Sheep and goats: a bad combination
I was following a vet’s advice, using different anthelmintic products to try ANYTHING that might work. At one point the vet had advised us to worm them every 3-4 weeks which was ridiculous. I had two goats dying where I called the vet. And one time where I took a baby goat in the car. An hour’s drive away. In a storm. To the emergency vet. All three died regardless. We didn’t know about the wormer- resistance. Was it pneumonia? Was it something genetic or contagious? They were dropping like flies.
Each time, the vets would fill them with antibiotics, pain relief, and try all sorts of things. It was a huge expense for a goat that cost much less and still died anyway. I was emotionally drained. That was when I heard about a local vet who actually KNEW something about goats. She was my new hero. She explained that you can’t have sheep AND goats grazing together, or even rotating, as they share the same worms. Sheep are hardier and you won’t even notice the worm burden until the goats start dying.
The second wave
I had just two does remaining by this time. They gave me three kids. One had twins and sadly both died after three months. This was before the super shed was built, and bringing them all the way to the yards was not easy. I found out quickly that the thing that kills them with high worm burdens is actually anemia. So when one Mom and the remaining baby went down I was going to try my best to prevent them from dying.
I brought them up to the wood shed which was conveniently empty. I put them on a bed of hay, gave them grains and water. They were laying down and couldn’t stand up. I syringed them electrolytes and water, as much as they tolerated. Tubing was not something I had experience in, so I wasn’t willing to try that! I gave them every wormer I had, alternating one each day for five days. I remember the vet saying that even with resistance, the wormers might be 20% effective. It was worth a shot.
Successful treatment
The magic ingredient that helped the best though was a horse iron supplement. I titrated the dose for the much smaller goats and gave it every day. It was only about 4mls at a time, so it was easier for them to take. I kept up with the water and turning and standing them as frequently as I could. The doe stood sooner than the baby so she could go back out into the paddock. I started to have hope when the baby (about 6 months old) was still alive by day 4. The other seven in the past had lasted 3 days with the same TLC and were found dead on day 4.
I hadn’t known about the worms and anemia then. So I kept standing him, changing is bedding, and wrapping him with blankets at night. He started to eat lying down on his front instead of side-lying. The young goat started protesting when I stood him up and tried a little harder to hold his own weight. He still needed 3 weeks before he was strong enough to go back to the paddock. I kept dosing the two does and him with the iron supplement. The doe who lost her twins went on to have a buckling in 2023 and all four goats are still alive and well now.
The new plan
The new vet had me doing FECs (fecal egg counts) and imported a new wormer that wouldn’t have resistance here. She advised using a fungal bio-wormer. We built a super shed to feed them off the ground and better protect them from the elements. The internal layout of the shed also makes handling and checking their health a breeze! It has a chute with a gate at each end, two separate pens, and a “sick bay”. I’m going to make it even better by adding clear PVC to the upper part of the back wall to give more rain protection.
Cashmere vs Angora
I briefly entertained the thought of switching to Cashmere goats, but brought in some feral does and they started jumping our crappy fences. Mohair (from Angoras) is also a higher yield per shear than cashmere, so it works out to be a higher return. The Angora, while not hardy at all, is a very manageable, friendly and gentle goat. My children can safely play with the buck even during breeding season. They are also addictively adorable and are here to stay.
The multi-method prevention plan
I have recently bought 5 more does with kids at foot, bringing my total herd to fifteen. The multi-point plan we have in place to prevent worm burden- FEC testing, exit/ quarantine wormer, cross-grazing with horses, bio-wormer, and feeding off the ground in winter (in the super shed). I do not have sheep on the property. They are currently grazing a friend’s large garden and are quite happy about it.
We use salt licks year-round, and treat for lice and fly strike regularly (these will also cause anemia). The cross grazing with horses is effective because they do not share intestinal worms. They also have different grazing habits- the horses will eat down to the ground and expose any worm eggs to sun/ frost to kill them. The goats will graze the upper part of long growth so should avoid the eggs nearer the ground level. I also brought in some dung beetles in 2020. These hard workers take the poo and bury it underground, improving soil quality and minimizing worm egg presence.
Signs to watch for
I have now memorized the signs to watch out for when looking for worm burden. Goats will have grass-stained front knees and be seen grazing on their knees- this could also be a foot problem, but if feet are fine I would suspect worms. They will lie down more than normal and have runny poos. When I searched the internet, a lot of “runny poo” advice told me that it was a change in diet or myriad other things. I now know that here, for me, it means WORMS. The problem with goats is that they don’t tell you they are sick, one young doe who died was fighting over the feed the night before, with no sign she was anemic and dying. That’s where FECs (fecal egg counts) are your best friend. They tell me what I can’t see and only cost about $30.
Comment below if you’ve had a similar experience or have any questions about our experience!