Hi my 4 week old kids have diorhea today, think its due to over feeding last night (a bit greedy with their milk), any suggestions on getting them back to normal or do I just let it run its course? They are a bit pongy and messy especially as I have them on my lap to feed them, any suggestions will be appreciated.
thank you.
goat scour
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farmerdrea
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I would wait till 24 hours from when they started scouring to see if they stop.
How much are they getting fed at this age and what breed are they? At 4 weeks, I'm feeding my kids 2x/day, around 400ml - 500ml each feed. If they are on the small side, they still are getting fed 3x/day, smaller amounts. If they are continually eating too much, they can easily succumb to one of the clostridial diseases, not a very nice way to go, or get a twisted gut, which is also not a nice way to go.
If they go off their feed, I'd be testing their stools for coccidiosis, as they're coming up to the age where they become susceptible to it.
To stop scouring, which I'd be doing if they were still scouring after 24 hours, no matter what the cause, is giving them liquid rennet mixed with some powdered slippery elm - about 2 tsp rennet to 1/2 tsp slippery elm powder, given in drench syringe or in a very small amount of milk (though they may not like hte texture the slippery elm gives the milk, so make not take it, so I always just drench).
We rarely get scours with the kids, and if we do, it's just a minor digestive upset which corrects itself within a day (new feed, etc). We did have our first go-round with coccidiosis last year, with one group of kids only, and I have not used that pen this year, as it can live on in the soil for a year or more.
Good luck with your babies!
Cheers
Andrea
NZ
How much are they getting fed at this age and what breed are they? At 4 weeks, I'm feeding my kids 2x/day, around 400ml - 500ml each feed. If they are on the small side, they still are getting fed 3x/day, smaller amounts. If they are continually eating too much, they can easily succumb to one of the clostridial diseases, not a very nice way to go, or get a twisted gut, which is also not a nice way to go.
If they go off their feed, I'd be testing their stools for coccidiosis, as they're coming up to the age where they become susceptible to it.
To stop scouring, which I'd be doing if they were still scouring after 24 hours, no matter what the cause, is giving them liquid rennet mixed with some powdered slippery elm - about 2 tsp rennet to 1/2 tsp slippery elm powder, given in drench syringe or in a very small amount of milk (though they may not like hte texture the slippery elm gives the milk, so make not take it, so I always just drench).
We rarely get scours with the kids, and if we do, it's just a minor digestive upset which corrects itself within a day (new feed, etc). We did have our first go-round with coccidiosis last year, with one group of kids only, and I have not used that pen this year, as it can live on in the soil for a year or more.
Good luck with your babies!
Cheers
Andrea
NZ
Hi, thank you for the feedback. My kids are pygmy goats and are about 3 and a half weeks old, one is slightly bigger than the other and more boisterous, the smaller one was continually rejected from its mother as it was a chewer rather than a sucker not too comfortable for mum. They both seem well and lively. I was advised to feed them at least 4 times a day and possible an extra feed if they didnt feed well in the day as they only drink 4oz max each feed and quite often just 2oz. Yesturday though they both suddenly wanted 6oz each which I was really pleased about until I saw them today, thats why I think they may have drank too much, but quite possible picked up something as they do like to graze already.
I will probably gets a vets opinion on them if they do not seem better tommorrow as this is all very new to me.
Thanks once again for your advice, its much appreciated.
Fee
I will probably gets a vets opinion on them if they do not seem better tommorrow as this is all very new to me.
Thanks once again for your advice, its much appreciated.
Fee
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farmerdrea
- Living the good life
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Oh, gosh, that is small! I don't have experience with goats that small, though my Arapawa goats and Rawhiti English goats are quite small when they're born (about 7"-9" at the withers). By 4 weeks, they're on 2-3 feed a day, of 400ml each feed, so that's still much more than a pygmy. Have you tried replacing a milk feed with something tasty, like rolled barley or horse muesli? This is what I do when I'm eliminating a milk feed, just to give them something else to look forward to.
How are they today?
Cheers
Andrea
NZ
How are they today?
Cheers
Andrea
NZ