# Goats won't take herbal dewormer



## Georgiamainers (Mar 22, 2011)

I purchased the herbal dewormer from Hoegger's.  I tried giving it to them plain, they turned their  noses up to it.  Then I added some goodies like molasses, corn, a little rolled oats, shredded carrots to make what looks like a no-baked cookie.  They nibbled a little and sneezed and walked away.  I could tell they really Wanted to eat it, but it was a no-go.  Any tricks up your sleeve????  Thanks!

 and who said goats will eat ANYTHING???


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## RainySunday (Mar 22, 2011)

I'd keep trying it, maybe it'll take more than once to get them to take it?  The first time I gave my girls the herbal (Molly's) I just drenched it, so I know they got it.  Last night I just sprinkled it on food and they nibbled around it and left most of it.  SO tonight I will drench it again, but then I am going to make up a dosage ball for the next go round.

Good luck!


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## Georgiamainers (Mar 22, 2011)

Good, I'll be patient.  I was glad to get some of it into them, then I just left the rest in their feeder.
How would I do a drench, just add water and squirt it down their throat??  How do you do it??


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## RainySunday (Mar 22, 2011)

Yeah, I bought a drench syringe/gun from hoeggars ( I think), mix the wormer with enough water to suck it up the syringe and squirt it in (towards the back so they can't spit it back out).  They didn't seem to mind it much.


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 22, 2011)

nurturingnaturally said:
			
		

> Yeah, I bought a drench syringe/gun from hoeggars ( I think), mix the wormer with enough water to suck it up the syringe and squirt it in (towards the back so they can't spit it back out).  They didn't seem to mind it much.


I use Molly's instead of Hoegger's but I'm sure administration is similar and the above is how I give the herbal wormer to the babies and it worked well.  For my adult does, the first time I gave it to them for each doe I added 1 Tbsp wormer, 1/2 Tbsp molasses, and 1/2 Tbsp. slippery elm powder.  I mixed that together until it made a dough like consistancy and broke it into two separate little balls.  Then I rolled them each in just a sprinkling more of slippery elm powder - just to coat them so they weren't so sticky to handle.  My goats gobbled them up that way.  After that I just sprinkled it on their feed and they ate it.


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## damummis (Mar 22, 2011)

My wormer from Hoegger's just came today.  Thanks for the tips.


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## Georgiamainers (Mar 22, 2011)

So I was reading on Molly's Herbals that Worm Wood in a dewormer is not safe for pregnant or lactating does.  What's your experience with this?? Hoegger's has this in it, now I'm concerned.  One doe is pregnant the other I'm milking.


http://fiascofarm.com/herbs/wormer.htm


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## DonnaBelle (Mar 22, 2011)

I wouldn't deworm them until I had a fecal test done.  You know, grab some poop and take it to the vet to do a worm count and find out what kind of worms.  Then he can suggest what to do if they do indeed have worms.

I don't know about the herbal wormer.  I gave it to my goats last year, but they still had worms.  I think it matters what kind/size of goats, what kind of lot or pasture they are in and your location in the US.

I take a fecal in to my vet in Spring, Summer and Fall and dose according to my vet's instructions.

DonnaBelle


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## Georgiamainers (Mar 22, 2011)

They seem very healthy.  Only thing I noticed is that the togg has real clumpy poop but then again she just kidded last week.  Maybe it's just her body recovering.


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 22, 2011)

DonnaBelle said:
			
		

> I wouldn't deworm them until I had a fecal test done.  You know, grab some poop and take it to the vet to do a worm count and find out what kind of worms.  Then he can suggest what to do if they do indeed have worms.
> 
> I don't know about the herbal wormer.  I gave it to my goats last year, but they still had worms.  I think it matters what kind/size of goats, what kind of lot or pasture they are in and your location in the US.
> 
> ...


But with the herbal wormers, your using it as a preventative more often than as a fix, so you DO want to use it if the fecal comes back clean.  If I had a fecal come back showing worms, unless it was a very mild case, I would reach for the ivomec or whatever would be suitable.  The herbals are preventative measure - so we hopefully don't have to use the stronger stuff.


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## freemotion (Mar 22, 2011)

Georgiamainers said:
			
		

> They seem very healthy.  Only thing I noticed is that the togg has real clumpy poop but then again she just kidded last week.  Maybe it's just her body recovering.


They will often have a big bloom of worms right after kidding, so I just worm with a heavy dose of the wormwood blend and watch them closely, and do a fecal a few days later.  It has worked for me.   I do have Ivomec in the fridge just in case and have used it on occasion.

You can also make the herbal balls by mixing with molasses and coating with slippery elm bark powder.  Restrain the goat and stuff those balls way, way back and hold the mouth shut, but hold the head level.  Hold your hand in front of the mouth as they can still work the stuff out of their mouths even with you holding it shut!  I found that most (not all) of my goats either took it willingly after they got a taste this way, or still made me work to get it into them but didn't argue at all.


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## Georgiamainers (Mar 23, 2011)

Guess I should change the title of the thread because they are gobbling the herbal wormer down now!     I'm going to stop giving it to the pregnant doe until she kids.  They do not like it mixed with their grain, but instead with rolled oats, mollasses, and some carrot/pear chunks. 

Thanks for the tips!


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## Our7Wonders (Mar 23, 2011)

freemotion said:
			
		

> They will often have a big bloom of worms right after kidding, so I just worm with a heavy dose of the wormwood blend and watch them closely, and do a fecal a few days later.  It has worked for me.   I do have Ivomec in the fridge just in case and have used it on occasion.


I was a little nervous with this kidding season and while I know the herbs can work I wanted to make sure they were working for us - I just had my vet run a fecal on Ariel yesterday, 3 weeks post kidding and there was only one egg found.  Looks like the herbals are still cuttin' it!


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