# Rough hair coats



## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

My goats have rough haircoats, one yearling doe in particular. One also has patches of missing hair, mainly in the flank and just behind the front legs, and a patch on top of her head. 
They have all been bolused with copper in January and 6 months before that. They have access to Golden Blend mineral at all times. I feed a custom mix feed recommended by the local goat dairy, and of course are on pasture and have access to mixed grass hay. They have also all been dewormed in January with Eprinex.
Any ideas? Suggestions?


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

Black Oil Sunflower Seed. Start with about half a cup of BOSS per day per goat.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Do you use Bo-Se to make sure they have adequate selenium levels?? Selenium and copper work hand in hand, if you don't have enough of one, you won't get the full benefits of the other.


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## Jean in Virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

Is your herd closed? Could they have picked up lice during the breeding season or have you introduced a new goat?

Our buck brought home lice ONCE and that was the end of his service to friends.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I think Mites or lice can get on your goats even if you don't introduce a new animal. I have had 2 goats in 2 different years get mites & haven't got a new goat(unless born here) in almost almost 4 years.

Sounds like copper issues with the rough coat but sounds like your trying to combat that.
I do know that if you have very hard water or alot of iron in your water that it interferes with the way copper & certain other minerals are absorbed into the goats too.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Jean in Virginia said:


> Is your herd closed? Could they have picked up lice during the breeding season or have you introduced a new goat?
> 
> Our buck brought home lice ONCE and that was the end of his service to friends.


My herd is closed. I do plan on bringing in a new buck, but he is from a closed herd as well.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

Ok, how do I know if it's mites or lice, and how would I treat for them. Is it ok to treat for them "just in case"? or do I need a difinitive diagnosis?


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## Jean in Virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

The lice we had were blue/black if I remember correctly. You could see them on the shoulders, and they were big, like an aphid. Only one of our does had the rough coat. 

It's been over 10 years ago, and we used injectable Ivomec to treat them. We were doing the same thing as far as selenium shot, minerals etc, but Alfalfa Stinkypoo had to go visit the neighbor girls.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Backfourty said:


> Sounds like copper issues with the rough coat but sounds like your trying to combat that.


Yes, but if copper is given without adequate selenium.....you will not get good performance from the copper. So be sure you are handling both deficiencies.


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## dm9960 (Nov 26, 2009)

is there another way to get selenium?


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## thebaker (Dec 2, 2009)

You can get selenium gel if can't get the BO-SE shot.


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

The three that are fresh recieved Bo-Se at kidding in January. The other two recieved Bo-Se in November.


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## DairyGoatSlave (Dec 27, 2008)

I'd say feed some BOSS. I had a doe that was sick for awhile, she got over it, however she had a rough coat. I gave her some BOSS and now she has a nice coat. I give it to all my does now, around two handfuls per feeding.


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