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     R. Jones (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.151.176.85 Rating: N/A |
I had a young doe die the other night and I've been told it was caused from feeding corn. The term "the blind staggers" was used as being caused by feeding corn or other "sweet grains" and that term does pretty well describe her condition the day of her death. I took the rest of my goats off the corn but have already noticed a decline in their condition and would like to go back to feeding corn. What's your opinion? | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 401 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.216.141  Rating: N/A |
The conditon termed the blind staggers is caused by eating locoweed. I believe your goat may have had a condition called goat polio or more correctly polioencephalomalacia. This condition is caused by an acute thiamin (Vitamin B1) deficiency. The goat will act drunk, stagger, circle, press its head against a wall, pull the head to one side or over the back (stargazing) and will often go blind. They will usually try to continue to eat and drink if they can. Without treatment the goat can be dead in hours, but usually within 2 days. Delaying treatment can cause permanent brain and nerve damage possibly blindness. The rumen microbes usually produce the thiamin required by the goat for good nervous system function. If something disrupts these microbes, such as a feed change or moldy feed or hay, giving antibiotics orally, giving CoRid (for coccidia) the goat can quickly become thiamin deficient. Feed high in sugar (such as some sweet feeds) and corn (naturally high in sugar) is often implicated. The only effective treatment is to give frequent high doses of thiamin until the rumen microbes recover and the start producing enough thiamin again. Using Fortified B Complex injectable and giving 1 cc per 20 pounds at the first symptoms will often get the goat on the way to recovery. The injections are continued every 4 to 6 hours for the first 24 hours then 2 to 3 times a day for 5 to 7 more days. Okay that said you can go back to feeding corn if you like. But corn is not a very nutritious feed overall, but it is high in calories. Corn can get moldy in the wet cool weather, it also tends to be old at this time of year, also leading to mold problems. It is also very high in phosphorus and can be a factor in causing urinary stones in bucks and wethers. It would be better to feed a grain feed that is blended and balanced for goats. Moldy hay can also be a problem this time of year. I had a goat get polio from eating the leaves on the ground this year. Our wet and rather mild winter has increased the growth of mold in the old leaves and my wether just loves fallen leaves! It was our first case of polio in over 15 years and it has been a bad year for it in many parts of the country. Buy some Fortified B Complex (the regular B complex does not have enough thiamin in it to be much help for treating polio). to have on hand should another goat ever present with similar symptoms. Even if you only suspect that may be the trouble it is safe to give the thiamin anyway and see if that helps. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic |