Help Me Improve My Doe's Condition

[AshleyB]

I just recently bought a gorgeous Lamancha doe with a lovely udder and wonderful teats that milk out very quickly. She is giving me five quarts of milk a day, being milked twice a day, which is the most I've ever gotten from a doe before. She is sweet as pie too, which makes milking her a wonderful de-stressing time each day for me.

The problem is that her condition is terrible. I just took a fecal sample to the vet today to find out exactly what parasites I am dealing with.

I was told she was copper bolused three months ago, but it looks like she must still be deficient as her coat is still reddish in places (she's black). So I was thinking I would go ahead and bolus her again this evening.

She is currently eating 11 or 12 cups of Blue Seal goat feed that I buy at TSC, half at each milking.

She has a mineral block, as well as loose minerals, free choice.

Free choice alfalfa pellets.

Fresh water and plenty of hay, as well as a big grazing area, about 1/2 an acre for two goats.

What else can I do to help her put some meat on her bones? I know that getting her wormed with the appropriate wormer for her parasites will go a long way in helping her. But she needs to do some major catch up, I'm afraid.

[LoneStrChic23]

Once parasites are ruled out & treated (with something like Moxidectin or perhaps Ivermectin Plus, not Safeguard & given at the correct dose...my vet always gives me dosages that are WAY too low).
you could add rice bran & beet pulp shreds to her grain....Really helped my heavy milking, thin girl.

[AshleyB]

How much would you add Crystal?

[DaniR1968]

Calf manna?

[Creamers]

I'd not use Calf Manna . . . almost no fat in it. Use Rice Bran pellets. 20 plus % fat - safe, cool calories.

See what the fecal says - how are her inner eyelids?

[AshleyB]

Her inner eyelids are pale.

[LoneStrChic23]

Rice bran I started slow....about 1/2 cup added to grain morning & evening....beet pulp shreds added around 2-3 cups. Worked her up to 1 1/2 cups rice bran per feeding & she gained weight. I have the rice bran meal.....it's powdery & unless I moisten it a bit & make it into balls she inhales it up her nose & makes a mess....so I'd try to get the rice bran pellets instead.

[HappyFarmer]

If you don't use all 5 quarts, bringing her down on her volume will help also. I know when I had a houseful of 8, we used 1 1/2 gallons a day, now we barely use 1/2 a gallon a day.

HF

[Oat Bucket Farm]

Beet pulp or rice bran. I would suggest BOSS, but the price has got so high that you need to win the lottery in order to afford it.

[AshleyB]

How much BOSS per day? I don't think I could keep her in it year round, but I'm willing to buy 1 or 2 bags to make her healthy again.

We really need all 5 quarts, we have 6 children and she is the only one in milk currently. But if her condition does not improve with everything else, I'll do it. I don't want to lose her.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

[Creamers]

If her eyelids are pale - food isn't the issue - worm her with cydectin or quest - if quest- worm now - 1 cc per 100lbs - mix the whole tube well - and again in 10 more days

[Alice In TX/MO]

I don't use Calf Manna, either. Just me.

[southerngurl]

I have been using rice bran this year and I have found it seems to really help keep the weight on them. It also has a lot of magnesium.

[AshleyB]

Originally Posted by Creamers

If her eyelids are pale - food isn't the issue - worm her with cydectin or quest - if quest- worm now - 1 cc per 100lbs - mix the whole tube well - and again in 10 more days

I will be worming her today once I get the results of the fecal, the vet said she would call this morning. I wormed her with Ivomec two weeks ago, and thought she was improving, but then she started looking worse. I know that the worms are what is causing the issue, I just want to make sure she regains her health as quickly as possible once that is resolved.

[LoneStrChic23]

I'd definately worm with Quest. Empty the tube, mix well to evenly distribute the active ingredient, then draw your dose. Get an accurate weight on your girl, then dose 1cc per 100lbs.....Don't under dose. With my doe I had to give Quest when she came home, then repeat in 10 days....after that she's been fine.

Rice bran is higher in fat, vitamin e & selinium than BOSS, and with the current price of BOSS, you'll get more bang for your buck buying rice bran....Call around your feed stores and see if anyone carries the pellets....If not I know TSC usually carries rice bran meal called Max-E-Glow.

[AshleyB]

I just got the fecal results, she said stomach worms (strongyle, most likely barber pole were her exact words). Does your recommendation for Quest still stand? Is that the best one for that?

[Oat Bucket Farm]

Yes, Quest is what you want to use.

[Hollowdweller]

How much are you feeding the doe pound wise?

I usually feed 1 lb for body maintainence and then 1 lb for every 2 lbs of milk produced.

Your goat would be producing around 11? Lbs???

So I'd be feeding her around 5 lbs of 16% a day.

Worms could be a problem but that's good production for a Lamancha and depending on how old she is and when she freshened most goats will lose condition during peak lactation.

Unless she kidded back in January or something I'd wait till later on when she drops off to see if she gains condition. Could be she's just a really dairy girl and good producer and is showing it.

Most of my goats are too fat but in my experience being on the thin side is a good thing for goats. If they get sick they don't have as many reserves to fall back on but goats carry a lot of their fat in the stomach cavity. So a goat over conditioned with triplets will often have her stomach capicty reduced and not eat enough and wind up with ketosis where the thin one will be OK.