***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[nnbreeder]

Been a rough morning here. One of our goats was found dead about 7. Checked the others over & a few were very bloated (since they had not eaten yet, they are usually slim looking in the AM). 2 had direha then within an hour another did. Goat #3 Carmel barely look bloated at first. Within 2 hours of discovery she had trippled in size & died. We were holding her & trying to give her meds when she went down. It was awful. Bambie isn't showing any symptoms of bloating & is eating & drinking well. we put her in a pen alone & she is screaming about it for hours now. Blizzard has burped multiple times which made me feel better. Still haven't had alot of response out of sky. I began to think about the nitrates. with the dry ground I imagine the nitrates in my pasture are climbing. Scared us allowing them to forage is what killed them. Of course DH is out on a range, but promises he will be home tonight. Us girls are filthy & gross after several hours of holding & massaging the goats while trying to treat them with goat bloat. We came in to wash up grab a bite to eat then going back out to tend to them some more.

I am not certain I have a nitrate issue, but told the kids goats only get hay & goat feed until futher notice. They are not to come out of there cage.

sounds like bloat which can even affect dogs and cats. Drop the feed for now and feed them straight grass hay until you can research this out better. Are any of the kids giving them exta feed? A goat or sheep can be killed with too much grain

 

[nnbreeder]

Here is what the Merck manual says about bloat. It's a long read and mainly geared towards cattle.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/21705.htm

 

[Gigiintheforest]

jcat, I'm so sorry for your loss. We have four pygmys and we love them so much. Losing one would be terrible. I'm sending you lots of good wishes for the rest of them.

 

[nnbreeder]

Nitrate poisoning from the same source.

Signs of nitrite poisoning usually appear suddenly due to tissue hypoxia and low blood pressure as a consequence of vasodilation. Rapid, weak heartbeat with subnormal body temperature, muscular tremors, weakness, and ataxia are early signs of toxicosis when methemoglobinemia reaches 30-40%. Brown, cyanotic mucous membranes develop rapidly as methemoglobinemia exceeds 50%. Dyspnea, tachypnea, anxiety, and frequent urination are common. Some monogastric animals, usually because of excess nitrate exposure from nonplant sources, exhibit salivation, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and gastric hemorrhage. Affected animals may die suddenly without appearing ill, in terminal anoxic convulsions within 1 hr, or after a clinical course of 12-24 hr or longer. Acute lethal toxicoses almost always are due to development of ³80% methemoglobinemia. Under certain conditions, adverse effects may not be apparent until animals have been eating nitrate-containing forages for days to weeks. Some animals that develop marked dyspnea recover but then develop interstitial pulmonary emphysema and continue to suffer respiratory distress; most of these recover fully within 10-14 days. Abortion and stillbirths may be seen in some cattle 5-14 days after excessive nitrate/nitrite exposure, but likely only in cows that have survived a ³50% methemoglobinemia for 6-12 hr or longer. Prolonged exposure to excess nitrate coupled with cold stress and inadequate nutrition may lead to the alert downer cow syndrome ( Problematic Bovine Recumbency: Introduction) in pregnant beef cattle; sudden collapse and death can result.

The entire article.


http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/212300.htm

 

[nnbreeder]

Here is the link for Langston University or as I like to call it the collage that goats built.

http://www2.luresext.edu/


They have several good reads at the bottom of the goat page and you can complete a pasture grading course online.

Once yearly they have what is called a goat field day where there are many different classes on the care and raising of goats along with workshops on cheese making and other good things to do with stuff that comes out of a goat.

And bring the kids because the students have activities for them to do while the parents are out learning.

 

[MacGuyver]

Been a rough morning here. One of our goats was found dead about 7. Checked the others over & a few were very bloated (since they had not eaten yet, they are usually slim looking in the AM). 2 had direha then within an hour another did. Goat #3 Carmel barely look bloated at first. Within 2 hours of discovery she had trippled in size & died. We were holding her & trying to give her meds when she went down. It was awful. Bambie isn't showing any symptoms of bloating & is eating & drinking well. we put her in a pen alone & she is screaming about it for hours now. Blizzard has burped multiple times which made me feel better. Still haven't had alot of response out of sky. I began to think about the nitrates. with the dry ground I imagine the nitrates in my pasture are climbing. Scared us allowing them to forage is what killed them. Of course DH is out on a range, but promises he will be home tonight. Us girls are filthy & gross after several hours of holding & massaging the goats while trying to treat them with goat bloat. We came in to wash up grab a bite to eat then going back out to tend to them some more.

I am not certain I have a nitrate issue, but told the kids goats only get hay & goat feed until futher notice. They are not to come out of there cage.

Oh my gosh. I am so sorry.

 

[MacGuyver]

It was a cool pic, though. Like you were in Africa.

They make the place look a little exotic, don't they?

 

[MacGuyver]

I had dreams of letting my broody moms raise my chickie doos in the flock all together, but my dreams have been dashed by cruel reality. I have lost more of my chicks today. Gary is going to have to build me a broody pen w/ a covered run.

Oh how frustrating! I am so sorry. I lost a LOT of littles to that ****** hawk last year. Once they get pretty big he leaves them alone, but when they're little, those nasty things just can't stay away.

 

[Poco Pollo]

Been a rough morning here... Scared us allowing them to forage is what killed them. ...

I am not certain I have a nitrate issue, but told the kids goats only get hay & goat feed until futher notice. They are not to come out of there cage.

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. I hope the rest will make a full recovery soon.

Les - Thanks for the Langston link/info. My husband's father talks on and on about how good the goat husbandry program is at Langston.

 

[bigokie37]

hows everyone