Lets talk about goats!

[drumstick diva]

What a great thread this is. I was just surfing different threads on BYC and came across this one.
Started reading a page here and there and am totally hooked. What helpful, kind, sharing folks you all seem to be.

Such a difference from some other threads where arguments break out all the time - and end badly - moderators shutting threads down.

I don't have goats and am not in a location where it would ever be possible. But, I have enjoyed seeing video's on them on BYC from people that have chickens, guineas, turkeys etc, plus some goats. The closest I have ever gotten to them was various petting zoos.

I love animals and love to learn - I know I will be coming back often - to read from start to present day and beyond. Thank you for giving me something else to do with my time. I know I will enjoy it.

 

[rrand5]

We do live in a copper deficient area. We had started out with our wether and our bucks. My husband wanted to get the boys first to have a lot of time with them. Even with the diet and loose minerals our boys got the copper burnt color to them. We bolus them, now they are looking great. 

I am not saying that anything is wrong with alfalfa, as alfalfa is apart of our feeding regime. What i was meaning, was that the only thing they were given (3 in total) is alfalfa. They had no browse. They had no minerals.

Honey (the doe) coat is very dry and coarse. Along with her major fishtail. The other doe they had, from what they said was she was originally coal black. Now she looks chocolate along with hair loss around her eyes, and long hair on her back legs. The hair on the back of her legs is the copper burnt color. From everything i have read that is all signs of copper deficiency.

We are trying to do everything right. But speaking to people who are experienced always helps. Any advise is always welcome. Anything that we can learn to take proper care of our goats. 

Hi,
Very new to goats myself and was wondering what a copper bolus is? I have a 2 year old Lamancha who I purchased to milk and is still currently nursing her two little doelings, anyways I am having the same issue with her. she is supposed to be black but her hair color points to copper deficiency. I have loose minerals, a goat specific block and also mix them in with daily feed. Have had her for over a month now with no signs of improvement. Is this something from a vet or can you purchase at a feed store? Thank you in advance!
Rebecca

 

[cassie]

We do live in a copper deficient area. We had started out with our wether and our bucks. My husband wanted to get the boys first to have a lot of time with them. Even with the diet and loose minerals our boys got the copper burnt color to them. We bolus them, now they are looking great.

I am not saying that anything is wrong with alfalfa, as alfalfa is apart of our feeding regime. What i was meaning, was that the only thing they were given (3 in total) is alfalfa. They had no browse. They had no minerals.

Honey (the doe) coat is very dry and coarse. Along with her major fishtail. The other doe they had, from what they said was she was originally coal black. Now she looks chocolate along with hair loss around her eyes, and long hair on her back legs. The hair on the back of her legs is the copper burnt color. From everything i have read that is all signs of copper deficiency.

We are trying to do everything right. But speaking to people who are experienced always helps. Any advise is always welcome. Anything that we can learn to take proper care of our goats.

Thank you for the response. I wondered because I have no experience in that area. All I know is that I was told at a seminar not to give copper boluses to goats unless they need them because too much copper is as bad as too little. It sounds like you are on the right track.

 

[5danehouse]

Hi, while on the topic of deficiencies, I have just acquired a saan doe. She came with a pair of donkeys and she is still trying to decide if she is a goat or a donkey. One of the donkeys savaged one of my goats so the saan doesn't have the choice of being with whoever she wants anymore. (Just background regarding the stresses she is under: new place, different herd, and missing proper minerals and salts before she came to me.) So, the saan has developed a swelling under her chin. It doesn't seem to be interfering with her eating and she hasn't lost any weight since the lumps came up, but, now she has started losing all the hair along her back. It is coming out in handfuls. Are the swelling and the hair loss signs of a goiter or could it be something else? Does anyone have any advice? Treatment? Types of minerals and or salts to add? ( My herd is a mixed flock of goats and sheep, so I have been using sheep minerals, no copper, for everyone. The flock is on pasture now and mixed grass hay during the winter No grain.)
Thanks.

 

[gonechickens]

Rebecca copper bolus you can get off of amazon. It's like a giant pill with copper rods inside. I weigh my goats, break open the pill and make sure they're getting right dose. From what I have read is 1 gram per 20lbs. Not sure if you can get from feed store. I purchased mine from Amazon.


Cassie I have read the same thing, to much is just as bad as not enough. Only bolus if I see signs they need it. I always research before doing it as well. Thank you. We're trying.

5danehouse the swelling I have read about. since a doe we will be getting who is not yet weaned has this problem. From my understanding its either a lack of iodine causing the thyroid to swell. But can also swell from to much iodine. I have yet to find any information on how much iodine a goat needs. If the swelling is under her throat. Not 100% sure if the hair loss on the back is caused by copper deficiency. Have you checked out fiascofarms.com?

 

[rrand5]

Hi, while on the topic of deficiencies, I have just acquired a saan doe.  She came with a pair of donkeys and she is still trying to decide if she is a goat or a donkey.  One of the donkeys savaged one of my goats so the saan doesn't have the choice of being with whoever she wants anymore. (Just background regarding the stresses she is under: new place, different herd, and missing proper minerals and salts before she came to me.) So, the saan has developed a swelling under her chin.  It doesn't seem to be interfering with her eating and she hasn't lost any weight since the lumps came up, but, now she has started losing all the hair along her back.  It is coming out in handfuls.  Are the swelling and the hair loss signs of a goiter or could it be something else?  Does anyone have any advice?  Treatment? Types of minerals and or salts to add?  ( My herd is a mixed flock of goats and sheep, so I have been using sheep minerals, no copper, for everyone.  The flock is on pasture now and mixed grass hay during the winter No grain.)
Thanks.

Depending on where the swelling is it could be CL, I believe that hair loss goes along with that diseases. We unfortunately didn't do enough research before purchasing our first goat and ended up purchasing a Nubian that had CL. Within a few months she started to develop a large lump on her neck where the lymph node is. We got to the vet before it burst, and the vet confirmed that it was CL. The rest of our goats tested clean, thank goodness. If you have other goats you will want to rule out CL as quickly as possible, if that is an abcess and it burst the odds of it infecting your other goats are very high.
Rebecca

 

[rrand5]

https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/as/as-595-commondiseases.pdf
I found this article that has lots of information and pictures, it may be helpful in diagnosing the issue with your Saanen.
Rebecca

 

[cassie]

Depending on where the swelling is it could be CL, I believe that hair loss goes along with that diseases. We unfortunately didn't do enough research before purchasing our first goat and ended up purchasing a Nubian that had CL. Within a few months she started to develop a large lump on her neck where the lymph node is. We got to the vet before it burst, and the vet confirmed that it was CL. The rest of our goats tested clean, thank goodness. If you have other goats you will want to rule out CL as quickly as possible, if that is an abcess and it burst the odds of it infecting your other goats are very high.
Rebecca

People get hysterical when confronted with the possibility of CL. It is nasty, but it isn't all that hard to control or get rid of no matter what people may tell you. Not all abscesses are CL, but it is best to treat them as if they are. Since the primary way CL is spread is from exposure to pus from a draining abscess, you have to make sure that doesn't happen. My guess is the abscess under the chin is due to an injury of some sort. The hair falling out could be from lice (they are hard to see), a fungus infection, or a nutritional deficiency. Treat the goat for lice, worm her if you haven't already and keep an eye on the abscess. Lance it when it is ripe. If you want detailed instructions on how to do this, or how to deal with CL, PM me. Unfortunately, I have had a lot of experience in dealing with it. I had it in my herd and I got rid of it. Didn't have to send everything to slaughter or burn down the barn to so so either.

 

[rrand5]

People get hysterical when confronted with the possibility of CL.  It is nasty, but it isn't all that hard to control or get rid of no matter what people may tell you. Not all abscesses are CL, but it is best to treat them as if they are. Since the primary way CL is spread is from exposure to pus from a draining abscess, you have to make sure that doesn't happen.  My guess is the abscess under the chin is due to an injury of some sort.  The hair falling out could be from lice (they are hard to see), a fungus infection, or a nutritional deficiency. Treat the goat for lice, worm her if you haven't already and keep an eye on the abscess.  Lance it when it is ripe.  If you want detailed instructions on how to do this, or how to deal with CL, PM me.  Unfortunately, I have had a lot of experience in dealing with it.  I had it in my herd and I got rid of it.  Didn't have to send everything to slaughter or burn down the barn to so so either.

I was only offering advice based upon personal experience, which I was under the impression a forum is for. I guess I missed the part of my post where I mention that it is definitely CL and the barn should be burnt and the goat slaughtered. Since op doesn't state exactly where the lump is and if the goat is vaccinated, CL doesn't seem that out of the question. My goat didn't experience weight or appetite loss, but did have the exact same two symptoms as op discussed. If you have found a cure for CL you should share it with veterinarians because the popular consensus between them is that there is no cure.

 

[The scrambler]

Rebecca copper bolus you can get off of amazon. It's like a giant pill with copper rods inside. I weigh my goats, break open the pill and make sure they're getting right dose. From what I have read is 1 gram per 20lbs. Not sure if you can get from feed store. I purchased mine from Amazon.


Cassie I have read the same thing, to much is just as bad as not enough. Only bolus if I see signs they need it. I always research before doing it as well. Thank you. We're trying.

5danehouse the swelling I have read about. since a doe we will be getting who is not yet weaned has this problem. From my understanding its either a lack of iodine causing the thyroid to swell. But can also swell from to much iodine. I have yet to find any information on how much iodine a goat needs. If the swelling is under her throat. Not 100% sure if the hair loss on the back is caused by copper deficiency. Have you checked out fiascofarms.com?

Great information, thank you so much!! It was very helpful to me as well.