Basic Herd Health Equipment and Supplies

It is best to plan ahead and prepare a basic herd health kit before the need to use it arises. Many of the items included will be used in the preventative care conducted as a part of a comprehensive herd health program and, thus, should already be on the farm. The following list is by no means exhaustive and should be used as a guide for a beginning health kit. As you consult with your veterinarian on a herd health program and annual herd health calendar, the items needed to maintain herd health will become apparent.

Basic herd health supplies

  • Thermometer
  • Record book
  • Alcohol
  • Balling gun and(or) capsule forceps for oral dosing of bolus medication
  • Dewormers (anthelmintics)
  • Antibacterials/antibiotics (penicillin and tetracycline are most commonly used)
  • Biologicals (Tetanus antitoxin, Tetanus toxoid, C. perfringens toxoid, C. perfringens antitoxin.
  • Deworming or drench gun
  • Injectables (vitamin A, D, & E, vitamin B complex, BoSe, etc.)
  • Syringes and needles of various sizes and gauges
  • Sharp’s container for used needles such as an old soda bottle
  • Ear tagger and tags
  • Wound dressing

Kidding Kit

  • Iodine (7% tincture) for diping navels after they are trimmed. Empty film canisters (2/3 full) are handy to prevent spilling or contaminating the main bottle. Spray bottles and teat dip containers can also be used.
  • Betadine Scrub® (Povidone iodine) or Nolvasan Scrub® (Chlorhexidine). Disenfectant soap used to disinfect skin or vulva of goat and hands of people. Squeeze bottles are handy for dispensing.
  • Nolvasan® solution. Use diluted to disinfect scissors and other equipment.
  • Betadine Solution®. Use diluted to disinfect skin, wounds and tissue.
  • Obstetrical sleeves and sterile lubricant.
  • Paper towels for washing off doe, and for hands.
  • Exam gloves
  • Newspapers for insulation and sanitation.
  • Cloth towels to clean off newborn kids.
  • Clean bottle (20 oz. soda bottle) and nipple to feed colostrum.
  • Red rubber feeding tube (12 to 14 French) or similar flexible plastic tube, with 60 ml catheter tip syringe or funnel to feed colostrum to weak kids.
  • Heat lamps, heating pad, or other means to warm chilled kids
  • Body socks or warming box for chilled or weak kids
  • Frozen colostrum or source of synthetic colostrum
  • Quality milk replacer

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