Goats ate moldy hay 😦

[AltonaAcres]

My sister was feeding the goats, and noticed lots of white dust coming from the hay so asked me to come over and see if it was moldy. It was they had already eaten several mouthfuls, and then by the time we got it out, they ate a few more this happened a month or so ago and everything was fine, but the more I research, the more it seems like moldy hay is EXTREMELY dangerous for goats. But should I worry?? I guess listeria is a big concern? It seems things can be exaggerated online....... Anyone have suggestions?? Oh....and then, I had just got back from breeding my Nigerian (successful) and she got a big mouthful of the moldy hay that is outside of their pen is the breeding a lost cause?? Also, I assumed goats had stomachs of steel. They have eaten some plants tht are supposedly poisonous and are fine. After 4 Chambers of digestion, would mold still be viable and harmful?? Help please

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Most goats won't consume enough moldy hay to cause a problem unless feed is limited enough.

Goats are pretty picky eaters. Mine won't touch moldy hay. It's a good idea to always inspect every bale when you open it.

Mine eat stuff that's said to be poisonous too. I think most stuff is when eaten in large quantities. Goats tend to not eat stuff that's bad for them as it often tastes bad.

Mold on food will cause listeriosis. I saw it in a sheep I had that consumed moldy silage. I haven't ever seen it in my goats. It happens pretty quickly after eating the mold, within 24 hours, so I wouldn't worry at this point.

Goats have sensitive digestive tracts, especially to grains, and overeating rations. Generally roughage doesn't cause problems, but it's always good to look over and smell your hay before you feed it just in case.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Thank you for your reply. How likely is it they will get sick? It hasn't been 24 hours yet - we definitely aren't out of the woods. I feel that when eating mold it's not about quantity. Even a little can make them sick. But I could be wrong. But they ate it like they would normal hay, so I hope they had good judgement. There was a TON of dust. Could those have been spores?? I've heard those are problematic too. Sheesh

 

[Fuchsia]

Like oldhenlikesdogs said they are pretty picky eaters, mine won’t even touch moldy hay, I think if they were hungry enough they would but they aren’t that hungry.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you for your reply. How likely is it they will get sick? It hasn't been 24 hours yet - we definitely aren't out of the woods. I feel that when eating mold it's not about quantity. Even a little can make them sick. But I could be wrong. But they ate it like they would normal hay, so I hope they had good judgement. There was a TON of dust. Could those have been spores?? I've heard those are problematic too. Sheesh

Dusty hay is different than moldy hay. Moldy hay is usually wet, hot, and it smells like it's fermenting. Dusty hay is just dusty and can cause airway problems in some species like horse.

Generally if a goat will have problems with something they eat it's pretty quick. You will see bloat, or signs of pain. If your goats are acting fine I probably wouldn't worry.

 

[AltonaAcres]

The hay itself was white, but dry. Maybe mildew?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I did a bit of googling, apparently there's white mold, which is dry and dusty, so perhaps that's what you are seeing. That's bad on human lungs too, so be careful handling it.

 

[AltonaAcres]

None of the rest of the hay is moldy, so that's good. I covered my mouth and nose with my shirt after noticing the mold. Did you see anything about this mold being dangerous to goats? Thanks for all your help and research

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If they consume enough it can cause listeriosis. I would avoid feeding anything moldy going forward. Healthy animals have a better chance of being okay and not getting sick.

Not much you can do at this point, but wait and watch for any signs of neurological problems or digestive upset. I would assume you would see something within 24 hours if you are gonna have problems. My guess will be it will be okay.

 

[AltonaAcres]

They seem fine today. I had another question for you though. We have 4 goats, two sleep in a wooden shed, the other two sleep in an A-frame. (Also, we close them in at night bc we have a plethora of predators). I sometimes hear the two in the A-Frame thumping and bumping around. I plan to breed both (the one, Nigerian, is the one that was bred yesterday). Could being enclosed in a small space (6 x 5) cause stress or injury that could hinder a pregnancy? They usually aren't aggressive towards eachother, but since the one smells like a buck after breeding, the other is going nuts. what do you think?