New goats with mushy poop--diet or Coccidiosis?

[Genipher]

I wasn't sure where, exactly, to post this so I'm asking here.

We got 2 (supposedly) pregnant Nigerian Dwarf goats last week, they're roughly 14 months old. They've been here 8 days now. Yesterday I noticed some clumpy poop but thought it belonged to our pig, who had managed to get to our top tier. Had to sort of force him back down the stairs and I thought he "stress pooped" or something. lol. In hindsight, his poop is nothing like what I saw so I'm not sure what I was thinking.

This morning, I noticed several poops in the goat area that are mushy. Thought it was chicken poop at first but the chickens hadn't been let loose and the poop wasn't there the night before.

Both goats are running around eating. They share water with the ducks, chickens, and dogs. We haven't wormed them yet. Looks like they might need copper (I just ordered some since our feed store doesn't carry it). They seem healthy and happy.

I'm not sure if the change in poop is from their diet (we give them goat pellets, COB, BOSS, grass hay, and they range the yard eating blackberry leaves, etc). Though, they honestly aren't eating much of the grain-stuff at all. Or could it be coccidiosis? Our vet charges and arm and leg for everything so I'd like to figure this out without resorting to a big vet bill. If Coccidiosis, is there an over-the-counter I can give them? Or should I just wait a couple of days and see if they adjust to the new browse?

 

[misfitmorgan]

It is likely diet change but could be cocci, cocci bloom after moves or live stresses. You should be fine to treat for cocci and yes there is over the counter. There is a product called corid and there are many "medicated" feeds that treat cocci. Corid is off-label use for anything other then cows. Any Tractor supply or similar feed store will have the feed which honestly is easier and actually on-label. Any goat feed listed as medicated, DQ, or Deccox is for treating or keeping cocci at bay and would work for you. We started using the home fresh brand medicated for weaning lambs and have no complaint. Home fresh is a brand of Blue Seal/Kent which are both pretty quality companies.

 

[Genipher]

It is likely diet change but could be cocci, cocci bloom after moves or live stresses. You should be fine to treat for cocci and yes there is over the counter. There is a product called corid and there are many "medicated" feeds that treat cocci. Corid is off-label use for anything other then cows. Any Tractor supply or similar feed store will have the feed which honestly is easier and actually on-label. Any goat feed listed as medicated, DQ, or Deccox is for treating or keeping cocci at bay and would work for you. We started using the home fresh brand medicated for weaning lambs and have no complaint. Home fresh is a brand of Blue Seal/Kent which are both pretty quality companies.

I think our girls might have lice, too. sigh. When it rains, it pours.

They aren't eating any grains. They just completely ignore it. Still happily munching on all the greenery, though. I checked our goat feed and it's not medicated. Either way, they're not eating it so I'll need to get the over the counter stuff you mentioned.

Called our vet just to see how much a fecal would cost. $72.50!! Yikes. I think we'll be buying our own microscope and learning how to run fecals ourselves!

 

[Baymule]

Owning your own microscope will set you free! It is a wonderful tool to monitor the health of your goats or sheep.

Fias Co Farm/Goats: How to to do home Fecal Testing

Doing Your Own Fecals - Worms and Parasites - GOATWORLD.COM

Goat World provides a comprehensive information and community site where goat people can discuss care, breeding, buying, selling, and just having fun raising goats of all kinds!

www.goatworld.com

Sheep 201: Internal parasite (worm) control

www.sheep101.info

This is a good site

https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/files/McMaster-Test_Final3.pdf

I bought my slide kit from Amazon, it had everything I needed.

Fecal Egg Count Supply - McMaster Method, by FEC Source. Fecal/Worm Egg Count for Parasites for Veterinary Use. Livestock Parasite Management. Check Dewormer Efficacy. FECRT Reference Guide Included.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Fecal Egg Count Supply - McMaster Method, by FEC Source. Fecal/Worm Egg Count for Parasites for Veterinary Use. Livestock Parasite Management. Check Dewormer Efficacy. FECRT Reference Guide Included.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

I collect the fecal sample by using a disposable glove, insert 1 finger in the anus, then 2, get some poop and turn the glove inside out, keeping the poop inside. Then I write the sheep's name on the glove. I put the gloves in a zip lock bag to keep them together until I'm through.

Don't pick up poop off the ground, it is contaminated.

 

[Genipher]

Owning your own microscope will set you free! It is a wonderful tool to monitor the health of your goats or sheep.

Fias Co Farm/Goats: How to to do home Fecal Testing

Doing Your Own Fecals - Worms and Parasites - GOATWORLD.COM

Goat World provides a comprehensive information and community site where goat people can discuss care, breeding, buying, selling, and just having fun raising goats of all kinds!

www.goatworld.com

Sheep 201: Internal parasite (worm) control

www.sheep101.info

This is a good site

https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/files/McMaster-Test_Final3.pdf

I bought my slide kit from Amazon, it had everything I needed.

Fecal Egg Count Supply - McMaster Method, by FEC Source. Fecal/Worm Egg Count for Parasites for Veterinary Use. Livestock Parasite Management. Check Dewormer Efficacy. FECRT Reference Guide Included.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Fecal Egg Count Supply - McMaster Method, by FEC Source. Fecal/Worm Egg Count for Parasites for Veterinary Use. Livestock Parasite Management. Check Dewormer Efficacy. FECRT Reference Guide Included.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

I collect the fecal sample by using a disposable glove, insert 1 finger in the anus, then 2, get some poop and turn the glove inside out, keeping the poop inside. Then I write the sheep's name on the glove. I put the gloves in a zip lock bag to keep them together until I'm through.

Don't pick up poop off the ground, it is contaminated.

Oh, my. Thank you so much! This is an awesome resource of links.

 

[Genipher]

Owning your own microscope will set you free! It is a wonderful tool to monitor the health of your goats or sheep.

Fias Co Farm/Goats: How to to do home Fecal Testing

Doing Your Own Fecals - Worms and Parasites - GOATWORLD.COM

Goat World provides a comprehensive information and community site where goat people can discuss care, breeding, buying, selling, and just having fun raising goats of all kinds!

www.goatworld.com

Sheep 201: Internal parasite (worm) control

www.sheep101.info

This is a good site

https://web.uri.edu/sheepngoat/files/McMaster-Test_Final3.pdf

I bought my slide kit from Amazon, it had everything I needed.

Fecal Egg Count Supply - McMaster Method, by FEC Source. Fecal/Worm Egg Count for Parasites for Veterinary Use. Livestock Parasite Management. Check Dewormer Efficacy. FECRT Reference Guide Included.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

Fecal Egg Count Supply - McMaster Method, by FEC Source. Fecal/Worm Egg Count for Parasites for Veterinary Use. Livestock Parasite Management. Check Dewormer Efficacy. FECRT Reference Guide Included.: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific

www.amazon.com

I collect the fecal sample by using a disposable glove, insert 1 finger in the anus, then 2, get some poop and turn the glove inside out, keeping the poop inside. Then I write the sheep's name on the glove. I put the gloves in a zip lock bag to keep them together until I'm through.

Don't pick up poop off the ground, it is contaminated.

Oh, what kind of microscope would you recommend?

 

[Baymule]

I got mine from Home Science Tools online. I use the 10X setting.
When using the McMaster slides, find the blue line and adjust settings until the line is sharp and clear. Then the worm eggs will be sharp and easy to see.

I did fecals today. I set everything on paper towels and write sheep’s name in front of their beaker. I have a sheet of paper with names written on it, when I see a worm egg, I make a mark by the name. Today they were all in great condition! Each egg= 1 mark times 50. So 2 eggs = 100 which is VERY good. Looking back at fecal tests of sheep that are no longer here, they had counts in the thousands, TERRIBLE! The highest count I ever had was over 12 thousand. I don’t know how she wasn’t dead! Incidentally the eye membranes were pink, not bright pink, but not pale. Being able to KNOW how infested they were was a HUGE help in determining which ones to cull.

If you need help, I’ll help you all I can.

 

[Genipher]

I got mine from Home Science Tools online. I use the 10X setting.
When using the McMaster slides, find the blue line and adjust settings until the line is sharp and clear. Then the worm eggs will be sharp and easy to see.

I did fecals today. I set everything on paper towels and write sheep’s name in front of their beaker. I have a sheet of paper with names written on it, when I see a worm egg, I make a mark by the name. Today they were all in great condition! Each egg= 1 mark times 50. So 2 eggs = 100 which is VERY good. Looking back at fecal tests of sheep that are no longer here, they had counts in the thousands, TERRIBLE! The highest count I ever had was over 12 thousand. I don’t know how she wasn’t dead! Incidentally the eye membranes were pink, not bright pink, but not pale. Being able to KNOW how infested they were was a HUGE help in determining which ones to cull.

If you need help, I’ll help you all I can.

View attachment 86376

Thank you! I'll need to get the microscope and kit but I'll definitely come back and ask for help. The whole running a fecal thing is pretty neat. I never thought I'd find poop so exciting.

 

[Baymule]

I know exactly what you mean!
Just so you know, giving birth seems to wake up the worms and there is a “bloom” or increase, same with weaning.

 

[Genipher]

I know exactly what you mean!
Just so you know, giving birth seems to wake up the worms and there is a “bloom” or increase, same with weaning.

Good to know. I didn't realize birth was that stressful for them.