Boer Goats

2 posts
Mon, 08/18/2014 - 17:31 #1

Member for

10 years 4 months
Skoorbs
Last seen: 08/18/2014 - 18:49
Joined: 08/18/2014 - 17:12

Boer Goats

Hi! I'm new to this small farm thing so I'm madly learning as I go! Anyway I have 2 boer goats that I bought just over a week ago. One had just finished with her kids and is lovely and friendly and the other was pregnant when we bought her. I was told by the lady we bought them of that she had a while before she was due and that both were wormed. Bought them home and the pregnant one got the scours about 4 days after bringing her here. Was giving electrolytes from vet and she was so anaemic I had to worm her. She improved but unfortunately we lost the kids... All three... I called the vet and milked her as advised to make sure she got rid of the placenta which I'm pretty sure came out with the third kid. She was bleeding Saturday and Sunday, looked miserable but is eating and drinking, bit weak in the back legs. Today she seems to have stopped bleeding and had been eating when I give her food. I spoke to the vet to see if she needed some antibiotics just to clear her but they said they'll charge me a fortune if the vet comes here and I don't really want to transport her to them and stress her out. Everything seems normal, weeing, doing nice solid pellet poos again and eating and drinking, just laying down a lot and still a bit weak in the back legs... I just need some advice on what to look for if she is going downhill or if there is anything I can do to make sure she improves...
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Mon, 08/18/2014 - 22:51 #2
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hello and welcome to the forum,

So sorry that you lost the kids. It's a very common thing if goats need to be drenched within six weeks of their due date, that they will abort. Normally they should not be drenched within six weeks of becoming pregnant either or the embrios may not implant.

The usual practice is to drench them within 24 hours of giving birth because the prolactin released when the doe gives birth, tells the worms in the gut to start breeding madly because the doe is at her point of least resistance at this time. Keep an eye on the doe and get the vet if she has a sudden rise in temperature or begins to shiver or looks unwell. Also check her udder and if it becomes very engorged and tight looking, milk out enough of the cholostrum (first milk) to relieve the pressure. Freeze it for future use on new born kids. Do not strip the udder as it will only encourage more milk. If her rectal temperature climbs much higher than 39-40 c you will need to talk to your vet.

If all goes well, then to help her recover more quickly, you can give her a mineral lick block (not a salt block). If you can't get a block specifically for goats then you can give a block formulated for horses as these are suitable for goats also. However, under no circumstances give her a lick block formulated for cattle as these contain urea in quantities which can and often does, kill goats. You can offer a container, seperately, of stock salt. Do NOT give her molasses as it contains an enzyme that will destroy vitamin B1- which can be fatal as it interupts the glucose cycle.  Fresh raspberry (not sprayed with pestitcides) leaves if available are appreciated and help to kick start the appetite. Dairy goat pellets and some grassy lucerne hay or other good quality hay and bundles of fresh cut grass from the pasture are appreciated too. Don't feed bread as it can cause bloat.

I wish you all the best with her and know how disappointed you must be. My husband drenched one of my pregnant stud Boer does while I was away and she aborted within 24 hours-  neither of the twins survived as they were a month premature. I was very upset, but not as upset as he was, poor man.

regards,

Barb

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