My friend's goats are getting skinnier and skinnier...

[Emmetts Dairy]

Call the vet!! Really...she may think "VET $$$$$" But my vet here in NH charges $10.00 for me to bring a fecal sample down for him to test. It maybe suprisingly cheaper than she thinks!!! And it may make a world of differance for those goaties if she treats for the right worms. If its a wormload that causing this issue.

Is that hay moldey at all...That will make them very sick as well besides whats in it.

Water , water, water is extremely important. If they are not getting enough water...well she just needs to get out there with buckets of warm water and make sure they do...sorry to sound crass!! But there rumens need water to function properly. They will freeze to death if they dont get enough water up here!!! The best time for her to bring it is right after they are feed thier feed. They will be thirsty and go for it!!! Morning and evening is when I bring mine out...ya its a chore...but its worth it!!

Also...has she taken a temp??? Anybody have high temps??? I would give them all a Vitiamin B shot for certain!! Thats stuff cheap enough. How bout copper issues? They will lose condition with that for sure? Hows their hair condition?? I just bolused all mine...they were definatley low on copper...its a mineral they must have!

But really...I cant stress enough to get a fecal...it could be something simple and they are gonna waste and die on her...and Im certain she dos'nt want go thru that!!! And if some are pregnant well...she may have aborted babies...and that is not good either.

Im sorry...I hope she can fiqure this out!! The only other recomendation is to call your local Univeristy Extn...they offer alot of free testing and advice...I know for cetain UNH does for sure!!!

Good luck...I hope she can find the root of the issue soon!!! Keep us posted please..Im curious to see what the issue is..if she fiqures it out??

 

[PattySh]

Well, I went and checked out the goats today. Everyone had nice color on their eyelids/gums, no fever, and were all pretty active but thin (3 older does not too bad, younger ones thin). She does have them in compatible groups. Two that had been seperated out a few weeks back and fed more (the two skinniest)were now gaining. At that time she did start feeding grain to everyone but in small quantities. With the haircoats I think she didn't really realize how thin they all were. I had her put hands on and told her you were not supposed to be able to feel between the ribs and I think that is when she realized how thin they were. I think the bad hay (it wasn't moldy but was mulch hay)and no grain started them losing weight but the hay looks fine that she now has, but she was still feeding the same amt and it was agreed that they aren't going to gain weight without upping portions. The two main issues were frozen water and lack of groceries. We did pick out a grain with an anti coccidia ingredient just incase (chose a kid grain with more calories). I think it's agreed that warm water needs to be brought out twice a day and hay in front of them at all times plus a bit more grain for some of them. I went to the grain store with her today, explained the water issue with ruminants and we agreed the feed needed to be upped. My friend is going thru alot right now and is transporting her mominlaw to chemo most days of the week so I really think she didn't notice as she was basically throwing them food and water then herself crashing. I did chores with her teenage daughter and showed both how much feed it would take to put them gaining and it was a bit more than they've been feeding. I'll keep checking on them, but it wasn't as bad as I expected from yesterday's phone call. So I am pretty confident it's all under control.

 

[freemotion]

You are a good friend.

 

[Our7Wonders]

She's very fortunate to have a friend like you - and so are her goats!!

Good job!

 

[SDGsoap&dairy]

She is lucky to have someone supportive who can help and educate her without being critical.

 

[PattySh]

Thanks for all the support. I think the goats will be fine as long as her finances allow which is a part of the issue. She had made arrangements to have a credit line with a local farmer for hay and pick it up thru the winter and pay as she could and unfortunately he got "horse' people who would pay more for his hay and started selling her the crap stuff and selling his better hay for top dollar. His father would NEVER had done that as she used the same farm for years. We have already had the discussion that maybe she needs to scale back OR make a switch to meat goats and sell the babies for meat before winter to make a profit to feed the others. She does have access to a local man who would buy all meat kids produced and he pays well.She loves to milk and loves goats in general but her family does not drink the milk nor will they use goat milk in any way so she was basically feeding pigs with it whereas my family loves the milk and milk products. We discussed possibly switching to boar goats, having fewer does and maybe keeping a few of the current goats to milk to feed her pigs (she raises a couple per year to put in freezer).

 

[Emmetts Dairy]

Great looking out for her Patty. Sorry for what shes going thru...thats never easy. Glad to hear they are gaining a bit!!

Nice that you got the kids to pitch in for help her too!!!

 

[PattySh]

I went over and did chores again with my friend. I took up a 200W tank heater that fits a plastic water tub so she has a good size water supply that won't cost a fortune to run. It's in a large pen with everyone but the wether and the buck. It will make hauling water alot easier. They all look so much better after just a couple days on more feed. THEN the both of us snuck out and bought my daughter a 26th b'day present. (PIC on the raising baby goat section!)

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm glad things are improving for your friend.