Sudden death in goat

[Latestarter]

The fact that it happened basically overnight and there's no readily identifiable cause would lead me to believe it was a "one off" and not something that would be a herd killer. Might have been genetic, or a heart attack, God only knows, but What Babs said is something to consider... That is a LOT of money with no guarantee it will tell you anything. Obviously any decision is yours to make...

 

[maritown]

Wow, so sorry for your loss. Please let us know if you found out the cause

 

[TAH]

God only knows

That is right.

 

[babsbag]

Other than an extreme worm load, or cocci (it doesn't always present scours), I can't think of much else that could go through and wipe out a herd without symptoms. Most contagious diseases present symptoms.

A mineral deficiency could wreck havoc on a herd but if you would see signs...rough coat, bald tail tips, slow growth in kids, lower birth rates, longer labors, to name a few.

I have had 6 goats die in weird ways in 8 years. One had been sick but no vet could identify it. Started with a swollen jaw and ended with mastitis. Took her three days to die. The next bloated and literally died in front of me. A field necrospy showed a twisted intestine, her rumen was full of probably 4 days worth of hay. One was a two day old kid, just dead. The other three were last year. One had freshened three weeks prior and her kids were "off" and she acted depressed. Eating and drinking, but just not herself. I did not have a necropsy done. The next one was a 5 year old doe that was fine at night and dead in the morning. The other was a 4 month old kid that was laying dead in the hay feeder.

That may seem like a lot of goats to have die but I own 40+ and have 40 kids out in the barn right now as well. It seems that if you own enough goats for long enough stuff happens. Sorry that your doe had to be one of them.

 

[Southern by choice]

So sorry for your loss.

 

[Mason&lily]

Thank you all , but we think she got into chicken food when she escaped and bloated from it even though she didn't look bloated when they were dragging her to her grave a horrible smell started coming from her and we told our vet and said it sounded like a bad case of bloat.

 

[Mason&lily]

But some good news I purchased my first registered Nigerian dwarf doe !!! And what makes it even better she is 4 months pregnant !!!!!

 

[TAH]

CONGRATS

 

[Latestarter]

Fantastic! You don't have to wait 5 months (neither do we pics anticipated )

 

[Mason&lily]

Yes i just had a doe give birth a few days ago and was a doe , so I'm really hoping my registered doe ( first freshener) has a girl too so I can keep her too!!