Author Topic: Goats/Docks/Spray? (Read 14034 times)

thecoldplace · « **on:** April 22, 2011, 10:26:15 am »

Dear All,

Firstly hello from the sunny Staffordshire Moorlands javascript:void(0);

My first forum question on here so I hope it makes sense......

We are hoping to get a couple of goats quite soon, possibly from an auction on Monday.

We have a 1 acre paddock which had a lot of docks in it, which I have sprayed 6 days ago with 'Pastor'.

Do goats eat docks is the first question.

The second is as the docks are now withering and dying off, if the answer to the first question is yes, will they still try to eat the poisoned docks in the sward?

The safety data on the spray advises 7 days before grazing, so on Monday we would be at 9 days, but I dont' want to put any prospective animals at risk.

Thanks

wytsend · « **Reply #1 on:** April 22, 2011, 11:52:49 am »

First......NEVER BUY FROM AUCTION, ever ever !!!!!!! There is no guarantee of health status whatsoever. It is a recipe for heartbreak & disaster.

Please think twice about it.....I am a very experienced goat keeper/breeder and I cant tell you how many times I have heard of real heartbreak results of buying at auction.

Yes the goats will eat the poisonned docks ... you cannot now put goats on that land for at least 6 months, never mind what it says on the label...goats are very susceptible to poisons of any sort.
The goats would have killed the docks for you.!!!!!

If you want goats, buy from a reputable breeder who give you all the relevant health certificates that relate directly to that animal. There are various people on this forum who will support my statements.

Don't make a horrendous mistake.

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #2 on:** April 22, 2011, 06:06:06 pm »

Please consider buying from a breeder thecoldplace. I bought not from a breeder but from a lovely lady, sadly much as she clearly loved the goats she had never had them vaccinated, one died within a week of arriving here - heartbreak probably sums upwhat my children and i went though, not to mention this goats mum who stood over him crying

its really not worth it. go to an experienced breeder who will be happy to show you all the paperwork and vet papers etc. I'd suggest talking to a different breeder if you can so you know what to ask and look for on visiting any perspective goats.

Hermit · « **Reply #3 on:** April 22, 2011, 06:40:49 pm »

The docks would have been loved by the goats, when they get into my garden area

the first thing they go for is docks. As said dont put goats on there now , do some research into goat keepers in your area in the meantime and dont go to auction. I know they are sad to see there but they are there for the meat buyers mainly or they were in the West Yorks Auctions I went to. Saying that I was given mine by an old bloke who had too many but we dont have many goats up here so did not have a choice and they are the best pair ever.All I need now is to find a billy they are not related to!!!!!!!

goosepimple · « **Reply #4 on:** April 22, 2011, 07:28:23 pm »

All these don'ts - sorry here's another one - don't use Pastor, its really horrible stuff and I wouldn't use it anywhere at any time - its terrible for all wildlife never mind animals you are buying in.
We have had some good results from auctions, there are some genuine people out there who have maybe advertised and haven't found a buyer locally and have no other option but to take to market.
We don't vaccinate our goats because they have never been in kid - I asked our vet (he is very well versed in goats) about getting them vaccinated for anything and he said unless they were being 'intensively' bred then they should be left alone, so don't worry about that, just try and get nice healthy stock ...and make sure they're friendly, you'll find that helps enormously.
Goats just don't eat everything by the way, they can be fussy little sods! Good luck!

jinglejoys · « **Reply #5 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:22:59 pm »

Sorry don't have docks,I've got goats

little blue · « **Reply #6 on:** April 22, 2011, 08:35:00 pm »

by the way ...
Welcome to TAS!

thecoldplace · « **Reply #7 on:** April 22, 2011, 11:28:27 pm »

Thanks for the replies so far, your advice and experience is much appreciated.
The spray has now been applied so no going back, but interesting to read that goats would still go for treated and therefore withered and dying docks! Will probably now look to hold off for a while rather than jumping in at auction, especially for animal health reasons.

Thanks for the welcome, javascript:void(0); will probably be around here quite a bit.......

ballingall · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2011, 11:21:29 pm »

Quote from: goosepimple on April 22, 2011, 07:28:23 pm

We don't vaccinate our goats because they have never been in kid - I asked our vet (he is very well versed in goats) about getting them vaccinated for anything and he said unless they were being 'intensively' bred then they should be left alone, so don't worry about that, just try and get nice healthy stock ...and make sure they're friendly, you'll find that helps enormously.

So, your goat's aren't even protected against Tetanus?

Beth

goosepimple · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2011, 11:51:38 am »

Hi Beth, no they are not - our vet (also Ankes) said it was not necessry in our case at least - we are not milking or breeding - I asked him specifically about the tetnus one as that is the one which is mentioned on most websites you look at (quite often american websites), but he thought it unnecessary.

ballingall · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2011, 11:57:05 am »

I only ask goosepimple, because I did actually have a kid that got tetanus. It had been given to me by a family friend, who at that time did not vaccinate her goats. She was only about a month old, and I was quite young at the time- it was a very unpleasant experience, and we did of course lose the kid. Maybe your adults have already build up a resistance to it.

Beth

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2011, 12:33:25 pm »

I have to say, I will continue to vaccinate mine with HeptavacP. I've lost 2 goats within 6 months - both to illnesses that could have been prevented. Avocet was probably pneumonia, it was awful. My 4 had never even been wormed when I bought them and in my ignorance I didn't realise there could be a problem. There had been sheep on this land prior to us living here and in our first year of moving to the house so we may have even had cocxy, its just not worth it.

wytsend · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2011, 02:09:22 pm »

Whilst I don't believe in administering anything unnecessary to any animal, Heptavac P has all the essential things for goats. It really is not worth the risk.

If your Vet does think Tetanus protection is necessary for goats, I seriously question whether he/she has any goat knowledge at all........ I would be looking for another practice !!!!

goosepimple · « **Reply #13 on:** April 26, 2011, 08:55:48 pm »

I think that's a bit cheeky actually - he has very good depth of experience in goat knowledge as myself and other TAS users will vouch for and is a goat lover himself - these matters relate to the goats, the circumstances and the owners intentions - I don't think you should be name calling on professionals you don't know.

wytsend · « **Reply #14 on:** April 27, 2011, 06:27:09 am »

No I am not name calling, but Tetanus is a killer and goats can get this from a simple cut around the legs.

John Matthews MRCVS, the hon Vet to BGS, says it is the one thing that all goat keepers should do without thinking about it.

I have kept goats for over 35 years...having over 40 now.. and that is the one thing I would not compromise on.

You will know that goats get into scrapes, get foot rot for a laugh, scratch their udders. All of these things can provide an entry, totally unseen, for Tetanus bacteris which lives in the soil.