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...]
Goats and copper deficiency
Knowledge of goat nutrition has changed drastically in the last two decades. Twenty years ago, goats were lumped into the same category as sheep, and most people believed they didn't need copper. Ten years ago, most vets realized goats needed copper, but they thought that deficiency was impossible if you were feeding a commercial goat grain and providing a free choice mineral. … [Read more...]
