For New Goat Owners
**ALL CHARTS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED WERE CREATED BY ROSIE RAMSEY OF ROSIE’S NUBIANS**
Please note that we are not veterinarians. We have posted charts and information based on evidence-based research as well as our own experiences for some of the most common ailments and questions regarding raising goats. Please find a vet who will treat goats and will use the latest supported data to treat them and establish a valid client relationship with them BEFORE you have a problem. It is always best to have a qualified and goat-savvy veterinarian involved in treatment and prevention of illness or issues. Reactions or failure to respond to treatment are always possible and we are not responsible for any results. Unless otherwise stated, the charts and photos below are courtesy of Successful Goating with Rosie.
We also highly recommend that you find a mentor you can trust and ask them questions, especially about management and prevention of issues and preferably someone in your relative area. The way we do things may not work for every region or herd; however we do highly recommend learning the basics and adapting management to what works for you (based on research of course).
Please note that we are not veterinarians. We have posted charts and information based on evidence-based research as well as our own experiences for some of the most common ailments and questions regarding raising goats. Please find a vet who will treat goats and will use the latest supported data to treat them and establish a valid client relationship with them BEFORE you have a problem. It is always best to have a qualified and goat-savvy veterinarian involved in treatment and prevention of illness or issues. Reactions or failure to respond to treatment are always possible and we are not responsible for any results. Unless otherwise stated, the charts and photos below are courtesy of Successful Goating with Rosie.
We also highly recommend that you find a mentor you can trust and ask them questions, especially about management and prevention of issues and preferably someone in your relative area. The way we do things may not work for every region or herd; however we do highly recommend learning the basics and adapting management to what works for you (based on research of course).
Resources:
• If you’re on Facebook, the group “Successful Goating with Rosie” is a wonderful resource. Most of the charts and photos on this page were pulled from her albums.
•Websites: Tennessee Meat Goats, Fiasco Farm (please keep in mind that these pages are simply the opinions of experienced breeders and do not replace a valid working relationship with a vet nor staying UTD on current research)
•Podcasts: “Goat Talk with the Goat Doc;” “Goat Gab;” “Ringside: An American Dairy Goat Podcast”
•Websites: Tennessee Meat Goats, Fiasco Farm (please keep in mind that these pages are simply the opinions of experienced breeders and do not replace a valid working relationship with a vet nor staying UTD on current research)
•Podcasts: “Goat Talk with the Goat Doc;” “Goat Gab;” “Ringside: An American Dairy Goat Podcast”
Supplies Everyone Needs On Hand
The most important tip is to check your goats as often as you can - ideally at least twice per day. If something seems off, check them out more closely, usually starting with a temperature. Have as many supplies and medications on hand as you can. It’s better to have something rarely needed than to be in an emergent situation and not be able to properly treat the animal.
I also love this video from UC Davis demonstrating body condition scoring for goats. This is an incredibly useful tool for assessing and maintaining healthy goats.
I also love this video from UC Davis demonstrating body condition scoring for goats. This is an incredibly useful tool for assessing and maintaining healthy goats.
NECESSARY/MUST HAVE
1. Multiple Thermometers (cheap from dollar store are just fine)
2. Penicillin G Procaine (will be vet script summer 2023)
3. LA 200 (will be vet script summer 2023)
4. Syringes of various sizes - 3 mL, 6 mL, 12 mL, 60 mL (cheaper to order in 100 count boxes from online livestock supply stores)
5. Needles of various sizes - 18ga, 20g 1” to 1.5” are my preference (cheaper to order in bulk from Jeffers.com)
6. Banamine (vet script fever reducer and anti-inflammatory)
7. Fortified B Complex for Injection - with 100 mg thiamine (for gut/neurological issues)
8. B Complex Plus for Injection - with 1000 mcg cyanocobalamin (for anemia)
9. Red Cell
10. Injectable Iron 100 mg/mL
11. Probiotic Paste (I prefer Probios bovine)
12. Cydectin (I prefer Quest Gel; NO POUR ON!)
13. Safeguard
14. Valbazen
15. Ivermectin (paste or oral drench)
16. CD Antitoxin
17. CD/T Toxoid (I prefer Calvary 9)
18. Tetanus Antitoxin (if you don’t vaccinate with CD/T regularly)
19. Hoof Trimmers
20. Oil (I prefer plain vegetable oil)
21. Blood Stop Powder
22. Iodine, Sterihoof, Hibiclens, Chlorhexidine, other antiseptics
23. Activated Charcoal
24. Milk of Magnesia
25. Spectoguard
26. Terramycin eye ointment (OTC at livestock supply stores)
27. Ingredients for Down Goat Recipe (see below under Worms + Treatment)
28. Gloves
29. Rubbing Alcohol and/or Alcohol Swabs
30. Benadryl
31. Vet Wrap, Gauze, Medical Tape
32. Electrolytes (I like Zoetis Re-Sorb for calves to use for neonates and bottle kids and BlueLite for older kids and adults)
33. Ammonium Chloride, Scalpel
34. Feed Buckets, Scoops, Troughs, Clean Water
35. Draft Free Ventilated Shelter
36. High Quality, Mold Free Hay 24/7
37. Loose Minerals with Adequate Copper/Zinc (I like Purina Goat Minerals)
MUST HAVE FOR BREEDING/RAISING KIDS/MILKING
1. Fight Bac Spray or Effective Post-Teat Dip with Dipper
2. Oral Cal MPK (OTC at livestock supply stores)
3. Calcium Gluconate Injectable (OTC)
4. Dextrose 50% Injectable (OTC)
5. Lamb/Kid Puller (I have Kellie’s Kid Puller and one from Premier 1 Supplies)
6. Clean Towels
7. Milk stand
8. Stainless Steel Milk Pail, Strainer, Milk Filters, Jars
9. Wipes and/or Pre-Cleaning Solution
10. Iodine 7% or Chlorhexidine 2% and cup or navel dipper; cord clamps are also helpful
11. Sharp scissors, floss
12. Frozen colostrum from a healthy doe with CD/T vaccine 30 days prior to freshening, or at minimum a colostrum REPLACER (not supplement)
13. Bottles (any regular soft drink bottle is fine, I also like to use the rabbit water bottle and remove the metal attachment)
14. Nipples (I like gray lambar nipples, some dam-raised kids prefer Pritchard - must cut slit)
15. Neonatal Feeding Tube
16. 60 mL Feeding Syringe
17. Coccidiosis Prevention/Treatment (dimethox/Albon/Sulfamed, Calf Pro, Corid, etc)
18. Splinting Tools (paper towel tubes, gauze wrap, Vet wrap)
19. Dynamint Rub
20. Disbudding Iron, Disbudding Box, Leather or Welding Gloves (if disbudding kids)
21. Tattoo Pliers, Tattoo Letters & Numbers, Green Roll-On Ink, Green Tattoo Paste, Toothbrush, Baking Soda or Baby Powder (if registering kids and not using tags) - I prefer Stone’s #300
22. Castration Equipment (I prefer Premier 1’s Side Crusher Burdizzo; others use banders or have vet cut)
23. OB lube
24. Ketone Urine Test Strips (if not purchasing a ketone meter)
VERY GOOD TO HAVE
1. Nuflor, Draxxin (vet script antibiotics)
2. IV fluids and IV tubing (vet script)
3. Respiratory Vaccines (I use Once PMH INH for bacterial and Inforce 3 INH for viral or Nasalgen 3 INH for both)
4. Livestock Ketone Meter & Test Strips
5. Excenel or Excede (vet script antibiotic)
6. Hibiclens scrub
7. Drench/dosing syringe with metal tip (I have both 60 mL and 30 mL)
8. Bovi Sera
9. Replamin Plus gel
10. Paste Gun
11. Calf Bolus Gun
12. Copper Bolus (2g & 4g)
13. BoSe (vet script Selenium and Vit E supplement)
14. Meloxicam
1. Multiple Thermometers (cheap from dollar store are just fine)
2. Penicillin G Procaine (will be vet script summer 2023)
3. LA 200 (will be vet script summer 2023)
4. Syringes of various sizes - 3 mL, 6 mL, 12 mL, 60 mL (cheaper to order in 100 count boxes from online livestock supply stores)
5. Needles of various sizes - 18ga, 20g 1” to 1.5” are my preference (cheaper to order in bulk from Jeffers.com)
6. Banamine (vet script fever reducer and anti-inflammatory)
7. Fortified B Complex for Injection - with 100 mg thiamine (for gut/neurological issues)
8. B Complex Plus for Injection - with 1000 mcg cyanocobalamin (for anemia)
9. Red Cell
10. Injectable Iron 100 mg/mL
11. Probiotic Paste (I prefer Probios bovine)
12. Cydectin (I prefer Quest Gel; NO POUR ON!)
13. Safeguard
14. Valbazen
15. Ivermectin (paste or oral drench)
16. CD Antitoxin
17. CD/T Toxoid (I prefer Calvary 9)
18. Tetanus Antitoxin (if you don’t vaccinate with CD/T regularly)
19. Hoof Trimmers
20. Oil (I prefer plain vegetable oil)
21. Blood Stop Powder
22. Iodine, Sterihoof, Hibiclens, Chlorhexidine, other antiseptics
23. Activated Charcoal
24. Milk of Magnesia
25. Spectoguard
26. Terramycin eye ointment (OTC at livestock supply stores)
27. Ingredients for Down Goat Recipe (see below under Worms + Treatment)
28. Gloves
29. Rubbing Alcohol and/or Alcohol Swabs
30. Benadryl
31. Vet Wrap, Gauze, Medical Tape
32. Electrolytes (I like Zoetis Re-Sorb for calves to use for neonates and bottle kids and BlueLite for older kids and adults)
33. Ammonium Chloride, Scalpel
34. Feed Buckets, Scoops, Troughs, Clean Water
35. Draft Free Ventilated Shelter
36. High Quality, Mold Free Hay 24/7
37. Loose Minerals with Adequate Copper/Zinc (I like Purina Goat Minerals)
MUST HAVE FOR BREEDING/RAISING KIDS/MILKING
1. Fight Bac Spray or Effective Post-Teat Dip with Dipper
2. Oral Cal MPK (OTC at livestock supply stores)
3. Calcium Gluconate Injectable (OTC)
4. Dextrose 50% Injectable (OTC)
5. Lamb/Kid Puller (I have Kellie’s Kid Puller and one from Premier 1 Supplies)
6. Clean Towels
7. Milk stand
8. Stainless Steel Milk Pail, Strainer, Milk Filters, Jars
9. Wipes and/or Pre-Cleaning Solution
10. Iodine 7% or Chlorhexidine 2% and cup or navel dipper; cord clamps are also helpful
11. Sharp scissors, floss
12. Frozen colostrum from a healthy doe with CD/T vaccine 30 days prior to freshening, or at minimum a colostrum REPLACER (not supplement)
13. Bottles (any regular soft drink bottle is fine, I also like to use the rabbit water bottle and remove the metal attachment)
14. Nipples (I like gray lambar nipples, some dam-raised kids prefer Pritchard - must cut slit)
15. Neonatal Feeding Tube
16. 60 mL Feeding Syringe
17. Coccidiosis Prevention/Treatment (dimethox/Albon/Sulfamed, Calf Pro, Corid, etc)
18. Splinting Tools (paper towel tubes, gauze wrap, Vet wrap)
19. Dynamint Rub
20. Disbudding Iron, Disbudding Box, Leather or Welding Gloves (if disbudding kids)
21. Tattoo Pliers, Tattoo Letters & Numbers, Green Roll-On Ink, Green Tattoo Paste, Toothbrush, Baking Soda or Baby Powder (if registering kids and not using tags) - I prefer Stone’s #300
22. Castration Equipment (I prefer Premier 1’s Side Crusher Burdizzo; others use banders or have vet cut)
23. OB lube
24. Ketone Urine Test Strips (if not purchasing a ketone meter)
VERY GOOD TO HAVE
1. Nuflor, Draxxin (vet script antibiotics)
2. IV fluids and IV tubing (vet script)
3. Respiratory Vaccines (I use Once PMH INH for bacterial and Inforce 3 INH for viral or Nasalgen 3 INH for both)
4. Livestock Ketone Meter & Test Strips
5. Excenel or Excede (vet script antibiotic)
6. Hibiclens scrub
7. Drench/dosing syringe with metal tip (I have both 60 mL and 30 mL)
8. Bovi Sera
9. Replamin Plus gel
10. Paste Gun
11. Calf Bolus Gun
12. Copper Bolus (2g & 4g)
13. BoSe (vet script Selenium and Vit E supplement)
14. Meloxicam
Tips & Reminders
The most important tip is to check your goats as often as you can - ideally at least twice per day. If something seems off, check them out more closely, usually starting with a temperature. Have as many supplies and medications on hand as you can. It’s better to have something rarely needed than to be in an emergent situation and not be able to properly treat the animal.
Medication Charts
Please note that we are not veterinarians. We have posted charts and information based on evidence-based research as well as our own experiences for some of the most common ailments and questions regarding raising goats. Please find a vet who will treat goats and will use the latest supported data to treat them and establish a valid client relationship with them BEFORE you have a problem. It is always best to have a qualified and goat-savvy veterinarian involved in treatment and prevention of illness or issues. Reactions or failure to respond to treatment are always possible and we are not responsible for any results.
Giving Injections
We give almost all injections SQ on our farm with the exception of hormones and the Lysigin vaccine, which we give IM.
About Worms +Treatment
I’m a big fan of natural management for prevention of parasite overloads, and when I say “natural” I don’t necessarily mean homeopathic - I’m talking about utilizing nutritional management (feeding them enough and the right ration, especially hay), avoiding overstocking when possible, watching animals closely using the five point check and intervening before they go down, and dry lotting if necessary. Please do not deworm on a schedule as worm resistance is becoming a huge issue. If dealing with barber poles, it’s especially important to be aggressive. Don’t forget to treat the anemia.
Here we don’t usually have serious worm issues, but when we do need to deworm we select the goats that are thin, pale, have high worm loads, etc. and only deworm those or leave a refugia of worms not exposed to the dewormer.
On occasion a heavy worm load can cause enteritis. If this occurs and scouring is not relieved after deworming, we will also treat with Spectoguard (giving a dose daily for three days past symptoms stopping). Please consult with your veterinarian if you are experiencing issues with your herd.
If a goat goes down from parasites, we recommend the down goat recipe, feeding the goat whatever it likes to eat, aggressively treating the worms and anemia, giving cud transfers from a healthy goat, probiotics, giving SQ fluids if the goat is drinking enough, and consulting a vet for consideration of a blood transfusion and IV fluids.
Here we don’t usually have serious worm issues, but when we do need to deworm we select the goats that are thin, pale, have high worm loads, etc. and only deworm those or leave a refugia of worms not exposed to the dewormer.
On occasion a heavy worm load can cause enteritis. If this occurs and scouring is not relieved after deworming, we will also treat with Spectoguard (giving a dose daily for three days past symptoms stopping). Please consult with your veterinarian if you are experiencing issues with your herd.
If a goat goes down from parasites, we recommend the down goat recipe, feeding the goat whatever it likes to eat, aggressively treating the worms and anemia, giving cud transfers from a healthy goat, probiotics, giving SQ fluids if the goat is drinking enough, and consulting a vet for consideration of a blood transfusion and IV fluids.
Down Goat
Find out why the goat is down (don’t forget to check temperature as it needs to be over 100* before feeding the goat especially kids) and treat the cause. This recipe works well as additionally does cud transfer, probiotics, and SQ and/or IV fluids - be sure to consult your vet.
Coccidiosis Prevention + Treatment
Living in a wetlands, we raise our kids on coccidiosis prevention until they are well grown (usually until around 50 lbs for us). We personally use dimethox 40% 1 ml per 15 lbs giving orally since we dam raise, but others have success with calf pro mixed in the milk. As always natural prevention is important - keeping feeders clean, avoiding feeding on the ground, keeping young kids separate if bottle/lambar raising, etc,
Respiratory Illness
Mastitis
Feed + Hay + Minerals
Urinary Calculi
Genetics and management both play a role in the development of UC. Management of bucks and wethers is the most important prevention of UC.
All goats need a balanced calcium:phosphorous ratio of 2:1-4:1 with calcium being the highest in proportion for their overall ration, including hay, grain, minerals, and browse. A calcium or phosphorous ratio that is too high or too low increases the risk for UC, and due to the shape and length of their urinary tract, bucks and wethers are at increased risk complications and death from UC. Browse, grass, and grass hay tend to be higher in phosphorous while legume hay, balanced goat specific grain rations, and beet pulp are higher in calcium. Always check feed labels of any grain or mineral and consider the ratio of calcium and phosphorous for the overall ration including forage, browse, pasture, and hay.
Some breeders also “pulse dose” ammonium chloride in their herds by drenching or mixing it in the feed about five days each month.
For wethers, research seems to be indicating that later castration is best if the animal is not dedicated for early market. For one, castrating as late as possibly (for us, 12 weeks old) allows the goat to reach sexual maturity and the ability to extend the pizzle. Access to be able to cut the pizzle is important if the animal develops UC later. Secondly, some authorities believe later castration allows testosterone fueled growth to enlarge the urinate tract, making the passage of stones easier.
If a male goat develops UC as exhibited by inability to urinate or merely dribbling and displays of discomfort, treatment is critical. You can give AC, but cutting the “pizzle” is vitally important. A vet might possibly be able to place a urinary catheter, but this is difficult due to the anatomy of the urinary tract.
Video
If the obstruction is unable to be cleared, the goat will suffer and be in tremendous pain. At this point, humane euthanasia should be strongly considered.
Article
All goats need a balanced calcium:phosphorous ratio of 2:1-4:1 with calcium being the highest in proportion for their overall ration, including hay, grain, minerals, and browse. A calcium or phosphorous ratio that is too high or too low increases the risk for UC, and due to the shape and length of their urinary tract, bucks and wethers are at increased risk complications and death from UC. Browse, grass, and grass hay tend to be higher in phosphorous while legume hay, balanced goat specific grain rations, and beet pulp are higher in calcium. Always check feed labels of any grain or mineral and consider the ratio of calcium and phosphorous for the overall ration including forage, browse, pasture, and hay.
Some breeders also “pulse dose” ammonium chloride in their herds by drenching or mixing it in the feed about five days each month.
For wethers, research seems to be indicating that later castration is best if the animal is not dedicated for early market. For one, castrating as late as possibly (for us, 12 weeks old) allows the goat to reach sexual maturity and the ability to extend the pizzle. Access to be able to cut the pizzle is important if the animal develops UC later. Secondly, some authorities believe later castration allows testosterone fueled growth to enlarge the urinate tract, making the passage of stones easier.
If a male goat develops UC as exhibited by inability to urinate or merely dribbling and displays of discomfort, treatment is critical. You can give AC, but cutting the “pizzle” is vitally important. A vet might possibly be able to place a urinary catheter, but this is difficult due to the anatomy of the urinary tract.
Video
If the obstruction is unable to be cleared, the goat will suffer and be in tremendous pain. At this point, humane euthanasia should be strongly considered.
Article
Goat Polio/ Listeriosis/ Meningeal Worm
Enteroxemia & Poisoning
Kidding Time
Raising Kids
Skin & Eye Issues
Hoof Trimming
•My favorite hoof trimmers are the red handled ARS brand.
Bloat & Choke
Vaccinations
Disbudding
Chronic Infectious Diseases & Screening
Tattooing
Pregnancy & Fetal Development
Ketosis + Ulcers
Charts created by Rosie Ramsey. Files on ketosis and ulcers created by Kelley Hines.
Milk “Fever” aka Hypocalcemia
Goat Anatomy & Conformation
Link to a great presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/13HkSd0Ha9orSe9pC6MmEgVOoVes9L_U9/view?usp=drivesdk&fbclid=IwAR3ugyzBVy-jLLTD71PJyzvl3VE6EZJCOXpmWPD3qCrhG933UEflKwlVlCI
Dairy Goat Shapes with Melanie
Dairy Goat Shapes with Melanie