Hi,

Sunday we picked up a Nubian premi buck. He's a week old. One of his front legs is lame, his knee will not allow him to fully extend his leg. We don't mind that he has a lame leg as he is going to be a family pet and first large animal for my son to start out with for 4H. Not to mention I'm a sucker for needy animals!

He's not standing yet, although he does prop up on his back legs to urinate and deficate. He seems to be trying at any rate. Because he was a premi and the other two kids died we are hoping that it will just take a little extra time.

We picked him up late Sunday night after the feed stores closed, so he had cows milk Sunday night and Monday morning. Monday evening we gave him goat replacer. I woke up this am to find him having awful scours with alot of mucous and some blood. It got even worse after his feeding this morning of replacer. After reading this forum, I switched back to whole cows milk and his feces seem to be darkening, although still quite runny and the blood is gone. Its a little too early to tell if its helping. Should he be better in the morning?

Would the replacer cause the mucous and blood? Could it be much worse and do I need to take him to the vet.

Does anyone have experience with lame kids and what is the best way for us to help him start walking.

He's in the house with us. Yesterday and this morning he was trying to get up and follow us, sort of scooting with his back legs. So I'm pretty sure its not a paralisys.

Sorry for all of the questions. We have become really attached to the little guy and want to do what we can for him.

Cheri

-- Cheri Harris (cbooboosmommie@aol.com), April 09, 2002

Answers

Hi Cheri, first I would like to invite you over to the dairygoat forum http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic=Dairygoats

Secondly yes, milk replacers do cause scours, bloody ones as it forces the meconium through the system to quickly. He will be much better now that you have him back on grocery store milk, and of course goat milk would be better. Make sure you offer him warm milk, 102 is his normal body temp, so warmer than you would offer a human infant. Offer lots of small meals while he is little, then going to 3 times a day 16 ounces, then 3 times a day 22 ounces, then 2 times a day until you want to wean him, no sooner than 12 weeks. I would start working with his bent leg, massaging and bending it back into place. I would think he should be able to flex it more normally if you worked with it. Contracted tendons are common in multiple births in young does having their first kids.

Does he have teeth that are through the gums? Think ahead to finding someone to disbud him for you, horns and little children do not mix, also castration, stinky bucks do not make pets either :) Vaccination and worming.......ask lots of questions. caprinesupply.com has a great catalog with great information and a wonderful book Goatkeeping 101, jefferslivestock.com has all the other things you will ever need. Good luck with the kid. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (Nubians) (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 10, 2002.

Thanks Vicki!

Yes he dones have teeth. I'm going to start taking our son to the goat meetings in our 4H. So I will definately ask around about debudding and castration. In fact, we got him (the kid LOL) from the 4H leader, thats why I'm not too conserned about him walking, other than giving him some extra TLC and exercise. I'm sure she wouldn't have given him to us if she thought he was a hopeless case.

The little guy seems much better tonight! After a second feeding of cows milk, while he still had scours, he was in much better spirits and played a bit with the kids.

Thanks again!

Cheri

-- Cheri Harris (cbooboosmommie@aol.com), April 10, 2002.