Dirty Harry
Enjoys Recycling
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Parasites are probably the biggest issue with raising goats. Goats can die in a hurry from parasites. If you wait to see worms in their manure or discoloration of membranes, you won't have healthy goats. I nearly lost a bunch of goats by using Ivemectin or Safegard. It had no effect whatsoever on the parasites. Anytime your goats don't seem to be doing well, it is probably parasites. Short grass is not the problem, long grass is. My vet is Dr. Pohl, the guy on the National Geographic series The Amazing Dr. Pohl. He suggests that you divide your pasture in half and mow one side at a time to keep the grass shorter. He was very pleased with my method of controlling the grass. I run the goats to pasture during the day and the cattle at night, as needed, to control the grass. The parasites will not cross species, so this works well. He has us using Dectomax. This is the best thing I have ever found for worming goats. If you are running meat goats give the does a shot a couple days after giving birth. This will worm the babies also. I worm them again in 3 months when they are weaned, while I'm trimming hoves and tattooing. You may need to treat the does at that time also, depending on what breed you have. I breed in the fall so I worm again after the fall frosts begin, just before breeding (this is in Michigan). The bottle says to inject it under the skin of the neck, but Dr. Pohl always has us inject under the skin of the ribs.
Milk goats have other considerations. You can't use the milk for human consumption for 14 days after worming. I give the does a shot of Dectomax a day or two after kidding and then don't milk for two weeks. Then I milk in the mornings and let the kids have the rest of the day, penning them up at night. I also breed my milk goats in the fall so I also worm them just before breeding, unless I have a worm problem before then. You can either dry up the does before treatment or use the milk for other animals. Since I use a lot of my goat milk for feeding deacon calves, anytime I treat for anything, the milk just goes to the calves. This method works well for me. It is possible that you will need to change what you use for worming every few years. However, neither Safegard or the pellets will ever be on my list of things to us. I have tried both without success.
Milk goats have other considerations. You can't use the milk for human consumption for 14 days after worming. I give the does a shot of Dectomax a day or two after kidding and then don't milk for two weeks. Then I milk in the mornings and let the kids have the rest of the day, penning them up at night. I also breed my milk goats in the fall so I also worm them just before breeding, unless I have a worm problem before then. You can either dry up the does before treatment or use the milk for other animals. Since I use a lot of my goat milk for feeding deacon calves, anytime I treat for anything, the milk just goes to the calves. This method works well for me. It is possible that you will need to change what you use for worming every few years. However, neither Safegard or the pellets will ever be on my list of things to us. I have tried both without success.
