New Nubian Doeling

Goatgirl47 · Jul 20, 2016

Yesterday we brought home a 9-month-old Nubian doeling. She tested negative for Johnes, CAE, CL, and is G6S normal.
The previous owner wasn't able to be home at the time of pickup (because of work). She (doeling) was in a small fenced area with two rams. In an adjoining pasture were two horses and a Nigerian Dwarf goat. The previous owner said that she missed her dam and sibling (they were recently sold) so he had put her in with the horses and the other goat, but they didn't get along very well so he had put the doeling with his two rams instead.

When we arrived to pick her up her voice was hoarse from crying so she sounded like (and still does), a donkey.

We also noticed that the area around her left eye was swollen, but not until we got home did we notice that it was also cloudy, and I don't think she can see out of that eye! Bossy Clover was chasing her around yesterday and whenever she came at her from the left side, the doeling never flinched or moved until it was too late and Clover had already made contact with her.

Anyway, besides being blind in one eye, she is too thin. What do you think? Should I get her on some grain? Right now she is hanging out with the other goats, but mainly with our other Nubian, Melody (because Melody doesn't butt her like the others do).

Pictures:

babsbag · Jul 20, 2016

I wouldn't give her too much grain too fast. I would really try to feed what the breeder was feeding and then add a little grain as a top dress. She doesn't look THAT skinny. I would watch her for a parasite bloom that can often come with the stress of moving.

As far as the eye, I have never seen pink eye up close and personal but I would sure check her out for that. I know it can cause a cloudy eye. Poor baby was probably terrified without herd mates and then living with the rams.

TAH · Jul 20, 2016

Congrats!! :weee

She cute. She doesn't look that thin to me

. I would have her checked out for her eye. Sometimes it is common for goats to be blind for a while :hu

. She looks small to me for 9 month old :idunno

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OneFineAcre · Jul 20, 2016

I'm going to disagree with Babs and TAH
She looks pretty thin to me
Edited to add:
But most of the Nubians I see are in the show ring and like my goats are pampered

babsbag · Jul 20, 2016

@OneFineAcre I have pampered goats too.

She looks thin in one picture but not too bad in the others so I figured better to err on the side of going slow with a new food, especially grain. If she has been stressed with her living arrangements she may not have been eating at all. Mine can get pretty thin looking between breakfast and lunch.

She might fill out rather quickly once she feels safe enough to enjoy eating.

I would be more concerned with getting the eye looked at. Pink eye is contagious.

Goat Whisperer · Jul 20, 2016

She looks pretty thin. Poor girl. She looks really small for 9 months. How tall is she? Weight?

I'd be slowly getting her on grain, possibly calf manna. Run her fecal.

You really need to consider quarantining new goats you bring in. Just tossing every new goat you bring home is not wise.
Every time you bring a goat home, it will have a parasite bloom. All those parasites will be in your pasture.
If you have a doe that develops respiratory issues, that could be passed to your herd.
If a goat has lice/mites that will spread
Sore mouth, pinkeye, the list goes on.
It puts the whole herd at risk.

When you just toss a goat with a new herd it causes more stress.

Southern by choice · Jul 20, 2016

She does look really thin.
At 9 months she should be 100 lbs if not more. If on the smaller side 85-90.

She is beautiful!

I would be checking fecal ASAP for parasites and cocci.
I agree with @Goat Whisperer quarantining any new animal is a must.

MrsKuhn · Jul 20, 2016

I agree with the post above, she looks thin. But as @babsbag said I would keep her on what the breeder had her on and slowly up her grain to put some weight on her. But too much too soon could cause more issues than help.

I would get her checked out about that eye, just to be safe and know what you are working with.

And I also agree with @Southern by choice & @Goat Whisperer // while it is more work and a little more of a pain I would quarantine new goats.

babsbag · Jul 21, 2016

She ought to love all that green grass.

Goatgirl47 · Jul 25, 2016

Sorry for responding so late - we had guests for a few days and have been busy catching up on everything.

Yesterday I weight taped Harriet at 50 pounds.... Today I weighed her with a scale and it says she is 40 pounds. :th

So if the scale is right, that means she's only 13 pounds heavier then my three month-old Mini-Lamancha kid! When this rain lets up I will weigh her again to make certain.

She (Harriet) is 24 inches tall, if that helps. This week we are (Lord willing!) going to bring her to the vet clinic for a checkup. Other than being super small and thin, she is doing great.

In her previous home she was in a significantly small pasture with very short grass and no hay or leaves or any brush at all. I will have to contact the previous owner again (he moved to Texas three weeks ago, so his Dad had been taking care of the animals for a short period) and ask him if he is sure that she is nine-months-old, and what he had her on.