# normal body temp in newborn goats? help please



## Ellie Mae (Jan 18, 2011)

hi,

I did a 4 searches for fevers and temps on here, but keeps saying nothing found...

our 24 hr old newborn is not interested in nursing, we have given him his mama's colostrum last nite, and again this am, squeezed vit E cap into him and took his temp, it says 103.5.

We just went through this with 2 bucklings last week (different doe's)
one had a temp of 104, another 103.8...

the goat books say normal body temps for goats range from 101 to 104, so how do I know if he is sick or running a fever? I know he is "off" and we had to give our other two antibiotic shots, so should I just go ahead and start him also? 

We keep our goat barn "clean" with fresh bedding, they have fresh water, minerals and good feed and hay, so am wondering why we are having these issues for the first time.

Am really not used to the bucklings not knocking the stew out of the does udders, we had planned to pull any bucklings just because of how rough they are on our milkers...
any ideas?

thanks!


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

Did the does have BoSe before kidding? Have you given the kids BoSe?

Does he have *any* suck reflex?

103.5 is fine.

Sounds nutritional. I'm thinking you might have to tube feed him some colostrum to get him going. (Yarrow taught me how to do this!)


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## Ellie Mae (Jan 18, 2011)

thanks Alice,

no, none of our goats have gotten Bo-Se, we have a big bottle, but our vet told us this area is not selinium deficient and that it can be toxic, so I didn't give it to them.

Figured Vit E can't hurt, so they do get 400iu, Boss when they will eat them...

Our vet will tell us he is not an expert in Goats, but he has cared for them over the years and is an old country livestock vet.

he tells us when he isn't sure of something regarding goats and suggests asking goat experts which I appreciate him doing.

We have Nigerians and Alpines, and the baby ( Nigie) might weigh 2-3lbs...he will bump his mama's udder, but won't attempt to seek and suck, just like our little doeling a week ago...never had this problem before.

I think we have a lamb feeding tube...don't feel real good about tubing a baby goat tho and I know many of you do it...

and I am walking through issues with goats we haven't had in the 3 yrs we have had them...but don't feel I know enough about goat anatomy even after reading on it...
I have Pcn on hand and went ahead and gave him .4ml SQ about 2 hrs ago..

he is due for another "force" feeding so will update if he has improved, but if you do suggest giving him the Bo-se (and our doe's), what is the dose per lb you recommend? 
and is it subQ or IM? 
and since they have all had Vit E recently will that be too much?

am grateful to have a site like this, sure wish we knew goat folks with more experience than us in the area...
people are calling us asking for advice...
now that's scary, I might know just enough to be dangerous, lol



thanks!


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

There is a map on selenium, but I don't have it bookmarked. Hope someone does, as I'm in the middle of something right now.

I'd do the BoSe. dairygoatinfo.com says 1/4 cc sub q for Nubian size kids. So just a very small amount for a Nigerian Dwarf. I don't think you will hurt him with that.

He just may be a slow starter!


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