Aboutgoatlady Expertise Specializing in New Goat Owner understanding of goat physiology, goat anatomy, goat care and herd management. *I am not a veterinarian, any advice and information should be verified by your veterinarian before administering to your goats.
Note: Keep in mind, the goat expert is volunteering her time to help other goat owners, she also runs her farm with her own herd of 100 goats and may not be at her computer at all hours. Questions are answered as soon as she can possibly read and answer them, usually within 24 hours.
(! During times of severe summer weather in the Midwest, I may experience a delay in internet service due to the interference of the satellite reception - but will answer your questions as soon as service is restored. !)
Experience 17 years experience of raising goats and herd management. Active hands on experience with goat herd and research with various Caprine University Research and Extension Centers nationwide. 15 years dedicated to helping other goat breeders/owners with goat anatomy, goat disease and goat health care issues via phone, published goat care articles and internet interaction.
Organizations 5 year active member of International Veterinary Information Service
Publications United Caprine News, Homesteaders Magazine, Columnist for Goat Magazine, Owner and Author of GoatPedia™
Education/Credentials Graduate Programs in Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University
Expert: goatlady Date: 7/9/2008 Subject: 9 month old pygmy weather not eating
Question I have a 9 month old pygmy weather who is off his grain. He is still eating hay, drinking, urinating and pooping normally. He acts fine other then he only nibbles a little of his grain and then isn't interested any more. He still loves his daily animal cracker. We feed 1/2 c. Purina show goat chow and 1/4 c. black oil sunflower seeds twice a day. They are pets and the kids show them in 4-H (it's our first year with pygmys). They have free choice hay, baking soda and lose goat mineral. One of our other weathers did this about a week ago, it last about 3 days and now he's back to eating normal. This one it's been a couple of days. Do they occasionally go off their grain?? Any help would be great.
Thanks
Sandy
Answer Hi Sandy,
They can.. if he had the slightest bit of indigestion on day one of not eating his grain, he may have been smart enough to stop for a bit- grain will change the pH of the gut and make it go into dormancy so to speak and stop the ability to ruminate- which then can progress into full blown enterotoxemia. If he doesn't want his grain, let him not eat it. Sweet feed is more of a dessert for goats anyway- good hay and a bit of grain occasionally is all they need besides the water b soda and minerals in summer especially. If it was hotter or more humid than normal this also may have decreased his desire to eat it. Take his temp and make sure he is not running a fever and watch for any signs of illness- hanging head, not eating hay, not drinking water, not peeing or pooping normally. Temp should be between 101.5 and 103.5 a bit warmer if he had been laying in the hot sun before taking it.
