No more wrestling with your goats! Learn how to make easy dosage balls to give dewormer to goats without the stress. This simple method works for herbal dewormer for goats as well as other medications and treatments, making it an easy way to keep your herb healthy naturally, and without stress.
Dosage Balls - the stress-free way to give your goats herbs and medications
Several years ago I began giving my goats an herbal wormer from Hoegger Goat Supply. I've been very happy with the results; their coats were shiny and slick and the fecal counts from the vet are good.
While you can just top dress your goats' feed with the herbal powder, I've found that mine tend to turn over their bowls or eat around the powder and leave it on the bottom of the feed bowl. By making treats with the powder I am sure that they get the entire dose.
There are several different herbal wormers available for goats from various sources such as Fir Meadow, Land of Havilah, and Molly's Herbals. Some are given daily, others weekly. Some have a different formula to give when the goats are pregnant.
I wanted a weekly dose rather than daily, and I didn't want to worry about whether or not my goat was pregnant (because "oops breedings" are a thing!)
This particular brand of dewormer comes in a plastic bag. I store the bag in a coffee can and glue the instructions to the outside of the can. I keep a set of plastic measuring spoons in the coffee can too.
Adult goats are given up to 1 1/2 teaspoons of the herbal powder, while younger and smaller goats are given 1/2 teaspoon.
I give my adult goats one teaspoonful; they aren't as large as many of the full-grown Nubians that I've met. This past spring, because it was so rainy, I gave them the maximum dose of 1 1/2 teaspoons.
My younger goats are given 1/2 teaspoon of dewormer. I simply cut a dosage ball in half again to get the right dose for these smaller goats.
If all of my goats were young (or smaller dairy breeds such as Nigerian Dwarf), I'd measure the correct amount of the herbal powder - in our sample herd for instance, I'd measure out four half-teaspoons, or two teaspoons total - and make the dosage balls as directed here, cutting them into four portions, one for each goat.
Learn more about homestead goats! Subscribe to Goat Notes, our twice-monthly newsletter.
Why use dosage balls
If you've ever tried to give a goat their medication or dewormer orally, you'll know exactly what I mean by "goat wrestling."
While goats aren't as big as horses or cows, a full-size adult goat can still be stronger than I am.
Giving them something yummy that contains their medication or dewormer is a stress-free way to keep my herd healthy, with less stress on the goats and on me!
Making dosage balls for goats
To make the treats, I measure out the amount I need for all of the goats.
For instance, if I had four goats that each get 1 teaspoon, I'd measure four teaspoons of the powdered dewormer into a bowl.
Next, pour a bit of molasses into the bowl.
Not too much; you can always add more, but you can't take it out if you use too much!
Stir it all together gently.
Add a bit more molasses if needed. You want the mixture to stick together - rather like cookie dough - but you don't want it to be too wet and sloppy.
You'll learn what looks right after you do it a few times.
If you do add too much molasses, let the dough rest for an hour or so and it will dry out a bit.
Then empty the bowl's contents onto a floured surface, and squish it together into a ball. Add a bit of flour if needed so it won't be sticky.
Learn more about homestead goats! Subscribe to Goat Notes, our twice-monthly newsletter.
Form the dough into a log, about one-inch thick or so.
Then use a sharp knife to cut the log into the correct number of pieces.
If you were making this for our example of four adult goats, you'd cut the log into four pieces.
To get the pieces as uniform in size as possible, I cut the log in half and then cut each piece in half again.
If desired, you can roll each ball in flour to make them less sticky.
Administering dosage balls to your goats
Once they've tasted these treats, your goats will be happy to take their medicine whenever you offer it!
Give them their dosage balls in a controlled manner so you'll know every goat got the right amount of dewormer.
Most goats will love their treats, and they'll want to steal the other goats' treats too! I've learned to either tie my goats up before offering their dewormer treats, put the dosage balls in the feed bowl on the milk stand, or that I need to stand on the other side of the fence so they won't knock me over in their eagerness to eat their herbs.
I've actually been bitten a few times by an over-eager goat! One doe in particular was so eager for hers that she tried to eat my hand, and bit my finger with her back teeth, splitting it like a ripe grape.
Can you store dosage balls?
I often double or triple the recipe so that the treats are ready-made for the next week or two, then freeze them in a freezer container.
These herbal treats freeze well as long as each piece is covered well with flour so they don't stick together. I've only frozen them for a week or two.
How much dewormer to give your goats
When you first start using an herbal wormer, you'll probably need to give them a larger dose for several days at first.
The directions for this brand say to dose the goats two times a day for three days in a row, then weekly thereafter. Check the directions of the brand you're using to be sure.
As a goat lover and a gardener, I'm excited to also share my gardening tips with you - from planting seeds to enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor! You can find my gardening advice and insights right here, so let's dig in and cultivate some fresh, delicious produce together.
Giving other medications and herbs
You can also use dosage balls to give your goats other herbs when needed. I give slippery elm bark for diarrhea for instance, and I make dosage balls with that too.
I've also made dosage balls for dogs using peanut butter instead of molasses.
It did take a bit of encouragement at first though, before the goats learned how good these "treats" are. I started giving my goats their dewormer when they were very young, so I would just open the goat's mouth and pop one in.
If they spit it back out, I'd do it again. Eventually they decided I was giving them candy. I "worm on Wednesday" (it's easy to remember) and I think they even know what day of the week it is.
No more goat-wrestling matches!
Learn more about homestead goats! Subscribe to Goat Notes, our twice-monthly newsletter.
