It's not unusual to see someone asking for advice on social media, simply saying that their goat has diarrhea. Unfortunately, that's not an easy question to answer because there are a couple dozen possible causes. In the fourth edition of Diseases of the Goat, author John Matthews has a 28-page chapter entitled "Diarrhea," which should give you an idea that this is not exactly … [Read more...]
What Floppy Kid Syndrome Is — and What It Is Not
Because of the simple name of this syndrome, a lot of people assume they have a case of floppy kid whenever they have a kid that's, well, floppy. However, it is a well defined condition that only occurs between three days and two weeks of age. The textbooks say it has been seen up to a month of age in rare cases, but most vets will draw the line around ten days to two … [Read more...]
Do Goats Need Baking Soda?
When I got started with goats in 2002 it was common practice for goat owners to have baking soda available free choice. The logic is that baking soda is a rumen buffer. If a goat's rumen pH gets a little off, they can self medicate by licking up a little baking soda. It would be like you taking an antacid if you got indigestion. Recently, however, the practice of free choice … [Read more...]
Zinc Deficiency in Goats
In the middle of an especially cold January eight years ago with temperatures falling below zero most nights, my bucks began losing large chunks of hair. There were bare patches of skin as large as two or three inches across in some spots. It looked like they had dandruff. I also started seeing foam collecting at the corners of their mouths. Then one morning I walked into the … [Read more...]
Goats and Sheep and Cobalt
You may have seen a cobalt block at your local feed store, or if you're on social media, you may have seen goat or sheep owners talking about them. People have stated that it helps goats utilize their feed better or that their particular breed requires more cobalt than other breeds. Even though my goats and sheep seem to utilize their feed just fine, I started to wonder if my … [Read more...]
