The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Katie_goats on February 26, 2021, 05:17:32 pm
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Hello, I have 3 pregnant goats who are 2 or 3 weeks from giving birth. One of them has an upset stomach. Clumpy soft poo rather than diarrhoea. I would normally just feed them hay to cure but as they are heavily pregnant not sure if this is ok. They're each getting 1kg of concentrate per day which I have gradually introduced. Any advice. Thanks Katie
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What breed are they and did you have them scanned? I would say 1kg is quite a lot per day (esp if only carrying singles for example), but if you would like to continue with that amount I would split it into at least 4 if not 5 meals rather than two big ones. How much hay do they eat and are they going outside (wet grass can cause clumpy droppings as well, and if you are down south you may have some fresh grass growing)?
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Thanks Anke. They haven't been scanned so I don't know. I read it should be around 1 to 1.3kg per day but I would prefer to feed them less as it does seem a lot. How much would you feed them? I'll cut it down a bit. They sometimes stop eating the concentrate and move onto the hay. They go out now and again. There's grass available as we're in mid/south Wales.
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Sorry for the delay in getting back, I was out all day as my goats have started to kid today.
I wouldn't worry too much unless it goes to proper diarrhoea, but cut back a bit on the protein rich stuff. I don't weigh my goats' food anymore, but measure scoops. I fond that coming closer to kidding they get "selective", so I offer soaked warm sugarbeet, oats, calf mix and diary nuts in separate little mounds in the four corners of their feed bowl (normall it does get mixed) and it is quite varied on what gets eaten and what not (and it changes by the day)...
My BT's are more likely to just eat all they can, the GG's often slow down more towards the end of pregnancy.
You may want to check on worms maybe, if they do go out and it has been wet and not so cold?
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Thanks again. Yes I've noticed that they sometimes carefully eat around the calf mix and just have the oats. I did wonder about worms so may speak to the vet. They're off out today as it's a nice day!