Medicated Feed for babies question...

[Southern by choice]

I am a "needs to prove it needs it" kind.
We have never needed to use anything but our region (NC) last year was hit with 3 seasons of rain and we never had a hot summer, unusual here in NC. Last year farm after farm lost many animals, some their whole herds to cocci and barberpole. Many of these farms had NEVER had any cocci or parasite issues... the conditions were just prime though. It was devastating to see, immaculate clean, well cared for animals and some still lost kids.

We run fecals ourselves and do the McMasters Method... so we keep on top of things. I just want to get info from others about different management styles in case we need to do something different.

We don't use and medicated feed for our chickens... we have 300.
we have raised over 1000. We simply have never needed to use it.

Like many that prefer to not give anything med-wise there is always that fine line.... we had a goat with Listeria this year. Anti-biotics had to be given at high enough doses to cross the blood/brain barrier. A lot went into saving an infertile Nigerian pet. The lil' brat will live here forever, I don't regret saving her... but I wouldn't do it again. She will not ever go in the freezer but will remain the little diva she is.. with a slight wobble. LOL

 

[Sweetened]

Thanks 20kids. Sometimes when I try to share an alternative point of view I inadvertently stomp on toes because I didn't come across as as objective as I was trying to be. I like the concept of Monensin, I'll have a look at it so I can understand it a little more (even though it's probable I won't add it to my regimen). Cocci exists naturally, in many different animals, it's when it becomes overabundant that it's an issue. I find medicated feed that eliminates it altogether problematic because, no matter what, it'll be picked back up and without anything to keep it in check (beneficial flora and bacteria, not built up due to nonexposure) it'll run rampant (my experience with the medicated chicks).

Southern, I do agree with you. I manage in an organic, natural fashion. I treat my animals how and with what I treat myself. I believe there's a certain purpose and point to antibiotics and so on: emergency medicine. I'm the kind of person who suffers through pain and grossness until they can't anymore before I turn to something, and I've been snotty nosed, congested chest, graphic other things WITH a migraine getting stuff done without taking anything because I try to give myself a chance to do it on my own. I caved, that particular day, drugged myself up with tylenol and catnip (kid you not) and went to bed. In situations where natural management just isn't helping, I'm promptly on top of getting alternative methods and keeping records on it. I wont allow an animal to suffer.

 

[Southern by choice]

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

All I know is that my babies grow MUCH better on it and maintain their condition a lot better! I don't give it to my milkers because I think on the bag it said not for milking goats, I don't remember but I heard somewhere you shouldn't have them on it if your drinking the milk.

 

[elevan]

It's another tool in the toolchest against coccidia. We used it for quite a while and had no problems with coccidia. Then when we stopped using it we also had prime conditions for coccidia and started having issues. Was it that we stopped the treated feed or was it that we were having prime conditions for them that we had a problem? I don't know the exact answer but it is suspect imo.