# Putting weight back on a sick goat



## firecattx (Nov 18, 2010)

I have a doe that is (hopefully) recovering from ruminitis and a 8000epg worm count. We are not out of the woods with her yet but if she pulls thru we need a plan to help her put weight back on. She has lost major weight and is basically skin and bones. Right now, she doesn't have an appetite but we are trying to give her hay. If/when she gets better, what is the best thing to feed her? When should we reintroduce grain? Should we start out with small amounts or once she gets an appetite, feed her all she wants?

Thanks!


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Hay as much as she wants 24/7. Grain I would start very slowly, and if it were me, I would not give her any until she has been eating enough hay to keep her rumen full for at least a week, then I would start her on something mild like oats, small amounts to start. I would substitute alfalfa pellets for grain (unless you feed alfalfa hay) until she is ready for grain.

Rice bran works well, just don't feed her too much fat. I mix it in with the soaked beet pulp I feed them for a noon meal, and add the alfalfa pellets. Keeps them in good weight even when they are milking their hearts out.

I have had good luck with Vit B complex injections to stimulate an appetite.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Being new, you really need just to find a good complete feed. Purina has the nobel line of feeds. 

No you can not let her have as much as she wants, ever. It's fine to full feed fast growing kids, but for adults hay is the superior product. Since our hay is so inferior in our area (she is about 1 hour to the south east of me) although it would hurt nothing to go get her a bale, but I would never take her off her alfalfa pellets, it is afterall the only quality alfalfa we have down here. Tractor Supply carries the Standee brand, my goats love these, I also feed the Bert and Wetta brand that my feed dealer sells. Also pick up loose mineral, they have a deer mineral that is excellent, they carry the loose goat one, which is fine with a small herd, or the beef cattle one (I simply ask for the one lowest in salt). Once you have this all undercontrol, then you can start tweaking your management, for now I would not be doing anything more.

And mostly this is just going to take time, months, until she is 100%, until she can be bred, until she has built her blood supply back up, until you have the worm burdens in your herd under control, until she can regulate her body temp in this opressive heat, she will be very lucky indeed to make it through our Augusts here in this condition. And, it can take a year for intestines to heal, so although she is eating more than anyone else on your property, the best of everything, she is always going to have bouts of diarrhea during stress and she will never be able to assimlate the nutrition in her diet to make milk and meat and grow kids like she would have been able to, before she got ill. Why prevention (learning to fecal, blood tests, knowing the parasites in your area, knowing the defficencies in your area, vaccination when we can) and dealing with them before you are treating illness. 

Bo-se, Copper bolsuing, loose minerals, hay/browze/alfalfa pellets, clean water, shade, a fan, and then grain (grain is not the answer it is usually part of the problem). Vicki


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

You can boost her appetite, build her blood counts and prevent her from going down with Polio, by giving her FORTIFIED B-Complex injections. Can be given multiple times per week.


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## firecattx (Nov 18, 2010)

I am offering grass hay and alfalfa hay/pellets but she isn't interested in anything. Is there anything I can put on it to make it more appetizing?


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## Ziggy (Nov 13, 2009)

I would get some good alflalfa.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

Each goat is different as to what they find is appetizing but I would hesitate to use molasses because that might cause more issues with her already messed up digestive tract.

I have good luck with real ginger Ginger Snaps when my animals are not eating. Will she eat a ginger snap or 2 or a bit of candied ginger? Maybe find her a nice rotted log so she can get some bacteria from it for her digestive tract?

Not sure if her system is up to stuff like plain sugar free applesauce or not. Maybe a bit of browse that you could bring to her?

Is she getting anything for the anemia that she probably has due to the worm load? Anemia makes you feel sick and tired and not want to eat. Is her rumen even functioning properly? She may need a cud transplant.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Time! She will come around. I did like the Purina Show goat but it is spendy to feed to an entire herd.

I do agree with the B-Complex but do make sure she is drinking lots of fluid before giving her round after round of B-Complex. 
Tam


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## firecattx (Nov 18, 2010)

We are giving B injections and Probios. She is drinking electrolytes but not as much as I'd like her to. She wont eat anything. Today she was very weak and didnt even move around much. We finished the Naxcel and 3 days of banamine but she still has diarhhea. Hopefully she will perk up in the next few days, otherwise we might have to look at putting her down.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

If you haven't tried lactating ringers, give that a shot. You vet can supply you with the necessary things. Some extra fluids will do wonders.
Tam


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

I have had success with a handful of Sr. horse feed (rice bran based, contains high energy stufflike flax seed, etc) and rice-meal for sr. horses (I don't have horses!) on top of whatever normal ration you are giving her. Also, I use an electrolyte with probiotics, one that gels up, mix a quart of it and offer a bit to any doe under stress or that's underweight, then put the unused portion away in a clean container and give that to them later when it is a 'goo'. Sounds odd, but the does that need extra energy seem to like that (high in dextrose, too) and it seems to get their appetite going. I do add nutri-drench to it for does who like that (especially fresh does), even though I know it's an overpriced item: it does give the animal some concentrated nutrition.


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## Bella Star (Oct 27, 2007)

You might try the chopped alfalfa hay in a bag as I always mix it with their grain and feed to growing kids and my milk does if they dont eat the alfalfa pellets .


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## nlhayesp (Apr 19, 2012)

I asked this question to the OSU vets in Marysville, OH. She suggested Red Cell, 3cc/100 lbs. In addition to the Vitamin B complex. It gets her iron supply up


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Really need to hydrate that doe. That is why I mentioned the lactated ringer. If she isn't drinking much all that B-complex can damage kidney and liver function and cause failure.
Tam


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## smithurmonds (Jan 20, 2011)

Like Vicki said- it's hard to get good quality hay here and even harder to get good quality alfalfa. We've been feeding Chaffhaye alfalfa for the last few months and love the results we're getting. I've found it to be less self-limiting than pellets and the company says it can be fed as a total hay replacement. We still feed coastal bermuda free choice for all our animals, because 18-23% protein on a dry matter basis seems high. Our milkers and late bred does do get Chaffhaye free choice, but still choose to eat hay in addition. After trying it first hand it's exactly what I would use to put weight on, plus grain in moderation (as others have pointed out) once you get her rumen functioning at full steam. Even without grain for my bucks and dry does the Chaffhaye is giving us good results. It's a pricey option for those further North who can get good quality alfalfa at a reasonable price, but I'm extremely happy with the product.


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