It is important to have a working relationship with a livestock veterinarian for your herd
While it has been law in California since January 1, 2017, antibiotics for livestock, that were once available over the counter at local feed stores, and online, to treat common livestock ailments, such as pneumonia, mastitis etc., will NO LONGER BE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE WITHOUT A VETERINARY PRESCRIPTION. This regulation will take effect JUNE 2023. This does NOT mean you need to call the vet out for every sniffle, however, it does require, by State law, that livestock producers have an established Veterinary-Client-Patient Relationship (VCPR) to obtain medically necessary antibiotics. Depending on your location, veterinarians with expertise in ruminant health care may be difficult to find. We strongly recommend securing a veterinarian in advance of bringing your animal home. While no animal will be allowed to leave the farm in ill health, shipping stress, variable weather conditions, and simply being in a new environment, can all cause a young kid to have health challenges. Waiting to establish a relationship with a veterinarian until your animal is ill, is NOT advised. Goats are stoic creatures, and often will NOT show they are ill, until the illness is advanced. To locate a small ruminant veterinarian in your area, we recommend using the "Find A Veterinarian" link at the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP) website.