affect your entire breeding program. If a goat is constantly sick and battling a multitude of issues and is underweight, it will pull the rest of the herd down with it. I know that if I use dewormer on a goat more than once then that goat is out of my pro- gram. It sounds harsh but the poor-doers are the Achilles heel of your herd. Besides good herd management and prevention, your best friend is going to be a microscope and a McMaster slide and regularly monitoring your fecal samples. With this you can isolate and monitor your goats to see who is per- forming and who is not.


Be very careful and do your research before you buy goats. Know what the seller is feeding them and make sure that they have records of medication and treatments. There are many subpar breeders out there that use medicated feeds the entire span of a goat’s life and overuse dewormers.


No matter what you do if you bring that goat home into a natural environment and you are no longer feeding them or treating them the way the previous owner was, the likelihood of that goat developing issues in your program is high.


One thing to keep in mind, especially


with parasites, is that goats need copper. Free choice minerals and copper oxide wire par- ticles are needed regularly to help control parasites. Parasites are not the only health concern in goats that can be treated naturally. Using garlic has amazing benefits to the goat’s health. One crushed up clove a day can not only help with parasites, but it also has respiratory advantages, too. Apple Cider Vinegar is another great choice for helping your goats’ overall health. We used to put it in our water but I found that it would really do a number on my troughs and half of my goats would not touch it, so we stopped im- plementing that into our program. There are a variety of herbs and foods that are not only healing, but they are preven- tative for digestion problems and other health issues. I would recommend that if you haven’t looked into all natural alternatives to dewormers and medicines for your goats, it is something that is worth the time. I cannot say for certain if all of them work, or if all of them would be ideal for your program. Re- member, I am not a vet. What I can say is that I have implemented some of them and they seem to be working. Here is a short list of just some of them:


Garlic Antiseptic, Anti-Viral and Antibiotic


Echinacea & Peppermint Respiratory issues


Yogurt & Ginger Digestive issues


Aloe Vera, Teatree Oil & Calendula Wound Care


Mustard & Vinegar


Pain and Inflammation, especially for the lungs


Pumpkin Worms


Nettle, Parsley & Dandelion Kidney and blood health


Oregano, Basil, Sage, Chervil, Fen- nel, Dill, Parsley, & Thyme Digestion, help prevent cancer & anti-inflammatory


Dandelions


For weaned baby goats. Antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer.


(Tess Fetterly and her family raise 100% New Zealand and purebred Kikos on Twisted Horns Farm in Jefferson, Ga., with a focus on sustainable agriculture. Tess can be contacted at twistedhornsfarm@gmail.com and find them on Facebook. Website: www.twisted- hornsfarm.com.)


6 Goat Rancher | April 2025


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