# Iodine deficiency?



## Cooperkeeper (May 5, 2011)

I am learning all I can here as I want to add a couple dairy goat kids to our farm this spring.  As all of you seem such a wealth of information and experience I hope you can give some insight here.
A neighbor acquired Boers last year and was looking forward to his first kidding season this spring. He just told me that his kids were born with goiters and was told our soil in the northeast (We live in SW Michigan) is lacking in iodine and would cause this.  I know selenium in and copper deficiencies have been spoken of at length here, but have not seen anything on iodine.  Anyone heard of this and could a good free choice mineral have prevented this.  He told me he had a goat mineral block from TSC available to them...but no other supplements.
Look forward to reading your responses.  Thanks.


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## 20kidsonhill (May 5, 2011)

A good free-choice mineral for goats, can prevent a lot of problems.  Iodine deficiency in soil isn't as wide spread as Selenium and copper, but yes I have heard of it.  Blocks are pretty much a waste of money, just my opinion. Occasionally, I run out of a mineral feeder and throw a cattle block in a pen just to keep the animal drinking lots of water.


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## Emmetts Dairy (May 5, 2011)

I agree..a free choice GOAT SPECIFIC loose mineral should be fine and will help.  

You can add a salt like too if you like.  But I use loose minerals myself as well.

Dried kelp may help...but it may get pricey since your in the middle of the country??


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## elevan (May 5, 2011)

I have a neighbor who lost an adult pygmy goat to iodine deficiency. And her other pygmy and 2 boer does were deficient as tested by a vet.  She didn't provide any minerals to her goats at all.  Not in any shape or form.  She is the only goat owner that I know of that had a problem with iodine deficiency.  She had a vet test them but never did a thing to correct the problem.

IMHO a simple loose mineral could have prevented this.  My goats at all times have access to loose, rock and block minerals.  They all prefer the loose but at times they like to like the rock and block.  I do this simply as a precaution and my goats are spoiled     Occasionally my mini horse will gobble up a bin of the goat's loose and at least I know that they still have access to minerals until I fill it up again (usually within 24 hrs).


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## PJisaMom (May 5, 2011)

Emmetts Dairy said:
			
		

> Dried kelp may help...but it may get pricey since your in the middle of the country??


I'm in West Michigan and can get a 50-lb bag of kelp for somewhere around $60-ish... depending on where I get it.  How does that compare with the NE states?  

I have *tried* to offer free-choice kelp to my goats, but they literally DEVOUR it ALL as soon as I put it out... they will fight to the (near-) death over it.  They get vicious... so I started adding it as a top-dress to the their grain ration, but I'd like to stop graining them at this point (pasture's coming in nicely and they just hit 1 year old).  However, I have a very pregnant momma goat that I really don't want headbutted in an effort to fulfill their kelp habit, so not sure what I'm going to do there, yet.  

That said, it's all beside the point and I'm just rambling now... 

Carry on!  LOL


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## whetzelmomma (May 5, 2011)

LMAO "kelp habit" I love it.


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## chandasue (May 5, 2011)

PJisaMom said:
			
		

> I'm in West Michigan and can get a 50-lb bag of kelp for somewhere around $60-ish... depending on where I get it.  How does that compare with the NE states?


I think that's about the same price here in MN, hence I have not gotten any although I'd love to. I suppose the farther from the coast the more expensive it'll get... $60 could get to be an expensive "habit" if they really love it!


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## 20kidsonhill (May 6, 2011)

PJisaMom said:
			
		

> Emmetts Dairy said:
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Normally when first offering feed free-choice, they will head butt, and be crazy and eat way more than expected, they should settle down after a couple days as long as you leave lots extra out for them and don't let it run out.  

If I run out of loose minerals  for a couple weeks, I swear they eat a half of a 25 lb bag in one day, 
I don't worry about them eating way too much minerals for the first day, but I am not sure about the effects of eating extra kelp.  Put it out in dog food bowels/extra bowels the first couple days, so there are lots of feeding stations, and then onse they stop fighting over it, you can just put it in the main area as long as it doesn't run out.  After a few days they slow way down on consumption and don't act like it is such a big deal.   

Not sure if this will work the same for kelp.


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## PJisaMom (May 6, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> PJisaMom said:
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Thanks for the tip... I do have a mineral feeder hanging that I never put anything in... maybe I'll throw some over there, too.  I have been trying to read anywhere I can about whether or not I can overdose them on kelp... haven't gotten a lot of answers anywhere.  I would *hope* they would slow down with time, but geesh!  Amusing as it is, I'm trying not encourage their less than polite behavior.  

So, I suppose the question then becomes "Can you give TOO MUCH kelp?"

As for the original poster's question... I've been reading about doing Iodine pour-on treatments from the MIGoats group on yahoogroups.  If you're not on there, might be worth checking out.  Good luck!


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