How to Worm your goats?

I fecal once a year for sure when I'm in Texas. Other than that, as needed, due to eye lid color.

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

My mom cooked everything to the consistency of shoe leather, and my sister still got worms. However, it was probably because she would go out to the barn in her underwear and sit and play in the "mud". I remember mom sitting in the bathroom (no windows in that one) on the toilet with my sister across her lap checking her bottom with a flashlight. Gross!

I'm guessing the last time we did an actual fecal on any of the goats.. was back 5 or 6 years ago.. (had one sick, had to run to the vet for supplies.. took some poop with me).. otherwise I'm like Alice.. we just go by eye lid color and general look of the goat... I also NEVER Switch wormers.. I started out using cydectin 10 years ago..it's still all I use.. Once every few years, I'll have a goat or two that after a lot of rain, looks worm-ier then the others.. I'll treat for possible liver flukes too.. most years.. our worming *schedule* goes something like this.. day they kid of course we worm those does.. then sometime after the spring rains stop and the summer heat starts... I'll worm the whole herd..then again in 10 days.. (to get anything we mixed and the next cycle for the worms). then again right before breeding (when we are giving Bo-Se shots to everyone).. so usually we only the whole herd 3x's a year.. does that kid, get an extra one.. My kids are raised in an adult free barn that gets bedding cleaned to the ground every few days.. so I never have to worm them much.. I just keep an eye on lid color..

susie, mo ozarks

__________________
"My darling girl, when are you going to understand that "normal" is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."
http://www.agesagoacresnubians.com/

I was going to try deworming schedule, after reading this thread I decided to run fecal test this month. Then decide what dewormer to use if I need to.

Dang I had no idea back then.

__________________
https://www.facebook.com/doug.hodges.750

http://spottednubian.weebly.com/

http://midamericaagresearch.net/

5.00 fecals so IMO, no excuse not to do them a few times per year. I use a USPS flat rate shipper and get the samples to the lab for less than 6.00. I admit I've done them less this year simply because I am not raising kids out. I'm planning on sending next week, though nobody is symptomatic as of last weekend.

Always take into account overall health of the animal, body condition, fecal consistency, and FAMANCHA score. I've dewormed without a fecal, but I was still thorough with follow up and other symptoms. One of these days I'll get my microscope up and running. ;P

I'm currently using Moxidectin (both cydectin pour-on and Quest Plus when there are tapes in kids) and ivermectin plus occasionally. I'm using pour on now, but hate giving it orally with the smell and route issues. I'll probably opt to use pour on for dairies that are lactating if they need it during lactation ( so far that hasn't been necessary, thankfully), and orally (quest plus) for bucks/pets/kids/non-lactating does.

__________________


Dona Barski

"Breed the best, eat the rest"

Caprice Acres

French and American Alpines. CAE, Johnes neg herd. Abscess free. LA, DHIR.