Thinking of GOATs, read this

[pipermark]

I recently started a small herd of 5 dairy goats and 2 pygmies. Since the end of summer I have had to perfectly healthy look does die. One of the minilamanchas and my favorite, Brownie , the little pygmy doeling.

I found out 2 days ago , thanks to the internet, what was going on. I have a poisonous plant all over my land. It is called Perilla mint. The reason it does its damage in late summer and early fall is because the goats will browse on everything else first and then go for it last.

Here is the reason I am posting this. I learned this from my country extension agent. This is a free service. Mr. Carter came out, walked my property and identified one definite killer foliage and 2 other potentially bad one. There was a third , he wasn't sure of so he took a sample for analysis. Again, this was a free service. I would strongly suggest that anyone thinking of bringing livestock to their land take advantage of this service , before you get the animals.

The agent told me that the reason I still have goats left is probably because I provide them goat chow every day and hay. So they weren't foraging because of hunger , more because of instinct.

 

[crtrlovr]

so sorry about your losses, and thank you for sharing that information for those with goats or who don't know the CE service is available. I hope the rest of your animals fare well and stay healthy. Again, I'm sorry for your losses.

 

[k0xxx]

Great info! We live in Arkansas also and have been considering goats. I will definitely look into it. Thanks again!

 

[ruth]

That's one of my biggest fears.

We got a small herd of 5 Nigerian Dwarfs in August and so far I'm keeping them in their large pen and stables and cutting brush to take to them (along with goat feed and alfalfa) because I'm too afraid to let them browse/forage because of all the toxic plants I read about, including azaleas which surround our property.

I know they really need to browse more because they are getting too fat on the feed but instead I just keep cutting brush I know they can eat and taking it to them. I have one pregnant doe and I'm just too scared to let her out knowing she could eat something toxic.

 

[PotterWatch]

That is one major advantage of not having a ton of property to keep my goats on. Mine will be living in our backyard and there is no "volunteer" vegitation, just things we have planted.

ETA: Sorry to hear about your goats. Glad you were able to find the culprit to keep it from happening again!

 

[lovemychix]

Nice information for us!!!

 

[monarc23]

we lost a few kidds to wilted cherry tree leaves blown down from storms

cherry trees as in the ones that you get "cherry wood" from not cherries you eat though they do produce small berries.

 

[bbRedMom]

We are in Faulkner county. Did he say every county would do it state wide? If so, I'll definitely be giving them a call! Thank you so much. Sorry for your losses.

 

[FlightsofFancy]

I am so very sorry for your loss! I had something similar happen this summer after a tornado went through our property. I almost lost a goat to what we think was Listeriousis which she got from eating toxic plants that blew into their area. (We also think it was Wilted Cherry or Cherry Choke Tree)
I was very persistant and with the help of Helmstead, we brought her back from what was basically a goat coma. The Vet was ready to just let her die, but after she came back, he is now a little more educated on aggressive goat medicine.
***2 things to keep around for toxic ingestions are Banamine (SP?) and Thiamine injections.

 

[Bassleg]

Thanks thats news to me!