Clumpy poop

I know I've read somewhere that this is not a good sign, but I can't remember what it means. The buckling has had the occasional clumpy poops but most of them were normal pellets. Today I saw him poop out formed "turd" if you know what I mean, and when I mucked the stall there were quite a few of them in there.

Can someone please remind me what this indicates? I did get a fecal done on the doe, who was the palest, and she has no worm load to speak of. (This is after the deworming)

Have not had a fecal on the little boy. As always, he is bright and happy and the only problem he seems to have is that he'd rather play than eat which isn't helping his weight problem.

All of them are still thin but I am certain they are no longer losing weight. I have identified two problems there, #1 they hated my hay, but I've now found some they'll eat and #2 despite looking great upon close inspection I am realizing that NONE of the plants they like to eat are int heir pasture (sigh!) and am buying a roll of fencing to move them up to the top pasture which I think has enough of everything that they couldn't possibly run out of food. It is about 2.5 acres with browse & grazing.

I'm getting really pretty discouraged to be honest with you. It's been one thing after another with these guys ...I'm beginning to think I should have just gotten a cow lol.

Hi Julianna,

Believe me, I know what it is to be discouraged! I have had goats since 2007 and got my new herd of Nigies in January. Starting in May I lost a wether and then every single Friday something else would happen all the way into mid or late June. It was all related to mineral deficiency, I think and I have now figured that out for the most part. I got some new kids 2 weeks ago and it started all over again! This time I feel a bit more experienced and I also have more things on hand, so at least I don't have the vet bills! One thing I have decided is that I don't want to buy kids anymore... I'll keep my own kids or buy adults from now on. Kids are too stressful! =)

I thought I would throw in a little natural therapy for you =) If you have any dandelions growing, they are great for the liver and for anemia. Root and all! I would do this along with whatever else you are doing.

As far as herbal wormers, my experience is that they work for me. I use Hoeggers and Molly's along with Hoeggers herbal tonic and in the 4 fecals I had done, there were no worms. I use them as directed, weekly, and the goats lick it right up. I don't even have to drench them anymore. If I ever have clumpy poo, I give the Hoeggers (which would be equal to Molly's wormwood wormer) at an increased dose for 3 days in a row along with some raw garlic and that usually takes care of it.

Granted, 4 fecals is not a lot, but I also look at the goats condition and eyelids. I have also been told we do not have barberpole here (by the FAMACHA people)

Replies

Kare July 24, 2011 at 9:18am

Hi Julianna,

Believe me, I know what it is to be discouraged! I have had goats since 2007 and got my new herd of Nigies in January. Starting in May I lost a wether and then every single Friday something else would happen all the way into mid or late June. It was all related to mineral deficiency, I think and I have now figured that out for the most part. I got some new kids 2 weeks ago and it started all over again! This time I feel a bit more experienced and I also have more things on hand, so at least I don't have the vet bills! One thing I have decided is that I don't want to buy kids anymore... I'll keep my own kids or buy adults from now on. Kids are too stressful! =)

I thought I would throw in a little natural therapy for you =) If you have any dandelions growing, they are great for the liver and for anemia. Root and all! I would do this along with whatever else you are doing.

As far as herbal wormers, my experience is that they work for me. I use Hoeggers and Molly's along with Hoeggers herbal tonic and in the 4 fecals I had done, there were no worms. I use them as directed, weekly, and the goats lick it right up. I don't even have to drench them anymore. If I ever have clumpy poo, I give the Hoeggers (which would be equal to Molly's wormwood wormer) at an increased dose for 3 days in a row along with some raw garlic and that usually takes care of it.

Granted, 4 fecals is not a lot, but I also look at the goats condition and eyelids. I have also been told we do not have barberpole here (by the FAMACHA people)
Sally Knight July 22, 2011 at 6:20am

All good! Have wormed both goats, and our doe is back to normal poop! Have also just ordered from Molly's Herbals and I am going to try them both on this. We have happy goats in 108F heat!. Thanks for all the advice.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle July 19, 2011 at 6:05pm

We need to know the concentrations before we can talk about dosage. I haven't used Noromectin -- is ivermectin the only active ingredient? What is it labeled for? Cattle or sheep? Is it injectable, drench, or pour-on? Are the sulfa drugs 12.5% or 40%? Neither one of those looks familiar -- normally people use Sulmet, Albon, or Corid.

Sally Knight said:

I lied! I do have more questions :-/

Just been to the feed mill and have been able to get Noromectin as a dewormer as they do not do ivermectin but the active ingredient is ivermectin. We asked for sulfa drugs and where told they have Super Scour with sulfaguarnidine and sulfathizole in it and the other is called Scour plug with Neomycih sulfate and sulfamethasihe (these spellings might be all wrong as the ladies writing from the mill is not the clearest!) Which is the best? And what dosage do you give as I have been looking through my books and have not found a dosage level. As ever thanks for you help, advice and patience.
Sally Knight July 19, 2011 at 11:32am

I lied! I do have more questions :-/

Just been to the feed mill and have been able to get Noromectin as a dewormer as they do not do ivermectin but the active ingredient is ivermectin. We asked for sulfa drugs and where told they have Super Scour with sulfaguarnidine and sulfathizole in it and the other is called Scour plug with Neomycih sulfate and sulfamethasihe (these spellings might be all wrong as the ladies writing from the mill is not the clearest!) Which is the best? And what dosage do you give as I have been looking through my books and have not found a dosage level. As ever thanks for you help, advice and patience.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle July 19, 2011 at 8:02am

Treating for both won't hurt them. It's a personal management decision. Some people feed medicated feed daily, which is for coccidia; others automatically give a coccidiostat when kids reach a certain age. Others only treat when they know it's a problem based upon a fecal.
Sally Knight July 19, 2011 at 6:03am

Thanks Deborah! one more question, If the poop keeps changing is it o.k to treat for both?
Deborah Niemann-Boehle July 18, 2011 at 9:46pm

You can deworm a kid of that age. Heat doesn't cause poop to change like that. If it was runny, it could be coccidia, which is treated with sulfa drugs. If it's clumpy, it's probably worms, which would be treated with a dewormer. If you use a cattle or sheep dewormer, you double the dosage. There aren't many dewormers out there that have been tested on goats.
Sally Knight July 18, 2011 at 7:23pm

Would like to add another question on clumpy to runny poo and back to clumpy! I have a 3 month old doe ( not sure when you go from kid to doe?)

She has clumpy poo that went to water then she was fine and then it started again today. Have to be honest it has been horribly hot here, not sure if heat effects goats?. With humidity we have been up to nearly 40 and this thursday it is meant to hit 43! She is eating, drinking and running round in the morning and evening like a complete nutter! Both our goats chill in their barn for most of the day. The only thing that has changed is the hay. It's this years first cut.

Do I need to worm her? How old does a goat need to be to be wormed? Or is it a heat issue? The wether we have is fine.
Juliana Goodwin June 23, 2011 at 4:54pm

Okay...I guess I will just deworm the baby again. I know the doe is fine. Can't afford another fecal and dewormer and fencing so I suppose I'll just worm him.

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

Clumpy poop is a sign of worms, and barberpole worm causes anemia.
Deborah Niemann-Boehle June 23, 2011 at 4:24pm

Clumpy poop is a sign of worms, and barberpole worm causes anemia.

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