I need your thoughts please...what do I do with this goat?

nappint · #1 05/27/08, 10:29 AM

We bought 3 dairy goats in milk 2 weeks ago - two of the goats have settled in and are used to us and our place the 3rd goat is a total stress ball.

She is constantly walking the fenceline, yelling and on top of that her milk production is down to less than 1lb per milking. The other two lay around or graze and look at her like she's annoying them LOL! The other two goats are milking 5 to 6 lbs per milking - which is what the 3rd goat was doing the first couple of days she was here.

We bought the goats from a show breeder - she's very nice and was upfront with us about everything she could and I know she has no idea this goat would be acting this way so I don't place any blame on her.

They all have free choice alfalfa hay along with a HUGE pen with plenty of browse - we have tons of oak trees so they have access vines, weeds and leaves. I feed them twice a day with a dairy goat ration and BOSS added they also have free choice minerals and baking soda.

WHAT on earth do I do with this goat - it's been 2 weeks and she's still acting the same way she did the first day she was here - I know my one city-moved-to-country neighbor is annoyed. Not that I really care but I don't want him complaining to the city.

I could probably take her neurosis better if she was at least giving me milk! I will tell y'all that I paid $300 for her because she comes from great milking lines...that's alot of money for a goat that yells all day and won't milk ya' know...

So my questions to everyone are - What would you do? Is there anything I can do to help her settle? Do I contact the breeder? Do I sell her? Any other thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

jBlaze · #2 05/27/08, 11:18 AM

I would contact the breeder for sure. The seller will probably be surprised and likely find a solution of some sort. Maybe that goat has a special buddy that she is missing. Maybe the seller did not realize how attached she was to one of the other goats. Maybe she will trade her for someone else, or sell the missed companion, if that is the problem. Who knows? Is she Nubian? Nubians are wierd. Please let us know what happens.

Sweet Goats · #3 05/27/08, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jBlaze

I would contact the breeder for sure. The seller will probably be surprised and likely find a solution of some sort. Maybe that goat has a special buddy that she is missing. Maybe the seller did not realize how attached she was to one of the other goats. Maybe she will trade her for someone else, or sell the missed companion, if that is the problem. Who knows? Is she Nubian? Nubians are wierd. Please let us know what happens.

I was thinking the EXACT same thing. I was also thinking, did they take the baby away from her when you took her?

Minelson · #4 05/27/08, 11:43 AM

Sounds like she is missing someone

poor girl. I would let the breeder know and see if she can shed some light on it. If she is no help then I would do my best to comfort her and give her attention and I would give her more time...sounds like she is grieving. We lost our beloved dog in a horse accident on April 12th...he was best buddies with our 2 horses..they are just now finally starting to act normal again after loosing him. They used to play and goof off every day and they just started playing again this past week.

mamajohnson · #5 05/27/08, 12:12 PM

That is how my nubian has been acting, and all we did was put her daughter in an adjoining pen so we could wean her.
You would think they were both dyeing!
She probably needs love, attention and time.

nappint · #6 05/27/08, 12:21 PM

Thanks for the replies! The goats are LaMancha's (I'm thinking maybe they're weird too LOL) and the breeder takes the kids and bottle feeds them - it does seem as if she's calling for a friend or baby though.

I talked to the breeder, she actually returned our call about another goat of hers we were interested in.

She was surprised when I told her what was going on. She suggested I give her a course of antibiotics in case she has a low grade infection and that I give her some probios also.

She also asked if the goat had bonded to the other two (not really) and suggested that maybe this goat has bonded to me and wants me out there with her all the time - which is a distinct possibility because of the way she acts when I'm in the pen with her - she follows me around, won't leave my side and seems a bit calmer when I'm with her.

Poor thing.

Other than those ideas we just decided to give her more time. If anyone else has any ideas or suggestions I'm all ears LOL!

Thanks again!

nappint · #7 05/27/08, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minelson

Sounds like she is missing someone

poor girl. I would let the breeder know and see if she can shed some light on it. If she is no help then I would do my best to comfort her and give her attention and I would give her more time...sounds like she is grieving. We lost our beloved dog in a horse accident on April 12th...he was best buddies with our 2 horses..they are just now finally starting to act normal again after loosing him. They used to play and goof off every day and they just started playing again this past week.

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog

it sounds like the last few weeks have been difficult. (((hugs)))

Minelson · #8 05/27/08, 12:28 PM

Ha! That's how all my animals are...they all want me outside NOW! Except my old guy Shep...when I'm outside he stands at the door and barks for me to come inside NOW! The goats all want to be with me at all times and when I'm inside they stand or sleep at the kitchen door and wait for me....I think that is it with your girl, you might just have to move into the goat pen LOL!!!! bring a book

JenJenWv · #9 05/27/08, 12:36 PM

Well, I haven't had goats for very long at all, but I thought I would pass along what another experienced dairy goat breeder told me before I got my goats. I was asking about poisonous plants and she said if a goat gets into oak leaves it can dry them up really quickly. I don't know if that is the case or not--I can't recall having read it anywhere. I have read that wilted oak leaves are unhealthy for them, though. Maybe someone with more experience will have more to add.

Don't know if that's any help or not, but I do hope you figure out how to make her happy pretty soon.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #10 05/27/08, 12:39 PM

Yeah antibiotics that should work...not. Just exactly what you shouldn't do to a super stressed out goat, kill even more rumen bugs just as she needs all she can for the change at your place. She obviously had her kid on her at the old farm or these are not her friends. When I know I am going to sell goats like this, I pen them together so they know each other weeks before the sale. She is not milking because she is ill, she is not milking because she is not eating and taking the time to lay down and ruminante like the other does are doing. Obviously goats are individuals. Is she younger than the other two? Spend time with her, give her a chance, she is super freaked out is all.

Of course worm, and perhaps because of her stress level, redo her vaccinations and bo-se and do a fecal to see if she is overloaded with cocci. The worms and cocci occysts in her system know exactly the type of stress she is under from the adreneline rush in her system and it's why you need to monitor her fecal frequently or worm her.

No way can a breeder know how a goat is going to react at another farm, when my buyers call me back it is always exactly the opposite of what I think...a really good milker for me won't get up on the milkstand for them...someone who I sold because I just hated her (she would fight me to even get up on the milkstand even though she wanted grain), is sweet and doscile and does everything they ask.

I always tell my new folks to be happy if the doe comes home and milks a pint, because you will be loving these goats next spring when they freshen at your house. Vicki

Sweet Goats · #11 05/27/08, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

Yeah antibiotics that should work...not. Just exactly what you shouldn't do to a super stressed out goat, kill even more rumen bugs just as she needs all she can for the change at your place. She obviously had her kid on her at the old farm or these are not her

AMEN. I am so tired of hearing people say "GIVE ANTIBIOTICS OR DEWORM" Find the root of the problem, do not try to guess what it is.

Minelson · #12 05/27/08, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nappint

I'm so sorry to hear about your dog

it sounds like the last few weeks have been difficult. (((hugs)))

Thank you Judy...yes it's been a very difficult year so far. But I have received tons of support from this forum and the pet forum and that has helped so much. My baby goats have been my saving grace...they are so funny and loving...no crying when I'm around them!!!!

jBlaze · #13 05/27/08, 05:49 PM

I don't give antibiotocs without a high temp and signs of real pitiful. Just acting wierd is not enough reason. That is really too bad she was not more help about this!

nappint · #14 05/27/08, 07:01 PM

Thanks for all your thoughts and information ladies.

I think I need to explain why I think she told me to run a course of antibiotics through her. This doe was a first freshener last year and had a bout of mastitis almost immediately after kidding so the breeder got with the vet and they decided to dry her off and get the infection under control - she is a second freshener this year but for all intents and purposes she is a first freshener since her udder was not allowed to develop last year.

This year the breeder kept her for 2 months after kidding to make sure that the mastitis was not going to come back and to make sure she was milking good. She is very thorough and upfront about all her goats - we met with her a few times before agreeing to buy. I know she's not a hack breeder, I don't want anyone to think she is because I didn't give enough information.

She also told me to find a goat vet LOL!

When I spoke to the breeder today and told her that this goat was acting weird and her milk was WAY down I have a feeling she was immediately worried about mastitis - she knows I'm new to dairy goats and was probably worried about the care this goat has received KWIM. I know if it were me I would be thinking worst case scenario too

I really think (as you all said) she's just missing her herdmates. I will have a fecal run on her to see what her worm load is and just try to be more patient with her - she really is a sweet goat!

Thanks again ladies!