HEALTH & MEDS

Goat Health Guidelines:

By: Suzanne Bauman 2011

(Later edited, updated, and added to by: Dorothy Bauman)

VACCINATING PREGNANT DOE:

Vaccinate with Cavalry 9 or Vision 8 CD/T 2-3 weeks prior to due date -2 cc IM

VACCINATING KIDS:

Vaccinate at 4 weeks old with Cavalry 9 or Vision 8 CD/T - 1/2 cc IM

Again at 8, 12 and 16 weeks of age -2 cc IM

Then vaccinate twice a year thereafter -2 cc IM

NEWBORN KIDS:

Give kid 5-10 cc of Bovi-Sera Sub-Q at birth.  This prevents E-coli, plus is a good immune booster.  The Bovi-Sera lasts 3 weeks and confers passive immunity (in the same way colostrum confers it).

Give 1/2 cc of Bo-Se Sub-Q. If you have an especially "floppy" kid, give 1 cc Sub-Q daily for three days.

Also give a Vitamin E capsule (punctured and squished into the mouth).

NEWBORN KIDS (when bottle feeding):

Colostrum starter amount: 10 % of their body weight, (about 10 oz.).

4 oz. is a good start for the first few hours. Too much too soon is not good.

Feed at least 4 feedings of colostrum before starting kid on milk.

Feed every 4-6 hours first day, then 4 feedings a day the next 4 days.

After that, work towards 2 feedings a day, by feeding 3 times day. Slowly increase the amount of milk, according to how much they will drink. Once they are easily drinking about 17 oz. of milk, I switch them to twice a day with around 20 oz. of milk, and continue increasing the amount, stopping anywhere from 24 - 30 oz. of milk.

If they have eaten well from the start, I can have them eating twice a day at 10 days old.

DE-WORMING:

De-worm does after freshening with Quest, Safeguard or Ivermectin horse de-wormer (double the amount: i.e. if your goat is 150lbs then give the 300 lb mark.)

De-worm all goats at least once a year.

DE-WORMING PREGNANT DOES:

Safeguard/Panacur (fenbendazole) is safe to use.

Ivermectin is safe to use during pregnancy 50 days after conception.

WEANING KIDS (when bottle feeding):

We wean round 3 + months old.  Kids can also be weaned as early as 2 months old.

PENICILLIN INJECTION FOR DOE AFTER KIDDING: (if you've went in to pull kids)

6 cc - once after kidding; 2x a day for 2 days thereafter (total of 5 injections - IM)

*Caution: Too much Penicillin can build immunity to antibiotics.

TOXEMIA IN KIDS:

Give 3 cc penicillin orally in mouth and 3 cc IM.

Give 3 cc C&D Anti-toxin IM.

Mild case, administrate orally:

Give 1 pill of Cal/Mag crushed

1000 mg vit. C crushed

Mix with molasses for flavor.

BLOAT HELPS:

Different options: (oral applications)

1. Give: Mineral oil and massaging on rumen area on left side of goat.

2. Give: Milk of Magnesia

3. Give: Baking soda with massaging of rumen.

*I mix all three and give orally (mineral oil, milk of magnesia, and baking soda)

4. If case is more severe, I would recommend using Therabloat or a similar product.

PREGNANCY TOXEMIA / KETOSIS:

Pregnancy Toxemia works like a vicious cycle; it makes the pregnant doe loose her appetite, causing her to stop eating, which is the very thing that causes the toxemia.  If you don't watch it closely, you can quickly loose the doe.

1. Give Calcium magnesium & 1000 mg vit. C

2. Give Nutri-Drench.

3. Give 1 cup of sugar (either brown sugar mixed with water, are Caro mixed with water, but not white sugar), twice a day.  Give her any goodies that she will eat, to keep the rumen active.

4. Give Propylene Glycol - 60 cc 1st day, 2nd day give 30 cc (if case is extreme and goat will not eat. Stop giving once she starts improving and eating again.)

A very helpful article on Pregnancy Toxemia: Click here to download.

DIARRHEA IN KIDS/GOATS:

All different things can cause diarrhea.  My recommendation would be, if the case of diarrhea is more severe, send a fecal sample in to a lab to see WHAT you are dealing with first, then go from there.

Here are a few specifics...

COCCIDIOSIS:

A small intestinal parasite which causes diarrhea. Give medication prescribed by a vet or give Coccidia preventive medicine from one of the following:

E-COLI (Escherichia coli):

To avoid, vaccinate whole herd with Endovac-Bovi annually.

Safe to inject in goats 5 months of age and older.  Inject in only healthy goats!  Also, Endovac-Bovi helps clear a goat of a severe case of mastitis and can also help prevent mastitis cases.

To treat temporarily:

Inject Penicillin G

Amount: 10cc twice daily up to 42 hrs. after signs of clearing up (should be given around 72 hrs. altogether)

In a more severe case give these shots accompanying Pen. G: 1cc Banamine per 100lbs body weight -IM & 6cc Fortified B complex Sub-Q

Note:Bovi-sera or Polyserum can be a life-saver when dealing with diarrhea.  It fights bacterial infections in the system such as Salmonella and E-coli scours. It is also very effective against pneumonia.

FOOD SUPPLEMENT: (for very sick goat)

1 egg

1 c. powdered milk or goat milk

3 c. water (for powdered milk)

1 T sugar

½ tsp vanilla

¼ c. Baby Rice Cereal

1 black (very ripe) banana blended in the blender

BAD OR BITTER FLAVOR IN MILK:

Give: One shot in morning & one in evening of Fortified Vitamin B complex.

Amount: 3cc sub Q.

*Can also be lack of proper mineral intake, etc. Such as Cobalt deficiency (which holds a lot of Vitamin B12).

*Note: Cobalt is illegal in Ohio, therefore the Ohio citizen may have a difficult time finding a source of it.

I let my goats have free choice: Loose minerals, baking soda, mineral salt block/or regular salt block, and a cobalt block.

DOE NOT GETTING PREGNANT?..: (Some possibilities)

It may be: Cystic ovaries, Uterine infections, or possibly Freemartins and Pseudohermaphrodite.

Click here to read a very helpful article on the subject.

LOOSE MINERALS:

Make sure when you get loose minerals for your goats that you get a mineral specifically for goats. Hoeggers, Vigortone, or VitaFerm may have minerals you are looking for.

*Make sure the minerals you purchase are high in vitamin A, D, E, & Selenium.

Out West we purchased our loose goat mineral from Ranch-way Feeds in Colorado.  The mineral is called: RANCH-O-MIN 1:1 GOAT MINERAL

In Ohio we purchase our loose goat mineral at our local feed store.  The mineral is called: Right Now® Onyx (Cattle Mineral).

The trace minerals in Right Now® Onyx are readily absorbed into the bloodstream and help fortify animals with a complex blend of organic zinc, manganese and copper.  (*Note: Do not feed to sheep)

Medicines/Vaccines/Vitamins

These are some of the supplies I recommend to goat owners.  Keep in mind that some of these products are off label for goats, many of them under the "cattle" category, but still work effectively to prevent or treat goats.

• Cavalry 9:  For prevention of Clostridium chauvoei, septicum, novyi, sordelli, perfringens Types C & D, haemolyticum (bacillary hemoglobinuria/red water) and tetani.
  Broad, powerful protection against nine clostridial diseases, including Tetanus:
  -Clostridium chauvoei (Blackleg)
  -CI. septicum (Malignant edema)
  -CI. novyi Type B (Black disease)
  -CI. haemolyticum (Redwater)
  -CI. sordellii
  -CI. perfringens Types C and D (Enterotoxemia)
  -CI. tetani (Tetanus)
  


• Bar Vac CD/T:  For the immunization of healthy sheep, goats and cattle against enterotoxemia caused by the toxins of Clost. perfringens types C & D (overeating disease) and tetanus.


• Endovac-Bovi:  To aid in the prevention of clinical mastitis caused by E. coli and the effects of endotoxemia due to Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Pasteurella multocida and Pasteurella haemolytica.


• Fortified Vitamin B Complex:  High potency, injectable aqueous multi-vitamin complex solution for use in the relief of vitamin B deficiencies & to provide supplemental nutritional vitamins.



• Vitamin B12:  Used to treat anemia, appetite stimulant B Complex vitamins: Used for stress and appetite loss due to illness.



• Banamine:  RX- smooth muscle relaxant, helps with pain, fever, respiratory distress, it is anti-prostaglandin (helps prevent loss of pregnancy due to injury or stress) anti-endotoxin (helps to prevent organ damage due to toxins produced by infectious organisms) anti-inflammatory.


• Nuflor:  RX Drug of choice for pneumonia.  6cc SQ/100 lbs loading dose, followed by 3cc/100lbs SQ per day for 4 days minimum.  Cattle regime doesn't work well on goats.  They relapse and die.


• Polyserum:  This is antibodies to Actinomyces Pyogenes, P. Hemolytica, P. multocida, Samonella, and E Coli.: Passive immunity to these diseases during illness or injury.


• Bovi-Sera:  (Colorado Serum) Antiserum for prevention and treatment of A. pyogenes, Pasteurella multocida, E. coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Mannheimia haemolytica in cattle and sheep.


• Toltrazuril 5% Baycox:  One of the best methods for treating and preventing Coccidia; working better, and easier to apply than Di-Methox.  (You can view more detailed information on this product here.)


• Di-Methox 40 %:  Rapid absorbing and long lasting.  For bacterial pneumonia, shipping fever complex, calf diptheria, foot rot, and bovine respiratory complex.  Approved for lactating dairy cows.  This product also helps in E-Coli and Coccidiosis infections.
  


• Di-Methox 12.5%:  A fast-acting antibacterial solution containing sulfadimethoxine.  Treats shipping fever complex, bacterial pneumonia, calf diphtheria and footrot in dairy calves, dairy heifers and beef cattle.  Also treats coccidiosis, fowl cholera & infectious coryza in chickens; coccidiosis & fowl cholera in turkeys.


• Penicillin G:  A penicillin G procaine injectable containing 300,000 units of procaine penicillin per mL to treat disease organisms through intramuscular injection.
  


• Neomycin Oral Solution:  For the treatment and control of colibacillosis (bacterial enteritis) caused by Escherichia coli susceptible to neomycin sulfate in cattle (excluding veal calves), swine, sheep and goats.

• C.D. Antitoxin:  This is a potent multivalent antitoxin specific for the temporary prevention or treatment of Clostridial enterotoxemia in goats caused by types, B C and D toxin. Type B is not a significant problem in North America.

"A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast:

but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel." 

Proverbs 12:10