[cuckoo]

Happy New Year!!

I need to change my goat wormer for 2012 - I have used ivermectin 2009, then panacur 2010 and in 2011 eprinex.  I want to rotate again to a group I havent used i.e according to the BGS website I need to use" Levamisole and related drugs/“yellow” wormers such as Nilverm

Do people have experience of using these? What is the most economical way to purchase this type - I have 17 goats including 7 due to kid anytime so may have 25 or more.


Any advise appreciated.

[colliewoman]

Hey Cuckoo
I think oramec is the sort you are after, and you can get it in a small bottle for about 20 quid.
It has a horribly long withdraw period for milk though if you milk?

[Anke]

Well I have used Oramec in my goats, and have applied the 7 days withdrawal rule (as it is not licensed for dairy animals anyway), and we are still alive and kicking (goats and humans and pigs....).

The 60 day withdrawal period is on it as it in all probability has not been tested for residues in milk.

My vet is more concerned with injectable wormers during lactation, as he thinks the drenches are much quicker moving through the system, so I would always use a drench in preference to an injectable wormer.

[colliewoman]

Thanks Anke!
I haven't actually used any of my bottle yet because of the withdrawal. If I'm not going to sprout an extra head or summat, I shall use it rather than buy yet more.

[Anke]

During the withdrawal period I have fed the milk to the goats kids and to the pigs, then after a week some for us again too.

If I am planning to worm I freeze up a weeks supply for our drinking, and so don't have to resort to shop-bought milk.

Oramec worked well for me (where Panacur didn't), dose is twice the sheep dose based on the goats weight.

[cuckoo]

Thanks a lot for the replies - first goat kidded today - 2 75% male boer kids - both healthy - destined for freezer though 

[Anke]

Congratulations - that's an early start!

Just out of interest - do you castrate your freezer kids?

[cuckoo]

I did last year - use a band - only 1 crossbred male who is growing well - was planning to this year - but dont disbud them - only ones to keep for breeding.  Did sell a kid as a pet last year and got him surgically castrated as our vets very reasonable and I was able to recoup the cost - I was advised by vet this was better method if goat was going to grow up as reduces (I think) bladder stone risk.

If anyone wants a pair of boer cross pet goats could get them disbudded and surgically castrated but preferably only within the next week or so!!

Did a quick internet search and I think Oramec is an ivermectin based wormer??

[colliewoman]

Bugger you're right! the 'mec' at the end should have been a clue!
I'm sure one of the ones I have used is the one you're after.
Combinex is the other one I have, I would go and look but It's all locked in the shed and I'm at work!

[Anke]

Bugger you're right! the 'mec' at the end should have been a clue!

It is a yellow liquid by the way... until this morning (when I checked the dose rates in the vet book) I was certain that it was one of the yellow ones...oooops ...

I ring all the males I want to keep for the freezer, and so far I have also always had them disbudded (or had polled ones) as well, as this means they can share a pen with the girls until they go. Costs don't really come into it (35 nounds plus VAT here for disbudding), as the meat is just the best we ever had!

[cuckoo]

I think it is combinex thanks - another goat kidded today - 2 75% boer females - one has classic boer markings - lovely blaze and red head complete with 2 toggenburg tassels - very cute! Just need to think of 2 suitable names beginning with R (mum is Rosemary aka Rumpy as she has a brown bum!) I name the kids using the same name as their mother to help know whose who!  Any suggestion (flora related)??

[cuckoo]

You should meet my vet - < £6 to be disbudded!!

[Anke]

You should meet my vet - < £6 to be disbudded!!

WHAT? Where in the country are you?

[cuckoo]

East Yorks - traditional mixed practice.

[Anke]

Oh well it would cost me too much in diesel to travel there from the Scottish Borders... I would hang on to that vet!

Having said that mine is fairly old school and did loads of goats in the 1980s, and likes them (I think). As they don't see too many of them nowadays.... It is actually quite funny if I am in with my girls and a "normal" person just walks out with their pet dog/cat they always do a double take at the noise coming from my trailer...