by Jamie Satterwaite | Mar 15, 2021 | Goats
Coccidia Prevention For Baby Goats
One of the biggest risks a young goat can face is coccidia. It can hit fast and is spread through feces, so it can spread fast! One thing to note, all goats, and most livestock carry Coccidia in their intestines. Most older animals can keep the parasite load down to a manageable amount without getting sick. Younger goats though can get an overload of the parasite. This can cause very stinky, runny brown/green scoures. It can cause young goats to become very dehydrated and die. Some goat owners choose to only treat when symptoms occur, but I have found a good prevention for baby goats to be the best option.
I am NOT A VETERNARIAN. The information in this article is just that, information. Please seek medical advice or attention from your veterinarian in the case of a sick or down goat.
There are many different types of treatments and preventative for coccidia available over the counter. Some can be found at your local feed store, while some may have to be ordered online. There are also treatments that I will mention that will require a prescription from a veterinarian as well.
Albon
Albon is one of those medications that are great for treating Coccidia, my veterinarian prescribed it for my dogs when they were puppies, but it does require a prescription to get. It is given Orally and needs to be given for 5 days, for both treatment and preventative.
Corid
Corid can be found at pretty much every feed store. It comes in both a liquid form and a powdered form. It is my least favorite option. If you can avoid it, I recommend that you do because it can be very hard on a goat, especially a sick one. If this is your only option, be sure to follow up the 5-day treatment with a Thiamine or Vitamin B injection.
SulfaMed
SlufaMed can be harder to find in stores but can be easily ordered online. It is given orally for 5 days for both a preventative and treatment.
Baycox
Baycox is the medication that I prefer to use on all of my baby goats for Coccidia treatments and prevention. It is more expensive than most of the other options, but it only requires 1 dose. It kills both stages of the Coccidia parasite so you do not have to follow up for any additional doses. I give my goats one dose per month as a preventative.
I order Zuricox, which is a generic version of Baycox and is a little bit cheaper.
Want to learn more about Coccidia Prevention for Baby Goats? Check out the video below where I explain what I use and why.
Want to keep track of your herd’s health? Check out our Free Herd Health Printables!
Coccidia Prevention For Baby Goats Chart
by Jamie Satterwaite | Feb 27, 2021 | Goats
What to Know Before You Get a Bottle Baby Goat
Bottle Baby Goats are adorable and it can be very tempting to get one. They are small, they jump around, and are overall just fun to have around. But, if you have never had a bottle baby goat, they can be a little overwhelming. While they are cute, a lot of things can go wrong with having them, from the mess to their health, and everything in between. So, here are a few of my top things to know before you get a bottle baby goat!
BEFORE you Bring Them Home
A lot of breeders sell their new kids as bottle babies for a number of reasons. Maybe they breed for milk production and have no need for the kids after they are born. Or, they could have had a large litter and the mom can not handle multiples. Whatever the reason they are selling them for, ALWAYS ask to see the kid nurse from the bottle first. When a kid starts off nursing from mom, it could be tough to get them to take a bottle, so always be sure to verify that they can take a bottle and are willing to take one. If you have never had a bottle baby goat, be sure to check out my Bottle Feeding Goats Basic post.
If they are registered, or able to be registered, make sure that they have had their identification tattooed or their ear tags placed. Also, be sure to look over all of the registration paperwork to ensure all the important information is filled out correctly.
You will also want to verify if they have had any vaccinations, like CD&T, and annotate the date they were given in case you have to give them a booster.
They Are Time Consuming and Can Be Expensive
Depending on the age you get your bottle baby, they can require at least 5 feedings a day. As they get older, the feeding frequency will decrease, but the amount they eat will, of course, increase. If you have a doe in milk, it may not cost you anything but time to milk her. But, if you do not have goat milk on hand, store-bought milk can get pricey. For 3 bottle babies that are a week old, I can go through a gallon of milk in 24 hours easily. Our Bottle Feeding Goats Basic post has a free feeding schedule printable if you need that.
They are Trouble Makers
Depending on the time of year, and how old your bottle baby goat is, they may have to spend some time inside. If so, I would recommend getting something like a large dog kennel or pack and play for them to sleep in. While it is cute to watch them run and jump around, it is not necessarily safe, or clean. Our little Valkyrie was only 7 days old and could already jump onto the kitchen chairs and onto the table. Pair that with the fact that they have no control over bowel movements, and it is a recipe for yuck!
Because they are so young, they love to explore and chew on things. Be sure to hide away any electrical chords that they could chew on and any house plants that could cause them to get sick. Essentially you will want to baby proof your home like you are bringing home a human baby.
If they are older and the weather is warm, they can stay outdoors. But again, you will want to baby-proof the area they will be staying in. Baby goats, especially Nigerian Dwarfs are small, and they can squeeze out of the smallest holes. So be sure to walk the area and patch any places they could escape through.
Want more tips and tricks to raising goats? Check out our Youtube Channel!
by Jamie Satterwaite | Feb 17, 2021 | Goats, Printables
Out of all of the animals I have raised, goats have to be my favorite. I have raised Nigerian Dwarf goats for 12 years, and in my opinion, are the best. As I rebuild my herd from moving, I am wanting to make sure I do it right. I have been very picky about the goats that I get, and I have become very diligent on keep track of everything. If you have ever raised goats, you will know they can be susceptible to a lot of parasites and diseases. If you are new to goats, do worry, it does get easier figuring everything out. In order to keep track of everything I made a few free goat health printables, and of course, I am sharing them with you!
There are three printables in this file, each one designed to help you keep track of medications, kidding, and all basic information about each of your goats.
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by Jamie Satterwaite | Feb 10, 2021 | Chickens
It may be snowing outside right now, but that did not stop me from ordering a few baby chickens. Of course, I would choose a shipping date (scheduled weeks ago) when an arctic front would arrive! To ensure that they would have the best chance after 2 days of shipping in the cold weather we made homemade chicken electrolyte for them.
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by Jamie Satterwaite | Feb 8, 2021 | Goats
I have been lucky enough that for the past 20 years I have lived in the south, where winters are pretty mild. I know not everyone has that luxury, I grew up in Michigan so I do know what winter cold feels like. When my first winter hit that we had goats, 2 of them were pregnant (I had no clue!). And, of course, they decided to give birth in the middle of a rare snowstorm when we lived in North Carolina. I was panicked and had no clue what I was doing. Thankfully I have learned and only breed my goats when I know they will kid in warmer months.
We live in Arkansas where the winters are generally mild. This week it’s supposed to get a cold front and drop to just 3 degrees Fahrenheit! Which is crazy! So there are a few things that we need to do around the farm to get the goats ready for winter!
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