# Show Goat wont eat...help!!



## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

We are first time goat owners. My 13 yr old is getting into showing this coming Oct. We have a Borer Meat Goat Doe, she is 7mos old and we love her already. Only problem she is not eating her food. I did notice she is eating hay and when we walk her she is after any plant she can get a hold of. She is from a triplet litter and was in a herd of about 50 or more, so part of me thinks she is homesick. When we are not with her she cries alot. I noticed today she seemed more quiet and wanted to stay in her house. I am getter really worried. I am feeding her Noble goat. It was suggested that I sprinkle some brown sugar on her food so I just tried that tonignt. I have also given her a b12 shot tonight (1 1/2 cc of the 3000). Does anyone have any advise?


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## goatgirlzCA (Mar 9, 2011)

Did you take her temp? If she is just lonely another goat would be a good idea. They are herd animals. We tried to just have one too but that lasted a day!


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## HaleyD (Sep 12, 2012)

When ever my show goats would go off feed I would either sprinkle dry cake mix or kool aide powder on their feed to get them interested. Not too much, but just enough for them to smell it and want to taste it. Similar to what you did with the brow sugar, but cake mix might have a stronger smell. Just make sure you don't leave it too long without her eating it because ants will get to it.

Oh and I agree with goatgirlz, she will do much better with a friend. Goats get depressed without a companion!


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

We have her in a 10' x 10' x 6' dog kennel, so not sure if they would be crowded if I got another. I thought I had read where they dont like to be alone and our FFA leader said she would be fine, but now Im not so sure. I will try the cake mix tomorrow, I also removed her hay bag tonight to see if that will make her go for her feed. Maybe that will work. I keep hearing how delicate these type goats are and my daughter and myself will be so upset if something happens to her. Thank you both for you advise.

Oh by the way, how would I possibly check her temp? LOL I dont think I can keep her still long enough to do that.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Brown sugar or cake mix is a new one for me. She NEEDS a buddy. Sorry your FFA leader is mistaken.
Boer goats are not delicate. But take them away from their home by themselves with no buddy they wont do well.
Dont mean to sound harsh but she's not going to gain for you the way things are now.


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## HaleyD (Sep 12, 2012)

Does your daughters school have a barn where the students can keep their animals? That's how it was when I was in FFA. If her school offers that it may be better to leave her goat at that barn and just drive to feed it everyday twice a day. It's difficult but that's what I had to do with my show goats. That way she will be surrounded by companions. If the cake mix doesn't worked within a day or so I'd be surprised, it usually always worked for me when they went off feed unless their was a bigger problem at hand but it sounds like she's just stressed. I use to also use maple syrup when I raised show cattle but never tried that with the goats, I'm sure it would work though!


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## goatgirlzCA (Mar 9, 2011)

Can you add a couple of panels to your kennel? Thats what we did and had two in there until we could build a pen. You take their temp with a rectal thermometer. Definitely is easier if one person hold them and the other takes the temp. ?


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## Randi (Apr 22, 2011)

I agree. She sounds lonely. She needs a buddy. Every body needs a buddy!!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Get her a buddy, they always do better when they have competition and are a Herd Animal.

Also, I didn't hear that you took her temp?


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

Sorry its took so long to reply...actually been trying different things. Havent checked her temp yet. Tried the brown sugar and cake mix neither has worked, I even removed her hay to see if I could force her to eat it (didnt work). Went today and got sweet feed, she sniffed around but didnt eat it. When I returned from work she hadnt touched it. She has been eating her hay though. The owner of our local feed store has let me borrow a small goat to give her some companionship. I did notice once the other goat started eating she would nudge her away, maybe take a small bit the back to the hay and they did this back and forth for a little while. I am hoping this is a start. We also wormed her this weekend and gave her a b12 3000 shot. So I am just prayed this works we show in 3 weeks, but that doesnt matter as much as I want her to eat. Thank you all for you ideas. I appreciated all the suggestions and comments I can get, we are new to this and dont know alot yet!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Please don't remove the hay ... they need much more than grain. And they can only eat so much. (= Having a friend may help her get a better appetite since she'll feel safer. I would have her temp taken. Is she acting normal? Sparkly eyes, energetic?


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

She does have sparkly eyes. To be honest I am scared to check her temp. Its hard to keep her still. Seems as if everytime there is something to be done to her she has a little set back as far as letting us love on her and work with her. Our FFA leader came by Saturda,y he wormed her for us and checked her feet. He actually strattled her and picked up both her back legs at the same time and she went to hollaring. She was scared im sure. Now she wont let me scratch her belly because she thinks im getting close to her legs. Sad thing is we are going to have to tackle getting a bath soon, she is going to have to be shaved next month also. I scared that this will scare her to and set her back as far as letting us work with her...who knows maybe Im the one being a baby! LOL 

And advice on how often to give the B12 shots and how ofter to worm?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Try giving her a treat after trimming. That might help the situation :laugh:

As for worming, with traditional wormers you should only worm when you really need to, that way the worms are less likely to grow resistant. We use Molly's Herbal dewormer which we love. That one you give weekly.


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

Thanks for you help....the wormer I gave her was Zimecterin Gold (ivermectin 1.55%/praziquantel 7.75%) for horses. He gave her 1 click which was for a 250lb horse. Does this sound good enough ? Sorry to ask so many questions.

also what is a good treat? I just bought something off the shelf @ Tractor supply that said Goat treats (its like a large pellet) Licorice flavored and she just sniffed and walked away.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Mine loved carrots chopped up into small pieces. They also love raisins. :thumb:


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## goatgirlzCA (Mar 9, 2011)

Mine love oak leaves and roses


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

goatgirlzCA said:


> Mine love oak leaves and roses


:laugh: Roses? I can see it now ...

"Where did the valentines roses I gave you go?"

"Ummmm......" onder:


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## HaleyD (Sep 12, 2012)

Mine love roses too! This was a problem when I still lived at home and my goats would invent new ways to get to my moms roses :/


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yes mine love oak leaves and Im not sure if they still like roses since they were gone about a month after my first goat lol. But they do go crazy for grapes (just a few). Also I got some noble once, about 10 bags and they hated it. I then started to mix the 'good stuff' in with it and they still pushed to noble out of the feeder. By far their favorite that I have gave them has been goat chow. Also if its hot where you are that might play a part in her not wanting grain, try keeping her cool.


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## mmiller (Apr 3, 2012)

I wonder if she was even feed any grain where she came from? I bought 2 does this spring that had no idea what the stuff was. Took about a week for them to start eating it an about that long for them to start hollerin at me for lol. May just take her sometime to figure out what it is. If the buddy you got for her knows what it is she will pick up on the grain thing faster too.


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

Thanks Jessica, I do live in Mississippi and it is hot. MMiller I sure hope the other goat helps I have watched her this afternoon stick her head in the bucket, but didnt see her chewing anything. I think your right might take her time to catch on. Also I wormed her this past Saturday does anyone know how long after should the pink return to her eyes and gums?

I love this sites,,,its very encourging and helpful


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

She just might be eating her feed!!! her stools have become a little loose. Does this sound normal?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Loose stools is not a good sign, it may be that her body is a little stressed, or she may have coccidia.


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## HaleyD (Sep 12, 2012)

You can try giving her some Probias paste, that might help her appetite. I always gave that to my show goats before and after stressful situations to make sure they didn't go off feed. You can get it at Tractor Supply or a feed store. It's just paste in a tube that you squirt in their mouth. Pretty simple. It helps regulate their digestive system


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## HamiltonAcresBoers (May 9, 2012)

I would give her some Probiotics and maybe some nutridrench. That'll stimulate her appatite. Has she been treated for cocci? Is she losing any bodyweight? WE feed noble to all of our does, and they go crazy for it. But for the show animals we splurge and buy _'Billy the Kid'_ by High Noon which is 18% protein, but very expensive comparitively. ($11 for noble, $17 for BTK) You could mixing a quarter to 1/3 of a cup of Black Oil Sunflower seeds, AKA 'BOSS". It has lots of fat in it that will help her gain weight, and our older does love it as a treat. Make sure not to give too much though, as It'll give her the runs. Slowly work your way up to 1 cup a day.

Also, raisins seem to make the best treat. We have to force the kids to try them, because theyre always hesitant but once they realize that theyre sweet, they go bananas for them. Trisket crackers are also a crowd favorite around our farm. Goodluck!


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## Micgrace (Sep 22, 2012)

Thanks everyone, the loose stools were from her eating the feed. It was gone and back to normal the next day. I feel like Im a first time mother for a newborn trying to figure her out. The loner goat was great for her to have company, now trying to figure out when to take her back. May have to go buy another one to keep permantly with her. Think I will take her to the vet Sat. just to have her checked from head to toe just to be safe. Thank you all for all the helpful info.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I'm so glad she's improving!


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