. Any thoughts on that if anyone has used it?

Since I gave her that other wormer last weekend, she has had normal pellets and everything. I'll be in town tomorrow so I can pick up anything else at tractor supply then. Monday I'll call the vet and see what they say about check ups and fecal tests and vaccines.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I just realised, ivermectin is what I gave her last weekend. Just once.


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## NoahEm (Sep 19, 2013)

Sounds like you are taking great care of her! She's lucky to have you


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Your new little one really needs the chemical wormers for now. Once you know you have it under control, then you can go to Molly's.

You can get the Ivomec and DiMethox (or Sulmet) at TSC.

What dose did you give the Ivomec at?


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Well, I listened to a worker at tractor supply who raises goats. He told me to get the paste for horses and just give her a little. It's 1.87%. I gave her probably half a fingertip, if that helps.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks, NoahEm. I'm kinda flying by the seat of my pants. Lol. I grew up with cats and dogs, not farm animals. A year and a half ago I got chickens and found out real quick I had to be the vet for them, since no one would treat them. I lost two the first year, one to a mystery illness and one to a dog. Now it's time to learn about goats. I was telling my husband I should go to vet school and get it over with.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You should give her 3 times the horse dose. So if she weighed 100 lbs, you would give her 300 lbs worth (just an example).


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

When you get the coccidia med, come back here and tell us exactly what you bought. Then we can tell you proper dosage. You are doing a great job taking care of her.


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## NoahEm (Sep 19, 2013)

I'm still a newbie myself. But you came to the right place. Lots of helpful people here. Good luck with her


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

They didn't have any of the meds besides ivomec, which I already have. I'm just going to see what the vet says and/or order stuff online.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

MylieD said:


> They didn't have any of the meds besides ivomec, which I already have. I'm just going to see what the vet says and/or order stuff online.


Try www.jefferspet.com or www.valleyvet.com


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks!


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I thought of a new question regarding this goat. I actually wanted milking goats, which is why I got the nigerian dwarf first. I didn't research boers until after I got Korra, the baby, and now know they are meat goats. Well, I don't eat meat. So would she be worth breeding and milking? I don't mind keeping her as just a pet and not breeding her. I plan on keeping one or two of the nigerian's babies anyway.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

MylieD said:


> I thought of a new question regarding this goat. I actually wanted milking goats, which is why I got the nigerian dwarf first. I didn't research boers until after I got Korra, the baby, and now know they are meat goats. Well, I don't eat meat. So would she be worth breeding and milking? I don't mind keeping her as just a pet and not breeding her. I plan on keeping one or two of the nigerian's babies anyway.


For now, I would plan on just keeping her as a pet. She looks extremely stunted, she may never even mature enough to be bred, anyways. If she does mature enough, she will probably only produce enough milk for the kids. But, you never know


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I agree with Scottyhorse, she is so stunted that it will be a major wait and see.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I was thinking she was small for her age, but wasn't sure. I was more curious if people milked boers. I have no idea what she's mixed with too. I only saw boers at the place I got her and the owners didn't speak much english. But anyway, she's a sweet girl, so it's a win win for me either way.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You can definitely milk a Boer but their amount and lactation time is less.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Very interesting.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

MylieD said:


> I was thinking she was small for her age, but wasn't sure. I was more curious if people milked boers. I have no idea what she's mixed with too. I only saw boers at the place I got her and the owners didn't speak much english. But anyway, she's a sweet girl, so it's a win win for me either way.


It's a win for her, too


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Why thanks Scottyhorse! I weighed her today for when I get the meds and she's only 33 lbs. She's around 25-26" tall. Since I'm having no luck finding a vet, I'm just going to order the stuff online for now.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Umm, I posted another message about the meds and one person responded today. Anyone know what happened?


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

MylieD said:


> Why thanks Scottyhorse! I weighed her today for when I get the meds and she's only 33 lbs. She's around 25-26" tall. Since I'm having no luck finding a vet, I'm just going to order the stuff online for now.


Poor thing  That is quite tiny!!!


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

The 25" is to the top of her head. 

Well, if the other msg doesn't reappear, here's what I got. Sulmet drinking water solution, safeguard paste, selenium & vit e gel, and I still have invermectin. Her pellets are normal since I gave her the first dose of invermectin. How much and how long of the rest? Also, I'll hopefully be talking to a goat vet soon.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

I honestly don't know about the meds. I would wait for someone else to answer. Goat Spot is merging with another forum, so lots of things are getting deleted and it's quite messed up 

I would slowly get her onto a 16% feed and alfalfa hay to help with growth. But we need to make sure she doesn't have cocci or worms or anything first.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Oh, ok. That makes sense.

I have idea what percentage her current feed is. I'll check next time I go to t.s. I'm already giving her an alfalfa/grass mix. Should it be straight alfalfa?


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I talked to the vet today. He's going to come out Tuesday. He is something of a goat expert as he teaches about them at the college and runs a goat research herd. I told him what meds I got and he said I didn't need any of them.  Plus he said it wasn't a good idea to give her the paste invermectin. Now I'm nervous about him coming out.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Not sure why he would say that. Have a fecal done to include coccidia so you know if you have a parasite problem and what parasites are the problem.

Nothing wrong with giving Ivomec orally. That is what most people do.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

The paste ivermecton should be fine. And the cocci meds were good to get, even if she doesn't have cocci. You can use them as a preventive. Which would be a smart thing to do, because I am worried a bout of cocci would really, really drag her down. It can easily kill healthy goats. 

Grass alfalfa should be fine. You can merge her over to straight alfalfa later. You don't want to put too much dietary stress on her system.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

He's going to do a fecal. They have a lab right at the college in town. Guess I'll find out more tuesday. I feel clueless right now.

Maybe that's part of the reason her stomach was upset for a while after I got her. She was eating some kind of hay at her old place and that's it. When I got her she had all the grass she could eat, grain, and alfalfa. Plus, it didn't help that she got poisoned from eating azeala leaves her second day here. I cut down the bush that she could access when I realised.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Goat vet came out today. He was really nice and made me feel better about everything. He did the eye color chart and Korra wasn't too bad, though Nancy's were very pale. He wormed them. He said though Korra was small, she's healthy and that I'm feeding them right. He said they just do the eye chart now and not fecals, btw, and give them an all purpose wormer whose name I can't remember. I totally forgot to ask about bose, but he didn't mention it and when I told him about the selenium & vit e gel he said I didn't need it. I'm assuming that means we are not selenium deficient. He's also able to come out if I have any future kidding problems with Nancy. Anyway, I feel much better now. Thank you everyone for your help too!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Not all worm problems make them anemic. I don't like it at all that he says they never do a fecal. Checking eyelids is mainly for Barberpole Worm and there is a whole host of other worms out there that they can have. 

For some worms, if you actually have a bad enough case that it makes your goat anemic, you will probably end up with a dead goat. Coccidia is one of them.

Many vets feel that selenium isn't necessary when it really is. I would find out from some good goat people in your area or on that chart from a government website if your area is deficient.

Glad he is willing to come out.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thank you for your input Karen.  I completely trust in your (and others on goat spot's) knowledge and experience. The only reason I am not concerned over what the vet has said is because he is the department head of the vet school at our ag college, where they run a goat research herd that specializes in parasite control. Maybe there are new techniques? He also said the wormer he gave them was specifically for goats and that it would take care of any worms. Dang, wish I could remember the name of it. I'm pretty sure I've heard it mentioned on it here. I still have selenium & vitamin e gel, so if it does no harm, then I'll be happy to give it to them too. I bought it, I might as well use it.  I looked on the chart though and I think we're fine. We're in middle Georgia.

Also, I don't know of any goat people. My neighbors have goats, but they just raise them to eat and really don't take the greatest care of them. I drove 3 hours to get Nancy and 2 to get Korra. Lol.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Here are some names of wormers. 

Ivomec, Ivomec Plus, Noromectin, Valbazen, Safe Guard, any of these ring a bell?


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I want to say it was valbazen, but I could be wrong.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

There is nothing specifically for goats. So not sure.

Glad you found a good goat vet.


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

I go to a vet tech school, I have vets for teachers, I worked with vets over my summer internships, and I have taken clinics and listened to speeches from one of the leading goat/small ruminant specialists at Cornell... We did fecals on everything. I am certified to preform FAMACHA eyelid testings and I have all the papers, packets, and information that comes with getting that piece of paper. It comes with a fecal chart with all the parasites you could find in goat manure as well as how to perform a normal fecal. The teachings stress the importance of knowing the parasites you have so you worm appropriately. I am very confused why this vet feels the way he does.


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

If anyone is interested in any of the articles I can try sending them through PM. It says they exceed the size requirements for attachements to the forum...


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Ok, I asked since I was starting to get worried. He does do fecals if he suspects cocci, but he said it's more common in young kids and it's a good idea to give medicated feed to prevent/treat it. He doesn't suspect Korra has it. He gave them valbezin for the tapeworms. We are not in a selenium deficient area and a loose mineral should be fine for copper, as long as it's not for sheep. Does that all make more sense? I knew it was probably a misunderstanding on my part. Sorry for the confusion.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I've also noticed Korra's horns growing in thicker at the base. I think that's a good sign.  They are a bit flaky and I think I read something about rubbing oil on them?


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm glad you are noticing some healthy changes in your girl which is a good sign. Rubbing oil on them can help the horns as well if they are dry and flaky as you mentioned. Good luck.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks! I rubbed some oil on them.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

So Korra hasn't grown much, but she sure is a feisty thing. She's smaller than my Nigerian dwarf, but today I saw her rearing up, trying to headbutt Nancy with her stub horns. It was pretty funny. Nancy just looked at her like she was dumb the first few times and then chased her off. Korra is much faster, so she runs like crazy even when Nancy just twitches her horns towards her. I'm glad Korra is coming into her own, rather than being scared all the time.


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## Scottyhorse (Feb 11, 2013)

Good to hear she is becoming more comfortable. Always great to see with the shy ones


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## MoKa-Farms (Jun 19, 2013)

Glad that Korra is becoming more comfortable! She sounds so sweet, she is lucky to have a great human friend like you to help her. :grin:


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Thanks! I really love her personality. She literally bounces around the yard at times. She still doesn't trust anyone but me, but I am the one handing out food and pats.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

I thought someone might like an update on Korra. She's up to 43 lbs at about 7 months old. That's 10 lbs in 3 months. I think that's good? She gets 2 cups of grain and lots of alfalfa grass every day. She's taller too, though I forgot to measure. Not quite as tall as my 2 1/2 yr old ND, but getting there. Her horns are definitely growing in thicker at the base. Still nubby things, but you can see where it's thin at the top when we got her and the new thicker growth after we got her. She's also getting much more comfortable around people. She doesn't run immediately from strangers, but she still won't let them pet her.


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## MylieD (Sep 16, 2013)

Korra is looking good at 10 months! She is very friendly now too.


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