Urinary Calculi question ...

[motdaugrnds]

I remember reading much information about this in bucks. My Goat Medicine book also talks about it. However, I also have read (cannot remember where) conflicting information about using Ammonium Chloride to treat it, i.e. using AC when buck does not have this problem "can cause" the problem.

(I have 2 lbs of this I ordered quite a few years ago whenI first started raising goats. I have never used it; but recently found it hidden in the back of my goats' container in my refrigerator. It talks about dosage for "treatment" and about dosage for "prevention" and states the ingredients are "Tricalcium Posphate treated", though have no idea what "treated" means.)

Would appreciate hearing from those more experienced about their use of Ammonium Chloride.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I no longer have the paper that came with the bag of AC I bought through Hoeggers but I thought the ingredient list was just Ammonium Chloride. I have never heard of Tricalcium Phosphate treated. I guess I don't understand that part.

Do you feed your bucks or wethers any grain? It's also not just the grain, it's the Calcium : Phosphorus ratio that causes the problem. Calcium & phosphorus can be found in hay, browse, etc. as well as grain. The grain just makes the Ratio much worse.

The ratio is supposed to be 2:1 calcium to phosphorus. But I beleive Vicki McGaugh feeds her bucks like a 5:1 ratio I think she told me awhile back.

In my experience any buck or wether can get UC, feed can make a difference but I also think your water can make a difference & also the chemical makeup of each individual goat.
I think it's finding out what works for you in your management for your area & sticking to it. If you've had the AC for years & never used it you must be doing something right. I would definately save it though becuase you NEVER know when you might need it & it could save your male goats life!

There is also medicated feed for goats that has the AC already in it.

I have never heard of AC causing UC, only it helping the problem.

[motdaugrnds]

Backfourty,MI thank you for responding. The AC I have was also purchased from Hoeggers.

We use free-choice "golden Blend Goat Minerals" from Hoeggers as well and the calcium is more than twice that of the phosphorus. Our entire herd has been doing very well on this. (In years before using this, they would chew on wood; since using this, have not seen them do that at all.)

Yes, we have fed our bucks the same grain as the does get, just not nearly as much. Guess our water is good too as we have not seen this problem in any buck since we started raising them back in 1996.

Wish I could remember where I heard of AC "causing" UC; but my memory is not what it use to be.

[Backfourty,MI.]

If your water is high in iron or sulfur then that's usually what causes the problems. Not sure if I'll expain it right but the iron does something to the way the goat absorbs different things in their bodies & all I know about too much sulfur is that Vicki McGaugh told me once that if you have too much sulfur in your water not to even try keeping male goats.

[motdaugrnds]

Apparently I don't have too much and that's a relief.