Droppings not pellets

jtdl · #1 04/21/10, 08:00 AM

My miniature gave birth two weeks ago. We had no idea she was pregnant (supposedly was in heat when we got her five months ago) so she wasn't getting any extra grain or anything before she had the babies. She was getting a cup a day of grain and alfalfa pellets, along with hay, before the birth. Since then I have been giving her increased grain, pellets and also put her on Purina Goat Chow. She's been having droppings that look almost like dog droppings, not runny, but all the pellets clumped together. I expected this for a few days from the change in feed but is there anything I can give her to get her back to normal sooner?

topside1 · #2 04/21/10, 08:06 AM

I expect this every year...only from the does I'm milking. Lush green shoots in the woods and fields plus 18% grains on the stand will produce clump poop...It happens every year. The does not eating grain, normal pellets...Hope this helps....Topside

Pony · #3 04/21/10, 09:54 AM

We have the same thing going on with our doe, too: Road apples instead of nanny berries.

It's probably because of the intake of additional calories (lactating burns more calories than pregnancy), and the fact that Spring is springing up all over in lovely green weeds and leaves.

She's gotten a bit better over the past month, but we're still not seeing berries all the time.

As long as all the other systems are "go" (eating, drinking, activity), I wouldn't worry.

LomahAcres · #4 04/21/10, 10:19 AM

Sometimes when you start increasing grain they will get softer droppings. You can try adding some Diamond V Yest culture to her grain, sometimes that helps settle things. Also, was she wormed after kidding?

jtdl · #5 04/21/10, 11:41 AM

Thanks for the replies!

I wormed her with a wormer I found at TSC. Never heard of it before - on this board or otherwise - Ivesco Goat Dewormer Concentrate - it's a pelleted formula that I thought would be much easier to give to her (she is not approachable yet) than the Ivomec I have that would have to be squirted in her mouth. Not sure how good it will work. Will worms cause that kind of droppings or would it be from the wormer?

ozark_jewels · #6 04/21/10, 12:25 PM

If you used a pellet wormer, you need to worm again with a real wormer. Yes, feed changes will cause clumpy plops, so will worms. You don't want to wait for more serious problems before worming.

thaiblue12 · #7 04/21/10, 01:29 PM

Feed changes do cause clumpy poo. I start slow with changes and make sure they get alot of hay. That cuts down on the clumpiness.

I use Ivermectin horse paste wormer since they only carry the goat pellet wormer or nothing at all. The pellets you cannot be sure who is eating it or how much unless you hand feed it and I do not think it is very effective.

I take the horse wormer paste and give them 2 times the dose for their weight and I squeeze it onto an animal cracker and place another on top.... wormer sandwich

they snatch it up and eat it before they even know the paste was there.

christie · #8 04/21/10, 03:36 PM

good idea with the animal crackers Ill have to try that.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 04/21/10, 06:48 PM

I thought the Ivermectin paste wormer for horses was supposed to be given at 3 times the goats weight?
I wouldn't trust the pelleted wormers either, I would use the ivermectin you have & be sure & re-worm her 10 days later.

My goats always getting clumpy poo this time of year becuase of all the new green spring growth, & I think they are little piggies!

topside1 · #10 04/21/10, 08:25 PM

Spot on Katie, not everything is related to worms...Topside

thaiblue12 · #11 04/21/10, 08:50 PM

1% is to be used at 3 times the dose but the horse paste, at least the one I use is 1.87% so two times the dose.