# Skinny Goats?



## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

I got some new girls recently, and they are just not fattening up like they should. 
I gave them Ivomec and have been feeding them really well, but they are still too skinny and bony looking.
And one has a really rough coat, any suggestions on both of these?

Thanks in advance!


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Are they milking? If so when did they freshen? What age? What is their entire management? Minerals?


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Have you had a fecal checked on these goats? That's probably the first step. And we need some more information, :yeahthat.


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

What kind of feed and minerals are you feeding them? When did you deworm them and how many times?


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

I just got them within this past week, and the first thing I did is the Ivomec. So I have only wormed them once. And I don't know what kind of minerals they were on. I would assume they were since the person who had them previous had a "mentor" who told her how to take care of them...but I am not sure. I have been slowly introducing them to the minerals I give my goats (and I can't remember the name of them, but I know there is "Emerald" and "Gold" and I am feeding the "Gold" to my goats).


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## ksalvagno (Jul 8, 2011)

I'd be doing a fecal and also testing for coccidia. Just because they are adults doesn't mean they can't have a large load of coccidia. Also Barberpole would be rampant right now too. I would check their eyelids as well and see how pink/salmon colored they are. If they are light pink or white, then they have a heavy parasite load and it may be more than one type of parasite.


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

I am new to the Ivomec, but shouldn't that get rid of those too? And I have never heard of checking a goats eyelids before, but I will run out and do that right now.


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

Just got back in from looking, and they are not at all light pink or white.


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## LLB101 (Sep 29, 2009)

besides the worming, rough coat says copper to me, do you need to bolus where you live?


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

No, not here. Everyone says that the minerals I am using are the best as well as most economic. I know one person who does use those, but it just her personal choice. And I am slowly introducing the minerals to them, because I didn't want to have too much of a drastic change in feed for them. I mean, the people I got them from did not take good care of their goats, but they didn't look like they had this many problems when I picked them up! Arggg!


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## Lynn_Theesfeld (Feb 21, 2010)

Also having them a week- I would think you need to give them some time to get used to all the new things in your area. I month and them still not thriving then i would worry.
I would fecal them asap- then go over to the worms\wormers section and see what is going to take care of what you have. Remember if you can't fecal yourself there is the neat place that you can send it in for $5.00 listed over there as well.
Good Luck with them!
Lynn


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

That is something I will look into, thanks! I know they have to settle in and get used to the new routine and place, but it seemed they just dropped drastically and it is worrying me. And I would rather start asking advice now instead of waiting until they deteriorated farther.


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## Lynn_Theesfeld (Feb 21, 2010)

Understandable- I may have read that wrong, I was thinking they were skinny when you got them. 
Still do a fecal and or get one done and know what you are fighting instead of guessing  it will be better in the long run


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

Yup *sigh* another thing added to the list!  And I guess I was the one being confusing, they were pretty skinny when I got them, but just got worse under my care. Which made me feel terrible, because I KNOW I take better care of my goats then they did theirs! And I am sorry that sounded snotty and mean. I don't feel like I take good of care of my goats as a lot of other people just because of lacking in experience, but these were some people that actually made me feel like I knew something because their goats looked neglected. I mean, they had hay, fresh water and decent pens etc. but they just looked...well, neglected.


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## Ziggy (Nov 13, 2009)

If they were neglected it may take a year if good care or more to get them back into shape. Just follow the suggestions on here. A lot of very experienced people willing to share.


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## Trysta (Apr 5, 2011)

Get CDT shots up to date when you introduce new animals.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

They probably are losing weight due to the stress of moving. You'll want to be very sure you are taking care of whatever parasites they may be harboring and a fecal is definately in order. Are they seperated from your home goats? They should be in an isolation pen together. This will help keep stress levels down as there will not be any fighting. Also, as you worm them and they start shedding worms, which are probably becoming more active now due to the stress of moving, they will not infect your home goats. Most goats go through some stress when moved and will possibly lose some weight, yours probably look worse since they were thin to begin with and probably malnourished from the way you describe their hair coats. Some vit. c might help and I had good luck adding zinc to one of my does feed whose coat looked bad. Also, copper bolus, (check with Tammy to see what schedule she follows in your state). Copper can make a huge difference in hair coat health and parasite resistance. In most cases oral copper is not enough.


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

Ivomec is for worms and coccidia are not worms so you'll need something specifically for coccidia, such as Corid, to take care of that. And the parasites you brought in with these new goats may be resistant to Ivomec in which case you'll need to use something higher up the macrolytic scale, like Cydectin, or a from a different chemical class, such as Valbazen or Levamisol, or a combination of drugs from two different classes. But getting a fecal sample done by someone who knows what they're looking for would be a good first step.

Also, you didn't say what or how much you're feeding? What kind of hay? And are these does in milk or are they dry?

Caroline


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

Yes, I have them together in a separate pen from my other goats, and I should have known that about coccidia. I remember reading about it, but it's been a while and-pregnancy brain. I am going to sound like an idiot at times for the next three months!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

A drastic look change, is rarely weight, but rumen capacity. A well fed dairy goat, little or big, thin or fat, should always get the questions asked by new people, is she pregnant.

So I would bet there isn't a lot going on with these goats but groceries. 

When new folks buy goats I always tell them to be happy with them, get them on to your feeding program you can afford to feed...always first find the best hay you can afford, if it's only grass hay for horses than also feed alfalfa pellets...if it's alfalfa hay than put this in front of them 24/7. Then worry about the grain, it is simply secondary to the hay and alfalfa pellets or the alfalfa hay you can find.

And buy yourself a weigh tape, this way you can actually track their weight, and no guess by how big or how small their stomach is, it contains 4 chambers and one that holds all the feed you give them or they browse, an empty rumen can make a doe look thin overnight.

In goatkeeping 101 we have the famacha chart, which is nothing more than an anemia chart, look it over really good, and part of going out and visiting or working with your goats daily should be really looking them over, and pulling out an eyelid to check, run a hand through several coats, and always note feet, watch one of your bucks pee each day as you take them their hay and fill their water.

Take it slow. Vicki


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

I did weigh them when I got them home and have been keeping track of it to make sure it doesn't keep dropping or, hopefully, when it starts to go up. And I am keeping good alfalfa hay and grass in front of them and giving them a good ration of grain + the minerals. So besides the fecal it kinda sounds like I am doing everything right. Keep plugging away at it, I suppose!


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

Just got the CAE reports back! (At one in the morning, I know. Drat this insomnia!) and they are both negative. I was pretty sure they were, but it is nice having something in black and white


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## Lynn_Theesfeld (Feb 21, 2010)

Congrats!!! Kudos for getting it done so quickly!!


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## DawnBreakers (Sep 20, 2011)

Thank you  and I just had to really laugh at myself. I was looking for the email all day and then, just when was starting to think I could go to bed, I got it. Then I got all wired and excited over it and couldn't go back to sleep for another hour!


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

LOL congrats!


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