In fact, ours prefer to pee in the bedding vs. anywhere else lol. Providing shade for your goats adds to their comfort. After the U.S. Navy began operations on the island, the goats became a problem for land use. High temperatures affect body function in many ways. It is critically important to check for ammonia at ground level, because it can cause respiratory distress. Will you be breeding to sell kids, goat milk production, meat, or fiber? Here is one https://thriftyhomesteader.com/dewormer-resistance-in-goats/. ), um I'm trying to name possibilities in order to help in terms of anything I am mentioning "ringing a bell" for you.Overeating can also cause issues, and *may* have been a culprit (or had at least a part in) what happened to our babies (perhaps overflow of undeveloped rumen contributed to the iinfection? Do you think cold could have done it? As I have referred to this site several times in my short history of keeping goats, I am joining the group. It doesnt have a door but I hang a heavy blanket over the doorway in the winter to cut down drafts. She looked almost dead when we got there, and it was only hours since we noticed her head tilted up, called stargazing, similar to the head turning in listeriosis. It got down to around 5 degrees last night and I'm not sure if the cold could have done it. Required fields are marked *. The snow has stopped for the week I believe. We live in New Brunswick, Canada and have temperatures to -20C ( -13 F) for several days at a time, with wind. Denise Wilhelm and her husband moved from New Mexico to Delta, Alaska, with extremes of -45F to -68F. Hes warming up is it ok to put him back outside. Dehydration can rapidly affect goats and even cause them to die. Even goat varieties that are well-accustomed to high temperatures and hot sun should have plenty of water available at all times. All of them usually take a big drink every time I bring a new bucket of warm water to them. We just lost our 2 Nigerian dwarf goats Daisy & Einstein they were 5 to a bear late September. (I grew up in Northern Minnesota & went to college in Houghton-Hancock, Michigan.). During the winter months when vegetation dies off, its important to properly supplement your goats diet; one of the best ways to do this is by supplying your goats with hay. If they can get out of the wind and precipitation, they're usually just fine. If they start to lose body condition, and you know they dont have a parasite problem, then they probably need more food. Typically under 20 degrees Fahrenheit is cold for goats and it . Originally published in the July/August 2018 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy. Goats are outside 24hrs a day, good thing they can grow a winter coat! Okay, so, this is my first year ever having a goat. Living in a hot climate might require more planning to successfully raise goat varieties. We are trying to figure out what could have happened. Does he have horns? I was so devasted and depressed that I wanted to get rid of them all. , This makes me feel much better! I know a Canadian online who had temperatures at 30 below zero Fahrenheit, which is definitely a problem for babies. If it's below 20 or if they're outside and it's windy even at 40 degrees they can also get hypothermia really fast and die. Avoid Heat Stress in Your Sheep and Goats | OSU Sheep Team