Doe Refuses To Eat

[CookingPam777]

When I got this doe she was sickly and underweight. I got her fattened up. And now she has decided she does not like oats corn beet pulp alfalfa pellets nothing. She will eat a little while fishing in her food bowl for something good that is not there. She is not eating enough to keep a bird alive. Her weight is starting to scare me. I assumed she would eventually get hungry. I have an BIG eater who takes advantage of her pickiness and gobbles up her food when she is done. I am thinking of tying her up to a tree getting dewormer in her wether she likes it or not and have food there so all she can do is eat or lay. Only problem it has been raining. Any suggestion getting this girl to eat?

[CookingPam777]

I forgot to mention she has been fussy acts fine. I think she is just hungry. I got her a mineral lick so she would be getting something if she refuses to eat and she likes that.

[fishhead]

I would get some loose goat minerals. You might also try a B vitamin shot to boost her appetite.

[cathleenc]

my picky doe goes through 'fishing' or 'sifting' stages, too. Somedays she licks her bowl clean and other days she eats very little grain. But she always returns to eating within a few days so I just let her be.

Your doe has lots of fresh green graze, right? Is she milking? If she's dry and lots of great grazing/browsing then maybe she just does not need the extra food.

[CookingPam777]

She is dry. But we do not have anything she can graze on. We live in a wooded area so I let her munch on trees. She gets hay and when we mow the lawn we either rake or bag it up and give it to her. And I feed her 4 pounds of feed a day. I got her on a short leash but long enough she can move around. She has ate what little green there was ate some dewormer. But still hasn't ate all her dewormer. So I will just leave her there with nothing else till she gets it down. I tried deworming her before and she would rather starve and my other goat scarfed it up. So she was a little over due to be wormed but not by much. Her last successful worming was late March. I am definantly going to get a different dewormer. As I feel this one doesn't work long enough.

[nubiansinny]

why not use ivermec. just put it in a syringe and squirt it in her mouth.I think most goats won't eat the feed wormer.
her not eating will do more harm than good.
try a little molasses to sweeten up her feed.
Alittle yogert might help to, good for bellies and some calories.
A loose mineral is way better for goats. They cannot lick a block enough to get what they need.
Are you sure she's not sick? When they don't feel good they don't eat.

[CookingPam777]

She acts fine I gave her the lick cause she was sick they do get minerals in their feed. But I was also going to keep one in there just for extra. She is very picky and does not like sweet feed either. I really don't think she is sick just hungry. After I put her out she stopped being fussy. And I think it was because she was able to eat a little bit of green and dewormer in her slow timing.

[crazygoatgal]

if ur goat is not eating and losing weight she is sick.weather it be parasites or something else.you should never tie an animal up and expect it to eat something it doesnt want.that wont make it eat. the other ladys suggestion with the b complex is good .also yogurt even if u have to syringe it down.also liquid or paste wormer as it can be forced.if u cant afford a vet and u believe she is sick try a broad based antibiotic such as penn or tetracycline.u should also not feed green lawn clippings always dry them first.goats r sopposed to be browsers not grazers.they also need exersize she could be depressed if she stays on a leash.good luck

[TennesseeMama23]

Originally Posted by CookingPam777

She is dry. But we do not have anything she can graze on. We live in a wooded area so I let her munch on trees. She gets hay and when we mow the lawn we either rake or bag it up and give it to her. And I feed her 4 pounds of feed a day. I got her on a short leash but long enough she can move around. She has ate what little green there was ate some dewormer. But still hasn't ate all her dewormer. So I will just leave her there with nothing else till she gets it down. I tried deworming her before and she would rather starve and my other goat scarfed it up. So she was a little over due to be wormed but not by much. Her last successful worming was late March. I am definantly going to get a different dewormer. As I feel this one doesn't work long enough.

She has a high worm load and the pellets won't help her even if she did get it down-throw the pellets away. She needs deworming now with a good wormer-cydectin/ivermectin. Those are the only ones you should use right now.

She is not eating because she is sick. Have you taken her temp?

[TennesseeMama23]

Originally Posted by CookingPam777

She acts fine I gave her the lick cause she was sick they do get minerals in their feed. But I was also going to keep one in there just for extra. She is very picky and does not like sweet feed either. I really don't think she is sick just hungry. If she were hungry she would eatAfter I put her out she stopped being fussy. And I think it was because she was able to eat a little bit of green and dewormer in her slow timing.

They can't get minerals from a lick, she needs loose minerals. Have you ever felt a cow's tongue? Rougher than sandpaper--goats can't get what they need from a lick.

[DQ]

Originally Posted by CookingPam777

I am definantly going to get a different dewormer. As I feel this one doesn't work long enough.

if she doesn'st have access to pasture and she isn't eating there is something wrong. she may not be feeling well and the above line in your post may be a clue to the problem. I would get a fecal done to check her parasite load. wormers don't "last", they are out of the system very quickly. what you need to know is wether it is working (killing the worms) or not. if a wormer is working and there is a recurrent parasite problem than the real problem is reinfestation. no wormer will prevent reinfestation and in that regard they don't "work" for any length of time. I assume you are feeding "Positive Pellet" as that is the only pelleted wormer that I know of for goats. it active ingredient is morantal tartrate and is not widely considered to be especially effective. I think you should try a different wormer even if you don't do a fecal check. cydectin would be best if you can't check with a fecal.
good luck! I hope she perks up for you.

[cathleenc]

Gosh.... I'm not certain it's worms at all but I'd certainly get a fecal done to check. And not use any more wormers till you do get a fecal done - but get it done asap!

Meanwhile, for a dry doe, alfalfa pellets fed free-choice and little to no grain would be a fine diet. And goats prefer browse to graze - so I'm not seeing a problem. 4 lbs of grain sounds really over the top! Maybe her stomach is off from so much grain. Do you have free choice baking soda available?

[AnnaS]

While worming is usually a good idea, I'm going to go in a different direction here.

I wonder if this doe has an acidic rumen. 4 lbs of feed is a LOT for a dry doe. She wouldn't feel like eating with an acidic rumen- think heartburn. And like people with heartburn, goats learn what foods make them feel sick and refuse those foods.

Anyway- try offering her baking soda, or fruit flavored Tums. Free choice baking soda will prevent most acidosis as the goats learn to self-medicate. The fruit flavored Tums can get them interested. I would cut way back on the grain at the same time. Really good hay will make her fat and happy quicker than grain.

[Bearfootfarm]

We live in a wooded area so I let her munch on trees. She gets hay and when we mow the lawn we either rake or bag it up and give it to her. And I feed her 4 pounds of feed a day.

It sounds to me like she's already getting way more than she needs. If she's still losing weight, it's probably worms.