Pen raising goats and worm overload: ideas?

[jen74145]

DH and I are half decided will will buy a few mini dairy gals this Spring. Trouble is, we have predators here bad; bobcats, coyotes, and a bunch of wolves some idiot released a handful of years ago. County is organizing a predator hunt, but who knows when that will happen/how useful it will be. So, to make sure our little herd stays safe, we'll be building a pen/shed for them to sleep in and hang out in when we're not around.

I am concerned about worms, though; assuming the pen is somewhere between and eighth and a quarter of an acre, with a small section fenced out for a buck, how often will I need to worm everyone? Anything I can put on the soil to help kill eggs that will be safe for the goats? Also, would letting a few hens into the pen every now and then help? And can you consume the milk of a recently wormed goat?

Anything else I should be concerned about raising them like this? I realize their feed intake will be higher than if they had constant browsing access, but the tradeoff is worth it to us, we think. It's this or no goats at all, as the predators would make short work of them and an LGD isn't an option.

[DQ]

If they will be in a true drylot situation (little to no grass) and will instead have all their nutritional needs provided for them as far as hay (except when you let them out) you might have little to no parasite problem at all. I would make sure that the pen is either a true drylot or good pasture and not something in between that would invite overgrazing and therefore parasite problems. The parasites are not a problem due to small space perse but are problem when they are having to eat near where they poop. In a dry lot situation if your hay is fed off the ground they would have little chance to pick up parasites. there is no hard and fast rule about how often to worm them. do fecals to find out if they have them, what kind of parasites they are, and to find out if your chosen anthelmentic works. I have met several breeders that drylot all their goats. Although cocci can be more of a problem in this situation and it can get expensive real fast.

As far as worming and drinking the milk, There are withdrawel times established for many wormers. Some have none others a few weeks and still others unknown in goats. Some wormers (ivermectin comes to mind) have a withdrawel time but are actually used in humans too so it doesn't seem like much of a concern.

If I could afford it I would keep all my milkers this way and I am actually trying to tweak things so I can.