Goat with course hair

[BlueMoonFarms]

Nutmeg, my bratty doe, has a really funny thing going on with her coat, and shes really itchy
She feels dry and brittle, yet she was recently de-wormed, a mineral block with a higher copper content was added to the pen a month ago, and she had a lot of shrubbery to munch on with the expansion to the pen.
My other three are fine and feel fine, what can I do to help Nutmeg not be so itchy and get a nice glossy coat?
Perhaps a bath? I can swing that, any suggestions?

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Here itchy, dry skin and coat almost always means mites/lice. After that, you can add calf manna, brewers yeast, or BOSS or wheat germ oil to increase oils in the diet. BOSS really adds shine. Also check if you need selenium. Copper and selenium seem to improve the coats pretty quick if they were deficient.

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Here itchy, dry skin and coat almost always means mites/lice. After that, you can add calf manna, brewers yeast, or BOSS or wheat germ oil to increase oils in the diet. BOSS really adds shine. Also check if you need selenium. Copper and selenium seem to improve the coats pretty quick if they were deficient.

But i've looked them over? There are no mites or lice?
Should I treat her anyway to be safe?

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Not saying you should do this, this is what I do.

I have 3 goats that I can see NO lice on right now, but they have started scratching/rubbing their faces again. I am going to use injectable ivermectin. It takes a few days to notice, but they will stop rubbing as soon as it starts to work. Once the lice/mite problem is solved, the hair starts to recover in the next few weeks. I keep on top of the selenium and copper, and I add a tiny bit of calf manna or BOSS to increase their nutrition when I feel they need it. Milking girls get a bit of grain on the stand. I use Sweetlix minerals, I switched to the meatmaker, since they are on pasture with only a little alfalfa hay for now.

If you don't think you have lice/mites, you can try just nutritional boosters and see if you get the improvement you are looking for.

My first goats were always rubbing their faces on the fence and trees. Jane had a naked nose forever. Then I read about treating for lice and mites and I now know the signs in my own goats that mean we are dealing with these critters again. Once I got on top of the lice, Janes hair on her face came in very full and soft.

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

Not saying you should do this, this is what I do.

I have 3 goats that I can see NO lice on right now, but they have started scratching/rubbing their faces again. I am going to use injectable ivermectin. It takes a few days to notice, but they will stop rubbing as soon as it starts to work. Once the lice/mite problem is solved, the hair starts to recover in the next few weeks. I keep on top of the selenium and copper, and I add a tiny bit of calf manna or BOSS to increase their nutrition when I feel they need it. Milking girls get a bit of grain on the stand. I use Sweetlix minerals, I switched to the meatmaker, since they are on pasture with only a little alfalfa hay for now.

If you don't think you have lice/mites, you can try just nutritional boosters and see if you get the improvement you are looking for.

My first goats were always rubbing their faces on the fence and trees. Jane had a naked nose forever. Then I read about treating for lice and mites and I now know the signs in my own goats that mean we are dealing with these critters again. Once I got on top of the lice, Janes hair on her face came in very full and soft.

I just treated everyone with the powder. How long until I can treat with the Ivermec, and how much do you give them? I assume you put it on the back of there necks like a flea treatment right?
Or do you think the powder will be good enough?

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I use the injectable ivermectin, injected for lice treatment. I use it at 1 ml per 100 lbs. I have heard that pour ons are not very effective on goats, but i haven't tried them (on goat) so I can't share any info on that.

Injected, it won't have a reaction with powder.

 

[BlueMoonFarms]

I use the injectable ivermectin, injected for lice treatment. I use it at 1 ml per 100 lbs. I have heard that pour ons are not very effective on goats, but i haven't tried them (on goat) so I can't share any info on that.

Injected, it won't have a reaction with powder.

We have the Noromectin for cattle and swine, is that the same thing? Or is it a different brand?
Sorry for the questions, I just want to be sure I have it all right.

 

[Southern by choice]

The mites may be biting may be sucking. They require different treatments. Injectibles will not treat biting only sucking.
I would like to add mineral blocks are terrible, usually very high in salt. Not much mineral is really getting to them. Loose minerals are better utilized. Adding sea kelp to the loose minerals helps with all kinds of issues and is also better utilized.

Internal parasites can also cause skin/coat issue. Run a fecal and see what you find.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Yep, Noromectin is the same one I have. 1 percent injectable. I got the dosage from an article/page on here from Elevan.

No worries about the questions

I always get nervous before I try a new treatment on anything. Even when I am sure it is the right thing to do.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I had posted this on another thread for a mineral deficiency question, thought it might be appropriate here too.

If her coat is in really bad shape, has she been treated for worms, lice, mites? Worms can cause nutritional deficiencies if they have a large enough load and lice/mites can cause itchy skin and rubbing to relieve the itch will wear off the coat. This time of year is lice season for us in chickens and goats. Fungal infections can cause hair loss and rough skin.

Once those are ruled out, you can add brewers yeast (it adds amino acids and B vitamins), Boss for protein, magnesium and minerals, or calf manna for added nutritional support. Regular Vitamin E capsules can be popped and poured over her food or you can add wheat (wheat has a decent amount of vitamin E naturally I believe, and E is one of the healing vitamins). Zinc is another vitamin that can help with skin/hair issues, but a quality loose mineral should cover you there.