Lost appetite after scours

Seth

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 1, 2014
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Points
31
Location
Western MA
Hi everyone,

This spring, I was getting our girls onto fresh pasture slowly, a little bit more each day. The last day, I accidentally let them have too much. Our saanen (who tends to pig out when given the chance) got scours for a day, presumably from eating too much fresh grass. I am pretty sure it isn't worms because she had been tested just before kidding and she had none.

Since getting scours (maybe a week ago?), she has had a low appetite for grain. Usually she'll eat everything she can get and then some. We've been feeding Green Mountain 16% dairy rations (pellets), though we're looking to switch to a new brand with mostly whole grains.

Any ideas what happened to her appetite? She still eats plenty of hay and grass -- just very little grain. (She's eating less than 2 cups per day instead of 4+.)

Thanks!
Seth
 

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
She isn't eating the grain as her rumen is probably still on the acidic side from the green grass overload and she knows it isn't good for her; like us having the flu and not adding certain foods back in quickly. I wouldn't not even offer her grain for a week or so, just the hay. And give her baking soda free choice.

I milk by machine and a few weeks ago my machine broke so had to milk by hand. This one goat gives close to a gallon, dances on the stand, and milks out
S L O W L Y. I kept giving her grain to make her happy. The next day she had scours, and wouldn't touch the grain. They are smart. (Most of the time).
 
  • Like
Reactions: TAH

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
BTW, your dairy stock needs that 16% protein or higher to milk good milk.
 

Seth

Chillin' with the herd
Joined
Jan 1, 2014
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Points
31
Location
Western MA
Thanks, babsbag. They have free access baking soda (and minerals, copper, etc). I will think about cutting down her rations for a bit. Can I give her some anti-acid besides the baking soda?
 

babsbag

Herd Master
Joined
May 10, 2010
Messages
7,886
Reaction score
9,317
Points
593
Location
Anderson, CA
You can give her tums, they usually like the fruit flavored ones. Since she doesn't act off and the scours are gone I would just give her some time. If she was still scouring and not eating at all that is whole other ballgame. If you do the tums don't be shy about letting her have them, my vet tells me that their rumen is like a 5 gallon bucket of slosh so think about how much of anything I would take to adjust the pH in that amount of liquid.
 
Top