Baby goat
What does it mean when my baby goat that is going to be 2 weeks on Monday is having white slimey stuff coming out of his behind?
Tina Corona
Merced, California
If the kid is nursing on the mother, he may just be getting a bit more milk than his body can adjust to; you may have to milk the doe out a bit so he gets less milk. This is most often seen in single kids or twins from a high producing dam. If you are bottle feeding him, he may be coming down with scours, which is a severe diarrhea, often of a bacterial nature. Stop feeding him milk from the bottle and replace those feedings with an electrolyte solution, available at your vet’s or a local farm store in the calf department. Mix the same proportions of electrolyte to water as if he were a calf but only as much as his bottle holds, usually 8 oz. If he seems ill, oral sulfa drugs are often necessary; see your vet right away as scours can be quickly deadly if left untreated. — Jackie
Using Surround
Could you explain how you use Surround? When do you apply it? What kind of spraying system is best? (Thanks for the help with my spindly plants–they seem to be a bit stronger since I put them very close to the shop light.)
Sandy Agostini
Nixa, Missouri
Surround is a kaolin/clay based product that you first apply at apple-blossom drop time, then weekly thereafter for 4 applications (unless there is a rain and you must then re-coat your trees). You can apply it with a cheap pump-up garden sprayer or a backpack sprayer. Be sure to shake up the sprayer from time to time to keep the Surround mixed well with the water.
I’m glad you’re having better luck with your spindly plants. You might also give them a shot of fertilizer, as well, to perk them up even more. — Jackie
