Recommended Vaccination For Goats

1. The vaccine commonly known as “CDT” or “CD&T” is a vaccination for Clostridium perfringens type C + D and tetanus. This is the vaccine that everyone raising goats should use. The label directions should be followed closely, including those for handling and storage. Several companies make CDT vaccines and some of those include vaccines for additional clostridial diseases. Consult with your veterinarian to determine if those other diseases are common in your area or are on your farm before spending the extra money for the multiple combination vaccines.

   Does should be vaccinated for CDT approximately 30 days prior to giving birth to provide protection to the kids through the first milk, or colostrum. If the doe has not been given a priming booster of two shots adminstered three to four weeks apart at some time in her life, the pre-kidding annual shot will not be effective. This priming set of shots is usually given when the doe is a young kid but can be done at any age.

   Kids should be vaccinated at 5 to 6 weeks of age and then given a booster three to four weeks later. Important Note: Vaccination of kids from properly vaccinated does prior to 5 weeks of age may result in kids that are not protected and annual boosters may be ineffective.

   Kids born to does with uncertain vaccination history or with questionable colostrum ingestion within the first 24 hours of birth should be vaccinated at 7 to 21 days of age and then given a booster three to four weeks later. Alternately, tetanus antitoxin (150 – 250 units) can be given at birth or at castration.

   Breeding bucks, yearlings and other adults should get annual boosters 30 days prior to the breeding season or when others in the herd are given booster vaccines. New breeding bucks and does with unknown vaccination history should get two initial doses, three to six weeks apart, and then annually. Some research has shown that goats might benefit from booster vaccinations twice a year, six months apart.                   

Colorado Serum states on vaccination scheduling:

CASEOUS D-T (CDT) Colorado Serum

Clostridium tetani-perfringens Type D-Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Bacterin-Toxoid

Inject under the skin in armpit between front leg & chest. Make a tent with the skin and shoot toward body. Always dosage is 2cc

Adults: 2cc 4-6 wks before kidding, Booster 30 days later, then each following year the annual booster 30-35 days prior to kidding. All adults need booster every 12 months.

Kids: give 2 cc at 2-4 weeks and again 3-4 weeks later and again at 6 months; annual booster.

7 or 8 way  multi vaccines (such as Covexin 8,Ultrabac® 8,Clostridial 8-Way,Vision® 8,Vision® 7,Caliber™ 7) are not recommended by Goat-Link(Goat-Link is to be credited for this article.)

Does and Kids

At birth l/4 cc Bo-Se to all newborn kids and can be given orally to kids only. Lasts about 1 day if given orally (Bo-Se must be purchased from Vet}

Before castration or disbudding 2 ccs Tetanus antitoxin injected S.Q. or I.M.

 At 4 weeks - Valbazen oral suspension dewormer at the rate of 1cc/10lbs orally OR Ivomec PLUS injected at the rate of 1cc/40lbs, repeat in 10 days , repeat again in 10 days - I prefer Valbazen for kids as it also kills tapeworm and is oral. In addition check for lice,  use Ivomec POUR on for lice , at the rate of 1cc/22lbs dribbled down the backline (NOT to be used as your source for deworming as  it is not effective in goats for  ridding the goat of gastrointestinal wormload as it is in cattle)  but for kids, I use 1/2 cc in about 3 places on the backline of kids-for tiny kids I use a cotton ball and rub  on the spine

NOTE: I have seen kids born in spring  as young as a day old with biting lice- they WILL kill your kids so treat as soon as you see them if before 4 weeks of age! 
  4-5 weeks - This is the prime time for coccidia to start to really bring kids down, treat with Baycox and use directions on bottle for dosing.

   60 days - in SE deficient areas in particular-  Bo-Se every 60 days to growing kids (Dose lcc per 40 lbs.)
   12 weeks - Ivomec PLUS injected S.Q., or Valbazen  , 1cc per 22 pounds.

   12  months -  CASEOUS D-T (CDT) booster (2cc S.Q. or I.M.)
    One week later - DeWorm (with wormer of your choice - see below)

My personal preference for Deworming goats:

• We now have an understanding that you need a more refined approach to deworming, rather than saying the first summer drench is given on the 1^st of June or whatever that date may be. 
• To succeed we must have a herd management strategy  with a very high level of monitoring.    

Treating wormy kids and wormy goats

Ivomec PLUS and Valbazen and Prohibit(SEE PAGE ON PROHIBIT FOR USE AND DOSING) and Cydectin are my choices of anthelmintics (dewormers)  - all get liver fluke as well as the nasty stomach worms that cause anemia. Valbazen is not safe for pregnant does or those who "may" be pregnant as it causes birth abnormalities. But Valbazen is a great dewormer for kids because they are more likely to have tapeworms which the Ivomec or Ivomec Plus does not kill. And Valbazen is great for open (not pregnant) does and wethers and bucks.

Valbazen is a liquid suspension given orally at the rate of 1cc/10lbs of goat body weight.

Ivomec and Ivomec Plus are injectable cattle dewormers that goat owners use "off label" or "extra label" -meaning it has not been approved for use in goats but through experience by goat owners is commonly used safely.

NOTE: Never use Valbazen in pregnant does, as it can cause deformities and/or abortion in the first trimester. 

Copper is very important for goats.   Use a mineral block or loose mineral formulated for goats with the proper amount of Copper.

Before Breeding Does
l month before breeding does - 2cc Covexin 8 as indicated, plus Bo-Se according to weight (1cc/40lbs) and 1 week before kidding deworm with Ivomec PLUS injected SQ 1cc/40lbs.

 Day of kidding give doe and babies Bo-Se.  (1cc/40lbs for the doe and  accordingly for kids-  for small kids I usually use about 1/4 cc. Deworm doe with Ivomec PLUS 1cc/40lbs injected SQ and follow through in 10 days with another deworming, and again in 10 days for a total of 3 deworming injections  10 days apart.

Note: If you are in selenium deficient areas, schedule your bucks and does for a Bo-Se vaccination every 3 months even if the does are bred.  Please check with your own veterinarian for their recommendation. Warning:  The manufacturers of Bo-Se have put a warning on the label stating NOT to give Bo-Se to any pregnant animals.  Vaccination of pregnant animals may possibly result in abortions.   It is recommended you give your growing animals Bo-Se every sixty (60) days until they’re 18 months old.

Bucks

Treat the same as Does, except for kidding date info.
UC Prevention: Feed a goat pellet with Ammonium Chloride added especially for your bucks and wethers.

Coccidia Treatment/Prevention :    Deccox or Rumensin (Monensin) feed for the first four months or administer other coccidiostats as recommended by a veterinarian for your area. Deccox  can also be added to loose salt at the rate of 2 lbs. Deccox to 50 lbs. loose salt.  There are several Bovatek salts available that don’t need to be mixed.  Sweetlix makes a mineral salt containing Rumensin.  AppleJo Farm uses Baycox only for Coccidia Treatment/Prevention. Commercial goat breeders use this because it saves lives and is an oral dosage that only has to be given 1 time annually to the herd. Kids should get 1 dose at 1 week and 1 dose 21 days later, and 1 dose when they are weaned, then annually. 

Important! Please Read The Following Notice!

All information provided in these articles is based either on personal experience or information provided by others whose treatments and practices have been discussed fully with a vet for accuracy and effectiveness before passing them on to readers. Much of my page content is from Veterinary Colleges and Manuals.

In all cases, it is your personal responsibility to obtain veterinary services and advice before using any of the information provided in these articles. JoAnna Mertz is not a veterinarian. Neither JoAnna Mertz nor applejofarms.com nor any of the contributors to this website will be held responsible for the use of any information contained herein.