10 Responses

1. pocketsofthefuture

   31|Aug|2008 1

   Thank you for all …
   Thank you for all of your helpful comments. My wife Leslie would like to email you to ask some more questions about the goats. Our email address is on our POTF website and blog under contact information. We have been pleasantly surprised by the cheese yield from our goats.

2. Cloverdoe

   31|Aug|2008 2

   I wanted to share …
   I wanted to share some information on the quality of Nigerian’s milk. The nigerians have excellent butter fat averaging at 4-6% but can top 11%. When you make cheese, you can easily get twice as much cheese as some of the larger producing breeds, such as Saanen (which has about 3-4%). Nigerian/Lamanche mix is great for a small milker for the table (about a gallon a day).
   If the no ears weird you out, you can find mixes that do have ears.

3. Cloverdoe

   31|Aug|2008 3

   I should explain …
   I should explain more: The procedure is done with a sharp knife through the left side of the rumen just behind the bottom of the ribs (about a hand width below). Insert the knife until you hear the gas escape and then twist slightly). Once the bloat is down, then you would bandage. Of course I’m not a vet! This is an emergency to save your animal.

4. Cloverdoe

   31|Aug|2008 4

   I also read …
   I also read somewhere that if your pasture has a lot of clover and the goat is deficient in certain minerals, frothy bloat can occur more easily. Loose minerals would help as would adding raw apple cider vinegar to their water or grain.
   Hope this helps!

5. Cloverdoe

   31|Aug|2008 5

   If she was so close …
   If she was so close to death, I would still want to try the remedy. I have heard of someone performing a procedure where they made an incision into the rumen through the side. This allowed the trapped gas to escape. Scary procedure. Best is prevention. Milkweed can quickly cause bloat. Too much of certain clovers also can. Always feed before allowing them out to lush pasture. Keep Baking Soda out. Don’t quickly change diet. Watch for stomach stretching the left side.

6. pocketsofthefuture

   31|Aug|2008 6

   Thank you for your …
   Thank you for your helpful comment. We were not giving her grain and she was only nibbling on hay occasionally. She was let out while we were bottle feeding the other kids and she must of ate some grass, weeds or leaves.By the time I noticed it she was falling down and her belly felt like it was about to explode. She died about 5 minutes later. What would you recommend if that should happen again?

7. Cloverdoe

   31|Aug|2008 7

   You can even give …
   You can even give powdered Tide laundry detergent mixed with some water (about a tablespoon to 50-60ccs)and drench. Or keep Bloat Release on hand. Take away grain. Hay is okay. Try to walk the goat to help mix treatment. Stand “uphill
   ” to aid belching gas. Keep Baking soda out free choice at all times and it can also help avoid bloat.
   For poisonous ingestion you would do best to keep a tube of charcoal gel on hand (Toxiban or activated charcoal gel with electrolytes). It’s a life saver.

8. Cloverdoe

   31|Aug|2008 8

   I’m so sorry about …
   I’m so sorry about Violet! I have a herd of Nigerians and frothy bloat is something you have to watch out for in the spring with all the new lush grass. The grass breaks down in their rumen and creats too much gas that they cannot expel. This kills the goat quickly from the huge amount of gass and cannot breathe. You can give Milk of Magnesia - do not give oils! This will make it worse.

9. pocketsofthefuture

   31|Aug|2008 9

   Thank you for your …
   Thank you for your comment. We also have dairy cows which give gallons of milk so we are going to stay with the Nigerians. We thought about crossing our Nigerians with Nubians but our enclosures are far from escape proof and we think the bigger goats would get out. The Nigerians are pretty content and don’t try to escape very often.

10. ForbiddenClay

    31|Aug|2008 10

    I have a nubian/ …
    I have a nubian/alpine mix milker and she is giving about 1 1/2 gallon a day in 2 milkings… maybe with those breeds you’ll be able to get more milk with less animals… unless you just want to stay with the nigerian breed. Your goats are ADORABLE.. sorry to say that I have no answer about the one you lost ;(