goat poo question??

[sunfisher]

when I went outside this morning I noticed a rather large amout of poo from my old goat..its compacted and some almost looks like what a dog would make.. yesterday he was was dropping berries all over like any other day.. I havent changed anything in his diet. He gets grass hay and has free range of the yard to munch away all day..He seems to be acting and looking normal.. should I give him something to soften his poo?? its raining here AGAIN but I'm going to go out and check him every thirty mins or so to see if he has berries instead of logs (thats sounds funny but true I have never seen a goat poo like that) thanks for any advice

I forgot to add he gets around a cup of grain a day..he is spoiled..it was a cold winter and now he thinks he needs it

 

[ksalvagno]

When was the last time he was wormed? With all the rain we have gotten, I would suspect coccidia.

 

[cmjust0]

I wouldn't suspect coccidia if he's an adult goat, and acute coccidia usually causes diarrhea versus compacted logs..

I don't worry these days with making sure it's *berries* specifically.. So long as it's not diarrhea, I'm good with it, and even if it is diarrhea, I don't worry unless it's super watery or has mucous or blood..

I wouldn't worry too much.. Just keep an eye on him and see if it changes to diarrhea..

 

[sunfisher]

I'm not sure when he was wormed...I got him in december..my husband drove in the driveway with him..I was going to worm him this weekend.. He is my baby..I tell everyone he is my dog he always wags his tail and loves to be everywhere I em.. I spend as much time outside with him as I can I know he is lonely.. we are getting two pygmy babies this weekend (cant wait) hopefully he wont be so lonely then..

 

[Roll farms]

I don't worry unless it's actual diarrhea, like CM said.

If he's wandering the yard, it *might* just be fresh greenery he's eating.

When you say "he" and "giving grain"...I worry about Urinary Calculi...
If it's actual grain, as in corn, oats, etc. you might consider switching to a goat pellet that has no grain in it...(looks more like rabbit food). Bucks / wethers are most prone to UC.

A Tbs. of plain yogurt / probiotic paste will typically help clear up dietary scours / clumpy poo if that's really what it is.

 

[Okie Amazon]

I've seen my girls. especially Gouda, pass a stool like that now and then, usually after they've been out foraging for most of the day. She always goes right back to berries later, so I never let it concern me too much.

 

[phoenixmama]

When it rains here, my goats' poo gets weird. I think they are just unhappy & a bit stressed about the rain. Maybe that's his problem?

Although I'm sure Ohio goats are more used to rain than goats that live in the low Sonoran desert.

 

[sunfisher]

Thank you everyone.. He seems to be doing good now.. I was just so shocked to the size of it.. He is a wether and I do worry about uc.. I guess being so new to goats I didnt realize all the different feeds.. I have been going to our locall farm store and they only carry one kind of feed.. the grain with corn outs ect.. I know there is a TSC about thirty mins from me and going there is a must!! I checked thier website and thier prices are so cheep compared to what I have been paying locally, and they have everything I need like the minerals I cant get here. Are the goat pellets okay for 3 month old pygmy does? I'm getting my baby girls this weekend and wasnt even sure if they needed to have any grain..gonna go through all the forums again and read up on what to be feeding them .. thanks again everyone much appreciated!

 

[Roll farms]

Not all TSC's carry the same stuff...

Our TSC carries "Noble Goat" made by Purina that is medicated for coccidia prevention. It'd be perfect for your does and boys, as it also has AC in it to prevent UC. Not all areas carry the medicated Noble Goat, check the tag.

There is also a "Producers Pride Sheep and Goat" feed that is medicated *but* it doesn't have the proper copper levels, so if you have to get that, supplement their copper as needed.

The Purina 'goat chow' is a textured sweet feed (textured generally means there is grain in it) so your boy shouldn't have it. It would work for your girls but...pygmy's tend toward the pudgy, they may not "need" feed if your hay / browse is good enough, unless they're pregnant / nursing.

Then there's the DuMor feeds...overpriced IMHO...but they *are* a 16% pelleted goat feed.

I try very hard to not change their feed, ever...so decide what to feed and stick with it. Variety is not the spice of life for goats, they need a consistant diet w/ few changes.

 

[Goatmasta]

I would not be so concerned about "dog logs" from an adult. As long as it clears up in a couple days. If he is munching in the yard during the day I would guess this is a dietary issue.

By the way, "Dog logs" from a goat is diarrhea. If the poo is anything other than pellets it is diarrhea.

Constipation would be very hard berries, even when a goat is impacted the poo is in berry form. However, you would hardly be able to smash it with your fingers.