Critterhaven Farm's Goat Care and Maintenance
First off, let me start by saying that no two farms are the same in their routine or medical care. If there is anything I've learned in the 7 years we have owned goats, it is that you can't follow exactly what another farm does, and you can't keep to the same routine, but rather you have to follow what your goats tell you. Their environment constantly changes, and so should their care. I have been a vet tech for nearly 20 years now, so I do alot of my own vet work with my vet's guidance. But there is no substitute for a good goat vet. Make sure you have an emergency number for a competent goat vet at all times.
As of 2010, this is what we do.
Feeding:
During the summer when it is nice and wet and the grass is high, well they eat it. And that is all they eat unless I have does I am milking. Then they get alfalfa hay daily or if it is not available they get alfalfa pellets from our local Feed Store daily.
During the winter months or when there is little or no browse, they get good quality timothy/orchard grass hay daily and a blend of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, Rolled Oats, Beet Pulp, Cottonseed Meal, Soybean meal, Alfalfa pellets, and a 12-16% goat feed from our local feed store. The amount of protein depends on if the girls are in milk or not. The more milk production they give the more alfalfa they get, along with the good quality hay. The boys never get alfalfa, but I will give them a mix of the sunflower seeds, oats, and beet pulp, along with a low protein sweet feed. I will occasionally substitute the sweet feed with a medicated pellet feed from the co-op. In other words, we play it by ear.
Now the doelings that are being weaned, bottle fed, or on their own up to about 6 months of age, I give a mixture of calf manna, beet pulp, BOSS, and rolled oats. They also get a block of alfalfa hay daily. I've found this feed is gentle enough on their rumens so that it is an easy transition from one farm to another, and keeps their systems healthy all season long.
Minerals:
All of our goats have access to fresh loose mineral at all times. We use Sweetlix Caprine Milk Maker, and after having used the meat maker in the past, we find higher production and better conditioning all around using the Milk Maker instead.
Baking Soda:
We try to leave this out fresh as much as possible, but it is hard to out in the open field. We have holders to put the minerals and the baking soda in the barn so it is covered and out of the open. We have found that if we put it just out of their reach, but then place a concrete block or something for them to step on to get to it, it keeps them from soiling it with poop pellets.
Vaccinations:
We have been following this vaccination schedule since we have been raising goats, having acquired it from a friend of ours, and it works great for us.
All of our does are given a CDT shot annually a month before they kid. We also give our does a 1cc BO-SE shot then also, beginning this year and we really saw a difference. Our bucks are given a shot then also annually and then they get a BO-SE shot before breeding. The doe kids get their first CDT at one month of age, the bucklings usually at 2 weeks and then all get a booster three weeks later. 2cc per goat no matter the size. We use the goat CDT from TSC.
This next kidding season
(Spring 2010) we
will also be vaccinating against pneumonia. We have been recommended to
use Colorado Serum's pasteurella vaccine. Mannheimia Haemolytica-Pasteurella
Multocida Bacterin. We will continue it's usage if it works for us at the
following schedule: Inject 2 ml SQ. Administer a 2nd dose at 2 to 4 weeks.
Animals vaccinated at less than 3 months of age should be revaccinated at
weaning or at 4 to 6 months of age.
Worming:
Let's face it, we are in the south and it is wormy here! This year has been particularly wet. Good for the gardens and grass growing. Bad for goats due to parasites. We like rotating wormers, using a clear wormer and a white wormer alternately. Our wormer of choice is ivomec plus, and we do this at a dose of 1cc per 55# given orally. We worm does after they kid and then repeat it in about 10 days and then again 10 days later. We deworm the kids at about 4 weeks of age, and then repeat it for at least 3 more times about 2 weeks apart. If any show signs of worms we do a fecal sample and treat accordingly. We treat for coccidia now using a new drug by Bayer called Baycox. It is only available overseas and not labeled for goat use. We use it at 3 weeks of age and then every 3 weeks until 15 weeks of age.
UPDATE: After attending the Southeastern Dairy Goat Conference last month we were advised to not repeat the worming after 2 weeks, but rather to check a fecal and then if needed reworm. Also they recommended NOT rotating wormers, but rather sticking with the one wormer that works for you. We will be attending a goat seminar in Columbia on Nov. 23rd specifically on Internal Parasites and will broach this subject to them at that time and see what their take on it is.
We also have used panacur/safeguard at 4x the dose on the label as well as Valbazen at 1cc per 10#. Just make sure you are not using Valbazen in pregnant does.
Hoof Trimming:
I'll admit, I have been very lax in doing this. It is so hard for me to do by myself. But my plan is to do hoof trimming on a quarterly basis. To accomplish this I am moving the milk stand into the barn and thus allowing me to do this by myself instead of out in the field like I normally have been doing it. A great illustration on how to hoof trim can be found here.
Our medicine cabinet:
Here is what we try to keep on hand, in no particular order. We are constantly adding to this list.
Injectables:
Penicillin (both long acting and short), LA200, Gentocin, Baytril, Dexamethasone, B12, Fortified B Complex, BO-SE, Lutalyse, Banamine, Thiamine, Oxytocin, ADE, Epinephrine, Excenel, Naxcel, CDT, Tetanus Antitoxin, Vitamin K, Dextrose
Orals:
Nutridrench, Red Cell, DYNE- High Caloric Supplement, Molly's Herbals - Immune Support Tincture, Liquid Vitamin C, Karo Syrup
Coccidiastats:
Baycox, Corid, Sulmet, Albon
Dewormers:
Ivomec Plus, Ivomec, Panacur/Safeguard, Valbazen, Cydectin, Strongid
Creams and Ointments:
Triple Antibiotic Opthalmic Oint (PNB - with and without Hydrocortizone), Gentocin, Terramycin, Udder Balm, KY Jelly
Oral pastes, drenches, and medications:
Probios, Kid Paste, Nutridrench, Calcium Drench, Butepaste
Sprays:
Iodine, Granulex, Silver wound dressing (good for disbudding)
Powders:
Baking Soda, Terramycin, Colostrum, Revitalyte
Miscellaneous:
Sterile gloves, non sterile gloves, syringes of all sizes, needles of all sizes, guaze, tape, vet wrap, dental floss for tying off umbilical cords
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