****GOAT HEALTH NOTES****
Daily observations. Be a NOTICER*!*!
If you do daily observations of your goats you most often can diagnose and treat a sickness before it becomes life threatening.
Early detection and treatment saves lives.
Things to look for:
- Decreased appetite; Off feed and water. No sign of cud chewing.
- Lethargic; depressed
- Increased respiration; difficulty breathing; nasal discharge; coughing. Heavy mucous in nose and mouth.
- Pale mucous of eyes and mouth.
- Rough hair:; hair falling out
- Lameness
- Teeth grinding
- Observe feces; constipation or diarrhea; ( tape worms can be seen in feces )
- Stretching to urinate, and cant
- Eyes clear, cloudy or runny
- Standing apart from the group
- Swelling on any part of the body
- Body condition score; Thin, Moderate or Fat
- Staggering / Limping or lack of balance
- Frothing from nose and mouth
- Labored breathing.
- Diarrhea / Scouring
- Abnormal temperature
- Blisters around the mouth and nose is a common sign of SORE MOUTH.
- Irritated skin / crusted and wrinkled with loss of hair usually starts on scrotum and legs. Is sign of MITES.
Take action when you realize your animal is A D G ; "Ain't Doin Good"
- Take temperature; normal for goats is 101*F to 103*F. If temperature is over 104*F then chances are that there's some sort of infection going on and treatment will include an antibiotic.
- Do fecal testing or have it done
- Check lower eyelid;
- Dark Red = No anemia
- Light Red = Moderate anemia
- Lite Pink = Critical anemia
- White = Severe fatal anemia. Usual cause is Haemonchus controntus ( BARBER POLE WORM )
Physical Data
- TEMPERATURE ------------------------------------101.7 to 104.5 F
- HEART RATE ----------------------------------------70 - 80 / MINUTE
- RESPIRATION RATE -----------------------------12 -15 / MINUTE
- RUMIN MOVEMENT -----------------------------1 - 1.5 / MINUTE
Reproductive Aspects of Doe ( female )
- AGE OF PUBERTY ---------------------------------7 TO 10 MONTHS
- BREEDING AGE ------------------------------------ Advisable to wait till yearling or 80 lb.
- ESTROUS CYCLE LENGTH --------------------18 TO 21 DAYS
- ESTROUS DURATION ( ovulation ) --------------------------12 TO 36 HOURS from first signs of standing heat.
- ESTROUS SIGNS --------------------------------- TAIL WAGGING / MOUNTING // BLEATING
- GESTATION LENGTH ---------------------------- 146 TO 155 DAYS
- BREEDING SEASON ( PRIMARY )----------- AUGUST --- JANUARY
- NOT LIKELY BREEDING MONTHS ----------FEBRUARY - JULY ( Breeding in these months is possible but might require hormonal therapy. cidrs and pg 600.
Male Reproductive Aspects
- AGE OF PUBERTY ---------------------------- 4 TO 8 MONTHS
- BREEDING AGE -------------------------------- 8 TO 10 MONTHS
- BREEDING RATIO ----------------------------- 1 BUCK TO 20 DOES ( I have put as many as 35 with one buck.)
WORM CONTROL ( internal parasites )
THE 4 MOST IMPORTANT TIMES TO DE-WORM GOATS: ADULTS
- 2 TO 3 WEEKS BEFORE BREEDING.
- 2 TO 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO KIDDING
- WITHIN A WEEK AFTER KIDDING
- LONG PERIODS OF WARM & WET WEATHER.
- TRANSPORT AND NEW ENVIRONMENT CAUSES STRESS AND CAN CAUSE PARASITE BLOOM.
KIDS:
- DAY 30 OR AT WEANING
- DAY 60
- ACCORDING TO CLIMATE AS LONG PERIODS OF WARM & WET WEATHER.
-HAVE FECAL TEST DONE BEFORE DE-WORMING AND AGAIN 10 DAYS AFTER DE-WORMING. THIS WILL HELP IN DETERMINING WHAT TYPE OF WORMS TO TARGET AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DE-WORMERS YOU HAVE USED.
COCCIDIOSIS CONTROL
COCCIDIOSIS USUALLY STRIKES YOUNG ANIMALS DURING PERIODS OF STRESS SUCH AS WEANING OR TRANSPORTING.
Prior to weaning take precautions and provide creep feed with Rumensin or other such cocciodiant, and have Rumensin block or blocks out for free choice consumption. SWEET LICKS, PRESSED BLOCK TYPE C MEDICATED. There are also products that can be administered in drinking water. Lower dose for prevention and higher dose for cure.
Prior to weaning take precautions and provide creep feed with Rumensin or other such cocciodiant, and have Rumensin block or blocks out for free choice consumption. SWEET LICKS, PRESSED BLOCK TYPE C MEDICATED. There are also products that can be administered in drinking water. Lower dose for prevention and higher dose for cure.
KID HEALTH
* AT BIRTH
* Dip navel in iodine
* Kids should ingest 10% of their birth weight in colostrum during the first 12 to 24 hours of life. Best antibodies protection within the first 6 hours. The kids ability to absorb antibodies from colostrum drastically decreases after 12 hours and is gone by 24 hours of age.
Artificial supplements are available but I prefer real colostrum milked and fresh frozen from does that had more than their kids could consume.
Week Legged Newborn KIDS: Deficient in Selenium & Vitamin E
Most prevalent in kids whose dams underwent serious DROUGHT TIMES during pregnancy. The lack of fresh green vegetation is the culprit, causing SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E DEFICIENCY'S.
I'VE LISTED 2 PRODUCTS TO HELP PREVENT PROBLEMS BEFORE BIRTHING.
REMEMBER PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.
I'VE LISTED 2 PRODUCTS TO HELP PREVENT PROBLEMS BEFORE BIRTHING.
REMEMBER PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE.
- SELENIUM AND E GEL, Given to Doe before kidding. Available through Jeffer's
- MEGA SELL, Vitamin E and Selenium supplement . Can be used to top dress feed, before kidding. Do not overdose.
IF YOU'VE GOTTEN INTO KIDDING SEASON AND NOTICING KIDS BEING BORN WITH WEEK LEGS, YOU MAY NOT HAVE SUPPLEMENTED THE DOES SUFFICIENTLY PRIOR TO KIDDING WITH SELENIUM AND E. DON'T WORRY, HERE'S 3 PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE GIVEN TO IMPROVE THE PROBLEM:
- SELENIUM AND VITAMIN E GEL FOR GOATS. Available through Jeffers.
- MU-SE
- BO-SE
- If you don't have any of these then pick up a bottle of vitamin E gell caps from pharmacy or grocery store. Snip off the end and squeeze into kids mouth. Most times one dose will correct the problem with 24 hours. If not then dose several more days. This is most effective.
Lets talk about the importance of a buck with a good scrotum in relation to the type of bag structure that he imparts onto his doe kid offspring.
First illustration is of well rounded scrotum and the type of udder it will likely pass onto his doe kids. Be sure if using a buck with split scrotum that its no more than 1/2"
Second illustration is badly split scrotum and the type of udder it will very possibly pass onto his doe kid offspring. This might not present a problem the first several times she kids but when she's kidded 3 or 4 times her teats will have a tendency to droop and teats become more elongated and sometimes bulbous. Kids will have a hard time latching on and teats can also come close to dragging the ground, onto the rocks and cactus.
First picture is a well structured udder. Second picture is a W shaped udder with elongated teats. Third picture is teats becoming bulbous.
PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURES.
MY ARTICLE TO BE POSTED SOON ! To include notes on how to prevent birthing problems, severe worm infestation etc...