Baby Goat...getting thin...PLEASE HELP....

[Mommyto5]

Hi all!

We're new to farming...we've been adding animals, one breed at a time. Well, at the end of October, be purchased 6 Boer goats. They're all 100% with papers...and in good health. The problem is, we bought one that was the "runt" of quads. She is just adorable, and sweet as can be. But, she's losing weight...and getting very thin. She seems to be eating fine. I gave her a dose of Probious Bovine, which is what her former "mom" told me to give them if they looked "sickly." My biggest problem is...I can't find a vet!!!! I'm in a panic. I've only found one farm vet in our area, and his receptionist doesn't think he'll come as far as our house. He doesn't have a facility to allow me to bring him to her! Kind-of frustrating when I told them I was willing to do that...and that I couldn't find another vet.

Does anyone have any advice?? I have the meds to worm them...which I'll do today. But, I'm really concerned, and want to get weight back on her quickly. Any suggestions on how to do that?? Should I feed her goat's milk??

There does seem to be one that's picking on her a bit. When I tried to move that goat into another stall (with our two pregnant goats) she started shaking uncontrollably. So, we moved her back. I don't know what to do at this point. Any and all suggestions are welcome...please!!!

[southerngurl]

How old are they? What are they eating?

I'm not a goat expert, but it might help the next person that posts.

[DocM]

How old is she?
How much does she weigh?
Is she running a temp?
Any discharge?
Is she pooping normally?
What is she currently eating? Does she eat well? With gusto? Is she being starved out by the larger/older goats?
How do her gums and eyelids look? Color?
Any unusual symptoms or behaviors? Too quiet, limpy gait, hunched up posture?


It's really hard to diagnose an animal without the above information.

[Idahoe]

Yup, get the info suggested above as much as you can. Don't give her anything she is not used to eating, a change in diet, even goat's milk, can make her go downhill further, considering she's already not doing so well.

Don't worry at this point about getting weight on her ASAP, if you treat the underlying problem, she'll plump right up. I'd vote for worms.

I'm new to goats, too, and there are some very experienced owners on this board to guide you through. Best of luck! Let us know soon about her temp, poop consistency, etc.

[PygmyLover]

my vote is for worms or cocci. THey can have cocci without diarrhea - that will come a little later on. I would first get the information asked above and then we can help with a more specific possible diagnosis.

[mary,tx]

How old is she? Is she on a bottle?

[commomsense]

Give her some wormer.If she has diarrhea,Cut down on milk and mix some sure-jel in the milk.Don't panick.Are you sure your feeding her enough?

[Mommyto5]

Thank you all for your help. I knew I wasn't providing enough information...but didn't know what to post. I guess that shows my inexperience! So...hopefully, now I'll give you the information you need....Thank you, in advance, for your help!

Age: she will be 9 months old on the 19th
Temp: 101
Weight: 23 pounds
Eating/feed info.: she seems to be eating well. When I give her grain, she eats it eagerly. We have them on grain for goats and Timothy hay. They have free access to their hay. We give them each a handful of feed, twice a day. We feed them by hand to ensure that they each get their feed. This was what their previous "mom" told us to do. But, I'm concerned that it's not enough. She said too much grain will make them sick. She's not being bottle fed. She was weaned when we got her. Any opinions?
Meds: I've given her Probious three times. (1 time a day on three different days) And, I wormed her with Safeguard tonight.
Pooping: Not sure about her "pooping" because I've not seen her poop! But there's no diarrhea in the stall
Behavior: She seems to be acting ok. She's happy to see us and wants attention. She walks fine. She not hunched over, or limping or anything like that. BUT...she is RUNNING away from the goat that I said was picking on her a bit. I sat and watched it tonight, and every time the other goat even walks in her direction, Blessing (that's her name) runs away. So, I'm going to move the bigger goat into a stall by herself and see how Blessing does then.
Appearance: I forgot to check her gums...but when I gave her the worming med. I didn't notice anything. But, I'll look tomorrow. Her eyes look bright...no discharge. My CONCERN IS: She use to have a "potbelly" like the other goats. But, now, her sides are almost sunken in. She just looks tiny!! It really worries me!!!
QUESTION: Do I need to provide a mineral block for them to lick? If so, do you just put the whole "block" in with them?

I talked to her former "mom" tonight....and she recommends giving her Probious twice a day for a while, then weaning her down to once a day. She was happy that we had wormed her...and said her temp was normal.



What do you think???

Thank you so much for reading this LONG post!!! I really appreciate you taking the time to help our family!

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Is this correct? A 23 pound 9 month old boer goat? Vicki

[DocM]

A 9 month old boer that weighs 23 lbs????

That goat should weight over 100 lbs. What do your other goats weigh? I think there are major problems here, or a typo.

My 9 month old lamancha does, and lamanchas are a smallish breed, weigh 80-90 lbs.

[DocM]

Oh, okay, I didn't read it wrong.

Better have a fecal done on this goat. She may have tape worm, which regular wormer won't kill. I can't imagine what kind of management has produced a 9 month old boer doe. That's seriously, seriously undersized.

[Mommyto5]

Yes! That's NOT a typo. She weighs 23 pounds. BUT!!! Like I said in my first post, she was the runt in a quad delivery. She was small when we got her at the end of October, which is why I call her a "baby." She looks like a baby. But...when we got her, she had a small potbelly. That has disappeared. She's small all over. Short, and little. Our other goats are doing great! And...we heard rave reviews about the people we got them from. Their barn was perfect, and none of the goats had runny noses, diarrhea, or coughs....like some we had seen in the past. I wasn't overly concerned about her size when we got her because we were told she was the "runt." And, they told us not to expect her to get much bigger. But...when she started getting thinner....I got worried!!!

So....where do I take a stool sample if I can't find a farm vet?? Will a regular vet check for me??

Does her "runt" status affect your opinion at all????

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

There was alot more going on with your little doeling than what you were lead to believe. There are no runts, runts mean something wrong and she would not have lived. She likely had undiagnosed cocci from the sound of the potbelly and now her intestines are ruined forever. Scar tissue builds up as the cocci destroys the lining of the intestine, she now can eat as much as your other goats and never gain much weight or size. We routinly have quads here, and yes the littlest doelings can weight 3 or 4 pounds compared to their 6 or 7 pound siblings, but they grow out normal sized, albeit slower. But not 28 pounds at 9 months. Even as a quad, if she had not had health problems she would be 90 to 100 pounds, her sibilings should be larger. Boers are not larger than Nubians as full grown does, in fact Nubians have more meat on their carcass as older stock, Boers just attain that weight MUCH faster.

Your purchase sadly is pretty typical of most folks first goats. You get a few nice goats for the price, with culls sprinkled in to get them off the farm. Now if this was disclosed beforehand and the runt came for free that is fine...I sell kids each year who do not make breeding weight by October, but you know this upfront.

Do not breed her until she is at least 100 pounds, this also means no access, with her size, to any bucklings born this year, they may not be able to reach thier moms as 6 to 8 week olds to breed them, but they certainly can reach a doe this size, and you don't need an unwanted pregnancy on top of all this.

Keep her wormed, feed her by herself if she has problems competeing for food. Vicki

[PygmyLover]

my pygmies weigh more then she does! My little girl I was concerned about now at 6+ months weights 26-27lbs. My little girl was runtish but has gained nicely after her bad case of cocci (took a few months and TLC though). I think you need to feed her more grain and get her in a separate pen with a nicer doe. She most likely isn't getting enough to eat.

[DocM]

I think any vet could do a fecal exam for you. Babies lose their pot bellies as they go through growth spurts. I'd sure be feeding her separate from the others - good top quality feed. Get the fecal before you do anymore worming. And you don't need to be giving her all that probios if she doesn't have any symptoms - more isn't better. I've had quads, and runts, but none that small. She really should be a lot bigger, even for a runt. As for the mineral block, yes, they need a mineral block formulated for meat goats (I recommend sweetlix meat maker) AND loose dairy minerals. Let them take their pick. Goats know what they need.

[PygmyLover]

oh yah I was going to say that too. That as she is growing her belly is or should be getting thinner as she gets longer. If she isn't growing longer but lost the belly there is great cause for concern.

[DocM]

So, what do the rest of the goats look like?

[Mommyto5]

Vicki...I replied to your private message!

Well...this is why I need a vet!!!!!

I spoke to the breeder tonight...and honestly, she's a very nice lady. I'd hate for anyone to get the wrong opinion of her. She described "Blessing" as a "runt" and told us she probably wouldn't get much bigger than she was when we got her. She didn't recommend her for breeding! We bought her because my daughter fell in love with her because she's so sweet. The breeder told me that she had fed her Probious at the start...to give her a jumpstart.

The other goats look great. No runny noses...or anything. But, they all have little bellies that stick out on the sides. I thought it was a breed thing. I don't have much information on Boer goats. It's been hard to find. I was planning on getting Nubians. But, then we fell in love with these goats. I'm going to call our 4-H branch tomorrow and see if I can get help that way.

I'm also going to take pictures tomorrow...and get them developed so I can share them. I don't know how to share them here...but if you want me to send you a copy...feel free to message me with your email address. I'll send them out tomorrow. Maybe if you can "see" what I'm talking about...you'd get a better feel for what's happening.

Thank you all again!

Ps. if you can tell me how to post them here...I'll do that. I just don't know how to do it.

[Mommyto5]

I forgot to add...the breeder did NOT select the goats for us. WE chose this little goat...knowing she was little. The breeder is retiring. They were selling their farm...they actually make settlement tomorrow. So, all their goats were being sold (except 3). I don't feel like we were scammed, at all. I just want to know how to help this little goat.

ANOTHER QUESTION:Doesn't an injection for CD&T prevent cocci? (or am I confused??) If it does...the breeder gives the pregnant doe an injection one month before delivery. Then, the kids get injections at 7-10 days, and again at 3 weeks. So, wouldn't that eliminate the possibility that it's cocci? (again...I may be wrong)

[Terre d'Esprit]

No, CD&T vaccinates for Clostridium Perfringens Types C & D, and Tetanus, not coccidiosis.

You can find info on coccidiosis at these sites:

Fiasco Farm

Merck Vet Manual

Jack Mauldin

You mentioned that you were not able to find much information on Boers. Actually, the above sites have been tremendously helpful for me as I manage my herd's health. You might also join your state's meat goat association, as the IMGA in Iowa offers field days, health information, seminars, and many members who are willing and able to share their experience with new breeders. Also, you might consider checking out the meat goat online course through Langston University. You can review the information for free, but the certification costs $25. It is a small price to pay for such a great resource. Taking the tests reinforces the knowledge. I refer back at least weekly to the tools that they provided through the course.

Langston University

Good luck with your doeling, and feel free to PM me if you continue to have difficulty finding information on Boer goats.

T