Itchy, itchy goat

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10 years 11 months ago #33790 by Stikkibeek
Itchy, itchy goat was created by Stikkibeek
My milking goat is madly itchy. She is rubbing herself on anything and everything (me included) in an attempt to get relief. I have looked carefully for the most obvious suspect, ie lice, but no sign whatsoever, so now I'm wondering whether she has either sunburned skin, or, problems with mosquitoes and or sand-flies.
What can I do to relieve her itching? We have limited water, so washing her is probably not an option. She hates water anyway.

Did you know, that what you thought I said, was not what I meant :S

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10 years 11 months ago #447620 by eelcat
Replied by eelcat on topic Itchy, itchy goat
Some of our goats, of the large uddered variety, appear to be getting their udders sunburnt. The udder lies beside the goat! We keep cream on the two girls with the largest problem. How long is it since she kidded - lots of hormonal things go on!

1 Border collie, 1 Huntaway, 2 Lhasa Apsos, Suffolk and arapawa ewe crosses, an Arapawa ram,an East Friesian ewe , 5 cats, 42 ducks , 1 rooster and 30 hens, 5 geese, 12 goats, 2 donkeys, 2 house cows, one heifer calf, one bull calf, 3 rabbits and lots and lots and lots of fruit trees...

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10 years 11 months ago #447623 by Andrea1
Replied by Andrea1 on topic Itchy, itchy goat
Could she also still be shedding? Makes goats VERY itchy. Ring worm fungus coming on? Is there any evidence of dry, flaky skin?

If you can brush some sulphur powder (any equine supply place will carry this) through her coat daily, it can soothe the itching, and if there are any no-see-ums, this will also repel them. If her skin is dry/flaky, that's often caused by cobalt deficiency, especially in white goats. You can add yeast to the daily feed, about 1 dsp per day to help keep this up. For dry skin/coat, whole linseed, 1 dsp/day as well. Whole linseed keeps longer than flaked linseed. Once it's crushed, it goes rancid quite quickly.

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10 years 11 months ago #447639 by cowvet
Replied by cowvet on topic Itchy, itchy goat
photosensitising plants can also cause skin irritation/itchiness. Many are coming into seed now and that is when they can be the most irritant.


I love animals...they're delicious

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10 years 11 months ago #447645 by Andrea1
Replied by Andrea1 on topic Itchy, itchy goat
Oh, very good point, CV - had completely forgot about that! Maybe a list of the plants which cause grief wouldn't go amiss?

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10 years 11 months ago #447693 by cowvet
Replied by cowvet on topic Itchy, itchy goat
beefmagazine.com/mag/beef_photosensitivity

probably the more common ones we see here in NZ are from the likes of storksbill, shepherds purse, and plants from the brassica/mustard family

but then there is a huge list of others...and also the fungi/mycotoxins and drugs that do it too - tetracylcline antibiotics etc


I love animals...they're delicious

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