We are having twins and triplets born that don't breath and some have swollen throat areas. We haven't been able to warm any or keep any alive. Any suggestions Please HELP!!

-- Tracy Kingdon (tkingdon@escape.ca), March 18, 2001

Answers

Response to Goiter-What is this?

Twins and triplets.Must be goats.We have an iodine deficiency here that causes that very problem.We just make sure the pregnant does have access to loose mineral salt that contains iodine.We once had Pygmies that had this problem.Havn't had any trouble since switching from a block to loose mineral salt.I also put down a heavy application of crushed oyster shell on our paddock.I used this in place of lime for the added trace minerals.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 18, 2001.

Great answer from JT. You simply will not believe the results from moving from 50 pound blocks of minerals that last for 10 years unless placed out in the rain, and to loose minerals. You can also spary 7% iodine under the tails of your does and bucks, for a more instant relief from this. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 18, 2001.

I recommend kelp. Feed it to all my critters; has the perfect balance of minerals, and they LOVE it. I add about a third plain mixing salt to it, along with their garlic, DE , probiotics, etc, to keep them from completely pigging out, cuz it gets expensive.

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), March 18, 2001.

"Goiter" is an enlarged thyroid gland. One of the causes is lack of iodine as already discussed above. Since the thyoid gland needs iodine in order to produce Thyroid hormone, the lack of it makes the gland enlarge...more gland=more hormone to make up for not having enough to go around...on the other hand, a hyperactive thyroid (one that decides to go into overdrive), will also produce a "goiter"..People with underactive thyoid are fatigued,constipated,heat intolerant,experience weight gain, have very dry skin,and CAN have enlarged eyes. Folks with overactive thyroid have all of the opposite except for the eye thing..they can have that as well. I do not know about goats, but a thyroid is a thyroid...looking forward to having my own goats someday..I am learning ahead of time from all of these threads!!!! God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@bellsouth.net), March 18, 2001.

I agree with the Iodine deficiency. Just wanted to make a note that sheep also twin and triple in lambing. Raised five bums last year that were all the triple of triplets.

-- Deborah (bearwaoman@Yahoo.com), March 24, 2001.