Goat-Info.com
Disclaimer : I am not a vet. Although I may suggest medications, dosages,
and treatments for animals, you should always have a vet, use a vet, and
consult a vet.
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This is one of those subjects that is hard to swallow. If you have had
goats for very long you have probably had to deal with UC in some form or
fashion, and if you haven't don't feel left out, your day will come.
UC rears its ugly head 99% of the time in wethers and bucks. Does can
and do get UC as well but, it is rarely an issue because of the size,
length, and shape of their urethra. Usually for bucks it is between 3-7
months of age but can happen later as well. Wethers are always at risk.
How to prevent UC
The number one cause of UC is feeding your male goat an imbalanced
diet. What is a proper diet? The calcium to phosphorus ratio should be
2:1, and the feed should contain ammonium chloride. In other words.... A
feed with a main ingredient of corn is bad. Sweet feed is bad. Horse
feed is for horses, chicken feed is for chickens - not goats. Be wary of
"goat" feed, look at the tag, see what the main ingredient is and if the
feed contains ammonium chloride. Make sure the calcium to phosphorus
ratio in the feed is 2:1.
Hay also plays a role. Grass hay is high in phosphorus and low in
calcium and throws the ratio off regardless of the feed ration you use.
Keep your water buckets and troughs CLEAN and FRESH and FULL, don't let
them freeze in the winter - or better, keep them warm with heaters. Keep
minerals available, the salt in them keeps boys drinking.
The ideal diet to avoid UC - despite what you might read elsewhere - is
alfalfa pellets and hay. Wethers for instance do great with just alfalfa
hay, as do bucks not in rut. If you must feed grass hay make SURE the
feed you are using contains AC. You can also buy loose minerals that
contain AC or just buy AC in bulk from a supply store like Hoeggers and
supplement accordingly.
What I do, if you are interested, is feed a high quality alfalfa based
goat pellet that contains AC along with alfalfa/orchard/clover hay and
occasionally supplemental alfalfa pellets. I have not had a case of UC
since adapting my current feeding program.
What if my Buck or Wether gets UC?
This is the hard to swallow part. Usually I suggest to put them down
immediately! Out of all of the cases I have ever been a part of which
includes my own goats, goats I have sold, and other breeders goats who
have consulted with me, I can only remember one buck that made it. It is
possible to have a vet do surgery to fix the problem, however it rarely
works and is expensive regardless of the outcome.
What are the symptoms?
-restlessness
-anxiety
-abdominal pain
-urine dribbling
-hunched up
-straining to urinate
-increased vocalization
-edema under belly
-DEATH
A Word Of Advice
If your male goat is dribbling urine, screaming out, straining to
urinate. Do the right thing and put the poor thing down! I am all for
saving an animal. However, this particular issue ends in death 98% of the
time. My Dad always taught us that part of having and caring for animals
is having the compassion and the ability to put them down if need be.
This in my opinion is one of those times. |