Hi,
We are such newbies and have so many questions! One is my 8wk.old runt kid (who is adorable) has a real bubble belly, alert and eating more hay/grain and down to 2 bottles a day. Could he be wormy and if so what should I safely do for him? Also, do they get paste wormer monthly like horses or DE like my alpacas on a daily basis? They are on medicated free choice pelleted grain and hay but not sure what other minerals they should be on. Would a mineral block work? They are being banded today - will they be in a lot of pain and should I do anything to help prevent infection? Thanks everyone!
Replies
Big belly is usually a sign of worms, especially if there is not a lot of meat on the bones.
You should definitely NOT deworm goats monthly because the worms will becomes resistant to the dewormers and then the goats will start dieing because none of the dewormers will work. Some people watch body condition and do fecals to determine when to worm, but you can also use the FAMACHA system (explained on www.wormcontrol.org) to determine if your goat is anemic. That works well if your main worm is the barberpole because it causes anemia. Since goats are new to you and your property, I'd suggest taking a fecal to the vet and asking him/her what type of worms your goats have. If it's one that feeds on the animal's blood, FAMACHA is a good way to figure out when you need to deworm.
I know some of the medicated pellets say they can be fed free choice, but I've never given my kids more than 2 cups a day, and that was only when they had coccidia. Giving them a cup a day provides plenty of concentrates and medication in most situations. Of course, they should also have free choice pasture and/or hay.
Use a loose goat mineral that is at least 1500 ppm copper. I know of at least one on the market that has less than 500, and that's not enough. Sweetlix Meat Maker, Golden Blend, and Purina are three brands I know have enough copper. If you can't find them locally, I know you can get Sweetlix and Golden Blend through online sources.
Most people give a tetanus shot (sometimes CDT) when banding. Kids handle banding differently. Most just get a little quiet, but some thrash around and scream like they're in a lot of pain. I started using a Buridizzo three years ago and will never go back to banding. Two pinches, and we're done, and there is no risk of tetanus because the skin is never broken. It's just something to think about if you're planning to raise goats yourself.