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Rebecca · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:21 pm Post subject: Goat Lice

Hi all

I've just noticed lice on my new goats, what should I use? One goat has two kids, one month old, the other goat has one kid, a day old!
Also by ways of preventing lice ... how often do others change their goats bedding, don't they like to keep it a while?

Yes, we had a successful birth of our kid, first farm birth, horray! There I was reading all sorts of books and websites about what to do, and I opened their pen one morning ... new kid standing there looking out at me all licked and clean with a very proud mum!

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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1171 Location: Campile. Wexford

Hi Rebbeca. I dont know anything about Goat Lice but as I have just inherited two pregnant females I will be keen to find out. Congratulations on your new arival. Wink

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Rebecca · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:19 pm Post subject:

Congrats on the two goats, what breed(s) are they and when are they due (see I'm addicted already!).

My friend who has had 30 goats for years tells me they use a cow formula of 'lice off' or something named similar, 10mls for a cow, so 6-8 for a goat, only 2ml for a kid (min a week old). Its a 'pour on', ie its a liquid you spot along the skin on the back, just like de-fleaing a dog. Hoping the vet will sell me the small quantity I need, otherwise its €36 for a 500ml bottle.

I hadn't noticed the lice on the mothers, only on the new black kid. They were black against its white skin, easy to spot, had a good look at the adults then ... they are white haired, and they too had lice but the lice were white so much harder to see. I know humans can't catch them but my head is itching since!
_________________
Relocation to the sticks.
Moving smoothly from one crisis to the next on our rural Irish smallholding www.sallygardens.typepad.com
Sustainable Living bookshop, forum and courses
eBooklets ; pigs, goats

Camile · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:39 am Post subject:

Congratulations on the birth ! aren't goat class ?

I don't know about lice ... but for the bedding, the best is to do a "deep litter", ie adding some straw on top every now and then (depending on size of stable and number of goats) ... to keep it dry .. and then you clean it out 2/3 times a year ..

then you have a great compost ... but it's a hell of a job to do ..

Camile