My New Alpine's Health

[Tango]

I brought home today the Alpine I had mentioned a few weeks ao. She was blind from pinkeye or chlamydia or??? She regained her sight this week and had been regaining her health steadily and the owner called to ask if I wanted her. I did, of course. She's drop dead gorgeous and friendly.
She may be pregnant. Before all this hurricane stuff happened and her goats got ill, the Alpine was bred to her 100% Boer- in June. Looks like she's bagging up. I am worried that she is too thin right now (I can feel her spine completely on both sides and the tops of her ribs) and want to place her on an optimum diet. She had some diarhea on the way home and she was salivating profusely. When we got here she was trembling (only an hour drive) but seems to be fine right now. I have the same feed she was being given. This girl has been through a lot and I don't want her to crash now. What can I do to help her acclimate and regain complete health at this point? I put her in quarantine with the two boer kids I purchased from the same person almost three weeks ago.

[Jude2000]

Hi Tango,

I wouldn't be too concerned about the trembling, I took two does to be bred in the truck the other day (both having never left the farm before) and both trembled there and back.

To boost her system, I would give her some nutri-drench and probios, and make sure that there is plenty of baking soda available to her. And of course worm her. I use 1% ivermectin here in Md. on pregnant does, not sure where you are but some wormers work better in some places than others...

Also, if you think she's too skinny, BOSS have a lot of fat in them and goats love 'em! Just don't give too many at once, you could add them into the grain that your giving her.

Good luck! She sounds sweet.

Judy in Md.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Jude2000

Hi Tango,

I wouldn't be too concerned about the trembling, I took two does to be bred in the truck the other day (both having never left the farm before) and both trembled there and back.

To boost her system, I would give her some nutri-drench and probios, and make sure that there is plenty of baking soda available to her. And of course worm her. I use 1% ivermectin here in Md. on pregnant does, not sure where you are but some wormers work better in some places than others...

Also, if you think she's too skinny, BOSS have a lot of fat in them and goats love 'em! Just don't give too many at once, you could add them into the grain that your giving her.

Good luck! She sounds sweet.

Judy in Md.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I've got all that on hand and will do.

[Al. Countryboy]

Hi Tango, Sure sounds as though you will have your hands full trying to fatten up this doe. If she bred in June then she will be kidding in about a month. The kids will be growing fast this last month so I hope that you will be able to add weight on the doe also. Hope this want be to hard on the doe being so thin. Sounds like she might not have been around much longer if you hadn't taken her. Mom may have to have help feeding the kids also. Those boer kids have big appetites. Good luck.

[Stacy Adams]

Hi Marcia.. I agree with Couontryboy, that she may not have been around too long if you hadn't gotten her...
BOSS is a wonderful supliment to feed, I'd start with a small handfull and to to a large handfull.. I'd also add some nice crimped oats to her diet as oats are a great source of carbohydrates, and no one ever got skinny on those..!

[Tango]

Thanks Al. Countryboy and Stacy- will do. i appreciate the advice and kind words. She's such a lovely doe- a dream (and I never even thought about an Alpine before I saw her). I've been away all day and was concerned that she wasn't eating much yesterday. Tomorrow I wil be cutting browse and sitting with her for a couple of hours to make sure she eats.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

Also With even average breeding your Alpine will be a milking workhorse! Ask yourself where is the calcium in my does feeding program. Rarely is some calcium carbonate in a mineral mix enough, although a good mineral is very important. So slowly, slowly start adding alfalfa pellets to the BOSS and whole oats. If you have good quality alfalfa hay than use it, with cost, waste and loss of nutrients from humidity and heat we choose to use alfalfa pellets instead of hay. Vicki

[Patty0315]

I also love Red Cell and use it often. The other things I will add to there water is molasses or maple syrup to encourage them to drink. I think an all around good dairy goat feed with boss added would be great. Increase her feed slowly you do not want to cause more problems than you already have. I also did not see it mentioned if you wormed her. I would do it asap.~ Patty

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Patty0315

I also love Red Cell and use it often. The other things I will add to there water is molasses or maple syrup to encourage them to drink. I think an all around good dairy goat feed with boss added would be great. Increase her feed slowly you do not want to cause more problems than you already have. I also did not see it mentioned if you wormed her. I would do it asap.~ Patty

Hi Patty,
I didn't worm her because she was just wormed by the previous owner - twice after the hurricanes. I have Ivomec 1% on hand and can easily drench her . She's such a sweetheart. Do you advise to? Already she's acclimated and eating like a champ- alfalfa pellets, BOSS, beet pulp, and her regular goat feed pellets. I can add some molasses to the water. I'll increase her feed intake slowly- she's got more of an appetite now. Her udder has filled up some more but I would think she's one of those does who bags up on the early side. There's been no discharge- of course I've only had experience with one doe freshening so I can't say with any certainty. My doe Napster didn't bag up much but started with a discharge almost three weeks before kidding.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians

Also With even average breeding your Alpine will be a milking workhorse! Ask yourself where is the calcium in my does feeding program. Rarely is some calcium carbonate in a mineral mix enough, although a good mineral is very important. So slowly, slowly start adding alfalfa pellets to the BOSS and whole oats. If you have good quality alfalfa hay than use it, with cost, waste and loss of nutrients from humidity and heat we choose to use alfalfa pellets instead of hay. Vicki

Thanks Vicki, I use pellets also- that way the rabbits, goats and soon my horse can all take advantage of the sack.

[Patty0315]

Sorry ,how long ago was she wormed and with what ? If it was me I would probally worm again. If shes looking better and kidding is soon worm the day she kids.

[Tango]

Originally Posted by Patty0315

Sorry ,how long ago was she wormed and with what ? If it was me I would probally worm again. If shes looking better and kidding is soon worm the day she kids.

the last time was October. She's looking better right now - though it has only been five days. She's alert, active, making herself at home and eating like a pregnant doe- while lying down I think I'll wait until she kids. She has been wormed with Cydectin- I have Ivomec.