Shedding...

[Melissa Senesac]

My doe has started really shedding lately and I'm concerned it might be some sort of mineral deficiency.  The weather was relatively warm for the past few weeks so I thought maybe it was just because of that...but her skin seems dry, like she has some dandruff.

 

I have given her copper recently (which really brought her color back) and I also gave her some Selenium/Vitamin E gel about a week ago.  I'm not sure if I should be concerned or not.    Other than this she is fine, she's eating well and has no problems going to the bathroom...

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks!

[Gullringstorpgoatgal]

Hej from Sweden,

 

Thank you so much! I just didn't know what to think. We are experiencing extreme climate fluctuations here in Sweden where we live, one day -7 next day +10 . It is a problem for everyone so I can imagine it may have an affect on the goats also.

She has no mange, no lice and seems just fine running and playing, and eating well. i will just keep an eye on her.

I feel much better now. Thank you!

KSweden

 

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

How strange -- I just went through the same thing with one of my bucks. He lost all of his guard hair on his sides (the long coarse hair), but he still had his cashmere (the fluffy down). I took him to the vet, thinking it might be some sort of deficiency or mange (mites) or something. They said it was just stress, because he's six years old, so the young bucks are probably trying to force him down in the pecking order. I'm used to goats losing their cashmere in the spring, but he was losing his guard hair when it was still way below freezing here a month ago. I wouldn't exactly call it normal, but he still seems totally fine.

[Gullringstorpgoatgal]

Hej from Sweden,

 

Deborah HELP!!! I have a 2 year old doe who has just gone through a drastic hair loss, over night on her back and sides!! I just came from the stable and had a chance to really look at her after I had put the others in their boxes. I could see a bit of a grey shadowing on her sides yesterday and just thought it was her winter fluffy down which is starting to come off. Is this normal?

 

KSweden

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

I use the #1 capsule size for kids and the #0 for adults. I have doubled that amount in adults if they have multiple signs of deficiency (like wiry, faded coat that's not shedding and balding face and ears). The 0 size capsule average 2 g of copper. I get the Copasure boluses for calves and break them up and redistribute the copper particles into the smaller capsules, which can be bought online or at most health food stores and some pharmacies.

Deborah

Marcy Adzich said:

Hi Deborah,
What would you recommend as an appropriate amount of copper supplement for a Nigerian?

Deborah Niemann-Boehle said:

A couple of my goats have also started shedding, so it's probably nothing to worry about.

If you recently gave her copper, and it brought back her color, she's probably fine in that department. If I have a goat that is not shedding, and it's May or June, they will shed after I give them copper. Not shedding when it's season-appropriate is a sign of copper deficiency. Shedding due to copper deficiency is usually in the face or tip of the tail.

[Deborah Niemann-Boehle]

A couple of my goats have also started shedding, so it's probably nothing to worry about.

If you recently gave her copper, and it brought back her color, she's probably fine in that department. If I have a goat that is not shedding, and it's May or June, they will shed after I give them copper. Not shedding when it's season-appropriate is a sign of copper deficiency. Shedding due to copper deficiency is usually in the face or tip of the tail.