[kramsay]

As some of you may know I have had a horrible worm problem. I lost my first bottle baby to cocci, then a ND kid to cocci, then a Boer doeling to worms that showed them selves in bottle jaw. Her 1/2 sister was able to recover from bottle jaw twice. Since Mayish (would have to look for exact dates) I have wormed with Panacur for 3 days (Vet A). Wormed with cydecten once (Vet B); this was for the entire herd, only one was showing signs beside being white (the doeling who later died of bottle jaw).
Then she presented with bottle jaw; so I got Ivomec plus, gave Vit B+ and red cell. She died shortly after the first dose. I continued to dose the herd orally 1 cc per 25 lbs, once then 10 days later then 10 days after that then 30days later. After the second dose another doeling presented with bottle jaw. I quickly gave Vit B+, red cell, and injectable iron. The bottle jaw went away, continued doing red cell once a week. Color has yet to return. The rest of my herd was nice and pink until two days ago, done a fecal (a herd sample) came back with stomach worms, 1 small intestine worm (gave me the name can't spell it though) and 1 cocci. Vet B said to not worry about cocci since it was an adult herd and only one showed. Gave me cydecten and said to worm at 1cc per 50 lbs, and again three weeks later, wait one week after last dose and do another fecal. He also told me that Ivomec would not kill the worms.

All of my goats have white eyelids and gums except for my Boer buck and pygmy doe.
Every one is active, eating and drinking fine. All are at a good weight except for my two Boer doelings, one is only about 15 lbs under weight the other (who had bottle jaw) is about 30lbs under weight for her age. They both eat 2 lbs a piece of alfalfa pellets and grower (18%) all the hay they can eat. I am still giving these red cell once a week, and am starting to give the rest of the herd a week of redcell and vit b then will go to once a week, until color returns.

I leave them on pasture with full access to the barn 24/7 (except for the small boer doelings who I stall at night). I clean out the barn weekly, clean water and feed buckets. I will be able to rotate pasture in the spring, but cant now...Is there anything else I can do for my babies, I feel so bad for them ):

 

[ksalvagno]

I would get GI Soother and Deworm A from Fir Meadow and do herbs in addition to what you are doing.

 

[ptgoats45]

Is there any way you can run a couple of your steers in with the goats? Or are they in there already? Pasturing with other species is supposed to help cut down on the worms as the other animal can eat the goat worms and not be infected and vice versa, basically cleaning the pasture. Have you copper bolused your goats? Keeping their copper levels up can help with worms.

The next time you worm, pen your goats up the night before and do not feed them. Worm them the next morning and keep them penned up all day (no feed), just water then turn them back out the next day (you can give them some hay/feed in the evening so they aren't going over 24 hrs without feed). They will be hungry and not happy and it seems very cruel, but worming on an empty stomach is supposed to really help the effectiveness of the wormer. Without any feed in their stomachs the chemical doesn't end up on top and get "flushed" through without being absorbed properly. They should also poop out all of their worms in the pen and not on your pasture. It is best if you can have a worming pen set up where the goats are only in there during worming time. This way the worms are pooped out, not re-consumed and you can help end the cycle.

 

[kramsay]

Is there any way you can run a couple of your steers in with the goats? Or are they in there already? Pasturing with other species is supposed to help cut down on the worms as the other animal can eat the goat worms and not be infected and vice versa, basically cleaning the pasture. Have you copper bolused your goats? Keeping their copper levels up can help with worms.

The next time you worm, pen your goats up the night before and do not feed them. Worm them the next morning and keep them penned up all day (no feed), just water then turn them back out the next day (you can give them some hay/feed in the evening so they aren't going over 24 hrs without feed). They will be hungry and not happy and it seems very cruel, but worming on an empty stomach is supposed to really help the effectiveness of the wormer. Without any feed in their stomachs the chemical doesn't end up on top and get "flushed" through without being absorbed properly. They should also poop out all of their worms in the pen and not on your pasture. It is best if you can have a worming pen set up where the goats are only in there during worming time. This way the worms are pooped out, not re-consumed and you can help end the cycle.

First thanks for replying!

I can't run my dads steers in with the goats, because of a couple reasons; they are all close to 2,000 pounds and would probably destroy my fencing. They are on full feed. My heifer is a few months old and could possibly be moved up to the goat barn, but they are getting corn, so feeding would be difficult. I can talk it over with my dad and see what he thinks.

I have not copper bloused them, I have been trying to research it but can't figure out where to buy it or really what it is ?

I haven't got to worm yet was planning on doing it this evening, so hubby could help me (just got it Saturday morning, and spent all day yesterday helping move some family friends). But I can do it tomorrow morning instead, I will lock them up tonight, and all day tomorrow.. On Tuesday morning when I let them out I will clean out their barn, and put fresh bedding down. Should I put them in a different pen for a couple days after I worm, then move them back to their normal pen ? (I have a pen that I am not using because I am about to seed it.) While I have them locked up I could move my heifer and the steer calf up to the goats normal pen for a few days, would that help ?

Thanks so much!.. When I move, I will have a pens to be able to rotate, I am thinking about getting a mini horse or mini donkey to keep in with the goats so I can have 2 species grazing? If I got a baby it could grow up with the goats.

 

[ptgoats45]

I would pen them in the other area for a couple days if you can and put the heifer and steer in there for a couple days, they should be able to graze enough to clean some of the worms out of there. That would really help to make sure they poop out all the worms in a different area where they won't be consuming them again. Those steers sound huge! they probably would be a pain to have in with the goats.

Hopefully we get a good winter this year with a good hard freeze to kill off some of these worms and bugs that have been able to survive the last couple years due to the warmer winters.

 

[kramsay]

I would pen them in the other area for a couple days if you can and put the heifer and steer in there for a couple days, they should be able to graze enough to clean some of the worms out of there. That would really help to make sure they poop out all the worms in a different area where they won't be consuming them again. Those steers sound huge! they probably would be a pain to have in with the goats.

Hopefully we get a good winter this year with a good hard freeze to kill off some of these worms and bugs that have been able to survive the last couple years due to the warmer winters.

I was mistaken when I wrote that only my pygmy doe (trip) and my Boer buck (mickey) where the only ones with good color, Trip is close to white, I had gotten her and my ND buck franky confused (they are penned together).. Is there anything to the fact that the bucks (who are housed with the does) have good color? While all the girls are white.

I will keep them over there for a while, how long; a week ? more or less? I will move my heifer and steer calf into the goats normal pen (they are only 3 months old or so, so they aren't to big). I will also clean out their barn again, and rake the field.

Yes we raise them on full corn for two years, they are HUGE. Luckily this batch isn't too mean. we had three one time that would come through a fence at you if you looked at them wrong.

They are calling for a hard winter here, so we shall see

Thanks for your time!

 

[ptgoats45]

Just a few days should be enough to keep them out of their pen. Not sure why the does would have the bad color and the bucks wouldn't. Maybe your bucks are just a little more immune to worms than the does are.