worms

[aggieterpkatie]

FWIW, I've been breeding and raising sheep for what I consider to be a good while now (started when I was 10, I'm now 29). I've feed medicated feeds (with both Rumensin and Bovatec (Lasaolicid)) and sometimes I fed non-medicated feeds. I've only had ONE case of Coccidia that I've ever had to treat (of my own personal sheep). I have treated sheep once or twice with Corid at one particular farm where I worked. I also treated calves once or twice because we *suspected* coccidia. Nobody I know (or I worked for) ever treats every 21 days or on a regular basis at all.

 

[cmjust0]

Ok but give at least give me the fact that the doe would shed less coccidia into its potential kidding area....just so I can believe that feeding this "High Dollar Feed" is worth the extra money...

I feed medicated grain to adults...not because I'm worried about them getting coccidiosis, but because it's the 2nd cheapest ($7.50) pelleted feed I can get, and they'll actually eat it.

Unlike Purina or 'Dumor', both of which are expensive and apparently not very tasty to my goats...or Kent, which we all like, but which is like $12/bag.

Our bucks get alfalfa pellets with no medication. They're big boys now, so I don't worry about coccidiosis with them. No problems so far.

Honestly, if I could get an unmedicated version of the $7.50/bag pellets, I'd LOVE it...but they don't make it.


The reason we did a coccidia preventative this year is because we kidded late, and because I didn't necessarily wanna push them on grain when they were teeny tiny. Plus, it just seemed easier this way than having to worry about it..

 

[goat lady]

A couple of people put the dimethox in the water so they are drinking it. Hubby was wondering.... if you are giving fresh water then is that not a waste of meds and money? We have gotten rain from TS Bonnie so I am still working on cleaning out the three pens we have. When it rains they go in there and do their business. :/ I have a couple of adult does that won't come out in the rain not even to eat their grain.

 

[Roll farms]

IMHO, putting meds in water is wasteful, not only because they generally don't drink every drop, (so some is wasted) but some goats drink more than others, so there's no way to guarantee they get 'enough' of the medicine...or, they won't drink as much b/c it tastes funny...therefore they get underdosed, so it was all a waste.

Yes, it's easier on the producer...but when people tell me, "I tried DiMethox (or another med) in the water and it didn't work." ...I already know why.