Son in Laws's Goats die

Whatever the results of the fecal on your BIL's goats, it would be a good idea to have one done on your own goats. Any vet can do it, large or small, so go with the vet in your area you trust most, even if it's a small animal vet.

Based on the fecal, consider your deworming methods. I had a boer doe that kept loosing weight, had crappy fur, etc. and nothing I tried seemed to change anything for her. I seriously thought I was going to loose her. I had been using a combination of Strongid and Ivermectin and it was working fine for my other goats. Through different circumstances involving a different goat, it was suggested that I try Quest dewormer, so I tried it with my boer doe. I could tell a difference within 1 week. She lost all the crappy hair, had a nice sleek coat, and although her weight still isn't what it should be, she is at least gaining now.

That "fellow" is Emily, owner of Ozark Jewels.

I own stock from Emily's herd, and I follow the same copper bolus, Bo-Se, vaccination schedule as she does.

Like Emily, I make sure that my goats have free-choice alfalfa pellets as well as good grass hay (and GOOD alfalfa hay when I can get it). I feed loose mineral as well, but can't get the Right Now Onyx in my area, so I use a good cattle feed.

I feed a different grain mixture, but each of us does what works best for our goats and budgets. I feed a mix of corn, oats, Black Oil Sunflower Seed, and shredded beet pulp.

I also leave out baking soda free choice alongside the loose minerals.

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Je ne suis pas Alice

http://homesteadingfamilies.proboards.com/

Well, they looked skinny, but not starving to me, until about 3 days before they died.
The hair started to take on a "rough" appearance.
They were unsteady on their feet, and weak, the day before they died.
One doe looked like it had blood in its mouth, when it died(or I should say found dead).
However, the two oldest goats(a buck and doe) have recovered, and are acting like their old selves.....
Their coats are not very long or think, right now.
What do you think?

Hey, great idea!
Of course, I plan on having mine checked(as well as getting some items that will be beneficial for them).

LOL!
I'm glad that "fellow" Emily put out some very good info!
I've fed my goats weeds, Alfalfa cubes(soaked in water) grass hay, and All Stock(which I will no longer feed them, since I've been told is worthless as goat feed).
I have also given them some day old bread(not in large quantities), apples off my tree, carrots, summer squash and cucumbers from the garden, sweet corn stalks, and a little cracked corn.
To my knowledge, my Son-In-Law, feeds his goats pretty much the same.
What does the baking soda do?

I feed mine like Emily, too. Keep in mind that feed is for milking does! Dry does, kids, and bucks do NOT need that much feed! I've killed one with kindness, too.

I use the Cargill mineral and copper bolus.

I supplement with BoSe twice a year.

Some of my goats came from Emily, too.

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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

Thanks!
My 3 year old Saanen is a milker, whether pregnant or not.
What is the Baking Soda for?
So, I might be over feeding all of mine EXCEPT the 3 year old?
I only feed mine in the morning, nothing in the evenings.....
Is this too much?

The baking soda is to help prevent an acid stomach, which is VERY bad for goats. BUT..... if they get browse and/or grass hay, they probably don't need it. Only ONE of my goats will eat any at all.

How much are you feeding (cups/quarts/pounds)?

Are you milking your does once or twice a day?

__________________
Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

Baking soda helps the goats naturally stabilize the acid in their rumen. If you leave it out, free choice, the goats know when they need it and eat it as needed.

When I fed them All Stock, it was a scoop(about a quart) per goat.
As for grass hay, about 1/2 of a 80# bale for all of them.
I have not really measured the weight of the cucumbers, but it was a 5 gallon bucket of big ones....
It would probably be a good idea to get a big box of baking soda and put it out, just in case.
It doesn't cost that much.

My goats have browse every day. They quit eating ANY of the hay choices I offered, but they have access to hay, whether they eat it or not.

I put out 1 quart of Alfalfa pellets per goat, AM and PM. I mix in about 1/2 cup of oats and a bit of black oil sunflower seed per goat in that. This group of goats includes my current milkers and three dry does.

On the milk stand, they get the oats and BOSS. The amount they get varies on their milk output. I also include a little Kent 16% protein Dairy Goat Pellet, just because. LOL

I feed cukes only for a treat. A five gallon bucket is a lot of cukes, but if they are used to that, it is ok. Probably. My goats would get the squirts on that much.

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Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

my TSC diet (which depending on area can vary) is either All grain (aka COB) mixed half with alfalfa pellets and not the producers pride, ask for the standlee type as they are not preserved with animal fat (check your lable your PP brand may be different) and are a much better quality. To this i use about 20lbs of black oil sunflower seeds for good fat and coat condition. these are all what they are, alfalfa, corn, oats, barley, and black oil sunflower seeds (most use less than i do but i like the shine) though at check out you pay more it goes further and your goats do better. Cost on that here is around $25 for 120lbs not the cheapest diet but the best you can get at tsc (goat chow doesnt do good milk, or anything in my op). Noble goat is best for medicated, the PP brand is made for sheep and goats so no copper.
The goat block may be fine for your area, but if you dont know what you are difficent in you dont know if they are adequate enough. I have found for my area that the pasture minerals are the best because the selenium levels are good for my area along with many other things, I also use the range blocks and the bagged mana pro minerals because they contain the AC needed for the boys, and the boys are the only ones that get that.
the goat balancer i only use if i have a really sick goat that wont eat enough as its high calorie but not something that i see practical to buy for use on a regular basis that if you have a reasonably good goat diet you should need.

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I'm a goat person, not a people person,
De @ Udderly Southern Dairy Goats
we will be adding a new breed in the spring

PotBellyPigs,
I'm going to warn you that there are as many ways to feed goats as there are goat owners, and sometimes folks get excited and forceful about it.

Just sayin'.

Alice

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Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

Lol, I understand.
As long as I'm doing what is in the best interests of my goats, thats what matters to me....
I milk my 3 year old every morning, none in the evening, for I don't feed them in the evening.
I let my 2 year old Saanen feed her little ones, and go dry, as I have plenty of milk from the three year old....
My other goats, will not be ready for breeding this year, thus I'm going to separate them.
I'm thinking about breeding my Kiko/Boer buck to both Saanens this fall/winter, and saving my younger Saanen buck for next year(along with the doe born of the 2 year old)
This way, I can achieve 2 different lineages.
No 2 headed goats are allowed on my property, LOL!

The two remaining goats lower eye lids are almost white on the inside....

Ok, get some red cell (or tsc store brand cell magic) 30ccs drench in them or 3ccs of injectable iron (burns, first choice is easier to me). I dont do the injection but every few days but the drench after that 30ccs first dose I dont do more than 6ccs for a large goat and no more than for four or five days as there is stuff in there that can become toxic if used in large doses for long period of time because the vitamins are not water soluble.
Second, copper bolus the goats, Barber Pole worms and Hook worms are greatly reduced by this method. I would use the drench today if possible and worm them tomorrow with cydectin (quest) or large doses of safeguard, as in half a tube for a large 150+ goat but thats ME and what I do, and DO for the people that employ me to come take care of this problem in there herds. Its also what works well in GA.

__________________
I'm a goat person, not a people person,
De @ Udderly Southern Dairy Goats
we will be adding a new breed in the spring

If they were my goats, I would get a tube of Strongid horse dewormer and deworm with that. Take the goats weight, multiply by 3, and dose accordingly (if the goat weighs 100 lbs, give a 300lb dose according to the markings on the tube). Wait a week and then deworm with Quest horse dewormer, 2 times the goats weight with that (so if the goat weighs 100 pounds, give the 200 lb dose according to the markings on the tube). Some people would wait 10 days and dose the Quest again, but if the eyelids look better the 2nd dose of Quest shouldn't be necessary.

And give red cell according to the same dosing as Cannon Farms suggested starting today.

And copper bolusing is a good idea too but I would deworm NOW even if you can't get the copper boluses now.

My opinion on the dead goats. Enterotoximia, a herd wide problem. They got into some moldy feed possibly. No way would Johne's kill all the goats at once like this. It's a slow wasting disease.
On the white eyelids, that is serious. Ivermectin may be too lame for your area. I'd also go with Qwest horse wormer which is the same as Cydectin, 1cc per 100 lbs. given 3 times 10 days apart to kill off the life cycle of the worms, as per instructions at Goatkeeping101. I'd also get the fecal and especially find out if there is liver fluke. Valbazen and Ivomecplus is for that.

Laverne the problem with using quest or cydectin on a goat that has worms that bad is you can kill them off to quick and this causes internal bleeding and also the dead worms become toxic, thats why I recommend what I call a soft kill then in a few days when the red cell has had a chance to work and get the goat and its blood built back up then to use the cydectin . There are images online of a necropsy of a goat who bled to death internally from using too strong of a wormer if you want to google them.

oh, and as far as the feed, I have played with everything possible at tsc because its for one cheaper for me with my discount, and two im already there and the feed i buy is 17 miles in another town. Out of everything there, the above mix gave the best results on meat gain and milk, godfreys just is a bit better.

__________________
I'm a goat person, not a people person,
De @ Udderly Southern Dairy Goats
we will be adding a new breed in the spring

I'll go get the stuff this morning!
Thanks!