I keep telling myself that getting the copper in the goats will make things easier. I’m still waiting.
You might recall, I had to wean Pluto and Anubis really young because of Dolly’s severe anemia from the lack of copper and raising kids.
Pluto and Anubis
She is still struggling with anemia, but she’s holding her own. Of course, she still comes in when I milk in the evening and gets sweet feed.
Dolly
It wasn’t long until I saw signs of copper deficiency in Pluto, but I gave him a scant gram of copper and he did start to perk up.
Pluto
Then we had our week of nonstop rain, and both boys and Antigone ended up with the diarrhea.
Antigone, Anubis, Pluto and Harley
They were also given copper. All three were wormed for roundworms and coccidia because goats who are low on copper are more likely to have parasites. And they continued with the diarrhea despite my best efforts.
Antigone
After a couple rounds of Pepto Bismol (thank heavens they love that sweet cotton candy taste) and probiotics, Anubis really has improved and is doing well. He’s growing stronger again.
Anubis
I moved Antigone and Pluto to the Love Shack so I could monitor them more closely. Antigone finally started eating again, and she’s chewing her cud, but I just can’t get the diarrhea to stop.
Yummy Pepto!
Then there’s Pluto. The big difference is that he would never touch the sweet feed or loose minerals. He just spiraled into nearly dead. He had every treatment the other two did, plus vitamin B. He still got worse. He was completely pot-bellied and wasn’t eating. He grew paler, and everything just kept getting worse. (This is only over about a week that he went from a bit of diarrhea to near death.) Finally, when his rumen completely shut down, I talked with my vet and in a last ditch effort to save him, I gave him a bottle even though we knew it would make the diarrhea worse again.
Taken three days before his worst
After a couple days of bottles, he seemed a bit better. I finally took him to the Iowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Hospital for a blood transfusion. Pluto made it through the transfusion, but they decided to keep him through the weekend to try and get his digestive system back on track. I’m pretty sure if I had taken him earlier, he wouldn’t have even made it through the transfusion.
Pluto in the hospital this morning
Moose got to go to the hospital too. I’m guessing Moose doesn’t remember when he was last at the hospital to get a transfusion of blood from his dad, Fionn. Five years later, I know now that it was copper deficiency that caused that one too (he even had a clean fecal at the hospital). Anyhow, we loaded all 207.2 pounds of him onto the truck and went to ISU.
Moose
Moose’s red blood cell count was excellent! The copper he had in May is doing its job. It’s easier to meet those needs when they are not babies, old, pregnant, or nursing. He got to come home the next morning. I went to get him, but forgot about the Iowa State football game. The ISU vet hospital is right by the stadium. I had a long line to get off the highway.
Then I still had to go the two miles to the hospital. It took forever! Luckily, some gentleman took pity on me and let me change lanes to get on the right side so I wouldn’t miss my turn.
Then I could see my turn. Still. It took forever. They were actually waving traffic past the entrance to the hospital because those lots were full. They did step aside for me. Something about the big cage in the back of the truck probably let them know I wasn’t a tailgater.
We got lots of smiles when Moose was standing up watching the crowds walk past when we left.
The vets at Iowa State did tell me that it’s a horrible year for parasites. Pluto made their 7th transfusion this week. After his fecal results, I also changed Antigone’s treatment to match his. Hopefully, that will get her past all this mess too. Then we are one step closer to this getting easier again. I hope.
Moose
Today, Moose and the CyVets are my heroes.
Teresa
Eden Hills 
Wow, the continuing saga….what a difficult time it has been for you and for the goats. I hope that the transfusion will do the trick and that Antigone will turn the corner. Then I really, really hope that by the next kidding season, everything will be easier for you. The copper seems to have been working fairly quickly for some of your herd, but it is taking its time with others. Hoping that they will continue to improve with time.
Age and whether or not they’ve had babies and milked is a big factor. Also, not all of them are eating the minerals. Moose is, well, a pig. He eats minerals and hasn’t had to worry about pregnancy and milking. I am so grateful to have found out about the copper, but it would have been nice to have found out eight years ago, the first time Millie was completely anemic and nobody could figure out why. That’s how long I’ve been trying to figure it out.
I am also happy to hear that you are slowly making progress. I was wondering….could you add copper to your soil so that the hay contains traces of the mineral? I hope this isn’t a stupid question.
Actually, the guy who did the soil samples in my pasture said that they could apply copper. I don’t know how much it would raise the levels or how long it would last. I think it would end up being extremely expensive and give me less control.
Because they have beceome increasingly depleted over the last fifteen years, it’s just going to take some time to try and get everyone stabalized. The babies and old ones are always the most vulnerable.
Hi Teresa,
I watch for when it rains too as the worm eggs on the ground will hatch, and this time of year the grass is short, so they can get a pretty good dose of them if they hit the wrong spot. That is my take on it anyway. Seen coccidia blow up in spring rains too. I have a home lab here so if anyone is looking suspect I can get after it. First sign of any clumping or soft feces rings my bell. Since I started rotating them around, worm all every 6 months, spring and fall, I have had much less of a problem with loose bowels. It is a blessing to see everybody throwing beans in the morning! We humans are so easy to entertain! Actually, now I can even seem to sense when somebody is not feeling up to snuff, I will do a fecal then too. As I said before, I rescued these guys in a divorce and have changed a lot of things since. The goats seem much happier! I introduced a middle aged doe in heat to my new mini Nubian buckling, but she just ran all over him, not ready yet. He is not in rut, but I thought I would give it a go anyway. I have him with a common fenceline with the does, maybe he will get the idea, hopefully soon! My old Nigerian buck is going nuts and will try to breed him to the three Nubians I have, soon, I don’t want babies too early in spring. That challenge involves me, a raised pallet, and a whole lot of luck!
Goats got some apples this morning, and Pete the llama. Not too many though, as Pete foams at the mouth after a couple and I can just imagine what his innards are doing, so goes for the goats. They sure love them though. I split them for easier eating.
Nowadays they are getting one bail of hay a day as the browse is running out, and my other field borders my buck and I don’t know how long the fence will last with all that action on it. I turned my 20×60 whoop house into a kind of barn last year and feed flakes on the floor. So far that has worked really well and does not seem to accumulate. Parasites can’t hatch with it so dry, I figure. I am in Washington State so we get lots of wet. Last winter they just lived in there. It was so much better than the usual calf sheds. They could play in there, eat, stay dry. Was good for goat visits too as I also got to stay dry!
All the goats get is grass hay, browse (mostly grass), trimmings from trees as they come along, fir, alder and bamboo, nettles if they are in. All of that I have to cut outside their field as all they have pretty much is canary grass now. They have mineral salt blocks, loose mineral (main herd), soda, and an evening peanut or two. Keep a close eye for parasites on top of that, and they seem to be doing really well, almost too well, on is fat. The Nubians look full bodied, which is good to see, also. So I am still not understanding the copper. Note, the goats live on a peat bog that grows tall canary grass, which, of course, now is stubble due to the goats.
So far so good!
Jim
Fertile Acres (an oxymoron, actually)
Copper is a trace mineral in the soil. If you have adequate amounts, it’s nothing to worry about. If your soil doesn’t have it (like mine), you have to provide it to the goats, or they will die. It will impact every aspect of their health.
I’m so sorry the goats are battling health issues. I hope they are going to be okay and very soon.
Have a blessed weekend.
WOW! What a lot of work but dscovering the coffee deicency was the best thing that that happned this year for you and the goats so I hope they ALL start improving.
That’s exactly what I told the vet at ISU. I am grateful to know what is going on, but the huge work of getting them back to healthy is overwhelming.
Oh wow, I hope Pluto, Moose and all the goats will be OK. Taking care of these goats is hard work, bless you for taking such good care of them. Happy Sunday, enjoy your day and new ahead.
I read this last night, but wasn’t able to write for lack of time. The whole copper thing has been such a struggle for you and your goatie critters! I pray that they will survive, from here on out.
I love that photo of Dolly! She’s beautiful!