# flakey skin, dandruff?



## Dorit (Apr 20, 2011)

I shaved my goats and one, who has a glossy coat has 'split pea size' dandruff and skin is flakey. I read previous posts about getting BOSS, what is that, where to get it and how to administer or apply. thanks


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## tendermeadowsnigerians (Sep 8, 2010)

BOSS is black oil sunflowers you can get it at the feed store, pet store, wal mart, ect.
Its more then doubled in price here in the last couple months, i dont feed it anymore just cant jusify $28 for a 50lb bag when I was paying $10-12/bag.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Also, lice can cause that. Shaving them goes a long way to getting rid of them though. 

I've been feeding rice bran. It's not as high in fat but a ton cheaper.


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## 2Sticks (Dec 13, 2007)

Yesterday, Boss was $23.00 for 25lbs at our feed store. :groan


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Wow Tamera! We can still get the 25 lb for 11 here. For now.


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## 2Sticks (Dec 13, 2007)

Count your blessings Ashley...I almost :faint when they told me the price.


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## Holly Govero (Mar 26, 2009)

Ashley your BOSS is much cheaper than mine. Our is 30 dollars for Boss. I stopped using it. I use rice bran. Man it really makes my goats look nice!


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## tendermeadowsnigerians (Sep 8, 2010)

The only rice bran available around here is that maxi-glo and its still $23 for a 50lb bag. The feed stores around here all carry the same brand and its the only one they carry.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

The stuff I got is just plain rice bran. The Maxi-glo is a fortified rice bran.


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## Dorit (Apr 20, 2011)

I already sprinkle 1/2 cup of BOSS (now that I know what it is) on her alfalfa pellets. She gets that twice a day. I also dust with DE where they sleep and on their backs. Although some days I don't do it. Is there a test for lice or a way to tell? Should I increase the BOSS? Be more consistent with dusting daily?


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

2Sticks said:


> Yesterday, Boss was $23.00 for 25lbs at our feed store. :groan


Oh, that stinks!


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Barb (MRFBarbara) told me that her vet (or someone, I can't remember) told her to use AD&E. I have a doe that has bad dandruff. I have yet to get it, but it's on my list to order.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I would like to inquire as to why you think you need to dust daily? You are setting up conditions for respiratory problems strewing sharp edged silica particles in the air each day. Chronic silicosis is a serious incurable decrease in lung capacity with potential for chronic pneumonia. There is nothing you are fixing by doing this every day. 

Skin issues are nutritional. Even mite resistance is nutritional. Mites are everywhere all the time and animals with less well grown skin will get them but just flaky skin does not indicate a mite problem. If they are not rubbing on everything and chewing themselves they do not have mites. Adding a bit of pumpkin seed oil or even wheat germ oil or expeller pressed sunflower oil will add zinc as well as fat to your ration and boost immunity and facilitate proper skin cell synthesis. You can get pumpkin seed oil in capsules and just poke one each day and squeeze on their ration. Or get more direct and just get zinc citrate capsules and sprinkle once a day on their favorite food.

Does your loose mineral have a good zinc level? Do they eat some of the minerals every day? Your doe with flakes will need to build new and more resilient skin from the inside out so be patient. 
Lee


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## Dorit (Apr 20, 2011)

Lee, thanks for info about DE, we all start hacking when I start sprinkling. How do YOU use DE? I do put out minerals but don;t see the level go down very quickly. i like the idea of zinc nitrate on her favorite food. Where would I get this? 
This is a dumb question but what are goats' favorite food? I tried carrots but they didn't like it, my experience is limited to animal crackers, saltines and matzo. Would you add to my list of favorites? thanks


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Zinc CITRATE is a human quality dietary supplement available at most health food stores. I order from www.vitaminshoppe.com since we are very rural and they have flat rate shipping for one item or 100. I do not use DE. I have enough exposure to silica as a potter 

We feed all of the debris and extras from all of our gardens all year long and our goats are completely nuts about all of it. Right now they are getting all the too big and extra cukes. I just pulled my first spring planting of green beans in favor of the new planting and they left not a scrap! Last winter they got a trough full of chopped winter squash each day. So... I guess it is seasonal but whatever is being served is the fav here. I juice the carrots that we grow and they go crazy for the pulp. Can't imagine a goat that does not like carrots! 
Lee


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## Spicer Creek Goats (Dec 10, 2007)

Lee, what mg of zinc citrate do you use and how many do you give per feeding? I have a buck that my vet & I believe has zinc issues. He goes thru long periods where he won't eat mineral (right now he is eating it again). He looses patches of hair (very symetrically) every year. No one has ever been able to advise me on what to give him to "up" his zinc level, except for mineral--pretty hard to force a buck to eat mineral if he doesn't want it!! Really want to try the zinc citrate-just need some direction.
Thanks,
Julie


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Julie: Where is your buck losing it's hair? I have a buckling that lost a couple of patches, very symetrical. On both sides, almost half way between backbone and elbow, back about 4 inches from the shoulder. It almost looks like he got stuck trying to squeeze through something and his hair came off, but there is nothing in his pen where that can happen.


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## dcrose (Mar 12, 2011)

Dumb question here, is "Boss" a brand name of sunflower seeds? Would any sunflower seeds do? Also, what is DE?


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

BOSS = Black Oil Sunflower Seeds


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

you can also use sunflower or corn oil over thier grain for help with dry skin


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

DE= Diatomaceous Earth


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## sarafina (Dec 26, 2009)

dcrose said:


> Dumb question here, is "Boss" a brand name of sunflower seeds? Would any sunflower seeds do? Also, what is DE?


DE = Diatomaceous Earth


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## Spicer Creek Goats (Dec 10, 2007)

Cindy, Mine has patches about the same place as yours except it is farther back-more on his flank. It happens every winter. Usually he gets his hair back in the summer-but not this year. I've had the vet check him several times and he said it is not lice or mites. He thinks it is a zinc defiency since it's so symetrical, but he also can't tell me what to give him. And yes it does look like he has tried to squeeze through something, but like you, there isn't anything there to squeeze through!
I hope Lee responds, if she doesn't see this I may start a new thread.
Julie


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Julie ask your vet to give you some mineral max 2 injectible.
It has 4 mins and is very high in zinc. The goat dose is 1cc per 100 pounds.
This will be a readily available boost in zinc levels.


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## Spicer Creek Goats (Dec 10, 2007)

THANK YOU, LEE
Julie


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## dcrose (Mar 12, 2011)

:rofl That was a good one....sometimes I wonder where my brain is!!! I already had sunflower seeds and the goats just love them!! Thanks again for your help!!


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Yes, thanks, Lee!


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