# Alfalfa pellets causing enlarged thyroid glands?



## byardbabe (Jul 18, 2012)

Hi everyone,
We have Nubian Dairy goats,  this is my 3rd kidding season.  This year after reading so much about alfalfa pellets, I decided to offer them to my girls after they kidded. ( they always look so thin)   Well they devoured them.   Anyway after about 6 weeks I noticed that their thyroid glands looked like they were enlarged.  They have free choice manna pro loose mineral for goats as well as Kelp (changed daily), but they were no longer eating these.  I stopped feeding the alfalfa pellets and they are back to eating their minerals and kelp, and I am waiting to see if the thyroid swelling will go down.  Has anybody had a problem like this?
Thanks


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## lilhill (Jul 18, 2012)

I have fed alfalfa pellets for years and never had a problem.  Can't imagine that being the cause of thyroid issues.


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## redtailgal (Jul 18, 2012)

Can you post pics of the swelling?

I wonder if its not bottlejaw.........from a post partum worm bloom.  Check their inner eyes, it should be a bright pink, if not, they are anemic, probably from barberpole worms.


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## Goatherd (Jul 19, 2012)

I feed kelp meal also.  I'm going to throw this out there but have no specific evidence to back up what I'm about to say. 

Kelp meal has iodine as one of it's nutritional components.  Iodine affects the thyroid.  While it is beneficial and necessary for a healthy functioning thyroid, an excess amount may cause a toxicity of iodine and adversely affect the thyroid, possibly causing the swelling.

Feeding large amounts of kelp meal may be the culprit in your specific case rather than the alfalfa pellets.  As has already been mentioned, I would not think alfalfa would not have any bearing on thyroid swelling, if in fact, that is what is swollen.


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## Chris (Jul 19, 2012)

IF it is enlarged Thyroid Glands then there Iodine level is low. I have read were Alfalfa and other goitrogenic feeds can restrict some of the Iodine intake.
If you want to feed Alfalfa or Alfalfa Pellets you may need to find a mineral or feed with a better Iodine content. 

The Kelp Meal that you are feeding should help if is hypothyroid problem since Kelp Meal contains a good amount of Iodine but it might not be enough to counteract the Alfalfa.


Chris


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## byardbabe (Jul 19, 2012)

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the useful comments.  I have also read that an excess or to little iodine can cause the thyroid to swell.  Since I have stopped feeding the alfalfa pellets the swelling seems to be going down.  I will try to get some pictures this afternoon.  As for bottlejaw the swelling is in the neck and not the jaw.  I also have fecals done regularly, and check the eyelids routinely.  Everybody is nice and pink.


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