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You are here: Home » Raising Food » Livestock & Critters » 13 Ways I Use Herbs To Maintain A Healthy Goat Herd

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13 Ways I Use Herbs To Maintain A Healthy Goat Herd

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Image of a goat in a field with text overlay

It’s no secret that I love my goats.

Once upon a time, I’d never have dreamed that “goats” would be my favorite animals, but I fell in love with them the day we went to pick up our first 2: a lactating doe and a 5-month-old doeling.

As our herd has grown, my love and appreciation for the funny, curious creatures have grown too.

I choose to keep my goat herd in good health by using herbs and other methods. One of the wonders of herbs is their versatility. I can use what I have on hand to mix many different formulas and treat many different issues.

This affects me, too, since I avoid putting toxins and chemicals in my own body, and this way I don’t even have to worry about the milk withdrawal time that would be necessary after any injections.

Helpful Resources

Two books on naturally caring for goats with herbs.

The Complete Herbal Handbook for Farm and Stable and Natural Goat Care both contain a wealth of information. Please note that neither author lives in the United States. There may be differences in common names for herbs, climate, or diseases. Conduct your own further research if necessary.

Land of Havilah Farm is run by a Certified Family Herbalist, Nutritional Herbologist, and Nubian goat breeder in Michigan. Check out the Facebook group, as well as the online store.

Fir Meadows LLC is run by a Master Herbalist — the author of The Accessible Pet, Equine, and Livestock Herbal. She formulates and sells a wide variety of herbal mixes and tinctures that she also uses with her own LaMancha herd on a regular basis.

Fiasco Farm shares herbal treatments, basic goat care information, cheese recipes, and more. Check out the online store to purchase herbal formulas.

Where I Buy My Herbs

I buy most of my herbs from Frontier Herbs.

IntoHealth, Dr. Christopher’s Herb Shop, HerbalCom, and Leaves & Roots have good selections as well.

My Herbal Veterinary Medicine Cabinet

I store all of my herbs in an old cooler in the garage — where it’s cool, dark, and dry. Additionally, I usually keep them in their original packaging and seal them well to preserve their freshness and potency. However, for herbs I use on a regular basis, or herbs I keep in the barn for any emergencies, I transfer to jars and keep in a cabinet in the milk room.

In addition to my herbs, I also have a few tinctures (Immune Support and Ow-Eze), a bottle of VetRx (a natural blend of oils used to treat minor respiratory issues and external parasites), and garlic, which I give to the goats regularly.

Finally, the last 2 items in my medicine cabinet are actually herbal mixes — an herbal dewormer and the GI Soother.

13 Ways I Use Herbs To Maintain A Healthy Goat Herd

Okay, what do I use the herbs for exactly? How do I use them? Do they really work?

#1 — Herbal Dewormer

(Wormwood, Thyme, Rosemary, Psyllium Seed, Ground Yellow Mustard Seed, and Black Walnut Hull Powder)

While I’m sure these herbs have other benefits as well, their main use is to help make the goat an undesirable and unsuitable host for parasites. I make my own dewormer according to this recipe but it is also available for purchase.

Thanks to this, my goats have nice coats, pink eyelids, and not-too-high egg counts in their fecal tests!

#2 — GI Soother

This mix is specially formulated to fight coccidia and barberpole worm, 2 specific parasites.

It also heals scouring (diarrhea), and I use it as coccidiosis prevention for my goat kids. This year I also gave it to one of my does struggling to digest all the new spring growth.

#3 — Garlic

I am a firm believer in the benefits of garlic!

I give my goats one clove a day to ward off mastitis, keep respiratory illness at bay during the winter, repel ticks in the summer, and prevent parasites. At the first sign of illness, or when a goat gets injured or has an open sore, I increase the dosage to 1 clove per 50 pounds of body weight.

This year, one buckling couldn’t heal his scur — horn tissue that grows back after disbudding — properly. He was a bottle baby so I made him some garlic “tea” to add to his bottle, along with echinacea and goldenseal to prevent infection and tetanus. I monitored his temperature and kept an eye on him, and he healed up just fine.

#4 — Red Raspberry Leaf

I have a huge bag of this — you may have noticed! This is because it was on sale when I bought it, but that’s okay since I’ll definitely use it.

Red raspberry leaf promotes female health in goats just like it does in humans. I give it to my girls during pregnancy, gradually increasing the dose as their due date approaches and continuing the dose for a few weeks after birth.

It is also very nourishing so I give it to any stressed or sick goats, along with other herbs such as dandelion root, burdock root, and comfrey.

#5 — Comfrey

This is a great herb to support bone healing after a fracture or break. Thankfully, I’ve not had to use it in this manner yet!

#6 — Cayenne

This is one of my favorites because it has so many uses. It’s an ingredient in the herbal dewormer above, it contains many B vitamins, has great antiseptic properties, and stops blood flow externally (in the case of a wound) as well as internally (in the case of hemorrhaging).

It also invigorates weak animals enough to give me time to address the real issue. We had a few rough kiddings this year, and one of our bucklings aspirated on birth fluid. We cleared his lungs but his temperature kept dropping and he was still fading fast. I gave him a pinch of cayenne and firmly believe that it gave us enough time to get him into the house and warm him up. He pulled through and is thriving!

If you purchase cayenne to be used medicinally, make sure it is at least 40,000 heat units. I didn’t know this when I bought mine, so I have only 35,000 HU right now, but at least I know for next time.

#7 — Lobelia Inflata

This is a carrier herb — which means it is great to add to any herbal mix or give in conjunction with anything else. Think of it as a guide helping all the other herbs to get where they need to be so they can start working.

It especially works with mullein to help heal glandular issues.

I’ve not yet have a goat with mastitis, but if that ever happens, I will treat it with lobelia, mullein, and garlic.

#8 — Rosehips

Did you know that rosehips are the best plant-derived source of Vitamin C?

I use it in conjunction with garlic, echinacea, and goldenseal to boost the immune system if I’m dealing with wintertime runny noses and sniffles in the herd.

#9 — Marshmallow Root

This can be used to soothe an irritated stomach, stop scouring (diarrhea), and reduce swelling. It’s not something I’ve had to use yet, but it’s good to have on hand.

#10 — Ow-Eze Tincture

As the name suggests, this tincture is used as a natural pain reliever. I give it to the babies before disbudding, to the bucklings before wethering, and whenever a goat is in pain.

#11 — Immune Support Tincture

This tincture is also self-explanatory. I find it easier to give immune-boosting dry herbs instead of a liquid drench, so I don’t use this very often, but it’s nice to have around.

#12 — Cayenne Tincture

Although this tincture has the same benefits as the powder, it is better in emergencies because it is more concentrated and works more quickly.

#13 — VetRX

This is a blend of oils and herbs used for respiratory issues, ear mites, and lice or skin mites.

I’ve used it on goats with runny noses by squeezing a few drops into each nostril. For ear mites, drop a little into each ear. For lice or skin mites, apply a line down the spine.

How To Administer Herbs

Personally, the easiest way to dose my goats with herbs is to add it to their grain at feeding time. I always offer them a small sample of the herb or mix in my hand to see if they’ll eat it, and if they don’t turn up their noses, I top-dress their feed with whatever I need to give them.

Another popular method is to make “dosage balls” out of the herbs and molasses or peanut butter. This works, but it is very time-consuming and messy.

If they won’t voluntarily eat the herb(s) with their grain, I mix the dose with a bit of olive oil and Thorvin kelp and mix that into their grain. This is how I give them their herbal dewormer every week.

If I need to treat the entire herd with the same thing, I make an infusion of the herbs by steeping the doses in just-boiling water, steeping for at least 15 minutes, straining the herbs, and adding the infusion to their water buckets.

Sometimes, despite all of these methods, it’s still a battle to get a goat to take herbs. That’s when I resort to drenching. To drench, mix the dose with water, put it in a syringe or drenching gun, hold the goat’s head, and squirt into their mouth. Make sure to get it as far back in their mouth as possible so they will swallow.

Of course, this is the only way to administer a tincture. It’s not my favorite method but sometimes it has to be done. I know others who prefer to drench, every time, so it’s all a matter of what works best for you.

Vets Are Needed, Too!

I do not believe that using herbs and natural remedies excludes establishing a good relationship with your veterinary clinic, OR using a conventional treatment or medicine if absolutely necessary.

I have a great veterinary clinic in my area and I’m very thankful to know that they are there, if and when I need them. And, honestly, I have needed them in the past.

If you establish a good relationship with your vet, you may get the chance to share how a natural treatment has worked for you. My vet office is aware that I prefer to use natural treatments with my animals, and while they can’t advise me on how to use them, they listen to what and what hasn’t been working for me.

In fact, once one of our goats knocked off her horn prematurely after banding, while the vet was there. I grabbed cayenne powder and poured it on her head while the vet held a gauze over it and applied pressure until it stopped bleeding. The vet said she’d never heard of using cayenne to stop bleeding, and that she was impressed by how quickly it worked!

I go to the doctor when I need it, and I call the vet when my animals need it too. But, just as I do a detox cleanse after finishing a course of prescribed medication, I do something similar for my animals when they’re on the mend after using veterinary care.

If you have animals, do you use herbs and natural alternatives to keep them healthy?

We only recommend products and services we wholeheartedly endorse. This post may contain special links through which we earn a small commission if you make a purchase (though your price is the same).

Posted in: Livestock & Critters Raising Food

About Lindsey Proctor

Lindsey is a twenty-something foodie. She lives with her parents and sister on Hickory Cove Farm, a small, natural and sustainable farm in South-Central Pennsylvania where they raise Alpine and Nubian dairy goats, a flock of pastured laying hens and a few roosters, and a few beef steer. She views her country life as a great blessing and wants to help others get back to eating simply with fresh and local seasonal foods. Her favorite place is in the pasture with her goats, but she also enjoys spending time in the kitchen, photography, music, a really good cup of coffee, and blogging at The Life Of Linz.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Paz says

    July 22, 2013 at 7:22 am

    Do the herbs especially garlic, have no effect on the flavor of the milk?

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 22, 2013 at 9:45 am

      We’ve never noticed an off flavor in the milk while using herbs. 🙂

      With the garlic specifically, I know that as long as they get it at least 6 hours before their next milking it doesn’t affect the flavor, and since we milk 12 hours apart, I just toss the cloves in with their grain, which they get on the milk stand while we milk, and then it’s out of their system by the time we milk again. There have been times I’ve given garlic every few hours, but in those cases, the goats I was treating weren’t in milk.

      If I was giving lots of garlic to a goat in milk, I would milk her into a separate container so I could taste it, and if it had a garlic flavor, I’d use it to make a soft cheese that I’d add herbs and garlic to anyway. 🙂

      Reply
      • haroon says

        July 1, 2015 at 1:47 am

        Dear lindsey,
        i am having goat farm in india,we bought goats from several places and few are kids who left recenlty the mothers,,,, after coming to us one by one start falling on sick and died later…

        what is the natural remedy to stop kids dying????????????/

        kindly personnally mail me mam it will be helpul to me…

        thanks & regards
        Haroon Rasheed

        Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    July 22, 2013 at 4:26 pm

    Lindsey, I just want to say how much I have enjoyed reading the two posts I have seen of yours here. You described your farm so thoroughly and beautifully in the previous post I read. This post almost makes me want to have goats! I really appreciate how you seem to anticipate what questions people would have as you explain things. I need to go check out your personal blog. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 22, 2013 at 7:47 pm

      Aww, thank you! You totally should get some goats – but then, I love them so of course I think everybody should! 😀

      Reply
  3. Matt Sullivan says

    July 22, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    Lindsey,

    We are in the process of adding goats to our mini-farm. You have written a well informed article – I am bookmarking it as a go-to when we finally do get goats. Thanks for your hard work and God Bless,

    Matt Sullivan

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 23, 2013 at 5:11 am

      Good for you! What breed are you getting? I hope you enjoy life with goats!

      Reply
  4. Tina Jager says

    July 24, 2013 at 6:43 am

    What a great article. I have Kinders and I absolutely love them. I have been using herbal remedies for myself for years since I have a huge drug sensitivity. I had not thought of using some of the same treatments on them as I would for myself. But it does make sense perfectly, especially since I do grow some of my own herbs. Thanks again for the beautiful article.

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 28, 2013 at 7:30 pm

      I love Kinders! Well, I should say that I love the pictures I’ve seen and stories I’ve heard, but I’ve never met one in person – they aren’t very popular in my area.

      Reply
  5. Lisa Hunter says

    July 28, 2013 at 6:05 am

    Hi Lindsey – Thank you for this info! We are about to get a few Nigerian Dwarfs and I really didn’t want to vaccinate them if I didn’t have to. Your article gives me some great ideas on how to do things herbally. I have some experience using herbs with my family (I’ve made some tinctures). I don’t know how they compare price-wise to the suppliers you listed, but I’ve often gotten my herbs from the Bulk Herb Store. Thank you for your article! ~Lisa

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 28, 2013 at 7:34 pm

      Oh, sweet little Nigerian Dwarfs! I don’t have any but I think they’re adorable. 🙂

      I’d like to get into making tinctures soon! I know they’re very effective, especially in an emergency situation. Thanks for reminding me about Bulk Herb Store, too!

      Reply
  6. Cindy Opichka says

    July 28, 2013 at 10:04 am

    I too would NEVER have thought one day I would be researching natural goat care! I met a woman who had a goat farm, she invited us to see the babies and the rest was history! I now am the proud mamma goat of 8! most have “issues” that the farm was just too busy to spend time with. Orphans, dog bite, bacteria infections….and the list goes on! I am proud to say everyone is thriving in our care and we don’t know how we ever lived without them! All but one were bottle fed and raised in the house until they were strong enough to go out side. We spent a lot of money on baby diapers, but again it was worth it! Many sleepless nights feeding and snuggling with our babies have made them members of the family for sure! Comfrey is my favorite herb for my human family and I have seen it work wonders on my furry kids as well! Herbs work great! Thanks for the articles!

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 28, 2013 at 7:41 pm

      I’ve seen so many good results with herbal care! I’ve not had anything too traumatic happen with my herd, but some of the members of the Totally Natural Goats group have shared some amazing stories of goats with really bad injuries making a full recovery after being treated with herbs.

      We’ve had one bottle baby, our little buckling I mention in the article, and we kept him in the house for a week or so until he was strong enough to go out in the barn with the rest of the kids – it was fun! But he sure got into everything!

      Reply
  7. Shannon says

    July 30, 2013 at 9:08 am

    I am part of a goat share and have found that the milk has started having a goat flavor that I had not noticed before. Is there something wrong with the goat or with the milking process…. or what?
    Shannon, Lufkin Texas

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      July 30, 2013 at 4:45 pm

      Shannon, it’s best to talk with the person who runs the goat share to find out exactly whats going on – they may not even be aware of the off flavor – but I have a few thoughts.

      Since it’s a “goaty” flavor, I’d ask if they changed their milking process or handling routine at all. Ask if they periodically check the temperature in their fridge and that of the milk as it’s cooling down to make sure its chilling fast enough – the standard is to chill it to 40*F in a half hour. Also, make sure that you, or whoever is transporting it to you, is keeping it cold during transportation and that you are keeping it cold at home. 🙂

      Perhaps they bought some new goats? Some breeds, and some individual goats just have milk that taste worse than others.

      Another reason could be if there is a buck on the property. Most breeds are just now starting breeding season and the boys are going into rut and getting all stinky. If they aren’t separated from the does, or if they are near the milking area, that can flavor the milk as goats milk is very delicate and can pick up off flavors from scents in the air.

      Lastly, it could be that the goat(s) are fighting a case of sub-clinical mastitis, though that usually causes a salty flavor in the milk, not a “goaty” one. Sub-clinical mastitis doesn’t always show symptoms, but it will show up with the California Mastitis Test.

      Reply
      • Shannon says

        July 31, 2013 at 4:53 am

        I did as you suggested and contacted the farmer. They were shocked and glad to get the feed back. They told me all the precautions they take as you indicated. They wanted to refund my money but I assured them that I didn’t want a refund, just wanted them to know that something was not quite right. They asked that I give their goats another try and I assured them I will.

        Thanks for the advice.
        Shannon

        Reply
        • Lindsey Proctor says

          July 31, 2013 at 7:46 am

          Good! They sound like very responsible farmers, so I’m sure that now that they’re aware of the issue, they’ll do their best to figure it out and resolve it. 🙂 I’m so glad you’re giving them another try – hopefully this time it’ll be the best. Enjoy!

          Reply
          • Heather says

            June 17, 2014 at 7:41 am

            It could also be a mineral deficiency. Also the milk is sweeter tasting after freshening. If they milk through for a couple of years, the milk might not be as sweet as before.

      • Julie says

        June 20, 2016 at 12:45 pm

        Hi Lindsey,
        Our doe’s milk tested positive for staph. If I give her Dr. Christopher’s Glandular Formula (3 parts mullein plus 1 part lobelia) plus raw garlic daily, would this be a good way to treat it? Thank you. Julie

        Reply
  8. Becky says

    December 28, 2013 at 8:03 am

    Hi,
    I’ve read your article because I’ve used herbs for issues with my 2 cocker spaniels. My question is what herbs would heal the issue creating the chewing between their toes. The vet says allergy testing at the cost of hundreds of dollars. I feel that the right herbs are out there. It is a matter of finding them. They also have itching ears I’m now treating with vet recommended Posatex. I’d rather use natural herbs. What are your suggestions? Thank you for your time.
    Sincerely,
    Becky

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      December 28, 2013 at 6:01 pm

      Hi Becky!

      I don’t know very much about using herbs for other animals such as dogs and cats, so I’m rather hesitant to advise. However, I’m pretty sure that the Dr. Christopher’s cleanses are safe for doggies, so I’d say to start there. You can find them at the Land of Havilah Herbals store, linked above. Kristie knows her stuff, and she’s a great lady, so if you sent her an email I’m sure she could help you further. You could also purchase a consultation from Kat Drovdahl from Fir Meadows, LLC.

      Also, Juliette de Bairacli Levy, author of one of the books I mentioned here, raises Afghan hounds and wrote The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat, so you might find it worthwhile to purchase that book and see what she has to say about it.

      Finally, I know that many skin and allergen issues are dietary related, especially with grains in regular kibble. If you aren’t already feeding a grain-free kibble, raw diet, or similar, you may want to check into changing their food. 🙂

      Reply
  9. Colleen says

    December 29, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    I use herbal remedies for my own family, so I naturally chose that route for my animals. If it works for me, then why wouldn’t it work for them? And it does work! An item I rarely see mentioned but I consider a must have is oregano oil. I’ve used it on my family for years. It’s a natural antibiotic and it’s great for almost anything. Use internally for illness, externally on affected area. The list is long for what it’s cured for my human family — mastitis, ear infections, colds, wounds, sore throats, and so much more. If it’s infection related, or I want to prevent an infection, I’ll use it on my goats and I’ve never had a bad experience. I’m using it now on two of my goats that got “pricklies” stuck in their cheek causing abscess. They lumps are getting smaller on their own and will likely not rupture. Our buck got abscess from same thing, but it was badly infected so I had to rupture and remove embedded object. Used oregano oil topically to prevent infection. I’ve used on a doe with mastitis and cured her. You can use directly on teat, but the oil does have a burning sensation and nursing kids may not like the taste. I can’t stand the taste of it, but several of my goats will happily drink it from a dropper. I also make a immune booster tincture during times of stress and will add oregano oil to it as a preventive measure for infection. You don’t build up resistance to it and doesn’t affect the rumen as traditional antibiotics would (or at least I haven’t noticed it affects rumen). I just know when people ask me my top herbs to have for human healing, oregano oil is top on my list and it’s also worked wonders for my all my animals — goats, chickens, llamas, cattle, and dogs!

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      December 30, 2013 at 3:59 pm

      Great advise! I didn’t have oregano oil when I wrote this, but I’ve since added it to my collection, on the advice of Kristie Miller when she was helping me treat a goat with barber pole worms. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Dawn Johns says

    May 30, 2014 at 11:24 pm

    I tried to go to the Land of Havilah link you provided for the herbal wormer recipe and it has been taken down, can you please post the recipe or email it to me, i would really appreciate it, i am also into herbal remedies for my goats, and would like to make my own for my 6 pygmy goats.

    Thank You for such a thorough post on this subject, sometimes i feel like the lone herbal goat mama.

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      August 29, 2014 at 12:20 pm

      Hi Dawn!

      Yes, Kristie took down the recipe for her herbal dewormer because sadly, someone was mixing it up and selling it as their own. Since it’s not my recipe to share, I can’t email it or post it for you. 🙂 However, she recently re-formulated the mix to make it even better, so I’d encourage you to purchase a pound of it from her and give it a try! Here’s the link: http://www.landofhavilahfarm.com/loh-parasite-formula.htm

      Reply
  11. Amber Bradshaw says

    August 29, 2014 at 4:32 am

    I am looking for the worming recipe as well. How many parts per each do you use and what dosage per week? Do you base on weight? We will be getting our Nigerian Dwarf Goats tomorrow and want to be prepared.
    Many Thanks,
    Amber

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      August 29, 2014 at 12:25 pm

      Amber,

      Kristie no longer shares her recipe, (see my comment to Dawn above), and since it’s not my formula, I can’t share it either. I’ve stopped mixing my own and just purchase it directly from Land of Havilah. The dosage is by weight and with Nigerian Dwarfs, you probably wouldn’t need more than a teaspoon per goat per week for the maintinace dosage.
      You can purchase the herbal dewormer I use here: http://www.landofhavilahfarm.com/loh-parasite-formula.htm 🙂

      Reply
  12. Dee says

    September 25, 2014 at 4:48 pm

    Hi Lindsey,

    Just a comment about your concern about wormwood in Hoegger’s Herbal Wormer. I have a small herd of Saanens since 2006. Have only ever used HHW on them for worming. I use as directed and give them 1.5 tsp. each once a week. When I forget… I go back to the original dose of twice a day for three days. My does have never had any birthing issues and never aborted. And, best of all, they have never had an unhealthy parasite load. I dont test them because they show no signs of parasites. The formula is simple: just WormWood, Gentian, Fennel, Psyllium and Quassia. I mix the powdered herbal formula with enough banana to make a soft mass and then divide by number of goats (currently four does and a buck). THEY LOVE IT ! 🙂 I drop a ball on top of each doe’s bowl of grain every Monday morning (to chase away Monday blahs) and they always eat their “goat cookies” first !

    Thanks for encouraging folks to go natural ! After all, why feed your goats anything you wouldnt want to eat ? It might end up in their milk and you might just eat it too ! :0 !

    Reply
    • Gena says

      April 19, 2023 at 10:37 am

      Do you know if tea tree is toxic to goats? I know it’s a great antifungal, but can’t find any info on the subject

      Reply
  13. Brooke Tejada says

    December 19, 2014 at 3:38 pm

    Hi Lindsey,
    What a great post! Thanks so much for some really great info and links. I’ve bought some of LOH’s herbal wormer. I am a new goat mom to 2 pygmy goats (4 months each). I am wondering about your experience banding your goats’ horns. Both of my little ones have their horns and I want to band them but I’m so scared of hurting them!
    Any advice?
    Thanks so much

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      January 9, 2015 at 8:26 pm

      Hi Brooke!

      The email notification for this comment went to my spam folder for some reason, and I just saw it as I was deleting things from there – so sorry!

      Banding is definitely not my favorite way to remove horns, but I’ve done it and may need to do it in the future. It’s best to do it while the horns are still small, and while the weather is cold since flies aren’t so much of a problem then, so if you’re going to do it, now sounds like a good time! Make sure to give them lots of immune support to fight off any potential infection issues – the tincture I mentioned, garlic, echinacea and goldenseal are all good choices. The Ow-Eze tincture would be a good thing to have on hand to give them during the painful times which are when you first put the bands on, and the few days before they fall off.

      Hope that helps!

      Reply
  14. Kristen says

    February 7, 2015 at 2:55 pm

    Do you have any natural suggestions for treating staph? We just discovered our first case of staph on our new miller’s udder.

    Reply
    • Brooke Tejada says

      February 8, 2015 at 12:23 pm

      Hi Kristen,
      Colloidal silver will cure a staph infection, even MRSA. It is very safe, has no taste or smell. You can soak her bandages in it and also give it to her orally, maybe a teaspoon a day. I’ve also treated staph successfully with manuka honey although it might be more difficult to apply.

      Reply
      • Julie says

        June 20, 2016 at 12:39 pm

        Hi Brooke,
        Will colloidal silver be effective against an internal staph infection? How about herbs? My doe will take herbs. Thanks,Julie

        Reply
  15. Kennedy says

    April 2, 2015 at 10:19 am

    Hello!
    I’d love to be as natural and holistic as possible when it comes to goats! I have 2 pygmy goats, how much should I dose them? how do I figure that out?

    Thank you,
    Kennedy

    Reply
  16. Lindsay says

    August 15, 2015 at 11:52 am

    Any advice on using oregano oil to treat coccidia is 4.5 month old goats? Dosage? Is it effective?

    Reply
    • Lindsey Proctor says

      August 26, 2015 at 1:42 pm

      Hi! I don’t have any experience with using oils on my goats, sorry. Hopefully someone else can chime in!

      Reply
  17. Melissa says

    August 19, 2015 at 7:56 pm

    Hello!
    How much astragalus powder would you recommend giving a 4 month old mini Nubian buckling?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      August 26, 2015 at 5:10 am

      Does anyone know??

      Reply
      • Lindsey Proctor says

        August 26, 2015 at 1:40 pm

        Melissa,

        How much does your buckling weigh? Typically herbs are dosed by weight. I’m going to guess that he’s in the 20-75lb range, so that would be 1/4-1/2 a tsp. depending on which end of that number he’s closest to.

        Reply
        • Melissa says

          August 26, 2015 at 1:54 pm

          He’s 48lbs. Is that dose once a day? Thanks!

          Reply
          • Lindsey Proctor says

            August 26, 2015 at 2:02 pm

            In that case, I’d go with the 1/2 teaspoon.

            What are you giving him the astragalus for? If it’s just a maintenance dosage to keep up his immune system, once or twice a day is good. If you’re treating an active infection, you can dose as often as every 15 minutes, or hourly, or every few hours, depending on the severity of the situation, and spreading the doses apart as he starts responding to treatment.

  18. Kaitlyn Richards says

    October 14, 2015 at 2:27 pm

    Hi, I was wondering if all of these herbs are safe to use during pregnancy and lactation for goats? I have a newly pregnant goat with a cough and sniffles. I want to give her an immune booster but don’t know what’s safe and how much to give. How can I know the right amount to give? She is a Saanen/Nigerian cross. And the lactating doe is a full nigerian. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  19. magda says

    March 28, 2016 at 10:22 am

    Hihow much oregano oil must I give goat with a cough

    Reply
  20. Julie says

    April 30, 2016 at 3:28 pm

    What herbs would you recommend for 6 day old kids with diarrhea? Thank you!

    Reply
  21. Mandy says

    September 2, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    I know this is an old post, hopefully you’ll still answer 🙂 I am bringing 2 baby goats onto my property in a couple weeks. I’ve never had goats before, and I am reading so much mixed info!! I am getting them form a friend who is treating them naturally, and they’ve been on a very healthy mama for 9 weeks. I can’t run and get ALL the stuff listed right off. What is most important to start with? I assume the parasite formula and Vet RX? The I will purchase the others over the next couple months? What would you do?Thanks!

    Reply
  22. Shanan says

    March 14, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    Hi there! Great read! I’m a fairly new goat momma and so far they’ve been healthy. Until we can build the barn out I have 4 goats & couple donkeys. Do you suggest anything on a day to day basis for just good health ? Immunity?

    Reply
  23. Julie says

    April 3, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    Lindsey,
    How do you get goats to eat fresh, raw garlic?

    Reply
  24. Noreen E Flowers says

    November 1, 2018 at 10:38 am

    Is it safe to put a little cinnamon in my nubian goats warm water to help keep him warm on cold winter nights ?

    Reply
  25. Milton Letlhare says

    February 7, 2019 at 5:20 am

    Hello…..
    Can any of these be used for external parasites such as ticks. And if yes how?

    Reply
  26. Danielle says

    September 23, 2020 at 10:55 pm

    Do you have herbs for treating/preventing coccidia? I have heard of the use of oregano oil, however not sure how much to use/how often. Do you have any idea?

    Reply
  27. Jen Jones says

    October 7, 2020 at 7:57 pm

    On another goat herb site they said mullein & mugwort where not good for goats (no explanation tho). You recommend them, are they ok ?

    Reply
  28. Jody says

    February 26, 2021 at 4:37 pm

    Where can I buy some of these herbs for goats?

    Reply
  29. Vanessa says

    April 9, 2021 at 12:26 am

    it”s obvious some patients with HPV are being enslaved to the antiviral and other supplementary Orthodox medicine just to help suppress the virus and not a cure. I have been with the virus since 2015 until I was introduced by a blogger who also narrated her story online on how she was cured of HPV after using Dr ALUDA Herbal Medicine. This is a year and 2 weeks since I was delivered from HPV VIRUS. All thanks to God for using this Great herbalist to heal me.

    Reply
  30. Askia Khama NzinghaTiye, El says

    July 24, 2021 at 12:13 pm

    Good day to you Traditional Cooking School.
    I am thankful for your organized detailed information on herbs for goats. It has finally cleared the information that I have which is mostly just a list of herbs accepted by goats. As I read the information I did not notice any information relating to blending the herbs in water and offering to the goats as their only source of water for the day treatment. If so then I offer this idea to you. I have been caring for goats since 2017. I now have one stud I’m looking to bread. It has not been easy learning as I go. Though he keeps me on my toes, he gotten out twice, am greatful that neither time he was not hurt or injured. I’m looking forward to growing these jeans and other plants for the goats to move away from pellets since it is not as organic as fodder and herbs. Best Wishes

    Reply

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