# New goats way too thin



## wmsff (Jun 10, 2010)

Hello everyone. I just purchased two goats from a man who said he rescued them from an Amish dairy. I saw this mans other animals who were all looking well fed. There was a great deal of feed and hay in the barns, and his various individual animal housing, although small for each animal, was fairly clean and with plenty of food. 
These two does are very thin. He said that he saw the one last year and she looked great. The Amish dairy stopped producing cheese for whatever reason (I could find nothing on it via a Google search) so they stopped feeding the goats. The one who is in milk, is a Saanen. Her kid died. The other is a La Mancha. He has been milking the Saanen, but only once a day. She was about 1 week after freshening when I picked her up. I have been milking her twice a day to try to keep her in milk. She is not as thin as the other, but I can feel her ribs and spine easily. I have an appointment with a vet next week (we can't get them in any earlier). 
The man I got them from also gave me wormer (he dosed them last week) and some antibiotics to be safe. My vet said that was OK to give them. I am just tossing the milk as I don't want to risk drinking it until they are cleared by the vet. I also was given a bale of the hay and the grain he had them on. I am transitioning them slowly to my feed.
He was asking less than they would have gone for at the meat market.
I tried to get their pictures here, but I can't figure out how to because it asks for a web page. I don't do a lot with computers so I'm clueless and how to do that.
Do any of you have suggestions for me? I'm sure many are cringing at acquiring them in this way, but after I saw them, I just couldn't stop thinking about them. Speaking of which, I need to go out and feed and milk her.
Thanks in advance.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Worming is a start. I would probably also bolus with copper (if they came from a copper deficient area) and make sure they have access to adequate minerals. Good quality feed will help tremendously, and as you are doing, switch slowly. Also make sure they have access to baking soda.

I'm glad you're taking them to the vet as well. They may have more recommendations.


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## wmsff (Jun 10, 2010)

I just came back in and weighed the milk. Just over one pound. I'm a little scared though. She didn't want to get up at first. When I got her up she was stiff and not really wanting to walk. Her hooves need to be trimmed more. They were bent back under and the guy trimmed them, but was afraid of trimming too much and hurting her (he started the trimming last week, and did more when I picked her up). While I was milking her she didn't want to eat the grain. My dog was with me, but several feet away from her. She was watching the dog, so I think she was a little nervous. The other one, my kids named her Lilly, was quite eager to eat and is moving around well. She is like a little puppy, she follows me everywhere. I am trying not to give them too much grain; How much would you give them? The saanen is about 70 lbs and Lilly is probably 50-55 lbs.
Thanks again

I forgot to mention that I have a redmond natural salt block (it was at Tractor Supply and advertised for horses; it is red in color and looks like a big stone). I also have some baking soda in a feeder if they want that.


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## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

I personally would have the vet run a fecal and then worm accordinging to the results.....

This page had a list of dewormers, dosages ect. ect.

http://dairygoatinfo.com/index.php/topic,8934.0.html

Then I would get them some great quality alfalfa pellets and let them have as much as they want (I prefer the Standlee Brand at Tractor Supply)

Then I would copper bolus (members on this board sell individual doses if you can't afford to get the bulk supplies for making your own). I'd give a shot of Bo-Se when I bolus.......

I know she's skinny but just make sure you don't overdo the grain......it will cause more harm than good. Lots of good hay & alfalfa pellets won't hurt though....Provide some baking soda and a good quality, loose mineral (Not sheep/goat minerals or mineral blocks....copper isn't high enough... I personally usr the cattle mineral called Right Now Onyx)

I'm sure there is more that you need to do, these are just the things I did for my girl when I first brought her home and she wasnt in the best condition. I've also given her injectable B complex vitamin (at TSC, under $10) though I dunno if your girls need this or not.... I'd wait for someone with more experience than I have...

Good luck!


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## secretcreek (Jan 24, 2010)

First, remember ...Any doe that just kidded is going to look sunken in, thin, and kind of scruffy. These are dairy breed goats so they will not be hunky chunky-thick and rounded, looking like a boer or meat breed goat. Diary goats are angular and thinner boned. Moving the goats is a stressor too. It'll be a few days before they figure things out and settle in and act normal. Things to take into consideration.

Vit B complex will bump up a goats appetite, and soothe the gut....you can't overdose Vit B complex so that's a good start as is some probiotics such as probios to populate the gut with good bacteria as food and location changes are made. Sounds like others have given sound info on going careful on feed, etc... No matter where you bring goats from always start with a worming, and keep the gals quarantined from your herd for a while. 
-Best wishes on your new gals.
scrt crk


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

She'll need a loose mineral. Blocks aren't as readily available to the goats, and also generally have WAY more salt in them than necessary. Goats get tired of licking or get enough salt - usually before they get as much minerals as are necessary. 

I'd personally stop milking, if she is THAT skinny that she doesn't have energy to stand. I'd also slowly increase the corn in her diet, which should help her with energy, warmth, and building fat. After she's more stable, I'd lower the corn content again. 

I second the BoSe, copper boluses, worming according to fecals, and high quality alfalfa pellets and hay. I don't free choice alfalfa pellets (not sure how people can afford to!) but 50% of my goat's grain mix is alfalfa. If you can, I WOULD free feed pellets to just the new goats to get them to a good weight again, at least for a while.


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Wmsff, I use redmond salt too, but those blocks are going to be hard to get much off of, plus, while they have trace minerals naturally occuring that are beneficial, it's not enough copper and zinc, at least for me. Redmond does carry a mineral that you might see if you can get called "range mix". It's a custom mix that's used enough they have it on hand all the time. 

I would dry her up too.


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

It sounds like those goats may be stunted if they actually weigh that little. The LaMancha weighs less than half of the minimum breed standard weight for a LaMancha doe. The Saanen weighs just over half of the Saanen minimum weight. Mature LaMancha does should be a minimum of 28" at the withers, and Saanens should be a minimum of 30" at the withers at maturity. If they are any shorter than that, and are three years of age or older they are probably stunted in their growth. The weight tells me that they are stunted regardless of age. Even a yearling Saanen should be more than 70 lbs. I wouldn't breed a Saanen doe that small.


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## motdaugrnds (Jul 3, 2002)

I would do what others have suggested with a little more. I would find out if there is a "selenium" deficiency in your area; and if so, give her some Bo-Se (a Rx from the vet) that could help with her muscles.

I would also give her several large globs of Probios Paste and put some electrolytes into her drinking water. (These are to help her rumen function well. Since she is so thin and new to your area, I would concentrate more on making sure she has a healthy functioning rumen at this time than on getting weight on her. Good weight will come if her stomach is acting right.)

You might also add some BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seed) and some Beet Pulp (shredded). Both help with weight problems.

I would probably even give her "one" big glob of C.M.P.K. which is a mixture of minerals goats need in a tube. My goats do "not" like this; so I usually follow it with a handful of something they do like.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Start with only 1/2 cup of black oil sunflower seeds morning and evening. GO SLOWLY with any grain changes.

I'd deworm after the fecal, and I'd use Cydectin or Ivomec Plus, most likely. See what the vet says and get back to us. Safeguard won't work, so if he says that, he's not a goat vet. :benice:

She needs alfalfa hay and/or alfalfa pellets. Those can be given free choice.

Yes, copper bolus, and yes, BoSe.


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Whatever you do, feed changes and etc start slowly or they will scour causing more issues. With the vet coming out next week have him test them as well for CAE. 

To load pictures here:

Sign up for photbucket if you do not have it, it is free. www.photobucket.com 

Upload your pictures to the site. 

Click on the picture you want to post, four links will appear under it, click on the last one

Paste it in your post

You can preview it before you post it to see if it worked.


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## wmsff (Jun 10, 2010)

Thaiblue12 thanks for the photobucket info. I got 4 picts there, but cannot figure out how to get it to the homesteading website. 
http://s1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd473/wmsff/

Cool. This worked.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Here they are, hope you don't mind: 





































The saanen looks to be a cross, mainly because it appears to be a light cream color. Saanens are solid white... Unless she's actually a Sable. I'm thinking Saanen/Alpine cross, though. 

Also, the knees on the Saanen look suspicious for CAE to me... That may explain her hesitance to standing up, more so than her weight.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

A friend just rescued a Saanen that looks much like those.


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## ahahahni1 (Sep 4, 2006)

The Saanen looks like she might be part Alpine but not sure


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I would do exactly like LoneStrChic23 suggested, I also use the same loose mineral as she does & it works really well for me here.

The Standlee alfafa pellets from Tractor Supply are great & my girls love them.

The sunflower seeds Alice suggested are a good choice too, I add them to my grain also. Just what ever changes in feed you make do it slowly over a period of days.

How much grain are you giving each one per day?
Make sure they have all the hay they want 24/7 & alfafa pellets too all day if you have them.

They do look really skinney to me too, will really be anxious to see updated pictures of them in a month or two after you've had them. Poor things, so glad you brought them home.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

Oh, how very sad 

You might slowly - slowly - add rice bran pellets to their feed. . .
and of course, worming with ivomec plus orally. . .or cydectin or Zimectrin Gold, good loose mineral, copper, bo-se or selenium gel. . .
probios. . .
high quality free choice hay. . .

CAE testing at some point might be a good thing, too. . .

thanks for saving them

Amish are notorious for mistreating animals - sadly.


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## saanengirl (Apr 7, 2009)

Saanens are permitted to be a light cream color. Some Saanens end up being a dark cream, which is not permitted by the breed standard, but does happen. That does not make a doe a Sable. Your Saanen is probably not a cross, but your LaMancha looks like she is part Saanen (although there are some white purebred LaManchas, her ears make me think she is not purebred).


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## southerngurl (May 11, 2003)

Poor dears. Another ingredient is going to be time. They'll take a good year to fully recover even though they may look better sooner.


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## ahahahni1 (Sep 4, 2006)

Saneengirl is right your Lamancha does look to have elf ears. But Lamancha crosses can produce wonderfully.

About the Amish. Wow, I had no idea theres a problem with mistreatment.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

ahahahni1 said:


> The Saanen looks like she might be part Alpine but not sure


That's a Snubian. Looks EXACTLY like mine - well, mine was overweight, but other than that... 

Yeah, those gals need some groceries and work, but they are dear looking things.

Good luck!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

About the Amish. Wow, I had no idea theres a problem with mistreatment.[/QUOTE]



Me neither, the amish around us seem to take good care of their animals.
We buy some of our hay from a local amish family, very nice, clean folks & there animals always look really good when were there.


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