Potbellied pig food; Why it matters

Mazuri Piglet/youth Food

Once again we are receiving a great number of e-mail's about what veggies to give your pig(s). This veggie Vs, that veggie. So once again we thought it might be time to reiterate that these pigs are Omnivore not Herbivore. While vegetables and fruits make great treats they are not nutritionally sound for complete diet or even half a diet.
Vegetables and fruits do not contain the protein that your pig needs nor do they contain all the other things incorporated into a well-made pig chow that keeps your pig healthy.

Part of this idea of feeding veggies and fruits seems to be based on what we would like to think they eat on their own. Left to fend for themselves they would be eating worms, small animals and even dead animals along with the grass and seeds and nuts that they find.
In this manner they adjust their own protein needs with the roughage and fiber that they know is important to them. 

Well, great news folks! That's why we have good pig chows? Many years of development, millions of dollars in research facilities, many years of testing have gone in to what it takes to keep a pig happy and healthy.

Mazuri Active Adult food

There is NO substitute for a well-made pig chow in your pigs diet. This is what the chow was developed for...as a complete diet for the pig!
Here at the Sanctuary when a pig is getting too heavy we cut back on his feed, but we NEVER completely cut out the pig chow. That pig chow is and should always be the foremost and most important part of the pigs diet.
We have over eighty pigs here now at the sanctuary and they have never had anything but a well balanced pig chow for their main diet. One would have to think that if veggies and fruits were necessary to keep them healthy that we wouldn't have half the herd that are now geriatric and very healthy in their old age. Some are fifteen and sixteen years old.
Another humorous thought is how long would it take us to cut up enough veggies and fruits to feed eighty pigs daily? We would have to start the day before and even if we felt like digging up a bunch of grub worms to throw in, it still wouldn't be a balanced diet like the pig chow.
While my opinion on using veggies as a food source is a negative thing there isn't any reason that it can't be used for a treat or when it's available and you want to give them a bite.

Mazuri Elder Food

Our house pets may see veggies when we are cleaning them for us, but it is in moderation. What we are saying is that a pig that is on a well-balanced, well made pig chow can live it's whole life without ever having a veggie or fruit an still be a healthy happy animal. With that in mind it would stand to reason that the veggies and fruits should be considered as a treat and not as a food.
We receive lots of e-mail's on what veggies and fruits are good for pigs. Not that you are aware of how we feel about feeding veggies and fruits it will come as no surprise that as far as we can tell, it makes no difference.
Some veggies cause more gas than others like broccoli tends to do. You are the one that has to live in the house with your pig so if that doesn't concern you than no problem.
Personally we feel that too much gas is not good for the pig so we don't feed it at all. Cucumbers are another one that we stay away from for that reason.
There is much discussion over types of lettuce fed to the pigs. Who cares if one is deemed more nutritious than the other? If our pig is on a good complete pig chow than it really doesn't matter what type lettuce you give them in moderation as a treat.
It is our opinion that we can not second guess all the years of research and testing done by professionals and scientists that go into making a well balanced complete pig chow. They did the work and we reap the benefits. That's as it should be. 

My personal favorite

Mazuri Potbellied Pig Food

I prefer Mazuri Potbellied pig food (see picture above). They come in 20lb bags of pellets, and vary in Youth, Active Adult, and Elder. Each supply what the pig will need during that stage of life!

Ear Care for Potbellied Pigs

There has been a steady influx of problem pigs and ears in my e-mail lately. Inner ear infections, yeast infections, liquids in the ear, etc. I am going to try and address this problem the best way I know how.

IF YOU NEVER PUT ANYTHING DOWN IN THAT EAR,
YOUR CHANCE OF PROBLEMS ARE A LOT LESS!!!! 
 
When we clean ears its only as far as the fingertip will go with a damp cloth or cotton ball. That stuff that drives you crazy that is down deep is what keeps the water out of your pig’s ears when he is in his pool, or for outside pigs his mud hole.
We found this by trial and error over the years and the pigs that go into vets yearly for checkups and teeth and feet seem to be the ones that are having a problem because people want their ears cleaned while they are there. This is not a dog, it is a pig, who has many means of protecting itself from its environment without our help.
Most of the problems I hear from are pigs that have liquids squirted in the ear canal. This can lead to a yeast infection that is hard to clear up. It can also lead to inner ear infections that can cause major problems for the pig and its owner. Both of these problems show symptoms of tilted head and lack of coordination.
My vet and I agree that putting any liquid in a pigs ear for cleaning purposes may not be a good thing so we just DO NOT DO IT. You may have to ask your vet to please NOT clean the ears when you take the pig in for his checkups. Or you can say NO liquids in the ear itself just a damp cloth as far as the finger will go into the ear.
This advice has served the 73 pigs that live here quite well and we don’t have ear problems because we don’t cause ear problems.

Copyrighted by Phyllis Battoe - All Rights Reserved

Pneumonia and colds in Potbellied pigs

Question: How long can I leave my house pig outside for potty duty in the winter time?

When it really gets dead of winter we only leave them out long enough to do their business and bring them back in again....but then they are always banging at the door to come in anyway!

The reason we don't leave them out long is that they are house pigs and after all night at one temperature we don't want them to have to try to acclimate to the cold temp than back to the warm again. 

Drastic changes of temperature can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia. Going out to potty is OK but, we don't like them out there for more than an hour because of the change in temp and the body trying to adjust to it. Pigs that are kept outside all the time get their body temp regulated to that....the same holds true for the indoor house pigs.

Pneumonia: We put this out every year but maybe for new people we should do it again. Pig's don't usually show many symptoms of pneumonia. They don't cough etc. They quit eating!! But most don't even show the labored breathing until it becomes life threatening.

IF A PIG QUITS EATING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM! IF A PIG STARTS PICKING AT HIS FOOD...YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!

A pig is not like a dog...pig's love to eat and they don't get tired of the same diet...they don't get bored with food...they don't quit eating with the
idea of getting something better.  

IF A PIG DOESN'T EAT THERE IS A PROBLEM!

There are other illness that might cause this, but this time of the year, on an average age pig, pneumonia is the most common reason. Most Pneumonia's are easily fixed if you catch it EARLY and start treatment as soon as possible.

Seek vet help right away and explain that you think the pig has pneumonia. If it happens to be a weekend or holiday and no vet can be reached we put ours on any antibiotic we have here until the vet can be reached. This can be most of the antibiotics that humans have taken for infections etc. that might be in your home. Most people have Ampicillins or Amoxycillins on hand. If your on good terms with your vet you might ask for just a few of these pills to keep on hand for this kind of emergency use. 

As soon as that pig refuses his feed we start treatment until we can get to the vet. If the pig isn't interested in food at all put the antibiotic in a syringe with a little liquid and squirt it into his mouth. If a pig is completely down...and this is something that does happen with some pneumonia's ....from the time you feed in the morning and they are fine... till that night they can be completely down. 

We use the injectable antibiotics that you can buy at the farm or feed store if the vet isn't readily available. (I know someone is going to say they couldn't give a shot...you can and will if that's what it takes to save your pig.

Their recovery can be just as rapid as the time it took them to go down. Some are up and eating by the next morning, but then they go on oral meds for five to seven days. It's just very important that you start treatment as soon as possible and get to the vet as soon as you are able.

This is also where that thermometer comes in handy. Take his temp so you can tell the vet he is running a fever. Normal temp for a pot is 99 to 101 ANYTHING over that is a fever. Farm pigs are normal at 102. For the pots Pneumonia temps are usually in the 102 to 104 at the very beginning. The key to quick and complete recovery is quick treatment before the lungs are compromised.

Copyrighted by Phyllis Battoe - All Rights Reserved

Signs of Sickness in Potbellied Pigs

As with other animals, potbellied pigs can’t tell us
when they’re sick, so it’s up to us to notice the signs
of health or illness. As you get to know your pig, you’ll
learn to recognize when your pig is feeling good and
when she’s feeling under the weather. Here are some
general things that may indicate signs of sickness:

• Loss of appetite (most pigs love to eat, so this
is often a sign that something’s wrong)

• Hair standing on end all over the pig’s body,
patchy hair loss, excessive itching

• Change in mood (such as increased
grumpiness) or lethargy


• Pig standing with his back hunched

• Absence of or difficulty urinating/defecating;
very dark, concentrated urine

• Limping or difficulty walking

• Discolored vaginal discharge

• Hemorrhage from eyes, ears, nose, rectum, vulva
• Coughing or nasal discharge

• High temperature (103 and up)

• Elevated respiration

Pigs can have a variety of health issues, so do your homework and research every
aspect of how to care for them. Health issues can be as simple as an ear infection or
as complicated as cancer. The most common health problems in potbellied pigs are
respiratory troubles and constipation. Wounds from fights with other pigs, dog attacks or
general injuries need to be assessed and tended to.
Arthritis is common in older pigs. It can result from a variety of causes, such as a pig
being overweight at one point or lack of adequate exercise. Unless a pig is in poor
physical condition, mild exercise will be beneficial. Try little walks several times a day.
Massage followed by range-of-motion exercises can help, too. You might also want to try
holistic care and supplements to ease the pain from arthritis. If your pig seems to be in a
lot of pain, talk to your veterinarian.

Energy Boost/Iron Boost for Goats and Sheep

• 1 part Corn Oil (do not substitute with canola or vegetable oil)
• 1 part Molasses
• 1 part Kayro Syrup

Use this when a goat is “off.” It will provide quick energy and iron.

Electrolyte Formula's

Homemade Electrolyte Formula #1

• 1 package canning pectin
• 2 tsp low sodium salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 beef bouillon cube dissolved in 200mls (approx 6.5oz) water
• Add water to make 2.5 liters of solution

Homemade Electrolyte Formula #2

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 4oz white corn syrup
• Add water to make 4.5 liters of solution

Homemade Electrolyte Formula #3 **(Preferred by Desert Viking Ranch)**

• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1TBSP molasses
• 1/2oz strong coffee
• Add water to make 2.5 liters of solution

 
Electrolyte Administration to Kids: Give the above formula according to goat’s weight and percentage of fluid loss.

1. First 24 hours: 100% Solution
2. 24-48 hours: 50% solution, 50% milk
3. 48-72 hours: 25% solution, 75% milk
4. 72 hours +: 100% milk (if no scours symptoms show – otherwise 25% solution, 75% milk)

Homemade recipe for Oatmeal Molasses Cookies (Goat Treats)

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 2 cups sifted flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups quick-cooking oats

Cream sugar and shortening together in a large mixing bowl. Add egg and molasses; beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix well. Add vanilla then stir in oatmeal. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes, until done.
Makes about 4 dozen oatmeal molasses cookies.

Homemade Bloat Treatment for Goats and Sheep

A bloated goat

• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/3 cup Peanut Oil
• 1/3 cup Mineral Oil (this is tasteless – us with caution as goat may not know to swallow)

Administer either one of the above solutions, not all 3 together, twice a day and remove grain from feeding program until bloat is gone.

Prevention: Add baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) free choice – mixed with loose minerals.

Homemade Cure for Scours/Diarrhea in Goats And Sheep

Scours (Diarrhea)

• 1 Quart Water
• 2 tablespoons Corn Syrup
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda

Bring 1 quart water to a boil. Stir in the corn syrup, salt, and baking soda. Cool. Scours Should clear up scours in 2 to 3 days.

Homemade Cure for Urinary Calculi for Goats And Sheep

Small crystal like bladder stones are VERY common in younger goats and sheep

• Juice of one Lemon
• 2 Tablespoons of Baking Soda
• 1 Cup of Water

Drench the buck with 20 cc, 3 times a day the first day, 2 time a day for two days, then once a day until the urine is full and steady. Keep it up, every other day, then twice a week, if the animal is comfortable and has a successful flow.

Homemade Milk replacer for Goat Kids or Lambs

Things you'll need:

1. EvenFlo™ Glass Baby Bottles

2. Whole milk (1% or 2%)

3. Corn Syrup

 

Steps

1. Fill the baby bottle with mostly whole milk

2. Add about half a cup of corn syrup

3. Shake 

We use this for all of our new Goat Kids that are new to our farm, and if we are trying to ween them slowly off of their mothers and degrade down to bottle feeding, and then drinking milk out of a bucket, and then down to water.

 

 

NOTE: Never use brand name goat milk replacers! They can cause scours in your Goat Kid and many other illnesses!

Scours in Goats and Sheep

Diarrhea is defined as an increased frequency, fluidity, or volume of fecal excretion. The feces may contain blood or mucous and be smelly. The color of the feces may be abnormal. However, it is not possible to definitively determine the infectious organism by looking at the color, consistency, or odor of the feces. A definitive identification requires a sample for microbiological analysis.
In livestock, diarrhea is called scours. There are many causes of diarrhea: bacterial, viral, parasites, and diet.
Flystrike risk
Sheep that have diarrhea are more prone to flystrike (blowflies or maggots). To help prevent flystrike, it is recommended that lambs be docked. However, the tail should not be docked too long nor too short. Feces will accumulate on long tails.
On the other hand, the dock should be left long enough to cover the vulva of the ewe and an equivalant length on a ram lamb. If a lamb can "wag" its tail, it will be able to use its tail to project away feces. Otherwise the feces will run down the lamb's back end. It is usually not necessary to dock the tails of hair sheep or rat-tailed breeds.

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Diarrhea in young (neonatal) lambs and kids

Despite improvements in management practices and prevention and treatment strategies, diarrhea is still the most common and costly disease affecting neonatal small ruminants. A study at the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (Dubois, ID) showed that diarrhea accounted for 46 percent of lamb mortality. Diarrhea in lambs and goats is a complex, multi-factorial disease involving the animal, the environment, nutrition, and infectious agents. The four major causes of diarrhea in lambs and kids during the first month of life are E. Coli, rotavirus, Cryposporidum sp. and Salmonella sp.  E. coli scours are most common.
E. Coli
E. coli scours is an opportunistic disease associated with sloppy environmental conditions and poor sanitation.  It is seen in lambs and kids less than 10 days of age, but is most common at 1 to 4 days of age. It usually presents itself as an outbreak in lambs and kids between 12 and 48 hours of age. It is also called "watery mouth," because affected lambs salivate and have a cold mouth. Fluid therapy is the mainstay of therapy.
Antibiotics are used for both treatment and prevention of E. coli scours in lambs. Spectinomycin oral pig scours medicine is commonly used, though it is not approved for sheep and goats. Ewes and does can be vaccinated with bovine E. coli vaccine before they give birth to increase passive immunity. The use of neomycin in lambs that appear normal may stop the progression of the outbreak. Adequate ingestion of colostrum by newborns decreases the incidence of the disease.

Infectious causes of diarrhea in sheep and lambs Bacterial E. coli Salmonella sp. Clostridium perfringins Viral Rotavirus Coronavirus Protozoa Cryptosporidia Coccidia (Eimera sp.) Giardia sp.   Non-infectious causes (or contributing factors) Parasitic Gastro-intestinal worms (not Haemonchus) Nutritional Dietary changes Overfeeding Simple indigestion Poor qualtiy milk replacers Inadequate intake of colostrum Poor quality colostrum Poor quality or stagnant water Lush or wet pasture Inadequate dry matter intake Plant and fungal toxins Allergies Management (Poor environment) Overstocking/Overcrowding Poor sanitation Stress Weaning Handling Weather extremes Shipping/Transportation

Rotavirus
Lambs and kids are infected with a group of B rotaviruses, whereas most other animals and humans are infected with group A rotoviruses. Rotavirus generally causes diarrhea in lambs and kids at 2 to 14 days of age. Young animals become very depressed and dehydrated.
Rotavirus is treated with supportive care. Vaccinating ewes and does with bovine rotavirus vaccines before they give birth will increase passive immunity. Viruses tend to be less a cause of diarrhea in lambs and kids than calves.
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium parvum is a protozoa that can cause diarrhea similar to that of rotavirus infection. Cryptosporidia can cause diarrhea in lambs and kids 5 to 10 days of age. Affected animals are often active, alert, and nursing. The diarrhea is usually very liquid and yellow.
No consistently effective treatment for cryptosporidiosis in ruminants has been identified. Anectodotal reports suggest that decoquinte (Deccox®) and monensin sodium (Bovatec®) may be useful in the control of Cryptosporosis. Ammonia and formalin seem to be most effective at removing Cryptosporidium from the environment. The best control of cryptosporidiosis comes from lambs and kids getting adequate immunity through colostrum soon after birth.

Salmonella
The bacteria Salmonella has thousands of serotypes and all can potentially cause diarrhea in animals. Salmonella can cause diarrhea in lambs and kids of any age. Animals less than 1 week of age are more likely to die without clinical signs, whereas animals older than 1 week are more likely to have diarrhea. Salmonella also causes outbreaks of diarrhea in late gestation and is frequently associated with abortion. Bleach is an effective disinfectant to use during an outbreak. Vaccine efficacy is questionable, and to date vaccination has not been thoroughly evaluated in sheep and goats.
Giardia
Giardia-induced diarrhea is more commonly, but not limited to 2 to 4 week old lambs and kids. The diarrhea is usually transient, but infected animals can continue to shed cysts for many weeks, providing a source of infection for other animals and possibly humans. Infected animals can be treated effectively with fenbendazole (SafeGuard®, Vabazen®).
Nutritional
Infectious agents are not the only cause of diarrhea in neonates. Nutritional problems can result in diarrhea. Nutritional diarrhea is most common in orphaned animals as a result of poor quality milk replacers, mixing errors, and overfeeding. Consumption of lush pasture or high-energy diets can also result in diarrhea in young lambs and kids.
A scouring lamb or kid loses large amounts of fluids and electrolytes, such as sodium and chlorine. Usually the cause of death in scouring lambs and kids is dehydration and acidosis, or increased body acidity. Whatever the microbial cause of scours, the most effective treatment for a scouring lamb or kid is rehydration by administering fluids.

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Diarrhea in older lambs and kids

The most common causes of diarrhea in older lambs and kids are coccidiosis and gastro-intestinal parasites (worms). Other major causes of diarrhea in older lambs and kids are clostridium perfringins, rumen acidosis, and nutritional.

Coccidiosis
Coccidosis is a protozoan parasitic disease that is a common cause of diarrhea in lambs and kids. It may also cause subclinical production losses. Lambs and kids are most suceptible to the problem at 1 to 4 months of age, although younger animals may be affected. Lambs are resistant to the disease in their first few weeks of life. Exposure to the protozoa during this time confers immunity and resistance to later infections.
Clinical disease is common after the stress of weaning, feed changes, or shipping. The diarrhea of lambs and kids is usually not bloody, but it may contain blood or mucous and be very watery. Treatment of affected animals includes supportive care and adminstration of coccidiostats. All animals in a group should be treated during an outbreak. Prevention involves improved sanitation and the use of coccidiostats.
Gastro-intestinal worms
The Barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortis) is the major worm species affecting sheep and goats in warm, moist climates that experience summer rainfall. It is not characterized by diarrhea. However, heavy loads of other gastro-intestinal worms can cause diarrhea in sheep and goats: Ostertagia circumcincta (medium or brown stomach worm), Trichostrongylus (bankrupt or hair worm), Coopera sp. (small intestinal worm), and Nematodirus sp. (threadneck worm). Control of gastro-intestinal parasites is best achieved via good pasture, grazing, and animal management, and strategic and/or selective deworming of affected individuals with effective anthelmintics.
Clostridium perfringins
Clostridium perfringins types A, B, C, and D can all cause diarrhea in lambs and kids, though type D is the most common agent. With type D, the onset of neurologic signs followed by sudden death is more common in sheep, whereas goats are more likely to show signs of diarrhea before death. Treatment is rarely effective but consists of aggressive supportive care and administration of the antitoxin.
Clostridium perfringens type C tends to affect very young lambs (<2 weeks of age) and presents itself as bloody diarrhea, hemorrhagic enteritis, and bloody scours. Clostridial diseases are easily prevented in the young by vaccinating pregnant dams about three weeks prior to delivery and subsequent vaccination of offspring. Consumption of adequate, high quality colostrum is important.
Rumen Acidosis
Acidosis is caused by too much grain or concentrate, which causes a change in rumen acidity and bacteria population. The increase in acid causes an inflammation of the rumen wall and a reduction in the bacteria needed to digest fiber. Symptoms may include depression, off feed, bloat, founder, scours, and occasionally death. Treatment includes drenching with mineral oil or antacids. Acidosis is prevented by proper feeding management. Concentrates (grain) should be introduced to the diet slowly and increased incrementally to give time for the rumen to adjust.
Nutritional
Nutritional scours can be caused by anything that disrupts normal habits. It can also be the result of low intake of dry matter to fluid ratio. A lamb needs to consume at least 2.5 percent of its body weight in dry matter daily. Young or fast growing lambs turned out to pasture must eat large quantities of grass to satisfy their nutritional needs. Green grass is high in moisture. They may develop diarrhea if they aren't getting enough dry matter in their diet.

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Diarrhea in adult sheep and goats

Adult-onset diarrhea is less common than in lambs and kids, but nevertheless is possible. Parasitism can cause diarrhea in adult sheep and goats. Coccidiosis can occur in adults under extreme stress or due to lack of immunity. The ingestion of toxins, of which the list is long, can also cause diarrhea. It is not uncommon for sheep or goats to scour when they are grazing lush or wet pasture.
Johne's Disease (pronounced "Yo-nees")
Unlike cattle, diarrhea is not a common symptom of sheep and goats infected with Johne's disease. A USDA-APHIS study showed than less than 20 percent of sheep and goats with Johne's show diarrhea. Johne's disease is an incurable, contagious bacterial disease of the intestinal tract. It occurs in a wide variety of animals, but most often in ruminants. Johne's is most commonly reported in dairy cattle, but probably underrated as a problem in small ruminants.

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Home remedy for scours (WORKS FAST)

• 1 Quart Water

• 2 tablespoons Corn Syrup

• ½ teaspoon Salt

• ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda

Bring 1 quart water to a boil. Stir in the corn syrup, salt, and baking soda. Cool. Should clear up scours in 2 to 3 days.

 

Urinary Calculi in Goats and Sheep (AKA Bladder Stones)

What is It?
Urinary calculi or “water belly” is a common metabolic disease of male sheep and goats. The disease occurs when calculi (stones), usually comprised of phosphate salts, lodge in the urinary tract and prevent urination. Normally, phosphorus is recycled through saliva and excreted via feces in ruminants. High grain, low roughage diets decrease the formation of saliva and therefore increase the amount of phosphorus excreted in the urine.
The primary cause of urinary calculi is feeding concentrate diets which are excessive in phosphorus and magnesium and/or have an imbalance of calcium and phosphorus. Lack of water and water sources that are high in minerals are also contributing factors.

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Who's at Risk?
While urinary calculi can occur in intact males, wethers are at greatest risk because castration of young males removes the hormonal influence (testosterone) necessary for the penis and urethra to reach full size.
Lambs castrated within the first month of life are most vulnerable. For this reason, some veterinarians advocate delaying castration until after puberty. If castration is performed after puberty, it should be done under anesthesia by a veterinarian.
It is generally recommended that lambs and kids be castrated between 1 and 7 days of age, especially if rubber bands are used. The better recommendation might be for producers to carefully consider whether it is necessary or desirable to castrate ram lambs and buck kids. Intact males grow faster and produce leaner carcasses, and there is no difference between the meat from a young intact male and a castrated lamb or kid.
In females, calculi are formed, but excreted due to anatomic differences in the male and female urinary tract.

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What are the Symptoms?
Clinical signs vary. They usually start with restlessness and anxiety. Affected animals may experience abdominal pain, urine dribbling, distention and rupture of the urethra. They will usually experience a loss of appetite. They may have a humped-up appearance and edema under their belly. They may kick at their belly and strain to urinate. Dribbled urine may be bloody.
As pain and discomfort increases, affected animals will isolate themselves. In goats, there may be increased vocalization and tail twitching. If left untreated, affected animals will die when the bladder bursts and urine fills the peritoneal cavity and is absorbed into the bloodstream. Sometimes, it may be necessary to humanely destroy an affected animal to avoid further suffering.

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How to You Treat It?
Treatment of urinary calculi depends upon the location of the obstruction and could be as simple as snipping off the urethral process to allow calculi at the end of the penis to dislodge. Tranquilizers and antispasmodics may help to naturally dislodge some calculi. In more advanced cases, surgical intervention may be necessary to save valuable animals or pets. Veterinary advice should be sought in this case.

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How Do You Prevent It?

Like most disease conditions, it is better to prevent urinary calculi than to treat it. It can be prevented by feeding rations which contain a calcium-to-phosphorus ratio of at least 2:1. The ratio of Ca:P should never be allowed to go below 1:1. High calcium diets are effective at reducing the absorption of phosphorus from the GI tract.
Neither magnesium or phosphorus should be added to concentrate diets. Diets should also contain adequate amounts of vitamin A. Supplements should not be haphazardly added to otherwise balanced rations. Horse feed should not be fed to small ruminants because horse diets are not balanced for ruminants and can lead to stone formation
Extra calcium is well tolerated by sheep, so where rations are unbalanced, they can be counterbalanced by adding ground limestone (not dicalcium phosphate!). Legume hays (alfalfa, clover, lespedeza, etc.) are good sources of calcium. In addition, roughage will increase salivation and rumination which will increase the amount of phosphate excreted in the urine.
Cereal grains (corn, barley, etc.), on the other hand, have an abnormally low calcium-to-phosphorus ratio: 1:4 to 1:6. Therefore, rations containing cereal grains need to be balanced with other feeds or mineral sources to form a complete ration that has the proper ratio of calcium and phosphorus.
When formulating your own feed rations, you need to include minerals in the ration or a source of calcium (such as legume hay).  Free choice minerals may not be adequate to prevent urinary calculi in male goats and sheep, since you do not know if they are consuming sufficient quantities of the mineral. Minerals should be force-fed. When feeding textured feeds or mixed rations (e.g. whole grain + pellets), you need to make sure the animals are not picking at certain feed ingredients. This can also lead to an imbalance of Ca and P being consumed.
Adequate water intake is also necessary to prevent urinary calculi. Inadequate water intake causes the urine to be more concentrated, which makes the formation of stones more likely. Water should be proper temperature and clean. Force feeding salt (up to 4% of the ration) will help to increase water intake. However, salt should not be added to the water source, since lambs and kids will find it unpalatable and drink less water.
The use of ammonium chloride at a level of 0.5 percent of the total diet will help to acidify the urine and prevent the formation of calculi. Most commercial lamb and meat goat diets contain ammonium chloride, as well as the proper ratio of Ca:P.

Homemade recipes for urinary calculi (WORK FAST)

2 tbsp of Baking Soda

Juice of one lemon (or lemon juice from the bottle equivalent to one lemon)

1 cup of water

Poisonous plants to Goats

While goats are generally choosy about what they eat, certain plants are quite poisonous and so the goat owner should make sure that these plants are not present in grazing areas.
(Links here are to chapters in A Wikimanual of Gardening)

• Monk's hood
• Milkweeds
• Foxglove
• Hellebores
• Hydrangea (wilted leaves contain cyanide)
• Black Walnut
• Pokeweed
• Cherries (wilted leaves contain cyanide)
• Rhododendrons and Azaleas
• Nightshades
• Yew
• False Hellebores (lethal in small doses)

Plants Goats WON'T eat

It has been said that "goats will eat anything" and there are times when this statement could almost be true. I receive on an average, two to three emails a week asking what type of plants can be planted that goats will not eat. Suddenly the statement that goats will eat anything becomes pretty difficult to dispute.

Mullein

Goats are curious animals when it comes to food. For the most part, they will "sample" a variety of browse in their search for food either by tasting or smelling the plant. It can also be presumed that the "visual" appearance of a plant or flower can either attract or deter a goat. And it is during this sampling that they will make a determination (seasoned goat keepers often refer to this as "memory triggers") of what plant source they can and will ingest, and what they will not ingest. But even though these memory triggers may direct their browsing habits, there are other factors that determine whether or not your prize flowers become a goats lunch or dinner.

A goat that is being fed a proper, well balanced diet, complete with all the vitamins and minerals necessary to meet their daily nutritional requirements is going to be less likely to eat plants that he or she should not, including any one of the variety of poisonous plants. On the other hand, the goat that is receiving inadequate nutrition is going to ignore any formed memory triggers and eat just for the sake of being hungry. So there exists a very crucial balance that MUST be met before trusting a goat in any gardening or landscaping projects. And even so, there are no guarantees.

Wild Sage Grass

The proof is simple. Many islands scattered throughout the world have undergone goat management/eradication plans simply because the goats have either nearly or entirely destroyed all vegetation upon these islands. And in some cases, plants the goat have destroyed are listed in the poisonous plants list. Albeit, the majority of these island dwelling goats are wild, placed in the days of yesteryear when Spanish mariners left them behind, hoping to return and use them for a source of milk and meat.

Still, one would have to think that there are surely some plants that goats will show no interest in. Actually there are a few. Up to this point in time, I have found four plants that goats will apparently bypass (but perhaps not before taking a small nibble or sniff): None of these plants are ideally a landscapers dream. And while I am sure there are other plants that remain safe from the goat cud, I have found very few.

UPDATE -- Since my initial writing of this article, I've had some reports of more plants that goats will not eat, so for the sake of creating a list, I will begin adding them here:

Mullein

Wild Sage Grass

Certain varieties of Nightshade

Russian Knapweed (Russian Knapweed is known to be toxic to horses).

Oregon Grape

Salal

Nightshade

Let's breakdown the possibilities.

• 1) Plants that goats will not eat or at least not take a small sample of.
• 2) Plants that goats are less likely to eat (including any listed poisonous plants).
• 3) Plants that goats will readily eat (including any listed poisonous plants).

Consider the list of poisonous plants and the levels of toxicity and side effects they are known to cause. It is from this list that you will get the majority of plants that goats are "less likely to eat" and will possibly be able to plant to adorn your landscape. There are quite a few plants such as Rhodedendrons and Azaleas that will cause a nearly immediate adverse reaction when ingested. These should be avoided at all costs and if the desire to landscape with either of these persists, make sure they are situated in an area where you know the goats cannot have access to.

However, one must be extremely careful in planting any of the poisonous plants, even if situated where goats cannot access them. Especially if they are the type of plants where the wind may scatter leaves, seeds or twigs into the areas where the goats are located. For example, you may have Avocado trees on your property. In most cases, Avocado leaves can be fatal when eaten. If the wind happens to blow some Avocado leaves into your goat area, you might as well have planted the Avocado trees right in the goat pen - same effect. Even though listed as poisonous, goats will eat Avocado leaves.

Russian Knapweed

On the chance that you find a variety of plants that you know your goats will not eat, you should be aware of the goats ability to trample and eradicate any such plants with their hooves. I've personally seen this a number of times with my own goats. The Mullein for example. They won't eat it, but they will paw at it or use the long stalk that protrudes upon plant maturity as a way of scratching the area between their horns. I've also seen them paw at it relentlessly as if to say, "I can't eat this plant so I'll get rid of it!"

Another concern with trying to landscape around goats regards the herbicides, fertilizers and pesticides that may be required for optimum growth of these plants. Certain products will pose as much a danger if not more, to the health of the goat. And while a one-time spraying may appear to not be of concern, consider that many of these products will leech into the soil and create a potential hazard within the vicinity.

The age of the goat will also be a factor in determining plants that can be used in landscaping. Older goats that have formed memory triggers will certainly have a better instincts as to which plants they can browse and which they find less of an attraction or taste for. Younger goats however, are still in the process of forming memory triggers and tastes, and may prove to sample a large variety of your landscape before they learn.

Oregon Grape

In my opinion, the person wanting to landscape is going to have better results if trees are used instead of flowers. The young trees will need to be sectioned off and protected from the goats until they achieve height - the tallest goat should not be able to reach the lowest limbs and leaves of the tree. Also, certain trees are more susceptible to the bark being eaten or rubbed. Softer wood trees especially. Bark eating can usually be eliminated by providing adequate vitamin and mineral nutrition as well as the addition of a "head scratching post" for goats who engage in that behavior. Keep in mind that certain trees are also listed in the poisonous plants section and must be planted with care to avoid potential poisoning hazards.

I would strongly suggest planning well ahead before attempting to garden or landscape, paying close attention to all the possibilities I have listed within this article. Overall it will save you time, money and the lessen the risk of an ill or dead goat. As I research this subject and receive more data from other goat owners, I will update this article from time to time.