a number of mastitis related problems, you may want to consult with your veterinarian about preventative treatments. Keeping the does in a clean environment after weaning also reduces the amount of exposure to pathogens. Weaning is a good time as well to observe for other udder issues such as oversized, misshapen, and extra teats. You should cull animals with these issues as they will only become bigger problems in the future.

Kid Health

At weaning, kids are under great stress; this makes them more susceptible to disease outbreaks. This is the time we see most of the coccidia outbreaks in herds. Other parasite issues can also become a problem making it essential to provide proper nutrition and preventative care for the kids.

Coccidia are a protozoa found in the intestinal tract of all goats. While coccidia are found in almost all goats at some level, we tend to see more outbreaks of clinical disease when the animal is stressed. High coccidia populations damage the intestinal lining of the animal and impact their overall performance. It often causes scouring in the kids and death is a possibility due to dehydration and lack of nutrition. Animals that recover often have reduced growth rates and rough hair coats due to the damage to the intestine reducing their ability to absorb nutrients.

Coccidia often can be controlled through the use of feed additives called coccidiostats. The two major ones used and labeled for goats are Deccox\circledR and Ruminson\circledR. Treatment with these products should start, at least, two weeks before weaning and continue for two weeks after weaning. This is a minimal recommendation. Your marketing strategies may dictate a different approach; check the label for slaughter withdrawal times and be sure the time is met before you market any kids. Your veterinarian may recommend alternative treatments that are not labeled for use in goats. Only a veterinarian can legally prescribe a product that is not labeled for use in your species of animal.

Remember that coccidia is transmitted through feces to the mouth. This makes sanitation critical to reduce the spread. It is important to prevent goats from eating off the ground as much as possible. Clean feed and water containers at least every two days or when contaminated with feces. Hay feeders also need to be cleaned and keep goats from climbing in them. Good planning and construction can reduce these issues and make cleaning easier.

contaminated with feces. Hay feeders also need to be cleaned and keep goats from climbing in them. Good planning and construction can reduce these issues and make cleaning easier.

Other parasites are also a concern and need to be addressed at this time. There is research that suggests deworming all animals at weaning can reduce future parasite issues and increase performance in lambs; this is reasonable to believe in goats, as well. You should start checking fecal egg counts and treating kids for intestinal parasites at weaning, if not before. Resistance to parasites is an immune response in goats, so getting them over the first infection can be critical to their future health. Be sure to use an effective treatment. Proper grazing management and selective breeding for parasite resistance can also reduce parasite issues.

Other health issues include overeating disease and pneumonia. Overeating disease is a colostridial infection that causes a bacterial disease in the intestines (enterotoxemia). Preventative vaccines for clostridium perfringens type C and D as well as tetanus (CD&T) should be given before weaning. The first injection of CD and T should be given between 4 and 8 weeks of age, followed by a booster dose according to label directions. Pneumonia is an issue in many goat herds and there are vaccinations that can help prevent the severity of the disease. In order to build immunity, vaccines must be given and followed with a booster dose several weeks later according to labeled directions. Consult with your veterinarian to develop a good vaccination plan specific for your herd for both pre and post weaning, as well as annually. A strong vaccination program before weaning will ensure that goats are healthy and productive after weaning.

Mineral nutrition is critical to the immune response of your animals. Be sure that your kids are provided access to a high quality mineral mix for goats. Copper and zinc are two of the major minerals involved in immune response. Do not use a sheep mineral for your goats. Sheep are very sensitive to copper so sheep specific feed and minerals do not contain adequate copper to meet goats' requirements.

Nutrition Issues

Nutrition of does and kids changes at weaning. Without the milk provided by the doe, kids are totally dependent on forage and supplement to supply their nutritional demands. The doe does not need to produce milk and she is generally not pregnant, so her nutrient demands are at the lowest point in the year.

Kids grow rapidly at weaning; because of this, their protein and energy demands are high in relation to their body size. Kids need to be placed on high quality pastures and may need concentrated supplementation (pellets) to meet their needs. Another reason to separate kids at weaning, by sex, is that the gender of the kid also impacts their nutritional demands. Buck kids grow faster and are heavier muscled than does, while wethers are between the two. Table 1 lists the total digestible nutrients (TDN) and crude protein (CP) requirements of a 60 pound Boer or Boer cross growing kid expected to gain 0.5 lbs. per day.

The protein requirements are the same, but there is a difference in energy need for the buck to gain the same as the doe or wether. Because of this, we need to manage each sex group differently to achieve optimum growth while not increasing the fat deposition in doe kids. Extra fat in doe kids can cause many issues if they are used as replacements.

The nutritional demand of the dam is greatly reduced at weaning. Once the dry off period is over, their nutrition needs to be adjusted to meet the needs based on their specific situation. It is important to measure your does' body condition score (BCS) and weight at weaning. Most does lose some weight and body condition during lactation, taking a measure at weaning helps you track and adjust feeding to better meet the animal's needs.

In general, the extit{does'} protein and energy requirements are reduced by almost a third between lactation and dry open status. This allows them to be maintained on lower quality pasture without supplementation in many cases. However, thin does need better nutrition to recover before the next breeding season. You need to observe your animals and make adjustments to the feeding program based on their need (BCS and weight) and forage quality. Table 2 lists the CP and TDN needs of a doe near the end of lactation and then after weaning. This would be considered maintenance level (no weight gain expected).

Table 1. Nutrient requirements of 60 lb. Boer or Boer Cross kid.

dry open status. This allows them to be maintained on lower quality pasture without supplementation in many cases. However, thin does need better nutrition to recover before the next breeding season. You need to observe your animals and make adjustments to the feeding program based on their need (BCS and weight) and forage quality. Table 2 lists the CP and TDN needs of a doe near the end of lactation and then after weaning. This would be considered maintenance level (no weight gain expected).

Table 2. Nutrient requirements of a 120 lb. doe at 10 weeks lactation or dry open.

The reduction of energy demand, at this time, allows the doe to gain body condition and weight on lower quality feed. Supplementation should only be provided if the forage is limited or the quality is very low. Make sure you know how to properly do body condition