Goats need a CD/T vaccination. Kids get a series of 2, then every year after that. Technically kids are getting 3 vaccines. The 1st is actually pre-birth by passive immunity from their Dams. Her own immunities are passed to her kids in the 1st 24 hours or so thru her rich colostrum. Adults get one annually. It coincides with when they are born & then the breeding schedule every year after that.

The CD/T vaccine protec ts against Clostridium Difficile (aka: C. Diff, Clostridium Disease, Enterotoxemia, or “Overeating Disease”). It is from bacteria that is always present in the goat's Rumen. Sometimes, for different reasons (stress, change in food, etc) the bacteria will bloom & take all of the nutrients from the goat's intake of food. The goat will waste away from not getting the nutrition from what it is eating & from the effects of the diarrhea. It is much easier & cheaper to use the vaccine to prevent this from happening than it is to spend the time & money that it takes to try & cure it.

The “T” part of the vaccine is for tetanus. If a goat can get in, out, on, over, under, or around anything to inspect something they find interesting that needs to be inspected further they will do it. Sometimes the grass just looks greener on the other side. Bucks are not thinking clearly during rut & there is a higher potential for cuts or injury on fence wire, exposed nails or screws, metal siding, etc.

It is always a 2cc dose injected under the skin (Subcutaneous/SQ) in the neck area or over the ribs for kids, Does, & Bucks.

Here is the CD/T vaccination schedule that will work with any breeding schedule you choose:

• Kids: CD/T at 60-days & 90-days, then every year after that on the same schedule as the herd. There are other schedules that you can use as long as the kids gets 2 vaccinations. We like to administer at 60 & 90-days because we are weighing them anyway. It will minimize handling & extra work. It also helps young Bucks to be complete with their vaccinations which will help them deal with the stresses of moving to their new home in the weaning pen.

• Does: CD/T about 2 weeks before kidding. Sometimes it is hard to tell, so it also fine to vaccinate them right after they kid. You can vaccinate too early & have to do it again.

• Bucks: CD/T just before they are turned in with the Does to breed.

The CD/T vaccination for goats is the most important in my opinion & is the only one that I use in our closed herd.