I've been so busy lately I can't think !I just got back after being gone 2 weeks and my Saanen does coat looks awfull ! She's loosing her coat and it's brittle .She was dried off about 4 weeks ago .Other wise she seems fine .If it's worms what do you other goat folks use ?I've used the paste for cows .

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), July 11, 2000

Answers

That drastic of a change in two weeks makes me wonder just what happened to the goat while you were gone. Was it fed and watered according to your routine? Did it get into something while someone wasn't watching? Was it locked up in a pen? Maybe it just missed you. Don't limit your search to just a suspicion of worms.

Here's what the Jeffers catalog says: Goats originated in arid and mountainous regions. They prefer browsing over grazing. Therefore, they are quite susceptible to internat parasites. To help reduce the internal parasiste challenge, split your grazing up at least four ways. Graze each area no more than one week, then move to the next area. You'll greatly reduce the parasite challenge. Rotation grazing will also enable you to produce twice as much forage on the same land. ---- Numerous universites are now recommending the cattle wormer, Cydectin Pour-On for goats. Cydectin Pour-on is not poured on the goats back. It is instead given orally. The dosage recommendations vary from 1cc per 22 pounds of body weight to 1cc per 10 lbs of body weight. Since Cydectin Pour-on is not cleared for goats, you should use it only upon the advice of your veterinarian or university extension agent.

I don't see a specific dewormer for goats listed in their catalog.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 11, 2000.

P.S. Jeffers is as Dr. Jeffers since the owner of this firm is a vet.

-- Ken Scharabok (scharabo@aol.com), July 11, 2000.

Hi patty,

When did you worm her last? I would worm her if she needs it with any of the wormers such as; Ivomec, which we use, valbazen or pancor. With Jeffers you can talk to a vet, in fact I got to their catalog online a few days ago, lost the addy.. sorry:( and talked to a customer rep who then called Dr. Jeffers about my question about pasturella. I got some excellent information. It could be too as Ken said she may have just experienced some off care while you were away or she missed you. Good Luck!

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), July 11, 2000.

-- P.S. Jeffers is as Dr. Jeffers since the owner of this firm is a vet. --

I've been ordering from Jeffers for many years, but I've often wondered if Dr. Jeffers is a vet. Whenever I've seen his name, the only initials after it were PHD.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), July 12, 2000.

Well I need to learn to spell or get some sleep .Her routine was the same hubby stayed home .I'm not sure if it was sudden or being with her everyday I just did not notice it .I will get some wormer and see how it goes . Thanks.

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), July 12, 2000.

Can someone explain why a browser would be more susceptible to internal parasites than a grazer? I would think that eating grass on which bugs fall one would be more apt to ingest parasites, whereas browsing leaves from which bugs and larvae fall/fell, one would ingest far fewer. Or is it that goats do not have natural defences against them because they are exposed to fewer?

-- snoozy (allen@oz.net), July 12, 2000.

Snoosy, your answer is in your question! They are browsers who are usually forced to graze! Our lovely goats are not cattle, they are really milking deer. So when forced to graze they refeed on the same areas where they pooped just last week, and reinfest themselves with the larve.

Patty, which paste wormer are you using. Most cattle wormers are dosed at 2 or 3 times the weight for cattle. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 12, 2000.

I did not pick it up yet , what do you use ?

-- Patty Gamble (fodfarms@slic.com), July 13, 2000.

Hi Patty, I use Valbazen cattle drench we use it at 8cc per 100 pounds, I use this on my milkers, (36 hour milk withdrawl) kids and bucks. Usually once during the winter I will use cattle Ivermectin 1% at 2cc per 100 pounds and give it by mouth. (It has over a 30 day milk withdrawl so I don't use it on my milkers) Most of the cattle pastes if you like to use them are used at 2 times the cattle label ie. if your doe weighs 150 pounds than dose her as if she weighs 300 pounds. Most of the Horse pastes (strongid, safeguard) are dosed at 3 times. Valbazen is very economical to use. I have wormed everybody right now who is going to be bred next week, this way I don't have to worry about using a wormer during the first trimester (50 days) of the pregnancy. Both Valbazen and Ivermectin can cause birth defects in cattle if used during the first trimester. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), July 13, 2000.