The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: little blue on March 26, 2010, 10:20:05 pm
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one of our goats has been really poorly and lost alot of weight.
Any suggestions on how to sensibly (but quickly) build her back up again?
She is showing an interest in food again, but only managing small amounts at a time.
She has concentrates, hay, grass, bananas (her favourite!) veg and green stuff.
When we first had her, she had literally just kidded, and was quite thin. We milked her, and managed to get some weight on her ready for winter.
but now she is so boney and skinny. :(
She has not been milked since christmas, she has "been to the billy" but we dont know for sure if she is in kid... that would obviously affect her ability to gain weight.
Hope someone can help (or at least reassure me!)
Thanks
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How old is the goat? If she is "wasting away" it may be Johnes? Dry coat? Runny droppings? Worms/fluke? Nothing else comes mind straight away...
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she is about 2 years old
we know what caused the weight loss... I'm after advice on how to build her up again without upsetting her digestion or causing bloat or something. And if anything in particular is good, or should be avoided.
Thanks for your quick reply!
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If she has been ill and is that thin, then if she was in kid, she is unlikely to still be in kid. Fluke is a possibility (as are the other things Anke has mentioned). We feed micronized flaked peas and also flaked barley, both are good for improving condition. Also, soaked beetpulp, mixed with either a little soya bean meal, or mix in a little flaked barley or bruised oats.
Like Anke I'd be interested in how old she is- if she is older how are her teeth? Is she is wasting away, are her teeth good enough for her eat properly?
Beth
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When we have a sick goat, I find giving them willow branches helps them recover and start chewing the cud again. Not easy to find willow, but river banks is a good place. Ours eat the leaves, which are just coming out now, the branch and the bark. It has pain relieving properties in it. I have found it a life saver on more than one occasion.
She is probably being sensible having a small amount at a time - its like us after an upset tummy, you take it easy foodwise, don't you?
Will she eat Alfa A which I give to my horses - the goats love that. Its a fibre feed and although you do not feed a lot, is good. Puts weight on my old horse anyway!! My bigger goats are always lanky looking, so they have sheep nuts and that helps the weight loss too. Soaked sugar beet is good to get weight on too.
You need to get the weight on gradually, not piled on suddenly. And I assume she is no longer milking, so I would not give her a massive amount of got mix at one meal.
If she only eats a little at a time, perhaps you could give her three smaller meals, if thats possible. Maybe she will digest it better?
Lots of hay, if she will eat it too.
Hope your goat is on the road to full recovery soon.
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thanks Beth
we have a supply of mixed flakes (pea, oats, maize, and I think barley) which we've given her. And they all had brewers' yeast in their water (not keen on it!) but not tried beetpulp
her teeth seem fine. She is 2 and came from a huge commercial dairy so was not in great condition poor thing.
She had terrible 'elf shoe' hooves, which we are still trying to keep under control even now.
Roxy, if you remember we have willow round us, and I gave them some today and last weekend (its just come out in seed)
Is it ok then to give goats sheep food, but not sheep goats' food?! (copper content?)
AlfaA sounds good, is it just alfalfa dried or something? I think our local merchant has it in the horse section
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lots of questions in that post... but I'll read any replies tomorrow... can't keep my eyes open any longer - been a very long and difficult week
Night night x
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Sorry to hear that little blue- hope it improves soon.
It's fine to give goat's sheep food, but not the other way around like you say. Our basic mix that we feed is Davisons Sheep mix http://www.davidsonsfeeds.co.uk/ (http://www.davidsonsfeeds.co.uk/) (and as an aside, they are fantasic at customer service!) We supplement the sheep mix with some goat mix for the milkers, plus cattle dairy nuts, flaked barley and peas, and also either beetpulp, veg or Alfafa. AlfafA is just dried Alfafa or sometimes just molassed dried grass depending on which brand you use.
You could try dissolving a couple of large spoonfuls of treacle into a bucket of warm water for her, we often do that for a sick or poorly animal, or one that has recently kidded- gives them a bit of a sugar boost.
You lucky lot having Willow out already!
Beth
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I am not too far from LIttle Blue, and our willow is just coming into bud, and the sycamore. I have been picking the willow already for the goats.
Little Blue, if you want some alfa a to try, and some beet pulp for you to soak, to make sure she will eat it, I can let you have some. Not sure when I can make it over, but could possibly meet you half way, if not all the way, if thats ok?
Will PM my number, in case you have mislaid it.
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thanks for all the ideas, she is looking happier today & enjoyed willow, grass & hay and some various flaked stuff. They all have a mixture of concentrates, and are partial to 'sweet meadow' rabbit food.
she has also been out on her collar & lead to help herself to brambles, beech leaves, ivy and my just-in-bud roses!
oh yeah, she also pinched some banana peel out of the little ones mouth, so I take that as a good sign...
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It sounds as if Margo is feeling much better!!
Goats are funny creatures - if they are not well, sometimes they take some persuading and tempting to eat.
Once Margo starts to get her appetite back, she will put some weight on I am sure.
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Glad to hear she is getting perkier and sorry to hear you had a bad week and hope this week is a huge improvement. I have Sugar beet if you want some.
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Oh thats good Miri Maran - as you will be closer to Little Blue, than me, although I have offered some sugar beet and also alfa a if needed.
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you're all very kind... thanks again x
We're getting her out of the pen to eat away from the others, and I'm hoping this will encourage her... but its going to rain all week so I bet she'll refuse to come out!
I will check her weight/girth over the next couple of days, and let you know if we need reinforcements...
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:)honey in warm water, glucose from any chemists and molasis in beet pulp or water are all worth a try.
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I expect Margo is still not feeling one hundred per cent, but so long as she is eating something, I am sure she will be ok. I have had this in the past, and you try everything to tempt them to eat, and its so frustrating when they turn their noses up at your tasty morsal of apple, banana or whatever!!
Bicarbonate of soda in warm water goes down a treat with an under the weather goat. Oh, and when all else failed, I tried cream crackers with one sick goat and she devoured those - of course they have bicarb of soda in. Anything is worth a try when you are desperate, and as well as helping the goat, you will feel better too, if she eats something!!!
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cream crackers?! what a brilliant idea... thats just the kind of thing she'd go for!
She is getting perkier - but looks so poorly, I worry that womeone will call the rspca or something (people walking by can see them if they're out) and of course we are really worried for her health & possible kid.
bless her, she is such a lovely girl...
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Hope she enjoys the crackers and don't worry about the RSPCA they are very used to people calling them out when everything is actually under control. Keep us posted.
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well, Margo is eating much better now.
She is still very thin, and her feet aren't great (but never have been). she is more alert and interested in things now, which is a relief.
But she has a very cloudy and gungy eye. I've been bathing it which helps.
It hasn't spread to the other goats , so may not be infectious (surely it would spread quickly if it was ?!) but again... any suggestions to help her? could she be missing something , vitamin or something?
She doesn't seem to be bothered by it, I just worry!
You're all so knowledgeable, I thought it best to ask!
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Good news for Margo, hoping that she gets back to normal real soon. All the best little blue. My lot are still causing great concern.
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I know James, its so awful isn't it? you feel so helpless...
thankyou
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I know nothing of goats, but do they need mineral licks?
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Margo has obviously got run down with being ill, and at this time of year, any lost weight on any animal takes time to be put back on. And you do not want her to go from thin to fat quickly, its better if it can be bit by bit. With seeing her every day, you will probably not notice if she has gained some weight or not.
I have noticed all my goats, and the sheep, are wanting to lick the mineral licks, so they are obvously lacking in something, even though goat mix etc. has vitamins in it. Caprivite supplement to add to the feed has revived my older goats - and they all took it (its a granule type supplement) without any fuss. You would only need to get a small tub, and probably would need to order it at your feed merchant. If you do not have a mineral lick (small ones are about £2.50 from feed store - we use the giant ones with all our gang!) I would get one. Either red or yellow they are.
Have you tried Margo with soaked sugar beet - its helpful for putting weight on. You are welcome to some of ours as I said.
As for her eye, I was reading about that on your other post. I have never had a case of pink eye among my goats, only heard of it in cows. Am I right in thinking it can be passed from goat to goat? Just wondering if the billy you borrowed could possibly be a carrier, and fetched it in? Its not as if your goats mix with anyone else's livestock is it? As far as I know, from seeing it in cows, it can be cured with antibiotics. Just be careful the other goat does not catch it too.
Poor Margo, she has been in the wars just lately. Do hope she perks up.
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All my goats love their salt licks. :goat:
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My goat's love their salt lick too - especially one of the wethers he's takes a drink then a lick then a drink then a lick etc, and I have noticed the girls are taking more since they have been expecting kids - I guess they know best
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I woke up in the night thinking of Margo!!
I would not breed from her until she is completely well again. Being in kid, takes all their strength and resources, and they need to be healthy to carry kids successfully. I know she was ill before you got the billy on loan, I am just wondering if she actually did get served by the billy ......if not, I would leave it now until Autumn and concentrate on getting her weight back on.
Has the vet had a look at her to rule out anything that may be causing her weight loss. I know with our sheep, they did a blood test and could tell what supplement they needed. At least you would know exactly which one to buy.
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hi folks...
1) we always have a mineral lick in for the goats (red rockie - says its suitable for goaties)
2) she loves sugar beet! it has added mollasses which she adores
3) have a twice - a - day antibiotic ointment from the vets for her eye. The others seem ok, its not easy to isolate her and the vet agreed it would probably be stressful - don't want to spoil her chances for eating better.
4) little toggie has got very bossy, so we are supervising even more closely than usual in case this is stressing her or stopping her eating comfortably.
5) Cream crackers are very popular! between them and bananas for top favorite round here...
6) we are not certain whether or not she is in kid - the billy did his stuff and she hasn't been in season since... on the other hand, she could have aborted with being ill ...
btw, she wasn't ill before Cesar came, that was the pig!
7) thanks for all your ideas, and offers of help/loans. you're all so lovely! x
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Oh yes, of course it was Murphy, wasn't it, who was ill. Oh dear, what with him and Margo, you have had more than your fair share of illness in your livestock. Our neighbour has had a sick cow, who came through and still had a calf, so its not to say Margo lost her kid because she was ill .....you will just have to see if she gets fatter. About 10 weeks after she went to the billy, you should notice a difference in size!!
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thanks Roxy.
we pay the price of 'rescuing' animals I feel sorry for, I guess! And we're new to the game, on the 'townie' side of country living (don't let my husband hear that! But you know what I mean, you've seen us!)
I'm hoping she will get fatter... for her own sake, not just to kid...
btw, Murphy is grand, stubborn as a mule but so good natured!
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Well, whether you are a townie or a country person, having seen your set up, and your animals, no one could fault you on how well your animals are looked after - whatever has made Margo ill, thin or whatever, its not your lack of care and attention - and should anyone report you to the RSPCA, you can send them to me for a reference :D
Good to hear Murphy is ok.
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thankyou, its lovely to hear that!
you want to see the size of those ex-batts now - we've dug out all the mud and re-paved their run, and both of us commented how big they are now they're feathered up!
we even washed their tractor (just as somebody in a sharp suit came to the door... there we are in filthy overalls, hosing down a toy tractor!!)
Margo has been out ages today just eating... she's definitely got her appetite back, tho no weight yet.
I went to give blood today & was rejected due to low haemoglobin (iron) level.... feel ok but thought it could be all the stress this winter what with everything
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Littleblue you must remember you have to look after yourself too. :)
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I do, I think!
how much iron is there in cider? and chocolate? (just kidding!)
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Not sure about iron content in cider and chocolate .....but one thing is for sure, it makes you feel better, so thats ok. You carry on with that "medicine!" says she who has just tucked in to her "medicine" of chocolate and lager!!
Good to hear Margo is eating better now. I had to laugh about your tractor, and washing it. When I saw it, I just assumed it belonged to your toddler and they had been riding it round the hen run .....so any visitor would think likewise!! It is amazing how big the ex battery hens get with good feeding ......one of ours is enormous.
Got another rescue coming up mid May if you or anyone you know want some hens!! Ours are laying well, but eggs going from the gate faster than we can produce them at the moment.
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I'll ask around my hen-keeping/gullible friends! Not sure if we can house any... I'll think about it!!
We've a fridge full of eggs... if you were nearer I'd let you have some! As it is, I'll just have to make more cake I suppose!