This month, we're going to discuss some of the drugs commonly used for goats and sheep - in particular the dosage rates and the withdrawal times before either the meat or the milk can be used. Please note that there are many more of these drugs approved for use in sheep, while only a few are licensed for use in goats. Nonetheless, these drugs may be safely used extra label by the attending veterinarian. The bulk of this article is derived from a talk given in the mid-90's by Gareth Moore, DVM, MS, of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary medicine.

1. Antiparasitics
   1. Ivermectin - administered at the rate of 0.2 mg/ kg body weight - withdrawal times are 11 days if a drench is used and 49 days if the injectable is used. Note also that if you administer the oral medication, it is now recommended to double this dose, and withdrawal times are considerably longer. If we have to use Zimecterin on any of our milking animals, the milk from that animal is not used for the duration of that lactation. We have this luxury because we do not operate a commercial dairy, and we have plenty of of milk from the rest of our animals. However, every effort is made to avoid the use of Zimecterin on lactating animals.
   2. Safeguard (panacure) - administered at the rate of 5-10 mg/ kg body weight - 8 days withdrawal from meat. Ostensibly, there is no withdrawal time from milk, but we feed the 1st week's milk to kids only.
   3. Valbazen (drench) - administered at the rate of 10 mg/ kg body weight - withdrawal times are 3-5 days from milk and 27 days from meat.
   4. Oxfendazole (Benselmin/Anthelcide) - administered at the rate of 4.5 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal is 7 days from meat.

2. Antibiotics
   1. Procaine Penicillin G - administered at the dose of 10,000 to 20,000 units daily - withdrawal times are 14-20 days.
   2. Tetracycline - administered at the daily rate of 5-15 mg/kg body weight (IM) - withdrawal times are 5 days from the milk and 22-28 day from the meat. Note that IM injections of this drug are painful to the animal.
   3. Naxel - administered at the daily rate of 2.2 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal times are ostensibly 0 day from milk and questionable from meat. Again, we would recommend erring on the safe side and using the 1st weeks milk for kids only.
   4. Erythromycin - administered at the rate of 4.5 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal times are 3 days from milk and 14-21 days from meat.
   5. Tylosin - administered at the daily rate of 18 mg /kg body weight - withdrawal times are 4 days from milk and 21 days from meat.
   6. Gentamicin - administered at the daily rate of 2.5 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal times are "incredibly long" - this animal is a keeper!!!
   7. Albon - administered at the rate of 55mg/ kg body weight (injectable) or as a sustained release bolus - withdrawal times are 5 days for the injectable or 30 days for the bolus.
   8. Neomycin Sulfate (oral) - administered daily at the rate of 10 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal is 30 days from the meat.

3. Antiinflammatories
   1. Banamine - administered at the rate of 1.1 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal is 4 days from the milk and 14 days from the meat.
   2. Aspirin - administered at the rate of 100 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal times are not known.
   3. Phenyl butazone - 10-20 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal times are 5 days from milk and 14 days from meat.

4. Coccidiostats
   1. Amprolium - administered at the rate of 30 mg/kg body weight - withdrawal rate is 1 day.

As you may have noted, we believe in using drugs very carefully. Veterinary instructions should be followed to the letter. And it is always best to withhold both milk and meat for the maximum recommended times (maybe even longer) so that we do not have a buildup of drugs within our own food supply. Better safe than sorry, I always say.

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