# Thin Lamancha



## Blue Dog Farms (Jan 2, 2012)

So one of my does just will not gain weight. She stays thin no matter what I do. She is one of my milkers but we stopped milking her in October because of this. Her coat is fine and health seams fine other than the fact that shes skinny.  
Ifeed ADM grain 2xs daily and mineral with free choice hay. I also give alfalfa in the mornings to the girls. I have recntly added fresh start to their ration. Waterer has automic waterers so thats not an issue. Shes been wormer and eye lids are pink. Any other ideas? A little back ground When I got her she was thin and her coat was really rough. She had her 2 doelings still nursing during the day and she was being milked in the a.m.. We continued milking her and got nutrition up, her coat came around but the weight just wont come back. Doelings are still with her but she is dry now and still the weight is not good. Now we did just recently switch to adm from Lucas goat but Lucas is a good feed also.


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## DKRabbitry (Jan 2, 2012)

Just curious... you said she was wormed and you checked her eyelids and they look okay.  What type of wormer did you use?  The eyelid check just checks for one type of worm.  I would probably have a fecal done and see if either a) your worms are resistant to the wormer you used, or b) it is a different type of worm that might need a different type of wormer.
How old is she? How long have you had her?

It is good her coat condition is coming around.  When I get lamanchas in less than stellar condition, that is how it just sort of seems to work.  They start acting better, the coat gets better, then they start gaining weight.  The fact that she is filled out around the lower part of her ribs is a promising sign to me.  Dealing with an emaciated horse and thin goats, I notice that the topline where her spine is will probably be the last thing to fill out again.  Drying her up was a good idea, that takes a lot out of them.  She may just need time to bounce back from kidding and poor nutrition prior to you getting her.  And, depending on her age/bloodlines, she may never fill out as much as you think she should.  

Hope someone else will chime in with nutritional tips.  The super skinny ones I got seemed to bounce back pretty well with free-choice mineral, better alfalfa hay twice/day, and a little bit grain once/day (the grain I feed is 50% oats, 50% Dumor goat sweet feed.  ADM is probably a lot better, I use that brand for my rabbits and when I had horses).  Oh and wormed with both a clear wormer (ivermectin) for the round worms, and another wormer (valbazen or praziquantel) for tapes and other things (but not that if they are pregnant).


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## Blue Dog Farms (Jan 2, 2012)

I have used valbazon and ivermec


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## ksalvagno (Jan 2, 2012)

Have you had a fecal done? That would be my next step.

You can add things like alfalfa pellets and beet pulp. ADM also has a 36% concentrate that you might consider adding.


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## DKRabbitry (Jan 2, 2012)

Ooooo I didn't think of Beet Pulp.  That was one of the first things recommended to me with my horse.  Do you need to soak it for goats?
Also, maybe something like Calf Manna, Manna Pro or some other show supplement?  They are generally high in fats and protiens to build pretty muscles and hair coats.  Just trying to think of suggestions...

ETA: BOSS is supposed to be good too I believe....


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## ksalvagno (Jan 2, 2012)

You can soak it for goats but I never have. It is already shredded. I guess I should say get the shredded or pelleted beet pulp, in case your area has it in some other form.


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## Blue Dog Farms (Jan 2, 2012)

I do give alfalfa in the morning and I was giving beet pulp with no luck so I stopped.


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## ksalvagno (Jan 2, 2012)

You could always add the Calf Manna too.

I would still get a fecal done and make sure they test for coccidia too. Then you can rule out parasite problems if it comes out negative or appropriately treat what parasites do show up.

If she were here, I wouldn't be breeding her until I could get her weight up. She is too thin to carry a pregnancy and then go into milking. I know you are trying your best to get weight on her. I think it will be a matter of really trying different things until something works. You may also want to have her tested for Johnes. I believe some type of fecal test is accurate for that.


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## Mzyla (Jan 2, 2012)

Poor thing...looks really "boney"....
But,,, she looks more "old" to me then skinny, because her belly on a bottom looks pretty big.
It is possible that she is very old?

I have LaManchas too, but only two of them, so I can pamper them.
They eating human cereal (all variety), apples, and running free all day; picking all the goodies from the forest.
Minerals I mix with their grain-this way I make sure they eat it.

I hope and wish you whole-heartedly that your goat will improve!

This is Molly - -9.5 months old.


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## Blue Dog Farms (Jan 2, 2012)

Shes not old, shes 2 1/2. Shes being great feed and minerals and hay. I think maybe its that shes a heavy milker and got down and now shes taking a while to get back up. Thanks for the advice. Im going to keep trying. In the mean time she will not be bred. I was looking at her today and shes looking a little better. Im thinking of getting newer pics and comparing them to this one that was taken a few weeks ago.


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## 20kidsonhill (Jan 2, 2012)

Blue Dog Farms said:
			
		

> Shes not old, shes 2 1/2. Shes being great feed and minerals and hay. I think maybe its that shes a heavy milker and got down and now shes taking a while to get back up. Thanks for the advice. Im going to keep trying. In the mean time she will not be bred. I was looking at her today and shes looking a little better. Im thinking of getting newer pics and comparing them to this one that was taken a few weeks ago.


In my experience it can take 3 to 4 months to put weight back on. I would just keep feeding her twice a day grain mixture and all the hay she can eat. I have had good luck with the beet pulp puttig weight on a thin  doe.  It may not hurt to  worm her again and run a treatment round of cocci medicine through her. She can't afford to be wormy/parasitic at this point.


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## Blue Dog Farms (Jan 2, 2012)

Going to hit them all with Ivermec tomorrow, its time anyway. I will try beat pulp again, cant hurt and it will be nice to soak it with warm water on these cold nights. I live in Florida so most nights its not bad but tomorrow its going to get 23. Brrrrrr. This Florida girl isnt use to that cold lol


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## Blue Dog Farms (Jan 8, 2012)

Well Ms. Juno is looking better. Day by day she gets a little thicker. Her ribs arent nearly as prominant. Im feeling much better. I will post pics soon to see what you think.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Jan 8, 2012)

Rice bran oil is also good for putting on weight.  A friend of ours that shows sheep gives it to hers for the months leading up to fair season. 120 cc per day. About 1/4 cup per sheep/goat.  Start with a smaller amount to work them up to that much oil and then back off it they get loose poop.


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## zzGypsy (Jan 8, 2012)

current thinking out here is to worm when you have a reason to, not on a schedule... seems to reduce the rate at which worms become resistant.  ivermectin is useless where we are, everything is resistant to it.  

get a fecal, find out if she needs worming, and find out what wormer is working in your area.  10 days later, get a second fecal to see if it worked - this is how you find out if your worms are resistant or not.

have your vet check for coccidia too - not typically a problem in adults, but it can be a cause of malnutrition.

might try sweetlicks meatmaker protien/mineral block, that can be a big help with adding weight.  we also offer both goat minerals and white salt block.  and you might go to 100% alfalfa hay if she's not on it.  I don't feed this for maintenance, but it can really help with weight gain.  switch over slowly and watch her poop for issues when you do.

might try some probios to make sure she's got proper gut flora as well.

good luck!


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