goat babies dying

[gapeachy]

we dont know why but we have lost 9 goat babies this week....one mom had to have a c-section....her babies were dead and I went to the barn yesterday and a mom had 3 babies on the ground 2 dead and one on the way.....we dont know why....we have a well insulated barn with plenty hay and we have them in stalls with heat lamps on them.....we have never had this problem.....we still have about 10 moms left to kid....hope they will be ok

 

[Chatychick]

DO you give Bo-se shots? are you in a selenium deficent area if so they need this shot before breeding and 30 days before kidding. Also copper is very inportant. I give mine copper boluses as I had this problem last year. Mine had the babies and they did fine for about 1 day and then dead. Vet said it was a copper issue.
With multiples copper gets depleated really fast and with singles usually the will do fine. Triplets are hard sometimes anyway. I would give the vet a call and get a bottle of Bo-se and maybe some copper boluses and treat.
I saved 2 babies that I worked really hard with and not sure what saved them but they sure were slow at growing also. Sorry you lost so many I know how you feel.

 

[gapeachy]

we give selinium shots....I will tell my husband about the copper....we have raised goats for about 10 and never have we lost them like this....we have had alot of triplets this time....3 already

 

[helmstead]

I'm so sorry for all your losses. How sad!

Also consider STDs. Have you introduced a new buck or doe into your herd? Chlamydia comes to mind. You might consider a round of LA200 on your remaining expecting does as a preventative measure.

We are in a selenium deficient area, severely. I have had a wonderful improvement in the vitality of my newborns since implementing a BoSe program here.

 

[gapeachy]

is LA-200 ok for the expecting mothers?

 

[helmstead]

It CAN cause deformity in fetuses, but if your does are very close to kidding, it would be worth the chance of adverse effect IMO. I have had to use LA200 once (double course) on a doe in the first 45 days of pregnancy and I fully expected to loose the pregnancy or have a deformed kid, and she kidded with a healthy, perfect little doeling 4 months later.

You can always have a test done first to check for STDs before treating.

With this many deaths, it would be adviseable to have a necropsy done.

 

[Skyesrocket]

With the changing weather conditions I would also check the hay.
I have bought hay from the same farmer for years and was always pleased with it. This year I lost an older horse to nightshade that was in some of the hay.
With the weather being so goofy this past spring/summer nightshade and other noxious plants are popping up in fields where it wouldn't normally grow.
Check it for mold too.
I hope you are able to track down whatever is happening with your goats. Please let us know when you figure it out so the rest of us can be forwarned.
Sorry you are dealing with these losses.

 

[PotterWatch]

I don't have any advice, just wanted to say sorry. It must be terrible to go through all that.

 

[Chatychick]

With the copper blouses I get the empty capsules and copasure boluses from Jeffers and its 1 gram for 22lbs of goat. I measure it up and lace in the capsules and some I have to give 5 caps. Try hard not to let them chew the pieces of copper. Also I give mine the medicated oxytetracycline crumbles from the feed store instead of giving shots. This is what a goat farmer here did when he had losses of babies. I give it for a week when I had some problems from a new buck. I average about 1 tablespoon per goat and give 2x a day in their feed. Mine love it. Good luck

 

[lobb40118]

WOW i never knew goats or any animals got STD's.......