Hello there, We are having some problems with raising some baby goat kids. They are 3 weeks old and we have 19. This is the first time we have had goats but are used to dairy cows,though we are finding there is a big difference. Some have seemed to be getting bloated and some have been getting a weezing and breath hard. We stopped the noon feeding about 4 days ago. They have access to grain, and alfalfa hay at all times. Should we take that away at times? They are in a barn and there is air flow but doesn't seem to be drafts. There is nothing else in the barn other then these 19 goats and some older goats that are 5 weeks old, we have 17 of them. Any help would be really appreciated!!! We are feeding milk replacer morning and night. Thank you again. Also, any websites that would help with the health issues would be appreciated also.

-- Wendy Cole (dwcole686@juno.com), March 19, 2001

Answers

Wendy,make sure you are getting kid milk replacer.The feed store clerks will tell you it's all the same but kid replacer has much more fat.The wheezing could be from ammonia buildup in the barn.Alfalfa can cause bloat but these babies should not be eating enough of that to cause trouble.You might want to take it away just in case.Feed only the amount of kid milk replacer recommended on the container.It's rich stuff.Check saanendoah.com.They have lots of good info and links to other sites.Also 911 at goatworld may find you some"local"help.Now all that said,what were you thinking.19 babies and no experience. :>)

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), March 19, 2001.

Wendy, How are you feeding so many babies and exactly what are you feeding them and how much? Are you treating them for cocci? How are your selenium levels locally? If selenium is low in your area it would be a good idea to give a shot of Bo-Se. Some vitamin B-complex never hurts either. Did these kids get adequate colostrum before you got them? If not, their immune systems will be very weak and they will be susceptible to respiratory infections. How cold is it in the barn? Do you have heat lamps over them? If less than 50 degrees at night they should have a heat source. Three weeks old is not enough to maintain their own body heat without assistance. We buy old sweat pants at the thrift store and make kid coats out of them. Cut the legs off about 15 inches long. Use the elastic cuff for the neck hole and cut two holes for the front legs. The bucklings will have to have theirs cut at an angle so they can pee without wetting the coat. These make an inexpensive and easy to use coat. But even with coats, they need a heat source. A 150 watt heat lamp in UL listed holder suspended about 48" above the floor in a draft free stall will give them enough heat to be comfortable even at freezing temperatures.

At three weeks they should be fed four times daily 12 ounces each feeding. Twice daily feeding does not give them the opportunity to utilize the milk. Remember: these are babies. You would never expect a human baby to go 12 hours between feedings! Are you hand feeding to make sure each kid gets the proper amount? Bucket feeding is used by many people, but you at least need to watch to make sure they all eat. We always have kids that are poor nursers and need individual attention to get the full ration.

The bloat could be an early sign of cocci. You need to treat for this immediately. It's not a question of whether or not your kids will get cocci, but when and how bad? Cocci is everywhere in the soil. A kid with cocci WILL die within one to two days if not treated aggressively. Runny smelly stools are a sure sign of cocci. I wouldn't remove the alfalfa or grain, unless it is moldy or musty. Kids this young will not have enough interest in it to cause bloat.

Have these kids been vaccinated against CD&T? They should be vaccinated at two and six weeks of age and then every six months after that. This is another bacterial problem that is ever present in the environment. If you know what the symptoms are and how to recognize them from other similar problems, you can save a kid with enterotoxemia, if you act quickly. They can go down and die within 12 hours or less.

I'm not trying to overburden you with information, but I hate to see kids die from lack of information/intervention. Domestic herds are not like wild herds. They need lots of TLC.

I would encourage you to join an email goat list. Go to www.cybergoat.com to find one specific to your breed. You can find lots of specific help there. Also go to www.goatworld.com/911 for free expert emergency care in your area.

Let us know how all these kids do.

Skip Walton, www.sundaycreek.com Sunday Creek Nubians

-- Skip Walton (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), March 19, 2001.

Hi Wendy, Goats should not have full access to grain. You can grain your goats in small amounts 2x a day. Over feeding grain will cause Bloat.Make sure they all have thier CD&T. If you need any other help: Goat911@topica.com This is the e-mail addy for the goatworld 911.There are many experienced goat folks there to help you.

-- Robin Martin (Bluemoonacres@aol.com), March 23, 2001.