Goat coat?

fishhead · #1 02/02/13, 05:59 PM

I have a goat that is very skinny so I've been feeding him Sweet 16, a small amount of cracked corn and BOSS plus AC. I just added alfalfa pellets.

I think I over did it because he has scours so I've cut back. Once it warms up in a couple of days I'll cut him back to just hay. It's been -20 F at night and their shelter is unheated with dry straw bedding. He was shivering today at about 5 F.

I went to town and bought him a calf coat but it seemed small so I went back and bought a bigger coat but the straps aren't any longer. I don't have any trouble getting my hand under the straps when his coat is on.

It's supposed to warm up tomorrow so I'll take the coat off in the morning.

My question is: has anyone put a coat on a goat in cold weather. Does it help?

Eunice · #2 02/02/13, 06:50 PM

I have been "coating" my 12 yr. old doe that is thin. I was leaving it on around the clock when real cold ( negatives and up to 10*) but it is warming now and I just put it on her at night. It is helping Blackberry's stomach work right. When cold, she was bloating on me a lot.

fishhead · #3 02/02/13, 06:52 PM

Thank you.

Backfourty,MI. · #4 02/02/13, 08:18 PM

Elderly, sick or newborn babies I think the coats really help. A normal healthy goat should be able to deal with the cold if out of the wind & plenty of bedding.
Hope your boy puts a little weight on &n starts feeling better soon. Might want to give him a good dose of pepto bismol to help with the diarrhea & sooth his stomach.

Pony · #5 02/02/13, 08:36 PM

I think the coat is a good idea

Might want to go to just good-quality hay and water for right now. And agree with Katie about the Pepto.

Keep us posted.

fishhead · #6 02/02/13, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backfourty,MI.

Elderly, sick or newborn babies I think the coats really help. A normal healthy goat should be able to deal with the cold if out of the wind & plenty of bedding.
Hope your boy puts a little weight on &n starts feeling better soon. Might want to give him a good dose of pepto bismol to help with the diarrhea & sooth his stomach.

I forgot about pepto. Thanks.

ani's ark · #7 02/03/13, 12:07 AM

It sounds like he's lucky to have you taking such good care of him and feeding him up to better condition. Good on you. Do you have any idea what made him so thin? Is he up to date with worming, tested etc? I hope he feels better soon and puts on some weight for you.

fishhead · #8 02/03/13, 08:22 AM

I don't know why he's always been thin. He got scours right after I brought him home as a kid about 6 years ago so I treated him for cocci and that cleared up within a few days. He's never had a barrel like the other goats and is always the first to stop eating. Plus he's always the one eating odd stuff. When the others were busy browsing on something he'd be off nibbling on something different.

I've wormed them with Ivermectin pour on, Valbazen, and they get yearly CD&T boosters.

One thing I've noticed is that his knees are larger than the other goats but he doesn't show any discomfort.

He got extra thin last summer on a pasture of marsh grass and weeds. The other goat gained weight. I'm going to have to sneak him some extra calories next summer to fatten him up.

Backfourty,MI. · #9 02/03/13, 09:09 AM

I know these are your wethered pets & pack goats but I'm wonderingi could be CAE or Johnnes?

Minelson · #10 02/03/13, 10:19 AM

I was wondering the same thing Katie

Have you ever tested for those diseases Fishhead?

thaiblue12 · #11 02/03/13, 11:52 AM

Since he is a wether I would be careful with the grain, or he may develop Urinary calculi. Hay warms them from the inside out and the coat will help.

Boss, beet pulp and such will help him put on weight. My goats hate beet pulp though and will not touch it, yours might like it.

The large knees would be a concern for me. Since you are worried about his weight and such it drawing blood and sending it in yourself for testing might be a good idea. Less costly then taking them to a vet to do it.

Hope he is nice and warm in his coat

fishhead · #12 02/03/13, 12:02 PM

Whenever they get grain they get AC.

What's the dosage for Pepto? I seem to remember 5 cc but that doesn't seem like enough. He's maybe 100 lbs.

This morning his poop was like pudding.

I can see him nibbling at the hay bale now.

fishhead · #13 02/03/13, 12:04 PM

I forgot to say that the dairy I bought him from had him on CAE prevention until he was weaned. His knees make look oversized because of his thin legs. They never seem tender to him.

fishhead · #14 02/04/13, 06:50 AM

I gave him 10-15 cc of pepto and I think that helped soothe his stomach or maybe he just warmed up in the sun and he started eating a bit. Then I cut him some slippery elm, crab apple and a few maple branches. He nibbled on those like normal.

Do goats eat plastic sheeting? A couple of months ago I hung some over the south side of their shelter to help heat it in the afternoon and now someone is chewing on it. Pretty sure it's him because he does stuff like that. I did find a piece of chewed plastic in the bedding. Before work I'm going to take it down.

Minelson · #15 02/04/13, 06:53 AM

Mine would eat the plastic sheeting. Mine ate a roll of fiberglass insulation once.

fishhead · #16 02/04/13, 07:38 AM

I took the plastic down.

His diarraha has turned to liquid so I'm going to give him another dose of pepto..

KrisD · #17 02/04/13, 02:28 PM

Just because they raised him on CAE prevention doesn't mean that he didn't get it within he first few moments of birth. It's rare but it does happen. I would have him tested for both CAE and Johnes. When is the last time you wormed him? What did you use? How long did you do cocci prevention for when he was a baby? He could have intestinal damage from cocci when he was young and just isn't as thrifty because of it.

fishhead · #18 02/04/13, 03:59 PM

I don't remember how long I treated him for cocci but I'm thinking it was for 5 days. I think you are right about having intestinal damage because he's never made a barrel and always quit eating before the others. Or it could be congenital. He's always been thin but he's always been mischievious too. Always nibbling on me or jumping the fence so I think despite his thin appearance he seemed to feel good.

I think this is either from eating some plastic sheeting or being given too much sweet 16 when it was cold. I kept the amount pretty steady but the lead goat may have let him eat more than normal one day.

I wormed him late last summer with pour on Ivermectin and again in November with Valbazen. I usually worm before I switch them from pen to pasture and back.

I'm not aware of any treatment for those diseases. I'll give him more pepto and probios tonight. Fortunately it looks like we may stay above zero tonight and continue to warm up this week.

fishhead · #19 02/04/13, 05:17 PM

Can a goat be treated with Valbazen while it has diarrhea?

Backfourty,MI. · #20 02/05/13, 11:18 AM

I would give him 20 to 30 cc of pepto for his weight. Also I would get a tube of Quest & worm him with that this time around, it's 1cc per 100 pounds.

Try a little canned pumpkin for the diarrhea too, it surely won't hurt him & some folks here have had good luck with it helping them.