Med list for newbie and other ???'s

[dragonchick]

I have a list of all the meds goats "may" need, but I would need Bill Gates or Donald Trumps checkbook to pay the bill for the entire list. If you were just starting out what meds would be in the must have on hand before the goats arrive category.

There are about a dozen antibiotics but what are the most commonly used or most important.

When bringing in new goats to start a new herd would you vaccinate again even if you were sure they had already been vaccinated at their previous home?

What you have on hand if the feed may be different (different pasture location or hay/feed type/content).

I understand that the initial outlay may be a bit higher just getting started, but I don't really want to offer up my newborn grandchild to pay for it.
Andi

[LaManchaPaul]

Andi, is there a dairy-goat-herder near you? I'm rather new but hooked on goats. After visiting around, I found a milk-goat parlor right here in our little town. The owner somewhat adopted me as his mentee. A mentor proves invaluable. Best to you. Paul

[Alice In TX/MO]

This website has a list:

http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,23.0.html

[dragonchick]

Paul
99% of the goat herds around here are Boer and raised for meat. No dairy herds to speak of. I can probably use one of them as a mentor for goat care though.

Rose,
Thank You for the list. This is what I was looking for.


I want to have everything ready BEFORE I get the goats. I will start getting the supplies this next week even though I won't be getting the goats for several months yet. I am starting on the pens and goat house now. I really don't want any surprises when they get here. I would like to be as prepared as possible before hand.
Andi

[Alice In TX/MO]

I printed out the list and took it to my feedstore. They ordered almost everything on it. It has a few duplicate/options on there, and I wound up with a bit more than I actually needed to start, but I don't regret it.

[yarrow]

We don't live too far from you. (just over the AR/MO border, so what works well here, would more then likely work for you as well) Drug wise, I have WAY more stuff in my medicine cabinet then I will ever hopefully need (but can't imagine NOT HAVING... cause if I ever did need something, it would be the middle of the night or a weekend)... BUT.. if you are only looking for bare beginnings, I'd say for sure

CD&T vaccine (I use BarVac)
Cydectin (cattle pour on, given orally) for worms
Banamine for pain (smoothing a gut, fever, I think this is a MUST HAVE for us) Nuflor is my personal antibiotic of choice, I don't even keep non Rx antibiotics anymore. Don't need an antibiotic often, and when we do, I will always reach for an Rx one.
A bottle of B12 (I have a bottle of B complex, but again.. it just sits in the drawer)
injectable CMPK (if you have pregnant does or a doe in milk)
BoSe, I give it right before breeding season, again right before kidding
Sulmet or Corrid for cocci...

We feed whole oats, top dress with BOSS (in winter) Biggie for us, Alfalfa pellets (we feed small eraser sized pellets that are 17% protein) Alfalfa pellets are out 24/7. Browse in summer, good quality grass hay in winter. I also keep high quality minerals out at all times. Oh, good shape hoof trimmers.

I have lots of other things I use, but these are the ones I ALWAYS have & would never be without.

hope this helps you a bit in your getting started
susie, mo ozarks
ages ago acres nubians

[dragonchick]

Where do you get 17% alf pellets? All I can find here is 12%.

[sgian]

How big will your herd be?

I just get what I need when I need it. Most important IMO is a dewormer and pour-on for when you first get the goats to try to cut down on anything they might have. Then if you can, rotate the goats between pastures every few weeks so they don't pick anything else up. A tetanus vaccine would be good. Personally I don't give antibiotics or deworm unless I know there is a problem; however there are differing opinions and I can't say what is best. I have agricillin on hand, but that is just what was locally available.

I would concentrate most on good fencing, shelter, and deciding on mineral supplements.

[yarrow]

Originally Posted by dragonchick

Where do you get 17% alf pellets? All I can find here is 12%.

I get my alfalfa pellets in Thayer MO at Hirsch Feed & Farm Supply. (they've been in Thayer for a long time. Just last year, they also opened a store in west plains mo.) I know that they also sell wholesale. Found a feed store that buys from them for one of my goat buyers. They are now able to buy locally, what my goats were use to eating. You could give Hirsch's a call & see if anyone in your area buys their pellets. (417) 264-7616

susie, mo ozarks

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yarrow,
We got our pellets from the feed store down by the railroad tracks in Thayer last time we bought pellets. They are cleaner, fresher looking, and the goats like them better. I'm in Texas for the moment, so I can't read the bag tag. Dunno about the protein percentage.

Just info.

Huggs,
Rose

[dragonchick]

Hey, I am 1 1/2 hours from Thayer. I actually go there pretty often. My mother likes to go to a store just north of there. I will give them a call tomorrow.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Relying on feed stores for your wormers etc...is just wasteing money. Use Jefferspet.com or call them 1800-Jeffers if you aren't an internet purchaser, free shipping in the livestock catalog for anything over $50.

Arkansa is not like saying you are living in Texas, I don't care if it was across the state I would visit Kaye White and ask her everything I could about what she feeds and what minerals she uses, and what wormer works for your area since she fecal samples. She is on here and she is also on dairygoatinfo.com and in the ADGA directory. Vicki

[dragonchick]

Vicki,
I came here looking to learn everything I could before I got the goats. I didn't come here to be looked down upon because I am new at this. Even you were new at one time and didn't do EVERYTHING right EVERYTIME. At least I am preparing for them before I get them and not the other way around.
The meds would be purchased from Jeffers or Hoegger goat supply, long before the goats got here,not the feed store. The feed store is ONLY for FEED. I would only use the feed store IF it was an emergency and even then I would more than likely use the vet.
The feed store here is way too expensive anyway, don't know about the quality since I haven't bought anything besides chicken feed and puppy shots from them.

So far I have the vet lined up,
A list of meds to have on hand and will be ordering next week,
building the housing,
getting the fences up,
and asking all the questions I can,
ALL BEFORE the goats are even on the purchasing table.
I am trying to be prepared for eventual problems before they bite me in the back side. My money is too hard to come by to just throw it away without some hard thinking beforehand.
Andi

[yarrow]

Originally Posted by Rose

Yarrow,
We got our pellets from the feed store down by the railroad tracks in Thayer last time we bought pellets. They are cleaner, fresher looking, and the goats like them better. I'm in Texas for the moment, so I can't read the bag tag. Dunno about the protein percentage.

Just info.

Huggs,
Rose

hmmmm. I had noticed there was a feed store over by the tracks (never been in there) Good to know they carry them. So far, we've been happy with the ones from Hirsch's. In five years, they've never been out of them (granted sometimes you'll get more dust in a bag, then other times.. it's been a year since we've had dust problems.. right now, they are looking good) I buy a min. of 500 lbs of alfalfa pellets a week (more in winter) I can't imagine the mutiny that would go on here, if we ever ran out LOL... Making a mental note of the railroad track feed store... just in case.. thanks
oh... dragon chick.. a good thermometer.. forgot that on my must have list! I just use one of the yellow nine seconds to ready to read digital from wally world...

susie, mo ozarks