Goat Care And Diseases

For centuries, goats had been one of man’s hardiest domesticated animals. Supplying man its milk and meat, the goats had thrived even in the most hostile environments on earth. However, this dependable animal also has to have proper goat care.

Like all animals, goats also suffer a variety of diseases, some of which are dangerous and fatal to them. As their caretaker, you must at least be in the know about their most common health enemies.

Coccidia

These are intestinal parasites that cause foamy, bloody diarrhea and dull dry coats. A goat with coccidiosis (coccidia infestation) sometimes has no obvious symptoms at all.

Young kids at four months are at their highest risk and should be treated at least once. The most obvious symptom is that they are not growing as well as they should.

There are medications specific to this disease. If in doubt, you can take a stool sample to a veterinarian who specializes in ruminant animals.

Ketosis

Also known as pregnancy toxemia, ketosis happens late in a doe’s pregnancy. Symptoms include depression, disinterest in food, poor muscle control and balance.

Ketosis sometimes occurs when the doe is carrying two or more kids, or is very fat. The disease is caused by the sudden extra demand for energy by the unborn kids and the inability of the doe to eat enough to provide this energy.

Many does test positive for ketone bodies in their urine. This is a toxic by-product when the doe rapidly metabolizes fat in her body.

Propylene glycol at 2 to 3 ounces twice a day can help. To prevent this, do not let the doe get fat in pregnancy. In the last month of pregnancy, provide her with 1 to 2 pounds of grain in addition to hay.

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Syndrome (CAE)

This is a viral disease, usually transmitted by adults to young kids through contact or milk from an infected doe to her kid.

Symptoms include weakness in the rear legs, without fever or loss of appetite. However, the unused legs lose muscle strength and the kid eventually dies.

In older goats, symptoms are seen in swollen joints, especially the knees. The disease develops slowly. After 2 years, the animal has difficulty using its legs.

There are no corrective procedures or treatments. Preventive measures include isolating the kids at birth and raising them on pasteurized goat milk to prevent the spread.

During purchase, make sure a goat is free from CAE. Unfortunately, blood tests only checks for antibodies. A kid might be infected but is not yet producing antibodies.

Mastitis

This is an inflammation of the mammary gland of the animals caused by bacteria. Symptoms include swelling, heat, pain, tissue discoloration and abnormal milk.

The most common causes include rough treatment and unclean milking practices.

For preventive measures, wash the goat’s udders before milking. Spray the teats with a teat dip after milking. Wash your hands before and after milking each goat to prevent spreading the disease.

It is important to consult a vet since there are different strains of bacteria that cause mastitis. If left untreated, the doe may die or lose the udder.

Other diseases

There are minor illnesses that can strike your herd, but these four are the most virulent among all others. Goat care also means being extra alert to spot these deadly four.

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Goat Care Essentials for Novice Caretakers

You love animals and your house looks more like a zoo. You want to keep on adding up different animals as your pets that now, you are eyeing to try goat care. No matter how skillful you are in caring for all the animals that you already have, you must understand that goats have different needs from the rest of your pets.

To make sure that you can give the kind of attention and care that all your animals need before you add goats on the growing list, you have to be certain that you can commit to the task. If you have a full time job and you are doing this to relax after a tough day at work, find someone who will look after your pets whenever you are not at home.

You may have been a very experienced pet owner, but you are still novice when it comes to looking after goats. To make it easier for you to understand what are at stake and what should you expect in the process, here are some of the essential things and tips that you must know beforehand.

1. If you have been advised that goats will feed on just about anything, you've got it all wrong. It is not as simple as that and you cannot merely leave the goats to feed at areas where there are plant and hope that they will survive. If they don't like the quality of plants or the condition of hays that you will provide for them, they would rather not eat.

This is like handling a child who is a picky eater. You know what they want and you have to give it to them, not unless it is okay with you that they would starve themselves to death. High quality grains and fresh, green hays should be given to goats at a daily basis. You have to consult their vets about the vitamins and nutrients that you need to supply them with, especially when they are still young and vulnerable.

2. They hate it when they get wet, so you need to build a shelter where they can stay during wet and winter seasons. This shelter should contain dry bedding where your animals can be comfortable lying in. You will suffer as well from the consequences of an irate pet goat. They won't allow you to sleep as they will cry and you will notice that they are really uneasy of they cannot sleep or eat well.

3. Give them companions on their shelter because they tend to feel depressed if they are all alone most of the time. If you are going to make goats as pets, you better be prepared to buy more than one. If you are used at living alone and doing most things on your own, you can't expect your goat to be happy at such state.

Goat care is like an adventure because it can be easy most of the time but there are certain factors and days when it can also be tricky.

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Goat Care For Boers

Imported from New Zealand (they originally come from South Africa), Boer goat care is taking American goat raisers by storm. Reportedly, the breed is bringing out some of the more desirable features in goats (bulk, ease of care, meat quality, etc).

There are many other reasons, too, but the biggest could be that the Boers seem to be the hardiest among all the other breeds. Coupled with providing the most meat (and the tastiest, some would swear), Boers are also relatively easy to raise and care.

The Boers

Boer goats are large animals, generally white, with a red-brown head and long ears hanging down the sides of their faces. Males usually weigh between 200 to 350 pounds. The does can reach up to 200 pounds.

Boer goats resemble the Nubian, except for the size. Boers are large-framed and double-muscled, the leg bones and the whole bone structure bigger and thicker than the other breeds.

They have deep, broad chests, good back and strong shoulders, with heavy muscles in the rump. They are specifically raised for meat and they grow more rapidly and produce more muscling that other breed.

Why raise Boer goats

The breed is hardy, very adaptable and is easier to handle. Both the pure and the cross-breeds can survive on poor pasture that cannot support cattle.

Some ranchers use them for pasture management: they run these goats to clean up on the pasture lands after their cows.

The other reason for raising Boers is efficiency and space. Compared to cattle, the standard is one cow-calf pair for every acre of good pasture. It would be 6 does-two kids per acre for goats.

Comparisons on feeds for one cow and six goats would be great depending on the time of the year, pasture types, and regions. However, the big difference in sales would certainly make goat-raising, specifically the Boer breed a runaway winner.

Getting started

Buy your goats from reputable breeders rather than at stock yard auctions. Your Boer goats and your bucks, including cross-breeds should have papers.

Blood lines are not that important for buyers interested in goat meat, but the registration papers are your guarantee for being sure of your purchase. Besides, it is also for maintaining the resale value of your buck.

Keep a pedigree or a pedigree application with you before leaving with your animal. Ask questions. Take notes on their current disease control programs.

It pays to assess the condition of the whole herd from the farm where you bought your Boer. Check and see how the animals mature, if you are buying kids.

Make sure your breeder has a guarantee should your animal turn out to be a non-breeder. (This is a long shot, and happens very, very rarely.)

Other considerations

All over the world, goat meat is consumed by more than 80% of the total population. It could be that people already knew that goat meat has lower fat content than that of either lamb or beef.

In the United States, goat meat consumption is rising. One reason forwarded is that the improved meat flavor comes from the Boer variety. People claim Boer crossbreeds gives out mild and tender red goat meat.

Boer goat care, anyone?

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Health Alerts And Goat Care

Every goat-raiser should always be on the alert regarding their goat’s health. Preventive goat care is still the best defense against diseases that are expensive to treat or control.

Health issues are a daily occurrence in a farm.

Bad signs

Pay attention to goats that stay away from the main herd. Check if he is not eating at all and has an abnormal body posture (head hanging down, slow strained gait). Goats separate themselves from the herd only if they are about to give birth or, worse, is sick.

Goat droppings (feces) always show the state of health of the owner. If the droppings are clumping together, or if the goat is scouring, the signs could point to diarrhea. If they are very hard, there could also be another thing wrong.

Then there is the goat that is lagging behind and cannot keep up with the herd. Are the goat’s feet and legs swollen?

Is there an animal in your herd that has suddenly and inexplicably lost weight?

Have you noticed any signs of swelling underneath the chin? It could point out to internal parasites in his system. If the swelling is in the throat, it might be goiter.

Do you have a goat with an abnormal gait? Is it staggering, limping? You may have a case of tetanus.

Are the fur of your animals dull and rough? If they are, it could mean some nutritional deficiencies or some other underlying disease.

Are there fluid discharges (pus, mucus, blood) from any of the body orifices of your animals? Fluid discharges are usually results of the ongoing battle of the body and some internal illness.

Some identified diseases

Since your animals are free-ranging, they can collect parasites. These vermin feed on the animal’s system that hinders growth, degrades health, and sometimes can be fatal.

Coccidia are intestinal worms that slow down or stop the growth of kids. It takes time to notice this parasite. Young kids are at highest risk.

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Syndrome (CAE) is caused by a virus and is transmitted from adults to young kids. Symptoms include a weakness in the rear legs that gradually lose muscle strength and kills.

Adults have swollen joints, mostly in the knees. The afflicted goat never recovers from the arthritis.

Mastitis is an inflammation caused by bacteria. There is discoloration of the udder tissues and the milk is abnormal.

Hygienic practices during milking are the best defense. (Wash your hands and the udders before and after milking, and during transfer from doe to doe.)

Ketosis (pregnancy toxemia) attacks pregnant does. This disease is actually triggered by the sudden demand of the body for extra energy (caused by the developing fetus) and the inability of the doe to eat enough to provide this.

The doe’s body will then metabolize her own store of fat, producing ketone bodies. The doe becomes weak, lose muscle control and balance, and could die.

For prevention, do not allow the doe to get fat in pregnancy and provide an extra pound or two of grains in the last month.

As goat raisers, it is good policy to be always on health alert. Even ticks can become a major pest. Goat care is not that difficult, but vigilance is a good practice.

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Helpful Tricks about Goat Care

If you have already tried taking care of various animals, this must not give you the impression that you can easily handle goat care. Each kind of animal needs varying degrees of attention, care and needs. You have to make sure that you know what you are doing before you proceed with the task.

To make sure that you will know what to do once you begin with the process, it is advisable that you first research about the matter before anything else. You will thank the internet if you are into this kind of quest because you will find lots of websites that can give you ample information about this topic. It will be a lot of help if you can look at pictures or video tutorials that talk about this subject. This way, you will get a clearer view about what to do at various instances as you go about the process of taking care of goats.

To start with, here are the vital factors and elements that you should look into when you are very much decided to pursue this quest.

1. Fence. The best quality that you can opt when it comes to fencing is stock paneling. This is also the most cost effective method when it comes to this. The panels can help in containing your animals in small areas. Aside from being affordable, these panels can be easily installed and removed. You can even do this on your own and you no longer need to hire skilled hands.

2. Shelter. If the weather is good, your goats will be happy to roam around the area where you leave them. But if it is raining or during winter season, your goats need some kind of shelter where they can feel comfortable and they can avoid getting wet. The shelter can be made out of three walls and a good roof that will stand still against gutsy winds and rains. It will be better if you have dirt floors so that the urine will soak on the ground and with this, fewer beddings will be needed to be placed in the area.

3. Food. Goats are really picky eaters and they want their hays fresh and green. If you will let them look for anything that they can feed on, they might turn away from eating anything, especially if they cannot find anything that they want. The hays that they need were grown for this purpose, such as timothy grass, orchard grass and alfalfa. Its quality can be determined based on the manner by which it was cured in the field. When the hay is drying and it suddenly rains and it gets wet, it will lose its nutritional value and it will also develop molds. If it gets too dry, this will also present a problem because its nutrition is going to be lost, especially during the baling process.

Once you have taken these tips by heart, you are on the right path and there will be greater chances that you will succeed on your venture with goat care.

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Knowing Goat Care Basics to Ensure Effective Goat Keeping

Knowing goat care basics to ensure effective goat keeping, since it will determine how one is devoted to making sure that he or she is caring goats the proper way.

Here is a basic step –by –step goat care process that those interested needs to take into heart.

Step 1 is to provide shelter for your goats. It does not mean that purchasing your goats and making them graze on a grassy field is enough to make them productive. The most appropriate goat shelter is a three- sided barn with a pitched roof which is disgnated an area for a flooring made of straw or dry bedding.

Step 2 is to make sure that that your goats are feeding from a clean feeder where they are not able to in which could soil the feed.

One can never be sure what sort of organisms reside in the ground your barn is located in, so always make sure to provide appropriate shelters with provisions to prevent your goats from ingesting contaminated feed or living conditions vulnerable to the proliferation of harmful microorganisms or parasites.

Step 3 is to provide fresh water daily to goats, since goats are a picky lot and will not drink water that they feel is not clean or if the drinking vessel is not clean so always make sure to avoid goats from getting dehydrated.

Step 4 is to regularly check hooves of goats every month and always -trim as needed. As you continue to do so, be wary of signs of hooves that shows signs of rotting. Always make sure to clean and remove rotted hooves to prevent it from spreading and damaging the goat’s hooves.

Step 5, since goats consume either fresh grass or warm straw, it is never far from the fact that parasitic worms may have been carried through the feeding process, thus it is also appropriate to always de -worm your goats at least twice a year, using a paste wormer since it is easier to administer compared to powdered, liquid or capsulized dewormer.

Step 6 is to always be aware and watch for lice which could infest goats unless it is carefully checked, as well as dust, which could also be a common carrier for microscopic creatures that can be dangerous to your goats.

Step 7 is to always partner with a veterinarian, one that is located close to your territory and one that can be available to readily administer vaccination shots or emergency treatment for your goats. This is more appropriate in caring for goats to produce milk for human consumption.

This must be done on a regular basis since milk sourced from goats may also carry parasitic worms or other organisms that dwell inside the goat’s body, especially those that are not regularly checked or treated for deworming, as well as vaccination shots.

Last step is to make sure to shave goats during the summer months, especially during warm seasons, since goats also need to sustain a good temperature that would not allow the goats to become more agitated and affected their productivity.

So knowing goat care basics to ensure effective goat keeping is indeed your best friend in your venture.

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Newborn Baby Goat Care

Sometime in your life as a goat-raiser, you will have to perform midwife duties on your raised animals. By this time, you may have mastered goat care. It is time to learn basic newborn baby goat care.

Infant mortality among goat kids are most pronounced in the wild where only the doe’s instincts are at work. You will fill in what Mother Nature sometimes forgets in the wild.

First minutes

You are there to help, not to take charge. On their own, the doe and the newborn can both manage. You are there, your disinfected hands in your sterile gloves, only to extend help in extreme situations.

When the kid comes out, it is wet, enclosed in a membrane, and most of the time, looking thoroughly lifeless. Do not panic.

Generally, the mother doe will lick the mucus clean off the kid. This also helps stimulate the newborn’s breathing. Maybe you can help wipe it off as well with a clean towel.

It is not necessary to cut the umbilical cord. (It will eventually fall off.) If there is excessive bleeding, tie it with dental floss. Dip it in 7% iodine solution for infection protection.

In a half-hour, the kid will try to stand up and nurse. Do an initial few forceful milking actions on both the doe’s teats to remove blockages. Guide the kid (or kids) to the teats.

Clean as you go. Your job is done.

Worst case scenario

If breathing has not started at all or is labored (with sounds of noisy liquid), help the mother clean the kid fast. Carefully reach into the mouth, however you can, and towel off any fluids in there.

If things have not improved, you may use a syringe to suck out the mucus and other fluids from the nose and mouth. You may even grab the kid by its hind legs with a towel and let it hang for a short time to drain some of the fluids.

(Others say that farmers of old used to tie the newborn’s hind legs onto a fence to drain out the fluids. In the movies, they twirl the kid in the air while holding the hind legs.)

When breathing starts going with no more sound, calmly rub its body to stimulate more vigorous breathing and help the circulation.

After birth

After giving birth, move the doe and the kids to a clean, dry place away from the rest of the herd. This is the time of rest and ‘bonding’ for the mother and the kids. (Be on alert for the sudden unexplainable maternal aggression that sometimes happens.)

After two or three days, they can join the rest. By this time, the kids are strong enough not to be trampled or injured.

Other necessities

The newborn kids should have anti-tetanus shots just before dehorning which should happen before the kids reach ten days old. Dehorning is also the time for neutering the males to become wethers.

Newborn baby goat care need not be traumatic for the owner and the goats, nor should it be. Presence of mind, patience, and some love are all there is needed.

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Proper Goat Care is Also Important in Goat Farming

There’s more to goat farming than just allowing your herd to graze the grass by themselves, but proper goat care is also important in goat farming.

In fact, proper care for goats is a big responsibility, which demands time and effort, in order for one to maximize productivity.

Whether just keeping a few for a hobby or having a lot for a farm, goat keeping is a science that needs basic yet serious knowledge on how to take care of your goats on a regular step –by –step process that needs to be carefully considered to make one confident that he or she is actually taking care of their herd correctly and appropriately.

One should seriously understand that although it is not impossible to have goats and delegate the task of caring for them with a trained or qualified person, but definitely one cannot just go ahead and purchase a single goat, then leave them alone to graze in a field all by themselves and think that it is all that needs to be done.

There are actually quite a number of advantages and benefits one can get from caring goats, like some species can be cared for to produce fine quality goat wool like cashmere, other species regularly produce milk, which is fit for human consumption and loaded with nutritional elements needed by the body, among others.

Here are some tips to consider which can prove helpful in goat keeping.

Goats must be kept in a habitat where it can be protected from sudden or even continuous drafts or strong wind currents, as well as one that can also protect the animals from rain and the sun.

A three –sided corral or shelter would be appropriate and one that will provide good air ventilation and access to the sun and grazing area.

One should have at least two goats, especially for those who may want to care for goats as a hobby, since goats can also be considered social animals and would need to have a companion.

Make sure that the goat shelter is not readily accessible to other animals or pets like dogs or cats, as well as wild animals for those maintaining a goat farm, which may subject the animals as easy prey for wild animals.

Goats are also easily bothered by flies, especially during warmer months, so it would be appropriate to also protect them from these insects. Here are currently a lot of fly traps that are ecologically and environmentally- friendly, which you may use to ward files away from your goats.

Regardless of whether the climate is cold or warm, always make it a point to maintain a clean and sanitary goat pen, since it will not just prevent flies from bothering your goats, it will also avoid germs or dangerous bacteria from getting into contact with your goats.

Keep goat food away from sources of contamination like rotting grass or a moist container, which are the primary cause for bacteria and deadly microbes to propagate and can cause illnesses to your goats one contaminated food is ingested.

A haystack should also be prevented from getting wet and may be stocked in a barn or a shed that will keep it warm and dry.

So these are some of the basic information you may need to make you ore aware that proper goat care is also important in goat farming.

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Random Guide On Baby Goat Care

Baby goat care is not the hardest thing to do in the world. On the other hand, it is not a walk in the park, either. The difference in hard and easy care would probably be how much you know.

The following are some basic things in caring for baby goats. For the most part, they (the kid and its mother) are gifted with the natural instincts in caring for themselves. Your contribution would be more on the things it (and its mother) cannot do.

Colostrum

If your kid is a newborn, make sure he gets his colostrum within the first 24 hours of his life. Colostrum is the first thick milk produced by the doe containing antibodies the kid needs to have.

The kid’s digestive system changes within 24 hours after birth. He can only absorb the antibodies before that change occurs.

Newborn kids need to be fed regularly, at least four times a day. This is not necessary if the kid is with his mother. However, there are cases when you have to bottle-feed your kid.

In case you do, it is best he gets fresh goat’s milk. If not available, substitute it with raw cow’s milk, adding 3 tablespoons of corn syrup for every gallon. Use a baby bottle with a small “X” cut into the tip. The kid may refuse the bottle at first, but be persistent.

Shelter

Give your baby goat a warm, dry place to sleep, protected from the sun, rain, and draft.

If your baby goat is born in early spring or late winter, there is need for a heat lamp to keep him warm. Straw would make good bedding. It gives good insulation and is easy to clean.

At one week of age, your kid will start nibbling on hay. Start him on good-quality, mold-free grass hay such as Timothy, Orchard or Bermuda.

Weaning

At eight weeks, you can gradually wean him from milk and introduce him to a special blend of goat feed. (Get the instructions on how much to feed him from the directions.)

Trim his hoofs and have him dehorned. If you cannot do these, there are many agricultural programs and 4-H clubs that hosts clinics or give free advice on trimming.)

Disbudding (horn removal) is best done at 2 weeks of age.

Vaccination

At 3 weeks, vaccinate your kid against Enterotoxemia and Tetanus. At 6 weeks, follow this up with a booster shot.

Neuter your male kids if you don’t plan on breeding them. (Too many bucks cause problems in the herd.) There are three ways to neuter goats. These are cutting, banding and using the Burdizzo castration device.

Neutering

Banding is the most common and the easiest for beginners to execute. A band castrator is used to put a small, heavy-duty rubber band around the goat’s scrotum.

The process cuts off blood flow and the testes die and eventually fall off in about two weeks. The males can already be neutered at 4 weeks.

Have your kids go on a de-worming schedule. Before weaning, start them too on coccidiosis drugs before they are weaned.

Love

Goats are herd animals. They cannot stand being alone on their own, most especially baby goats. Goat care includes letting them have other goats live with them.

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