Worming Goats

[Tensing]

Hi all you goat owners. Can I ask whet worming products do you all use for your goats. I have two 6 month old pygmy goats. The breeder I got the last two goats off swore by Eprinex , but other people have told me that they use Ivomec Both are made by the same firm.

So what would you all recommend, Thanks

[kiery]

Eprinex and Ivomec are very similar chemicals, the difference is that the Eprinex has a zero milk withdrawal time for dairy cows, Ivomec has a longer milk and meat withdrawal time. So either can be used in goats subject to the required withdrawal times.

Generally my husband who is a livestock/equine vet advices a benzomadayzole (white wormer eg. panacur) at 1.5 to 2.0 times the normal sheep dose for worming goats. He uses the Ivomec group if there is a resistance problem/worry. N.B. The Soil association organic rules only allow the use of the Ivomec Group of wormers on a prescription from a vet who has a reason to use them rather than the white (benzomadazole) or brown (levisole) group of wormers.

Hope that helps

[Tensing]

Thanks for that.

[ina]

I know it's different for a lot of people - but I've never had to worm my goats. They were clean when I got them, and since I just keep them in the garden, where no livestock had ever been before, there was no way they could get infected again. What I'm trying to say is - don't worm unless you need to.

[Tensing]

True I suppose, might get a worm count done on mine before I worm them then.

[Camile]

Garlic is the answer for all your worming ... and a good pasture management ..

Boots told me that garlic was a great natural wormer that you can use with every animals ..

there is a thread somewhere called "natural wormer" or something simillar.

for the goats... I usually crush the garlic into a rough puree, and put it in between a slice of bread .. that's the only way mince would take it ..

and touching wood, I've never had any problems with worms yet .. nor on the chickens with the same garlic ...

camile

[farmerdrea]

Hi -- depending on how many goats you have and how much land you have them on, you may not have to drench them for worms at all. I would do a pre-fecal exam with the vet first, before you give them chemicals they don't need.

In the days when I only had a few goats, I never gave them chemical wormers, but instead fed them up well (which I do anyway), and every other month gave them a feed of grated apple, garlic, pumpkin seeds and freshly ground cloves, "glued" together with some molasses, and each goat got a serving about the size of an apple. Most of them loved it. The few who didn't were happy to eat it if it was mixed in with some rolled barley.

YOu can also provide monthly feeds of pine and/or willow, as both naturally make the gut an unpleasant place for worms to be.

Goats left on short grass will constantly re-infest themselves, as the parasites usually won't go any higher than 4-6 inches up the grass stalk. Goats, when left to their own in a healthy pasture will only eat the tops of the grasses, leaving the rest behind.

Goats cannot carry as high a worm burden as sheep (which share the same type of parasites as goats), and will shows signs of anemia (pale gums and inner eyelids), and start to scour.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ

[Esme]

Try this site ttp://www.verm-x.com/ - They make a non chemical wormer which I've used on my horses. It's very good and palatable enough that the horses will eat it out of my hand.

[farmerdrea]

I didn't know there was Verm X in the UK. I also use it (assuming it's the same product?) for my miniature horse, as he doesn't share the same parasites as the goats, and with it I only have to worm him twice a year.

Cheers
Andrea
NZ