A Skinny Goat Among a Herd of Plumpers
The day I realized my favorite doe was wormy...again.
Fall is in the air on Windhaven farm…and when I say that, I’m not referring to the scent of pumpkin spice or crunchy leaves.
Instead, the bucks are in rut and their musk is S.T.R.O.N.G.
The boys are ready to go, and soon they will have their day. For now, their libido will have to wait because today, I’m running a herd health check.
As I make my way to the doe pasture, I hear Dolly’s signature bell clanging its way up the steep hill of our farm.
Typically, I might feel bad admitting I had a favorite, well, anything.
But, with goats, it’s a bit different. Their personalities are extremely unique and goats bond with whomever they choose…and completely ignore the rest.
Dolly is my favorite and I am hers.
She’s the kind of doe that will lay down next to you in the pasture, calmly chew her cud, and stare deeply into your eyes. She’s as calm as can be with me, but if a stranger were to come near, she’s an aggressively protective goat.
As I settled onto a cracked concrete block perched at the edge of the goat pasture, the herd galloped up the hill.
Having this kind of relationship with my goats goes a long way when it comes to observing their health.
And today, it wasn’t difficult to identify the goat who needed attention.
Dolly appeared “sharp” along her topline and sunken along her hips. In short, she was losing weight, which is a telltale sign that this goat is either sick, dealing with worms, stressed, or not getting enough to eat.
Determining Why My Goat Was Skinny
Dolly was significantly skinier than her sisters. Her haircoat was rough and she wasn’t quite herself…slow and sad (by Dolly standards).
She also seemed to have poop that was clumpier than her normal goat berries.
Upon closer inspection, I also discovered that Dolly was anemic, and it was at that point that I kicked my assessment into high gear.
Anemia in Goats
Anemia in goats can have various causes, and identifying the underlying reason is crucial for their well-being. It can be caused by internal parasites, such as gastrointestinal worms, which can rob a goat of essential nutrients and lead to weight loss. Alternatively, poor nutrition, especially insufficient iron intake, can also result in anemia.
In Dolly's case, I suspected that her anemia was likely due to parasites because her sisters were not exhibiting any similar signs. Her skinny appearance and rough haircoat indicated potential issues with nutrition and worm infestations. To get a better understanding of her condition, I decided to run a fecal float test.
DIY Goat Fecal Exams
Some goat experts will tell you that it’s unnecessary to run your own fecal tests, but learning how to DIY a fecal exam will help you get a snapshot of two important things:
The efficacy of your dewormer
A snapshot of your goat’s health
Sure, you can collect some goat berries and run them into your vet, but if you have a fairly large herd, that can get costly. I’m a strong believer in understanding your animal’s health from the bottom up…and teeny tiny parasites are at the bottom.
Collecting Goat Poop for Fecal Testing
If you have goats, you know they poop…a lot. But Dolly is one of those does that likes to keep you waiting. So I waited and waited and waited for her to, well, ya know.
I paced around the yard, following behind Dolly. After a few steps, she’d stop and look back at me like I was crazy. She must have thought that I was about to give her an injection because suddenly she was in flight mode.
She took off and hid behind the feeder, looking around at me with a look of concern on her cute dappled face.
But that bit of excitement was all it took to get things moving in Dolly’s system. And before I knew it, I was listening to the sound of goat berries raining down upon the straw. I quickly ran to collect them in my sterile specimen container and retreated to my makeshift lab.
The Results of the Fecal Exam
As I suspected, Dolly had a parasitic bloom of barberpole worms (one of the worst kind of parasites). This is the nasty little critter that causes anemia and death in goats…quickly.
So, without wasting another moment, I dewormed Dolly with a dewormer that I knew would work for the parasites on our farm.
The Waiting Game
And then, the waiting game begins. Typically, it takes about 7 days to see an improvement in the worm count on a fecal exam (after administering dewormer). So, in the meantime, I adjusted Dolly's diet and administered supplements to ensure she received the necessary nutrients to support her recovery.
Dolly's trust in me made it easier to provide her with the care she needed, and I was determined to help her regain her vitality and spirit.
In the coming days, I would closely monitor Dolly's progress. For now, though, my focus was on getting her back on her hooves and thriving once again as I navigated the challenges of fall in the company of these endearing and spirited creatures.