Goats

Disbudding 

 

We do this depending on the status of the kid and its horn development if the kid is not as active and alert as we would like we hold off that said it is usually done before 6 weeks of age and i provide a CDT shot the day prior to reduce stress as i have noted lethargy and stress reactions to the CDT vaccine this compounded with disbudding exacerbates issues.

 

I shave the horn bud and give the kid a bottle of milk, wait for them to get nice and tired after i  wipe  horn area  with alcohol , dry then apply a burn tool over the horn bud with gentle pressure  and move it in a circular fashion around the horn.i do not press when i feel pressure my goal is to only cut the developing nerves of the horn bud NOT attack bones this is usually about 20 seconds give or take. I then apply the flat of the horn tool on the bud itself for those that dont know my burn tool is a metal ring so the bud is usually in the center and not touched itself laying the side against the bud is my way of ensuring the death of the nerves there. After i flush with saline, dry then apply Alum spray.

 

I have never witnessed lethargy with this method as long as the CDT is not given at the same time.

 

After alum spray i pet and scratch the kid , offer another bottle to  them let them in to play with their friends.

 

Castration:

i castrate bucks as soon as they are eating grain but still wanting milk  will start  by offering a bottle until they are in a milk coma and either band or burdiz a buck to wether him sometimes i will add a numbing spray to the area .

 

worming/fecals

 

As long as a kid is old enough to eat grass its old enough to get worms this is my opinion i raise kids in a barn on straw and dirt  to reduce exposure until 5-6 months of age. I check monthly for a low famancha and provide mineral so if famancha is low the first thing i check is a fecal on the goat in question and worm accordingly.  If there are no worms  present but anemia is present i treat with red cell, b complex, thiamine and iron as well as a cobalt bolus . I am not a vet this is what i learned from my own experience and research and i am not giving medical advice only explaining how i handle anemia myself.

 

Diet

Pasture and condition determines how much i feed a goat.

When pasture is not in good condition due to being grazed heavily or excess rain i provide feed depending on the pasture and needs of the animal.

 

I have fed in the past:

Nutrena show edge goat+ cotton seed and alfalfa pellets

Moormans amino gain+ alfalfa pellets and moorefat.

Red chain show goat + peanut meal+ rum

Kalmbach + distillers grains +sunflower seeds

 

Minerals:

Biozymes goat concept aid

Sweetlix

Kelp

Calcium tablets

Thiamine tablets

Ultracruz cobalt and copper boluses

Treeline mineral blocks-acorn frenzy

 

if my goats are showing signs of issues have no parasites and are refusing minerals i will often treat with "pumpkin juice"
from the world of harry potter  "what were you expecting?! pumpkin juice?!"

 

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if i cant drench them enough to fight an unknown mineral issue (some goats will not eat mineral even if they need it ask my vet)

i will do  a  "magic potion" it serves a few purposes they have to drink so they will take it.

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Magic potion (im not a vet this just works for me)

3ml copper sulfate (once every 3 months) s) DO not readd if water hasnt had to be refilled

3 natures made calcium, magnesium and zinc tablets, i add 1 every time water needs to be added 

1 cap liquid cobalt (every month)
500mg thiamine (every refill)
1 cutting off of a treeline mineral brick for deer no bigger than your thumb

1-2 cups multi vit wheat germ oil, this prevents algae growth and mosquitos (every water fill)

​3ml vit b complex (should include b9, "folic acid") (every other refill)

1 pill every refill potassium iodine (every other refill)

2 ml bose (twice a month) or 4ml bose 2 times a month (wont refill if water hasnt had to be refilled)
 

External parasite control

For flies, lice, mites and the like i shave my goats prior to the weather getting warmer and spray with a pour on treatment i have used eprinex among many others but dose must be correct if goat is having irritation i wipe down with vinegar and get another spray or check the dose.

 

For flies specifically i keep a manure bucket for fly predators.

 

Permethrin and ivermectin have been some of the bests.
oil on water suffocates aquatic parasites and algae

 

Hoof care

Hooves grow more with mineral and soft ground but some goats are just more active and ware down hooves differently so i will put them in a chute and lift each foot and follow the line of the hoof to shape and adjust to the individual for foreign bodies i remove with clippers or grinder , clean and put the goat on soft sand and hay for 2 weeks

 

I have taken in 2 goats in my life with hoof abscesses i clean them, get antibiotics from a vet  and wrap them. Then clean and express daily.

i have a hoofboss and a warrior grinder i prefer the grinder with  this attachment

 

Breeding:

Goats are bred based on size and weight usually 1 to 1 ½ years old.

 

Prior to breeding they are given an oral mineral drench and boluses and have a fecal run and are wormed based on that then given bioworma the month of heat cycling and breeding.

 

I generally heat cycle then place with the buck for 3 days to ensure breeding  then remove and do a pregnancy check  after 35 days. The short breeding period makes for a shorter rut and less stink.

 

Bucks are not kept with does (OUTSIDE BREEDING SEASON), this reduces bucks bullying and harming pregnant does possibly causing abortions and reduces stress on the buck as well.

 During early pregnancy i  will allow hair growth unless there are external parasites or shows and will keep does in small groups to reducing bullying over feed  usually 2-3 does. 

 

The month before delivery does are given a CDT and a mineral drench and boluses.

 

Upon delivery they are given molasses water and a mineral drench with red cell and alfalfa hay with a small amount of pellets mixed with probiotics if gut upset is noticed.tail is dipped in iodine and zinc and magnesium are given orally with thiamine and calcium.

 

Kid is given colostrum + probio and taken away to be bottled raised . kids navels are dipped in iodine to dry.

 

Doe kids and buck kids are separated after 1 week of age to reduce risk of breeding sometimes i immediately separate if there are enough of the same sex for company.

 

Dam is milked 2-3 times a day fully.

 

Colostrum is frozen for emergency use. Milk byproducts (whey and skim)  are given to pigs and chickens.

 

Kids are given a lambar full of milk 3 times a day  if a kid is falling behind they will be given a bottle.

 

At 2 weeks i begin presenting hay and feed pellets and encourage them to nibble studies with cattle show a stronger rumen can be produced with earlier exposure but a hard switch to feed results in slower growth which isnt necessarily bad in goats.

 

When weaning present warm water over cold to reduce stress on the gut.

 

Housing:

I provide several pens with shelter from wind and rain and adequate drainage .

 

Most are fenced fully with hog panels but a few utilize 3 string electric fencing at 3 and a half ft at the highest point this has worked successfully but i do not recommend for separating bucks from does.

 

During winter and kidding season the shelters are filled with lime and DE and sprayed for parasites before laying down bedding goats are then closed into individual runs in groups of 2 -3 usually with does that were bred around the same time and have good chemistry allowing them to get along and not bully one another so they can reduce stress.

 

Fly parasites (those that eat fly larvae) and dung beetles are encouraged in the barn, stalls and pastures.

 

Cull chickens are allowed free roam to deal with spiders and are fed in the alleys to reduce feed loss for the goats.

 

Conditioning pens: these are smaller pens typically reserved for goats that tend to get easily bullied, sick, injured or are prepping for a show to keep them in good body condition and allow me to easily monitor them and their behavior . these goats are typically ALONE in a pen with a friendly neighbor that is present for comfort but cannot harm them.