Raising Pyora Goats: Chapter 4, Keeping them healthy
As a refresher, my last three blog posts covered food and fencing, the all-important barn, and Pygora fleece. In this next post I wanted to cover a few preventative care basics, but I want to note that I am not a vet nor do I have any formal training in vet care. I’m simply a goat owner who works hard to keep my animals healthy.
When I say “preventative care,” I mean it in the same way talk about prevention for humans — these are things you need to know to keep your animals from getting sick enough that you will need to call a vet. You’ll still want to establish a relationship with a local large animal vet for all sorts of reasons, but good preventative care will help reduce the times you need them.
If you are new to goats altogether, the most important thing you need to know is that goats get worms. Yes, tape worms, but also liver flukes and barber pole worms and other types. They are so highly susceptible that they are biologically reluctant to eat off the ground and prefer hay to be served in bags or racks at eye level and for grass or brush to be tall.
Every breeder I know has a system for managing worms, and when you are buying goats you should ask about it. If they treat all members of their herd monthly, then they may have significant problems and their stock may have immunity to some dewormers. Most of us use what’s referred to as the Famacha technique, which means we regularly check the eyelids of our animals to watch for anemia. Here’s a great video that walks you through it much better than I could. This video is long, but it is thorough and contains all the info you need. Some breeders also have their own microscope and do regular feces checks and treat accordingly.
Like antibiotics in humans, misuse or overuse of dewormers will create parasite resistance, so the goal is to only treat when you have a problem. I have had goats for six years and last year I had to switch dewormers due to resistance in a couple of my goats. That will happen much faster if you treat too often.
Beyond watching for worms / parasites, here are a few things that you simply must do to keep your goats healthy:
Hoof Trimming - Goat’s hooves are much like fingernails. They are always growing unless you have extremely rocky terrain where they can wear down naturally. I trim all of my goats every other month or so. At the very least, they will need a good trimming twice a year during sheering but for some goats that may not be enough. A monthly check is the best idea.
CD&T Vaccine - Goats need to be vaccinated for lostridium perfringins type C and D (overeating disease) and clostridium tetani (tetanus) annually. If you are buying goats, be sure to ask if those goats have been vaccinated and be sure to do their annual booster. It is a shot that is given subcutaneously, right under the skin, and can be purchased at most feed stores, so you can give this vaccine yourself.
Lice - Pygora and Angora goats can get a type of lice, which are tiny but can usually be seen if you look closely at the goat’s skin near the backbone or shoulder. When you check eyelids for anemia, you should also do a quick look at their fleece to watch for lice. My preferred treatment for lice is Ivermeticin pour-on, which is used for internal parasites in cattle, but does not work for worms in goats. It does tend to kill external parasites. If it is warm, I also start with a bath using Dawn dish detergent.
I hope this gives you a sense of the necessary preventative maintenance that you will need to do to keep your goats healthy. As any goat owner will tell you, always keep an eye out for irregular poop (it should be small oval pellets and never runny) and know your goat’s behavior. Goats who stand off from the herd and simply look like they don’t feel well, are most likely sick and in need of immediate attention.
Good luck keeping your goats healthy and happy!