I recently bought a doe in milk and more often than not her poop is clumpy not like the typical droppings. Any insight? Is something wrong? -Tricia in Oregon

-- Tricia Cribbins (cribbins@agalis.net), June 17, 2002

Answers

It could be worms- maybe not, but since you just bought her it will not hurt at all to run a fecal and worm her. Or perhaps the feed you are giving her is different from what she is used to. My does will often have clumped together poop, no berries at all, when on pasture. I think the pasture is good but maybe doesn't provide enough fiber. Adding hay might help if she is not getting hay. Cocci is another thing that can cause loose poop, if you do the fecal test it should detect cocci as well, regular wormers do not touch cocci and a coccidiostat should be used in that case.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), June 17, 2002.

Sometimes, also, if the grain the goats are eating has lots of molasses this will cause "clumpy poop".

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), June 17, 2002.

I thought maybe some more input could help. After I bought her the next day I wormed her with ivomec drench and again two weeks later. She was on the thin side so I suspected worms. She is putting on wieght nicely she drinks well. She was fed alfalfa and grain so I know weve changed her fed some. Anyway I'll look into a fecal exam. Thank's so much. -Tricia in Oregon

-- Tricia Cribbins (cribbins@agalis.net), June 17, 2002.

You may want to try changing her feed back to what she had, it upsets the rumen to switch it suddenly. I know with my does, the grass pasture is not enough, especially if they are milking well. Are you still giving her grain? If you cut the grain off, her production will dive, also she will get very thin. Ask me how I know....:-(

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), June 19, 2002.

i have a doe, 4 years old, and her poop is almost always a couple of big clumps, so was her dam's. it has always been that way, and she's wormed regularly, and pasture, hay, feed has made no difference. it's not wet or runny, just all the berries come out in a clump.

-- (okgoatgal@hotmail.com), June 24, 2002.