goats losing weight!

[Jered Norris]

I have two of my alpine does that are losing weight fast for some weird reason. I checked for coccidiosis, worms, indigestion, entertoxemia, Johne's, and CAEV. It's none of them. They are just randomly losing weight and I can't figure out why. My vet and every breeder in my area finds it a mystery as to why they are losing weight.

 

[elevan]

Are they lactating?

 

[Jered Norris]

No though one is pregnant and due in june.

 

[elevan]

Pregnant and losing weight is not good. Here I would try giving them some calf manna...it's high in protein. Also would be giving them plenty of probiotics as good gut flora will increase nutrient absorption. Make sure your hay is good quality. Maybe think about giving B vitamins to increase appetite.

 

[Jered Norris]

I am trying to get calf manna but my feed store ran out recently and I am waiting for them to get more. The minerals and feed I am giving them has all the b vitamins. I am trying to get them off their grain on to the hay instead for a little bit. Ohr hay Is really good quality broke and alfalfa. I gave them more robotics recently and I will give them some more.

 

[moffitthill]

I don't like starting with this kind of sentence... I don't want to scare you but perhaps they have eaten something that has caused a partial obstruction and hopefully not something that may perforate the intestinal if it makes it that far... as that is typically deadly? That is not common but is feasible so may want to consider... do the goats chew wood, etc? It is sounds like you are doing due diligence for their care and having vet checked and the probiotic ( I personally use a human multi probiotic quartered with a pill cutter that is slow release ( don't have to give as much as is meant to make through digestion to intestinal) as it needs to get to the beginning of the intestinal system to where most of the nutrition is absorbed to be most efficient)... and B12 for energy and appetite.

Anyway... be aware that too much probiotic can be detrimental also... if probiotic helps break down nutrition... too much leaves less in there for the animal... I did not know this until my vet informed me.

Also if needing to put on weight... we often over the years have acquired animals in winter that were in bad shape and got them healthy and re-homed... to put weight on horses and goats (kept separate from ours)... we add an extra meal... 3x daily instead of two in winter ... this meal is... for 1-2 goats... or 2-3 dwarfs ... we would give already prepared mix of hydrated beet pulp ( I take an empty large peanut butter jar and fill to just under 1/4 of jar and fill to just over 3/4 from top with liquid to set in house on counter for 24 hours until next feeding -- sometimes for a picky goat I will add licorice tea as some of the liquid)... before you "serve" the beet pulp -- in top of jar's wet mix put a bit of baking soda to avoid poo problems and a couple TBS olive oil (cheaper cooking or can get 25% Olive and oil mix at Gordon's Food Service for great value has a lot of calories and olive oil contains melatonin to help with "winter blues" and makes coat fabulous) and shake well... For goats add 1/2 c kid food (whatever available with vitamin D and if dont have - Noble Goat for extra calories) and for 1/4 c BOSS ... (For horses it is different of course)... after all in mix well and serve Licorice is familiar to goats becasue they are trained with the goat treat pellets that have licorice.
We have always had success putting on weight this way.

Oh...and this might sound absolutely crazy to many but I believe animals can get SAD/"winter blues ... I swear by the melatonin/vitamin D/B12. I also use a heat lamp in unheated barn to help. Happy goats!

 

[taylorm17]

I actually agree with the happy/sad goats. Our goats are much less active this time a year. We do bring them in the garage where it is much warmer and they sleep in a dog Kennel. Today I actually snow shoveled part of their pasture because our one HATES the snow!!!!!!! And the literally ran up and down the plowed area for 20 minutes straight! Also when we bring them in the garage for the cold night instead of their shed, they like to play and stuff before we lock them in the kennels! I am not good with all the medical views of things, but this is just what I do!

 

[moffitthill]

And you do just what you do. taylorm 17. And enjoy your critters. Though a snowblower is much more easy to make path with in winter. I am at top of a hill and the drifting is ridiculous. I always check my perimeter of fencing and area to their play structure before winter so no surprises to break blower and follow fence so they can pretend its a Nascar moment I know a little about a lot of things but am a master of little. I am not a vet and do not give vet advice. I just share what I do to care for my own. I have been around long enough to have seen a good bit and also am a human sponge and love to learn and research when I don't know. I am fortunate to not have had parasite and other issues so do not know remedy so much as prevention. I have a good bit of knowledge regarding diet learned from vet or my own trial and error. I feel that if I can some way help another perhaps save time and money because something I commented worked... that's a good thing. Might save enough in the long run to create opportunity for another critter to have a home out there. All I comment and pass on is not so much advice as it is opinion and/or food for thought. If you know it... no harm done and if you hadn't thought of it before... something to ponder an and make a personal decision to what you fell is best for you and yours. Everyone knows their critters best and not everything in a right or wrong answer. I think the words always and never are greatly misapplied and overused. I just go with what each day brings me and enjoy them. They simply have no idea how them just being them... in play... makes us smile.