Information
More about goats!
BUCKS
Preparing your Bucks for the upcoming breeding season!
Many people only think of the does as breeding season approaches.
But those boys standing out there need some attention too.
I begin preparing my goats for the breeding season at least two months prior to breeding the first does.
- I first evaluate the general condition of my goats... any one needing a little extra attention is pulled aside at this time. But usually all I need to do is...
- trim the boys feet... best to do this before they are in rut... otherwise wear clothes that don't mean a lot to you... you might not get the smell of "buck in rut" off the clothes.
- The boys are then vaccinated in April with...
CDT - 2cc SQ
- We use the FAMACHA parasite evaluation system to determine if they need worming.
- The boys feed is increased by giving them a Boer Goat feed - 1 pound/ per head/ per day. And I keep them on this thru the breeding season.
- I keep a protien block, NSI Loose Minerals and lots of fresh water available all winter, along with plenty of alfalfa/grass hay.
DOES
I breed my dairy goats first. I do this so that "if" I run into a situation where I need extra milk for a kid, I can turn to my dairy goats first. Kids thrive better on real goats milk, than they do on replacer.
I also freeze some colostrum from each of my dairy goats, to have in case I need colostrum for a weak kid, or for kids who's mother is a little slow to get the milk started. I rarely need this, but when I do, I'm sure thankful I have it. The easiest way to freeze colostrum, is FRESH, in ice cube trays until frozen then wrapped individually and placed in a freezer bag. That way I can take out as many or as few cubes as I need thaw wrapped in a bowl of warm water and heat carefully in a hot water bath. I freeze fresh colostrum during each kidding season, date it... and throw away any unused colostrum from the previous kidding season. I also freeze freah goats milk in the same fashion, except I use pint size freezer bags, date the bag, pour the milk and freeze. Thaw out same as colostrum. Keep only one year on these as well. Frozen milk has come in handy on more than one occasion.
- Again 2 months prior to breeding, I evaluate the condition of the does, pull any one aside who needs a little extra care.
- I trim hooves.
- We use the FAMACHA parasite evaluation system to determine if they need worming.
- I feed 1 cup of corn per day per head.
- I keep protien blocks and loose minerals and molasses tubs available all winter, along with plenty of fresh water in addition to thier alfalfa and/or pasture.
- One month prior to kidding they get 2 cc's of CDT SQ.
When those kids hit the ground!
Spray or dip the naval with 1 % iodine and ID the kid (ear tag). Kids with weak legs... 500mg Thiamin orally along with .2 cc's (2 tenths) of MuSe orally. (or instead of MuSe use 1 cc of injectable BoSe can be given orally for newborns)
Make sure each kid is able to stand and nurse. To insure the kids are able to get the milk, squeeze a little milk out of each teat, to make sure the teat is not plugged. We occasionally run into some cases where the end of the teat is plugged from dust and just dry conditions, sometimes the kids wear themselves out trying to nurse a plugged teat.
Mom needs a little attention too!
A bucket of warm molasses water is a great start in the right direction. I add approx. 1/4 cup molasses to 1 gallon warm water. Most does drink this right down. I have found some does just will not touch this... in which case a bucket of plain luke warm water seems to be more appealing. If you have a doe that is just not drinking well try adding a small scoop of Raspberry KoolAde to a gallon of water... my does LOVE it. I make sure the doe has plenty of fresh alfalfa and water in front of her.
KIDS
We start feeding a quality creep feed with Rumensin within the first week.
They receive their first CDT Vaccine at 2 months of age.
Kids are weaned at 3 months of age. At this time they receive a second CDT Vaccine. We use the FAMACHA parasite evaluation to determine animals that need worming.
We check hooves at weaning, anyone who needs trimmed gets it. Hooves are then trimmed again at 6 months of age.
SUPPLIES FOR GOAT PRODUCERS:
Keep in mind that most of these products are off label for goats, but still work effectively to prevent or treat.
Drench gun: I recommend the Ideal 50cc Megashot syringe with the glass barrel: Get the drench tip too, it can be used for drenching wormer, medication, or probiotics.
Syringes: I keep on hand 6 cc and 12 cc disposable syringes, luer lock, without needle.
Needles: I have found two sizes to be all I really need. I use a 22 gauge 1" needle for adult animals and a 22 gauge 3/4" for kids. These are single use only with poly hubs. I use one needle per goat! I never stick a needle that has just been used on a goat (or other animal) back into a medication bottle. I never use one needle on more than one animal.
Nice to have Items include: a feeding tube and a 60cc syringe with an irrigation tip.
WORMERS:
Cydectin: (cattle pour on to be given orally at 1cc/20 lbs body weight)
or use as a pour on which is great for external parasites including flies.
Safeguard: orally
Ivomec drench for sheep ... I use 10cc per 100lbs orally
VACCINES:
CDT: Clostridial Perfringes and Tetanus (over-eating). 2cc SQ first dose, and 2cc Sq in 21 days, then once annually
CL vaccine: The Casebac from Colorado Serum Co., the Autogenous from various laboratories.
EMERGENCY DRUGS:
NOTE: Some of these drugs are available through your veterinarian only.
Long acting Penicillin: Over the Counter
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) antiendotoxin (helps to prevent organ damage due to toxins produced by infectious organisms).
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.
Epinephrine: used to treat anaphylactic shock. Regular dose is 1cc IM/100lbs. A drop of epinephrine can be put under the tongue of a newborn kid to stimulate heart and respiratory function. When a kid is not breathing, but the heart is still beating after a difficult labor and or delivery, this will save a life.
VITAMINS AND OTHER NEEDS
Thiamin: Vitamin B1, Rx, used to treat and prevent Polio. Any infection, or stress can precipitate death of rumen and small intestine organisms that produce all B complex vitamins. Pathogenic organism overgrowth can occur precipitating polio. I prefer the 500 mg/ml Thiamin injectable.
Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamine: used to treat anemia, appetite stimulant B Complex vitamins: Used for stress and appetite loss due to illness
Vitamin AD&E injectable : Used to combat deficiency due to drought. Goats do not carry a pregnancy well, lactate well, and tend to have retained placentas when there is vitamin A. deficiency. Alfalfa can be supplemented to augment the codition, but often AD&E injection 2cc IM or SQ will speed up the process. The usual source of vitamin A is green forage. Free choice mineral souldbe available at all times with a 2:1 Calcium Prosphorousbalance. Mineral should contain all trace minerals available.
Tetanus antitoxin: Used to prevent Tetanus in wounded, castrated, or dehorned animals.
Pepto Bismol-Antacid: anti-gas, antibacterial: used to treat bloat which is usually Enterotoxemia. It is also used in scours to help prevent dehydration.
1% Iodine: treat, disinfect wounds
Scarlet oil: antibacterial, keeps flies off wounds
Furacin ointment: to dip ear tags in to prevent infection at application.
Wound Kote: Wound spray that seals wounds to moisture and contamination.
Selenim deficiency: Selenim products: Rx, MuSE, BoSE
Polyserum: OTC This is antibodies to Actinomyces Pyogenes, P. Hemolytica, P. multocida, Samonella, and E Coli.: Passive immunity to these diseases during illness or injury.
CD antitoxin: Treatment for Enterotoxemia types C&D
50% Dextrose: OTC for use in pregnancy toxemia and to make Revive Amino Acid Solution (not the concentrate) OTC ingredient in Revive
Cal-Dex: A dextrose product with calcium used in preg. Toxemia, or milk fever.
Calf Pac: live probiotic product in powder form, that has 5 live organisms and will keep without refrigeration.
Vet Wrap: used to cover wounds
Mark and Pam Perry * Bayard, NE * 308-631-6398