Why the kids gnaw boards and eat the ground, what to do and prevention of the problem
Funny and mischievous kids sometimes do things that are difficult to understand logically. Every farmer needs to know why kids eat raw soil. A seemingly harmless habit can have serious consequences for the kids. Diseases, as well as unbalanced nutrition of animals, push goats to eat soil and other foreign objects.
Reasons behind this strange preference
The kid is prone to eating clods of earth for the following reasons:
- avitaminosis;
- helminthic invasion;
- immunodeficiency;
- stress, fear, anxiety;
- dysbiosis.
All of the above conditions are based on the lack of vitamins and minerals in the goat body. Eating the earth for more than 3-4 days is considered dangerous for the life of a kid. If the habit of chewing the soil does not go away, you need to take action.
Sometimes the tendency to chew the ground in kids can develop for other reasons:
- Lack of salt in food.
- Desire to get rid of hairballs in the stomach.
- Striving to taste the world.
In addition to the earth, a young goat, in case of illness and imbalance in nutrition, begins to sharpen its teeth with a board, chew bags and other garbage. If you do not stop this behavior immediately, sad consequences for the animal's body can occur.
Why is the goat actively chewing on boards?
A young goat gnaws at boards like charcoal to cleanse the stomach of pesticides and nitrates found in modern crops. Here wood acts as an absorbent. The tree also provides the goat with the missing trace elements. Often, kids eat bark from trees and young growth of shrubs within a radius of several kilometers around the grazing field.
What to do in such a situation?
The kid will stop eating clods of earth when its diet is optimized. In addition to hay, grains, vegetables and fresh grass, experienced farmers add bone meal, rich in phosphorus and calcium, to animal nutrition. Every goat in the flock should have access to salt and fresh water.
It is sometimes useful to solder animals with special vitamin complexes, including B vitamins, which are scarce in simple food.
If the prevention of helminthic invasion has not been carried out for a long time, it should be carried out immediately. The drug that was used for animals in a particular farm earlier is suitable.
Possible consequences
A goat that eats the ground constantly will certainly pick up parasites or helminthic eggs. Her body will suffer from nitrates and pesticides accumulated in the soil.
When, after eating the soil, the kid refuses to feed, it can be suspected of bezoar disease. Lumps of wool in the stomach interfere with digestion. In this case, you need to call a veterinarian and give the animal a suitable absorbent. Poisoning symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea can be caused by bacteria in the soil. Prevention measures will not help here. You will need the help of a veterinarian.
Prevention
Improving the diet of animals is considered to be prevention of eating soil and planks. Feed should be selected from trusted manufacturers. Another measure to prevent this phenomenon is called timely examination of young animals on the farm. If the goat's analyzes are normal, then a simple vitamin complex will solve the problem of eating the soil.
