shivering goat

Ziptie · #1 12/31/14, 10:30 AM

4 year Nubian, in milk, gets whole oats,some alfalfa pellets(morning and night), all the grass/some alfalfa she wants. might be pregnant, has salt,baking soda, has access to barn stall (spends most of her time in there), poop normal, checked for worms 3 months ago with fecal float

So her milk production has gone done noticeably in the last week from a quart of milk in the morning to a half. Past few mornings she has been shivering mostly just her rear end. Only happens in the morning milking not at night. Any ideas? Other goats doing fine.

billinwv · #2 12/31/14, 11:19 AM

Plain salt or loose minerals? I use a high magnesium with added selenium loose mineral from Purina. How is her body condition? Put your hands on her ribs and down her back to check for fat coverage. Is she low on the totem pole? Others keeping her from eating hay? A shot of thiamine wouldn't be out of the question for me and her calcium could also be low. I feed a diet similar to yours but mine has 5% molasses and I do use Animax, Calf Manna, or Sunshine Plus at times .

punchiepal · #3 12/31/14, 11:44 AM

Temps have been really wild here in Iowa the last few weeks.
Does she have straw to snuggle up in? Keeps her up off the damp bedding underneath.
Does she have hay to eat during the night? A full rumen keeps the furnace going in them. When we plug in the baby monitor during kid watch we hear them up eating about 1-3am.
Milk drop could be from pregnancy. Some goats drop production sooner than others.

dozedotz · #4 12/31/14, 12:11 PM

you mention that she might be pregnant...any idea when she might have been bred? Many Nubians are about ready to kid out around here....ours due end of Jan. THAT might explain why her milk is decreasing????? It was 10 degrees this morning in our part of MO. We fed extra hay (alfalfa) last night and again this morning...shivering is a way for the animal to try and warm up...so, maybe a bit more hay for the furnace???? We pull off the top layer of bedding about once a week and then take out the wet stuff underneath and replace the top with fresh...keeps things dry. Might be some or all of the above or none. Take her temp is always a good idea...water isn't frozen up????? Good luck.

Ziptie · #5 01/04/15, 10:16 AM

Sorry for not answering sooner been sick...

She was in heat 2nd week on Dec. So, if pregnant only a week or two along.

Has straw on the bottom of the stall.

For the salt it was just plain loose salt. Though we are increasing the minerals she gets daily and also the amount of BOSS. Though she only likes to eat the whole oats and picks around the alfalfa pellets and BOSS.

We brake the water for them in the pen every morning and night. Though during the day they have access to the cow water which has a heater in it.

The shivering is still going on but it seems not to happen as often.

Called the vet she was scratching her head about what might be is going on also. Though she did suggest we might test the hay to she what they are getting from it. Thing is the cow and rabbits are doing fine with it.

Wondering if I should add some dried molasses and ground sorghum for extra energy? We were grinding the oats in the begging (as we do for the cow) but they liked them whole much better.

She is also the queen.

billinwv · #6 01/04/15, 01:17 PM

Maybe she isn't shivering from cold. Calcium deficiency can start out as shaking or tremors. Some goats are more susceptible than others. I really like the minerals I mentioned before. Two large Excel brewers yeast tabs a day wouldn't hurt either.

V-NH · #7 01/04/15, 01:43 PM

Once in a while I see one or two of my goats shivering. I usually prescribe seconds of whatever they ate for breakfast and it clears itself up quick. Start with the simple, then move to the more drastic solutions if simple doesn't work.

Backfourty,MI. · #8 01/04/15, 08:48 PM

Just because the cows & rabbits like the hay doesn't mean the goats will. If it's alfalfa hay with a lot of stems most goats will only eat the leaves & leave the hard stem's.

My goats also don't like alfalfa pellets mixed in with any other grain but if they are separate they Love them.
I'd make sure the goats have access to good grass hay 24/7, plenty of bedding to snuggle in, fresh water & loose minerals & baking soda they can get to 24/7.
A shelter out of the elements & they should be fine.
If you want to feed a handfull of oats & a little BOSS right now that's OK but I wouldn't add any molasses or sorgum. Too much molasses can cause acidosis & stomach upset.

Mine love warm water in te winter & really Love when I add a little apple cider vinegar to their water.

Ziptie · #9 01/05/15, 11:02 AM

So, I ran my hand across the back of the goat. Not a whole lot of back fat some on the ribs. I did have a vet come out a few months ago to do the fecals and he said she was a pefect weight. Though he might just be saying that.

Now here is the next question..I think I will start new thread on this..how to fatten up a goat.

I also think I will get a heated water bucket for them. I would like to see more water intake.

Thanks all.

Ziptie · #10 01/15/15, 01:06 PM

update..

We did up the grain and added beet pulp and some dried molasses. In the end I think the problem was the water. Even though we were breaking the ice on the buckets AM and PM. I don't think they were getting enough water.We are still only milking the one goat once a day and she is giving about 4 cups a milking.