# Hello from Pakistan.



## Muhammad Hammad

hi, how are you all doing.
I was searching google a couple of days ago when my goat was sick, I couldn't figure out in time what happened to her and she died. But I found this forum, so i bookmarked it in case I needed any advice in future.
My another goat looks abnormal, she is very week and her hind-legs are pulled inwards. I am administering Thiamine Injections 100mg/3ml twice a day for past 3 days because i think she is thiamine deficient but i need proper advice. There are no vets in my area so Internet is my best bet.

Edit:
She occasionally grinds her teeth.
She eats but not as enthusiastically as she used to.
She has little cough and flu.


----------



## KST Goat Farm

:hi:Welcome to the forum. I am sorry for the loss of your goat. I don't have any advice for you but I am sure that other people here can help you.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

KST Goat Farm said:


> :hi:Welcome to the forum. I am sorry for the loss of your goat. I don't have any advice for you but I am sure that other people here can help you.


thanks!


----------



## Trollmor

Very welcome! :hi: Hope you experience as much love from your goats as we do! 

Oh dear, your goat really needs help. So thin, dear friend! This must have gone on for quite some time? Maybe, if you provide more information (people will most probably ask you a lot of questions, to be able to help) you might get help to prevent this bad situations for your other goats.

Grinding teeth usually is a sign of pain. Loss of appetite is usually a bad sign. I do hope that you get good advice from the goat loving and knowledgeable people on this site! Again, be very welcome! I am sure you can add lots of information about goats in your country!

I wonder, how many goats do you have? What kind of food can you offer them? Do you have them for meat, milk, or both? Can they choose freely from a good supply of food, or is it hard to get enough for them?


----------



## toth boer goats

Welcome, glad you are here.


----------



## Jessica84

I would start with getting a thermometer and getting her temperature. The cough flu part would bother me and have me worried about pneumonia. She may need antibiotics. She defiantly doesn’t feel good and a sick goat can loose weight so very fast because she doesn’t want to eat. So I would start there and see what she is at.
Also listen to her stomach. You are going to want to hear good rumbling sounds every 30 seconds or so. If not then her rumen might be off. You can get get some probiotics or yogurt with live active cultures. Actually it will not harm her at all of you just give it anyways. Another thing that will help is flat dark beer. Not cold but room temperature. I just open a bottle and pour into a cup fast and wait for all the bubbles to go away then give.
I hope she feels better soon, she is very pretty


----------



## mariella

I agree get her temperature, do you know how to check her FAMACHA? Can you get Bactracillin G where you are? I find it never hurts to give if they have a flu! What are you feeding her? Do you give any kind of hay? if so is it good quality? Goats can not eat "Goat hay" because it's moldy!
Her legs turn in like that because she's uncomfortable, I would try to get her to drink some warm molasses water to get her energy levels up.
https://i.pinimg.com/474x/a0/16/86/a0168679307762867e5c7945e93e2a23--show-goats-goat-ideas.jpg


----------



## happybleats

While the thiamine certainly wont hurt her I would do a B complex to get all the B's in her. If you don't have any on hand, Cayenne pepper is a good source. Mix 1/2 to a teaspoon with enough water to drench. You can rinse it down with more water if needed. it wont hurt her at all. I agree she needs her temperature taken as well a look at her lower inner eye lids. To get a good look there, put your thumb on her eye brow bone and with gentle pressure slide the upper lid over her eye ball while rolling out the lower lid..we want to see the inner most meaty part of her eye lid for color. you want to see it deep pink to red, pale lids mean anemia and most likely worm load. Also as mentioned, listen to her rumen for sound. By the picture she shows she is not feeling well and her condition is emergent.
see chart for scoring her eye lid. ( famacha)


----------



## spidy1

I agree with what has bean sead, also maybe selenium?


----------



## toth boer goats

All good advice.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Trollmor said:


> Very welcome! :hi: Hope you experience as much love from your goats as we do!
> 
> Oh dear, your goat really needs help. So thin, dear friend! This must have gone on for quite some time? Maybe, if you provide more information (people will most probably ask you a lot of questions, to be able to help) you might get help to prevent this bad situations for your other goats.
> 
> Grinding teeth usually is a sign of pain. Loss of appetite is usually a bad sign. I do hope that you get good advice from the goat loving and knowledgeable people on this site! Again, be very welcome! I am sure you can add lots of information about goats in your country!
> 
> I wonder, how many goats do you have? What kind of food can you offer them? Do you have them for meat, milk, or both? Can they choose freely from a good supply of food, or is it hard to get enough for them?


Yes they are very weak. They actually are of my parents. Recently, when I came to visit my parents I found these goats to be very week and sick. Their caretaker knew nothing about goats and more than 50% food was being wasted every day. So, I took leave from my job and decided to take charge and started looking after them. I learned to administer injections ( which is very hard for me emotionally but there is no other way).

We have 105 goats, we have them for milk. they can choose from green grass, hay, black gram, wheat bread, cotton seed, wheat powder, wheat forage, and there are other crop-leftovers, i don't know their English names of







.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

toth boer goats said:


> Welcome, glad you are here.


Thankyou! looking forward to know better.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Jessica84 said:


> I would start with getting a thermometer and getting her temperature. The cough flu part would bother me and have me worried about pneumonia. She may need antibiotics. She defiantly doesn't feel good and a sick goat can loose weight so very fast because she doesn't want to eat. So I would start there and see what she is at.
> Also listen to her stomach. You are going to want to hear good rumbling sounds every 30 seconds or so. If not then her rumen might be off. You can get get some probiotics or yogurt with live active cultures. Actually it will not harm her at all of you just give it anyways. Another thing that will help is flat dark beer. Not cold but room temperature. I just open a bottle and pour into a cup fast and wait for all the bubbles to go away then give.
> I hope she feels better soon, she is very pretty


her temp was 103 (two hours after i gave injections), I got my medicine supplies which include.

Trimethoprin BP 8% w/v, Sulphadiazine BP 40% w/v (inj)
Flunixin Meglumine USP (inj)
Oxfendazole
I have already given 1 and 2.

She ate 5 cakes, a chocolate, milk tea, and she has once shown interest towards eating with other goats.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

mariella said:


> I agree get her temperature, do you know how to check her FAMACHA? Can you get Bactracillin G where you are? I find it never hurts to give if they have a flu! What are you feeding her? Do you give any kind of hay? if so is it good quality? Goats can not eat "Goat hay" because it's moldy!
> Her legs turn in like that because she's uncomfortable, I would try to get her to drink some warm molasses water to get her energy levels up.
> https://i.pinimg.com/474x/a0/16/86/a0168679307762867e5c7945e93e2a23--show-goats-goat-ideas.jpg


I will check FAMACHA tomorrow, I will try to find Bactracillin G. Gave her warm milk and gras shown in picture.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

happybleats said:


> While the thiamine certainly wont hurt her I would do a B complex to get all the B's in her. If you don't have any on hand, Cayenne pepper is a good source. Mix 1/2 to a teaspoon with enough water to drench. You can rinse it down with more water if needed. it wont hurt her at all. I agree she needs her temperature taken as well a look at her lower inner eye lids. To get a good look there, put your thumb on her eye brow bone and with gentle pressure slide the upper lid over her eye ball while rolling out the lower lid..we want to see the inner most meaty part of her eye lid for color. you want to see it deep pink to red, pale lids mean anemia and most likely worm load. Also as mentioned, listen to her rumen for sound. By the picture she shows she is not feeling well and her condition is emergent.
> see chart for scoring her eye lid. ( famacha)


Its actually B complex ( b1, b2, b6 and b12) but i thouth others Bs were of not useful.


----------



## spidy1

LOVE, love, love the long ears!!!


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

spidy1 said:


> LOVE, love, love the long ears!!!


yes! they are beautiful


----------



## Moers kiko boars

They look so elegant... I appreciate you doing so much for them. Thats alot to take on. THANKYOU.


----------



## Trollmor

Muhammad Hammad said:


> I took leave from my job and decided to take charge.


  This is really something to begin with!  Very kind-looking goats! (I like the brown spot over the eye of the closest one, I had a similar spot on one of mine. *nice memories* ...)

105 goats, and you just arrived (back home?). You probably do not yet know their names and personalities. Those of us who have two or twenty, can easily see changes in behaviour, but that is difficult with so many. On your photo, they look friendly, interested, but a bit worried. I do hope you can help them!

If you can find Latin names of herbs, or take some photos, you might get help here to determine if they are good goat food or not. Generally, goats are bush eaters, not grain eaters, so if you have rumen problems, it might be a fodder problem. Like @happybleats, I wonder if there is a parasite problem.

Good photo of the grass. I suspect you have a fodder problem. Let us talk more about that later! Are your parents' goats producing milk now? How long into the goats' lactation? How many decisions can you make without asking your parents' permission?


Muhammad Hammad said:


> Its actually B complex (* b1, b2, b6 and b12*) but i thouth others Bs were of not useful.


This is good information for us who try to help you! 

It will also be easier for us, if you can tell a little more about your place. How much land provides fodder for your goats and vegetables for you humans? How do you get fodder for them, what kind of climate do you have? Do you have many sisters and brothers to take care of as well, with what these goats can produce? What are you doing with the male kids, and with the old milk goats? Meat? Is it a remote valley high up in the mountains, or is it a rich place with lots of farmers around? Pakistan is a rather vast country, isn't it?

So far today. I really look forward to trying to help you do something good for - and with - these beautiful goats! I did say WELCOME, didn't I? It is very very nice to talk with you! About nice goats.


----------



## happybleats

Muhammad Hammad said:


> Its actually B complex ( b1, b2, b6 and b12) but i thouth others Bs were of not useful.


Yes the complex is very helpful. Unless you are dealing with Polio which needs Thiamine or anemia which needs extra B 12, we go with the complex to make sure they get a balance of what they need.



Muhammad Hammad said:


> She ate 5 cakes, a chocolate, milk tea, and she has once shown interest towards eating with other goats.


Not sure what kind of cake? but I would not feed bread type foods, especially if rumen is compromised. Chocolate def. not good idea. Try to keep her diet bland while she is struggling. Good Hay, alfalfa , natural browse foods and fresh water..no milk, bread or sweets. Keep with the antibiotics you started. Flunixin Meglumine is once a day for 3 days for pain. Let us know what you find on her famancha and fecal. She is a very beautiful goat.


----------



## toth boer goats

Good advice.


----------



## Trollmor

Hi there, @Muhammad Hammad, how are things?


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Muhammad Hammad said:


> I will check FAMACHA tomorrow, I will try to find Bactracillin G. Gave her warm milk and gras shown in picture.


 took FAMACHA and found shade number 3, gave her dewormer.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Trollmor said:


> This is really something to begin with!  Very kind-looking goats! (I like the brown spot over the eye of the closest one, I had a similar spot on one of mine. *nice memories* ...)
> 
> 105 goats, and you just arrived (back home?). You probably do not yet know their names and personalities. Those of us who have two or twenty, can easily see changes in behaviour, but that is difficult with so many. On your photo, they look friendly, interested, but a bit worried. I do hope you can help them!
> 
> If you can find Latin names of herbs, or take some photos, you might get help here to determine if they are good goat food or not. Generally, goats are bush eaters, not grain eaters, so if you have rumen problems, it might be a fodder problem. Like @happybleats, I wonder if there is a parasite problem.
> 
> Good photo of the grass. I suspect you have a fodder problem. Let us talk more about that later! Are your parents' goats producing milk now? How long into the goats' lactation? How many decisions can you make without asking your parents' permission?This is good information for us who try to help you!
> 
> It will also be easier for us, if you can tell a little more about your place. How much land provides fodder for your goats and vegetables for you humans? How do you get fodder for them, what kind of climate do you have? Do you have many sisters and brothers to take care of as well, with what these goats can produce? What are you doing with the male kids, and with the old milk goats? Meat? Is it a remote valley high up in the mountains, or is it a rich place with lots of farmers around? Pakistan is a rather vast country, isn't it?
> 
> So far today. I really look forward to trying to help you do something good for - and with - these beautiful goats! I did say WELCOME, didn't I? It is very very nice to talk with you! About nice goats.


I gave them names according to different characteristics. Some of them currently produce milk.I can make all of the decisions. I don't have other siblings. 8 acre of land usually for grazing. climate is hot and humid in summer, dry and cold in winter. Place is isolated and no farmers are in immediate vicinity but sporadic farmland starts right after 1 km.


----------



## Trollmor

8 aces ≈ 3.2 hectares, and 105 goats? That is ≈ 13 goats per acre. Anyone in here who has ever managed to keep life in a goat on so small a piece of land?

Can you use the neighbouring land for foraging, or do your goats have to stay within the boundaries all the time?

In another way: How many kg of dried grass can you give each goat per day?


----------



## MadCatX

Those are some awesome looking goats, those ears wow and looks like blue eyes too!


----------



## Trollmor

Jupp! It is interesting to learn about goats world-wide!


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

@Trollmor 
As I have said before, I found these goats in very weak condition. we don't sell milk, first there is not enough milk and whatever milk is produces is either used by us or fed to little goat kids. we buy all of the food, land is only for casual grazing and where goats spend few hours roaming here and there and take some sunlight. food include dried grass, and packaged feed


----------



## Moers kiko boars

Hi Muhammed. You have alot on your hands. I understand you are working on getting the goats fed & healthy. My question is what are you going to do with the goats? Are the goats freely breeding? Can you put the boys in a small area? Like 1/2 an acre? To stop the breeding? 
Is this breed for dairy , show, or food purpose? 
Usually we sell any extras to help keep our numbers managable. I have 10 acres. I have 20 goats. With 8 does getting ready to deliver kids. I will be selling goats this spring. I will go through and keep my does that are easy to breed, deliver babies easy. And easy to work with and have the look I want. With my land ..I really can not have more than 40 goats. They will not do as well with too many. 
I understand you have many goats. So by seperating all males aeay from all females..you wont increase. So you can catch up with the food needs and medical requirements. 
Hang in there...sounds like you are doing great! Hope this helps!


----------



## Trollmor

105 goats for producing how much milk for yourselves? What does the fodder cost you, compared with buying milk from a store? (No other parallelles, just the cost!) In my country, we harvest grass in the summer, dry it, call it then "hay", and store it for the animals.

How much hay can you give to your goats every day? And the "package feed", is that made from grain? How much of that can you give them?

Sunshine is good for all of us! 

And please read @Moers kiko boars's entry once more! Many very good thoughts there. 

And please keep us informed how things are going!


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Moers kiko boars said:


> Hi Muhammed. You have alot on your hands. I understand you are working on getting the goats fed & healthy. My question is what are you going to do with the goats? Are the goats freely breeding? Can you put the boys in a small area? Like 1/2 an acre? To stop the breeding?
> Is this breed for dairy , show, or food purpose?
> Usually we sell any extras to help keep our numbers managable. I have 10 acres. I have 20 goats. With 8 does getting ready to deliver kids. I will be selling goats this spring. I will go through and keep my does that are easy to breed, deliver babies easy. And easy to work with and have the look I want. With my land ..I really can not have more than 40 goats. They will not do as well with too many.
> I understand you have many goats. So by seperating all males aeay from all females..you wont increase. So you can catch up with the food needs and medical requirements.
> Hang in there...sounds like you are doing great! Hope this helps!


Currently have only one boy, And I have never seen him interested for whatever reasons. Goats are mainly for milk, most of the milk is consumed by baby goats. Keep goats because dad wants them around. Land is Bonus, all the food is bought separately. I am planning to either sell or gift half of the goats.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Trollmor said:


> 105 goats for producing how much milk for yourselves? What does the fodder cost you, compared with buying milk from a store? (No other parallelles, just the cost!) In my country, we harvest grass in the summer, dry it, call it then "hay", and store it for the animals.
> 
> How much hay can you give to your goats every day? And the "package feed", is that made from grain? How much of that can you give them?
> 
> Sunshine is good for all of us!
> 
> And please read @Moers kiko boars's entry once more! Many very good thoughts there.
> 
> And please keep us informed how things are going!


Milk costs $0.65/liter and here and I am still digitising records so I am not sure about monthly cost but I have spent $175 in last 10 days. Climate is quite dry and cold here, there are people here who provide grass freshly cut grass(which is already quite dry due to weather), almost $5 for around 50kg.


----------



## Trollmor

Muhammad Hammad said:


> Currently have only one boy, And I have never seen him interested for whatever reasons.


With so many goats I would suspect the females will take the initiative. The actual act _*can*_ be done in only 10 seconds, at least I have seen this once. (Then I caught them and separated them, but 148 days later two nice kids were born.)


Muhammad Hammad said:


> I am planning to either sell or gift half of the goats.


Not butcher at home? That is what I would do. (My Whys and Hows can be found in other threads here on The Goat Spot, or repeated in short in this thread.)


Muhammad Hammad said:


> View attachment 166801
> View attachment 166803
> View attachment 166805
> View attachment 166807


Nice pictures! I guess it is your parents' land. But ow, I think not even a goat would find much edible there.


Muhammad Hammad said:


> Milk costs $0.65/liter and here and I am still digitising records so I am not sure about monthly cost but I have spent $175 in last 10 days. Climate is quite dry and cold here, there are people here who provide grass freshly cut grass(which is already quite dry due to weather), almost $5 for around 50kg.


 So, now we have some prices per kg and liter.  I am still pondering about if those goats are an income or an expenditure for you. When my father studied agricultural sciences, he learnt about "maintenance feed and production feed". Maintenance feed is the feed necessary for the animal/goat to keep her own life and health. Production feed is what can be used for actually producing something, like milk or meat. In earlier times, as late as in the 1930-ies, many Swedish farmers kept as many animals over the winter as they possibly could, hoping for a good foraging season in the summer. In your case, this way of keeping animals is probably of very little use. I think you need goats that are very healthy, so that all additional feed you can offer them will be used for production. (And not so great need for medications!) Also if you choose to have exclusively pets, you will not wish again the situation you arrived to!

That is why I am stubbornly asking how much, and what kind of, feed you can offer each individual goat per day, and how much milk you get from that same individual per day. Multiply, and you will get a figure on how many goats you will want to keep - also after the next little adoring wonderful soft kid has been born!

If you choose to make a living from your parents' farm, you must sit down and really count on this. If you choose to have pets, and go back to your work again, you will also need to know how much the goats will cost you - AND have a good stand-in when you are off earning the money.

And we will be happy to be here for you and your questions along your way.  To me, this is really a very interesting thread! Thanks!


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Hi everyone, I have been busy restructuring our farm and changing things around. After a lot of consideration and ideas given by you guys, I have brought down our numbers. Now we have 32 goats. I gave given away other goats to other farmers on partnership, and we will divide newborns. First child will be theirs and second will be ours and so on.


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

It is now far more manageable and less stressful. We will be keep them for meat instead of milk ( we weren't using any milk before anyway).


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

Now I really need help about keeping goats warm. I have made wooden bedding for them which is 6 inch above marble floor. Wooden planks have very narrow spaces between them that let the pee down quickly. Is it sufficient for them?

Another idea is to use polystyrene sheets, should i use them instead? Or should I use both wooden deck and polystyrene sheets.


----------



## Trollmor

Depends on what you need, and other circumstances. Did you say marble?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marble

Is this it? That is a luxury here! But, if you are really using marble for your goats, I would suggest using it as we here use concrete: The straw direct on the marble, and make sure you put on enough. If you put a wooden construction between the goats and the droppings, there will always be a strong odour of ammonium, which will irritate your lungs - both human and goat lungs.

This kind of bedding is called "permanent bedding", and the trick is to use sufficient much straw, and to dig it out all at once in the spring. Then it will smell, but if you are very thorough to do it all in one single day (yes, hard work!), there will not be very much of a smell.

If you, on the other hand, have difficulties in getting enough straw, then it is another matter!

So, your main question was how to keep your goats warm. If you manage to make a good permanent bedding, this will produce warmth as long as it lies. In addition, goats have an inner heater: The Rumen! Fill their rumens with hay, twigs, and straw, refrain from grain as much as you can, and they will keep warm, especially when they have grown fatter than the goat on the first photo you shared. I am very interested in seeing more photos of your goats, from all possible angles! I really look forward to learning how things are progressing in your farm! After having regained some body fat, they will hopefully start to build muscles - which is now what you want, right? Maybe @toth boer goats might have some picture to share, from her herd of meat producers? If she does, imagine, how much meat you will get from a goat with such muscles!

In this northern country, we have insulated stables, and many cow farmers put in rubber mats (directly on the concrete floor) for their cows, who obviously do like that. How are the walls and roof of your goat house? Have you planned for a feeding rack, to provide hay all the time?

Oh, I DO look forward to learning more about keeping goats in the depth of Pakistan! Thank you for sharing!


----------



## Muhammad Hammad

This is the floor shown in picture.







Wooden bedding is 6 inches above the floor. urine usually flows down and we clean the floor every week with hose.

Walls are cement plastered bricks. If I use straw bedding then how long will it last?

I am worried about warming the because they have mild cough. and is there anything I can do, other than injections of-course, to treat cough?

I'll be sharing a lot of picture once I am back in few days.


----------



## Damfino

Really great thread! It's so interesting to see goats from another part of the world. They're beautiful. I love the long ears! 

It's very difficult to keep goats warm on raised flooring. A raised, slatted floor is convenient and clean because it allows urine and pellets to fall through, but it also allows air to flow underneath so goats have no warm place to lie down. On solid ground, goats make hollows to lay in and their body heat warms the earth. If you add bedding such as straw or wood shavings, the hollows are even warmer and the bedding soaks up moisture and keeps the surface fairly clean. Unfortunately, bedding has to be changed regularly as it gets wet and filthy. Sometimes what's easiest is to cover the area with bedding and then as it gets wet, add more to the top. Keep doing that through the winter and then clean it out all at once in spring. It's a big job but it uses less bedding and is usually less work than trying to clean constantly all winter. 

In warmer months, a raised floor can be used without bedding because it offers a nice cool surface for the goats to lie on. Be careful of your slatted floor with young kids though. Legs could fall through and get caught underneath. Kids can be clumsy and very young ones aren't strong enough to pull themselves out if they fall in a crack. Good luck! It sounds like you're making some good changes.


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat

Hello @Muhammad Hammad ! Welcome to the goat spot! I will try to answer all of your questions. I havent read though all of the thread, but have read all of your post, and I will try to help!
Thiamine is good for your goats that may look "off". I try to give it to all of my goats that may not look right, or are not acting right, so awesome job on that! B complex is also great for her, so good job on that too!
Their temperatures should always be between 101.5-103.5 F (38.6 - 39.7 C) Low temperature may mean the rumen is shutting down, and a high temperature may mean that there is some kind of infection going on. If the temp is low, do not give any food, because she wont be able to digest it
For the ones that are not eating, try to make a mixture for them and drench them with it, but take their temp first.Maybe mash up the grain you feed them and add a little water and drench them with it. Be sure to keep the sick ones hydrated. My favorite way to see if they are dehydrated is to pull the skin on the elbow, and let it go. If it bounces back, she is hydrated, but if it kinda lags, or stays a bit stretched out, she needs water. Just remember a goat needs about 2 gallons of water a day.
I am glad you got rid of alot of your herd. It will be much easier for you, your land, and the other goats you decided to keep. That must have been hard for you, but it was the right choice. I admire you for that.
I highly, highly, recommend you to separate your buck (boy goat) from the does (girl goats). The girls are going to need to get healthier before they can have healthy babies! Same with your buck...He may need a beak from breeding. There is no way his sperm is healthy if he isn't. 
Maybe give it a year or so, let the moms have a break, and let him have a break. They all need to recouperate.
From your first picture, that goat is extremely skinny. If a product called beet pulp is available to you, I would give it to the skinnier ones, to help them gain weight. On the feed you give, there should be a tag on it that will show you all of the percentages. on the protein percentage, you will want over 14-16%. Could you post a picture of your tag on the back of your feed?
For the bedding, i urge you to read this thread..
https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/bedding-help-me.210103/#post-2330855
If @mariarose is around sometime, then i will let her explain minerals, which is a super important part of goat raising

Very good luck! You are making awesome changes!


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat

also, those floors are beautiful!


----------



## Moers kiko boars

Hi ..you have done an awesome job. Look at you. Taking over 100 goats and now...35 with producing a steady inflow from helping others! Awesome! 
I agree with Damfino..raised floor in summer. Ground floor in winter. That way your goats keep comfy all year. 
If you are set on raised floor..then you might want to put thick plastic or wood down around the edges next to the walls. Put straw on those places, so the goats can lay there to be warm at night. Then just clean off those slats ..and you can still hose out the bottom area. Then when summer return..just pull the slats out and store for winter. 
Glad to see your back..looking forward to your pictures!


----------



## Trollmor

Muhammad Hammad said:


> If I use straw bedding then how long will it last?


The thing with a permanent bedding is that it lies and produces warmth the whole winter, and you clean it out in the spring. This system requires regular and rich adding of new straw every day.


Muhammad Hammad said:


> they have mild cough.


I would first of all suspect moist and ammonium for the cough. This is very common. Another thing that makes a goat cough, "especially in late summer and autumn" is _muelleris capillaris_, a worm that goes into the lungs. I think "Axilur" is the best treatment, but in a special administration.

Your floor looks very nice, like a human dwelling. A pity to destroy it with manure, but you know best yourself. With or without wooden construction or permanent bedding, the manure will slowly suck into the material.

So you are away from the farm for several days? Do you have a good stand-in? 

I have been thinking of you and your goats. My next question will be about fodder! 


Damfino said:


> Really great thread! It's so interesting to see goats from another part of the world. They're beautiful.


:nod:


Damfino said:


> Sometimes what's easiest is to cover the area with bedding and then as it gets wet, add more to the top. Keep doing that through the winter and then clean it out *all at once* in spring. It's a big job but it uses less bedding and is usually less work than trying to clean constantly all winter.


:nod:


Damfino said:


> In warmer months, a raised floor can be used without bedding because it offers a nice cool surface for the goats to lie on. Be careful of your slatted floor with young kids though. Legs could fall through and get caught underneath. Kids can be clumsy and very young ones aren't strong enough to pull themselves out if they fall in a crack. Good luck! It sounds like you're making some good changes.


:nod: I very seldom disagree with @Damfino! 


Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> For the ones that are not eating,


I am sorry, did you have goats that are not eating, @Muhammad Hammad? That is a big alarm signal! Also the rest of @Nigerian dwarf goat's advices are very good.

But this I don't quite understand:


Moers kiko boars said:


> to put thick plastic or wood down around the edges next to the walls.


How far from the wall?

As a last word for this time, I would like to repeat this:


Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> Welcome to the goat spot! (...) I will try to help! (...) Very good luck! You are making awesome changes!


----------



## Nigerian dwarf goat

Another good idea is to add garlic to their daily food. It will really help boost their immune systems, and that will help get rid of worms, their cough, and will make them much healthier!
Since you have so many goats, i would just do 1 clove of garlic per 2 goats once / day. Just chop it up in real small peices, and mix it in with their food each day!


----------



## Moers kiko boars

Well Trollmore..how wide are your goats? Put that width..next to the wall.( just as i said) and you have a bed..tjat you can put hay on..for them to stay warm. Some oeople take the bottom of a barrel..cut it to about 6 in high sides..put hay in that..The goat sleeps in that.


----------



## Trollmor

Aha, @Moers kiko boars, I thought maybe you meant making some kind of low fence around the walls, and I understood nothing! Thanks!


----------



## Moers kiko boars

:up: Not a problem. Sometimes I need BIG CRAYONS...to get the picture! Lol lol..


----------



## Trollmor

How are things going, @Muhammad Hammad?


----------



## don1RR

Hello and welcome.


----------



## Trollmor

don1RR said:


> Hello and welcome.


Welcome to you, too!


----------



## Trollmor

Hallo there, @mohammad Hammad, how are things going?


----------

