i've given my goats the poopies

[bj taylor]

I've introduced alfalfa pellets too quickly and given them diarrhea. i'm providing free choice minerals, baking soda, and backing off the pellets. any advice? thanks.

 

[baymule]

What about free choice hay?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm thinking more about rubber boots.


Sorry BJ. I have no experience with goats. Can't help you.

 

[bj taylor]

bay, I've got a roll of hay available for them, but they just flat won't touch it. i thought i was going to be sitting pretty having all this hay for them this winter & they're showing zero interest. maybe as forage gets thinner & thinner as winter comes they will decide to give it a try.

ridge, lol, i do in fact have a good pair of rubber boots that i never fail to wear when i'm in the goat zone. for one thing, they're very fond of standing on my feet & boots make that so much more comfortable. for me that is.

 

[Smart Red]

How long since they've had milk or replacement? If they still have the problem, you might try mixing the milk product with chopped hay (think a bowl of cereal) as a way to get them interested in eating hay.

 

[canesisters]

I wonder if mixing in several scoops of oatmeal would help?????

 

[baymule]

When I have the poopies, I use ACV and honey, mixed half and half. I put a little bit in a juice glass and fill with water. Poopies gone in 30-45 minutes! Maybe you could give some to the goats. Hmmmm.......lil' stinkers probably wouldn't drink it in their water, so what about getting a big syringe, catching them and syringing it down their little throats?

 

[bj taylor]

I think the oatmeal idea is a good one. by logic, that should work. Bay, you always have such great solutions too. ACV & honey. that's a unique one. i'm going to keep both in my hip pocket for future reference.
I've withheld the alfalfa for a couple of days & though their backsides are not a pretty sight right now - they aren't running loose anymore - the diarrhea seems to have abated. thank goodness. i'm giving them a little red cell in their food to help boost them back up.

 

[MontyJ]

I'm curious...why would alfalfa pellets give them diarrhea? It's just dried alfalfa hay pressed into pellets with a food grade binder. Wouldn't hay do the same thing? I'm not doubting your diagnosis, just wondering why it would happen.

 

[bobm]

Give them some grass /oat hay and about 10 cc of Pepto Bismol down their throat. Alfalfa is a rich source of protein and giving them a rich feed all at once especially if they are not used to it, will give them diarrhea. Back off the pellets to half along with some grass/ oat hay then you can start to increase the pellets until full pellet ration is reached within 5-7 days. This will allow the gut bacteria to adjust to the rich feed. Same thing will happen in the Spring if one is to turn them out on new green grass. In that case, give them at least 3/4 ration of dry hay , then turn them out for a couple hours. Then bring them into a dry lot/ barn. Next day, back off a little on the hay and increase the pasture time to 3-4 hours, continue this regimen for a week when one can have them on pasture full time. This will adjust the gut bacteria to handle the rich green grass.