Author Topic: Off colour goat (Read 4581 times)

Fraggle422 · « **on:** April 23, 2009, 04:06:59 pm »

Hi
We have a goat that is unwell, a little listless, coats looking rough and his droppings are clumped together.
Any thoughts or suggestions

Rosemary · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2009, 08:50:02 pm »

Age? Temperature OK? Been wormed recently? Eating? Drinking?

jameslindsay · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2009, 11:30:21 pm »

How is she doing now?

Fraggle422 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 25, 2009, 12:55:41 pm »

He is about 8 or 9, seems fine in himself, no temperature, just a little listless. We went through this once before and the vet gave him a cortisone shot which cured him in minutes but I am wondering what may have caused the problem, she had no real idea.

woollyval · « **Reply #4 on:** April 25, 2009, 02:02:19 pm »

Sounds to me like he needs worming plus a copper lick.....one of the rockie reds that are for cattle. Also try getting a goat multi vit addition for his hard feed....something like caprivite as goats can have problems with cobalt too....it is usually a hard starry coat that gives it away.....providing he is regularly wormed....at double the sheep dose.....has access to good hay, browsings and a little goat mix or other hard feed and has been de loused with a pour on product.

Once parasites and diet have been sorted look to improve his mineral / element intake

Fraggle422 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 25, 2009, 02:18:32 pm »

Right Woolyshepherd, thanks for that, he spends his life out on the hill grazing, but has recently been on grass without any gorse or bracken, do you think that may affect him?

woollyval · « **Reply #6 on:** April 25, 2009, 09:29:48 pm »

Possibly....but not a lot as they don't really eat bracken but love gorse.....have the browsings decreased? Goats are browsers not grazers so.....
I would still follow advice I have given above and treat for parasite attack....
Good luck!