To separate or not to separate

[Doug Hodges]

I've been pondering this every time one of my goaties gets a sniffle or acts funny. Is it better to separate from the herd? I think it probably is but don't goats do better in pairs or with the herd? My goats have best friends. When I have one acting funny, sometimes I separate her with her or his best friend. Rarely have I put them by themselves. (Both the little males that died were by themselves.) Three days ago I had a 7 month old little girl get sick. She had green snot, cough, wasn't eating, laying against the fence by herself, and temp was 103.8. I got her in. Asked Susie's advice on what to give her. I started her on Nuflor 2.5cc. I guesstimated 75 lbs.

I think I've had a bug making the rounds. Several have had a runny nose but all the rest got over it quickly. I put one of her friends who had previously had a runny nose in with her. By the next day she was eating again. Today she was bawling her head off to go back with the herd. I let her go. She immediately started eating the hay with the rest of them.

What would you do? Would you separate her for a full 5 days? I'm convinced it's better for them to have companionship. However, should I jeopardize the rest getting sick? (The only ones that have shown any symptoms have been some of the younger ones)

Is it this hard to keep them healthy? I see even the experts on here have sick goats. Is it just part of it?

I want to hear the arguments but I've about come to the conclusion that putting them up with a friend and watching them both and releasing back into the herd as soon as they act well is the way I'm going to do it. But I am open minded to a better way.

[Alice In TX/MO]

The stress of being separated isn't worth it. If they are together and get symptoms, they have been in the contagious mode already.

I don't separate for pneumonia, sniffles, cough, etc.

[Backfourty,MI.]

Ditto what Alice said.

[hiddensprings]

I'm the same as the others. I don't separate them. Its too stressful.

As for keeping goats healthy, you do the best you can. You are dealing with environmental issues (rain, cold, humidity, etc). I rarely have a truly sick goat and stay on top of the worming, vaccinations, and hoof trimming. They get the best food I can afford and lots of love. Still this spring I had terrible issues with worms and hooves. It happens. You're doing just fine!

[mygoat]

If you're having a problem with this, you'd be better off considering a management/housing change (increase ventilation substantially, keep bedding clean/dry, reduce dusty hay etc) and vaccination. Separation for something like that causes more stress. Many illnesses are contagious long before they become symptomatic.

[Frosted Mini's]

There are rare instances I would separate a goat.

1. If I ever had an abscess, that goat would be put in a totally separate dry-lot pen until testing results proved it was not CL.

2. If I caught a goat aborting, especially if there were multiple abortions going on in the herd. Abortion bugs are spread through the birth fluids, placentas, etc., so don't want other goats messing with that.

Other than that, everything else pretty much they've already been exposed to each other.

[Doug Hodges]

Well. I've been doing it wrong. I feel much better about leaving them all together.