| Barlow |
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What is the Gestation Period for a Goat? The gestation period is approximately 159 days (5 months). The average range is 145-155 days. Many breeders recommend breeding the does three times in two years, giving the doe a 6 month plus break. The babies are about 2 lbs at birth and are on their feet nursing within minutes. Click HERE to see some of my kidding pictures. |
| Welcome to our Capriculturist Page: Note: The links shown below are to other websites. I use this links frequently and I find them extremely helpful. There is no point in rewriting the already great and available information that that is contained in these links. I sincerely appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness put into each of these sites. You will need to use the back button of your browser to return to goatsandgoldens.com Mark this page as your favorite and check back often. I will be updating regularly, as I am a new site and I am working hard at getting information put in place as quickly as time allows.Thank YOU. |
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| Kidding: |
| Parasites (worms): |
| Sickness and Poisoning: |
| This page under construction - last update 5-04-08 |
| If this site has been helpful to you, please consider helping it to keep going by making a small donation. Anything helps! Thank you. |
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| Dairy: |
-Female goat is called a doe. -Male is called a buck -Neutered (Castrated) Male - wether -1st year is called a kid -2nd year called a goatling or yearling -Kids are mature at 6 months -Bucks can be capable of breeding as early as 10 weeks of age. -Most goats don't reach their full size until they are about 3 years of age. -Average Lifespan 8-12 years (known cases of 20-30 yrs) -Goats are browsers (like deer) NOT grazers (like sheep) -Goats eat noxious weeds, poisonous (to people) plants, and invasive shrubs and trees. That means bye-bye poison ivy and other poisonous weeds. -Be wary of Cherry! Cherry tree leaves are poisonous to goats. -Effective goat grazing can kill noxious weeds without the use of sprayed chemicals. And goats can get where spraying is not allowed. -Goats also eat salt cedar (of which there is no easy chemical cure) -Goats are herd animals - you should buy at least 2 if it is your first purchase. They are very unhappy alone. -A natural herd would have a king buck, queen doe, and several subordinate animals. -Polled means born without horns -Wattles - flaps of skin with no purpose, usually on neck, sometimes referred to as 'goat jewelry'. - Uses for Goats-pets, goat milk, goat cheese, goat milk soap, meat, weed control, fiber, pelts, carting, packing. - Most common dairy breeds are: Nubian, Saanen, La Mancha, French Alpine, Toggenburg, Nigerian Dwarf. -Most common meat breeds are: Boer, Kiko, Spanish Goat, Fainting Goat. -Fiber Goats are: Angora and American Cashmere -Goat Meat is called Chevon -85% of the world's population eats Chevon (goat meat). -Popular Pet Goats - Nigerian Dwarf, Pygmy, and Myotonic (Fainting) Goats. -Myotonic Goats - also called fainting, stiff-legged, fall-down, and wooden-legged goats -Myotonic goats have unusual genetic trait that causes their leg muscles to stiffen when they get startled and causes them to fall over. -Capriculturist = One who cares for goats. |
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| Articles: 1. Goats Get a Bad Rap 2. Lessons Learned the Hard Way. (Shoot/Shovel/ShutUp) 3. Tube Feeding Small Ruminants: Dr. Susan Kerr |
| - TEETH You can estimate a goats age by examining their lower teeth. (Goats don't have upper teeth - just one big upper gum.) |
| QUICK FACTS - GOATS |
| Advice Column: Ask Mz. Precious |
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| Dear Mz. Precious, I just had my first baby and his poopie is yellow! Should I be concerned? ~1st time Pygmy Mom in Indiana Dear Pymy Mom, Do not be alarmed. Yellow poopie is a normal thing because your kid is breast feeding now. Not to worry, once he starts eating browse or fresh hay his poopie will change to the normal brown color. ~yours truly, Mz. Precious. ------------------------------ Dear Mz. Precious, My herd mates and I are a little worried because my master has put two sheep in our pen with us. We don't want to be speci-ist or anything but the Ram has been flirting with me and I'm a afraid he's going to try to get naughty. What should I tell my master? ~Worried Doe Dear Worried Doe, You have a valid fear. Even though goats and sheep have a different number of chromosomes, they are still close enough in species to be able to mate with one another. The mating usually results in an unviable fetus. There have been a few instances of a live birth (known as a geep) ~ here is a link to an article about a live birth called 'Funny Creature' . (be sure to use the back button of your browser to come back to this page) My advice to you is to encourage your owner to put your goat people in a separate pen from the sheep people. Take Care ~ Mz Precious. ------------------------------ |
| Dear Mz. Precious, Hi, Baaaa, my name is Barlow and I'm a Nigerian Dwarf Goat. My problem is that I grow these little horns that are very loose and they easily get knocked out when I'm playing with my friend Sunny. When my horn gets knocked out it makes a 'bloody big mess'~ my owner says. Why don't I have big strong horns like the goats I've seen on the internet? I am enclosing a picture of what I look like when one of my horns gets knocked out. |
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| Dear Barlow, I'm sorry to see the trouble you are having. Unfortunately you have what is called "scurs". Scurs are a partial horn re-growth due to inadequate disbudding when you were just a babe. If the whole horn bud is not removed completely during disbudding, there is a possibility of some partial regrowth. The horn that grows is not strong and not strongly attached to the skull. It will be knocked out easily when goats butt heads with each other. Disbudding is a procedure that responsible goat owners will do when the goat is just a few days old so they won't get hurt later in life. If the horns are not removed, goats can get very fiersome with each other and cause great damage with their horns to themselves and other livestock and to people too. My owner had a goat with horns that poked his mule in the eye. Also, horns will cause goats to get their head caught in fencing. They could die from dehydration or from a predator before their owners might find them. Make sure your owner cleans the area well and puts an antibiotic ointment on your ouchie when your horn gets knocked out. ~Yours Truly, Mz. Precious (For more information about horn formation and disbudding, check out the page Fias Farms made ~but please remember to use your back button to return here to goatsandgoldens.com) P.S. My owner has her vet do the disbudding procedure under anesthetic. The cost is only $12 and well worth it. --------------------------- Click HERE For more advice from Mz. Precious. Send your inquiries to Mz. Precious (c/o goatsandgoldens.com) |
| BOAH - for premise ID information (Indiana) |
| Disclaimer: The content of goatsandgoldens.com is provided for information only. No claim is made as to the accuracy or authenticity of the content of the web site. Goatsandgoldens.com does not accept any liability to any person for the information or advice (or the use of such information or advice) that is provided on this website or incorporated into it by reference. The information on goatsandgoldens.com is provided on the basis that all persons accessing this site undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. No responsiblility is taken for any information or services that may appear on any linked web sites. Copyright: The information on goatsandgoldens.com may be linked to but not copied. Permission to reprint or electronically reproduce any of these documents or graphics in part or in its entirety for any reason other than peronal use is expressly prohibited, unless prior written consent is obtained from goatsandgolens.com. |
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CURRENT MOON |
| - Local farmers suggest to watch the moon - they attest that kidding usually occurs most frequently the change of the moon. |
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| *First Year (kid) 8 lower small, sharp baby teeth |
| *2nd year - lower 2 adult middle teeth/ 6 baby teeth |
| *3rd year-4 lower front adult teeth/4 rear baby teeth |
| *4 year old - 6 lower adult teeth/ 2 baby |
| *5 year old - 8 lower adult teeth/ 0 baby |
| The age beyond 5 must be guessed from the amount of wear on the teeth based on diet. A more coarse diet will wear away teeth faster. Teeth eventually spread, loosen and finally drop out as the goat ages. |
| Guardian, Companion, & Herding |
| Heat (Cycle) Statistics Heat Onset: 7-12 months (earlier in minis) Length of Heat: 12-48 hours Heat Cycle 17-23 days (avg:21 days) Gestation Lenght 145-155 days (avg. 150) |
| Health Statistics Rectal Temperature: 102.3 degrees (+/- 1) Heart Reate: 70- 80 bmp (faster for kids) Respiration Rate: 12-15 bpm Rumen Movement: 1-1.5/min |
| Quick Kidding Guide - 4 wks prior - CDT shot (mom) -2 wks prior - worm (mom) - 1 day post - worm (mom) - w/in 1st week - disbud (kids) -4 wks post - CDT shot - (kids) -6 wks post - wether males 8-10 wks - booster CDT -10 wks (minimum) ready to go to new home |
| Keep checking back - this site is still under construction More information will be added as time permits.. Thank you for your patience. If you have any suggestions or comments about what you would like to see on this site, please feel free to email me. Happy Goating! Disclaimer: I do not claim to be a veterinarian. Any information on this site is from my own research and understanding. Serious issues should be referred to a licensed veterinarian. |
| Disbudding Disbudding prevents the growth of horns. It's up to the individual owner whether or not to disbud your goats. Disbudding is an unpleasant part of goat keeping, but in my opinion it is very necessary. We highly recommend that you disbud your goats. It makes them easier to keep, easier for them to live with one another and easier for you to sell. Keeping the horns is problematic and dangerous. Goats butt heads and learn quickly to use their horns to their advantage. They can severely hurt one another with their horns. They can also get their horns caught in fencing. This would leave them no escape if a predator were to come up on them while caught in a fence. Also, they could be caught in the fence for some time before they were discovered and become dehyrated and sick and even possibly die. I tried having a few goats with horns because I thought they looked really handsome with them. One of those goats poked my mule in the eye with her horn while trying to get at the mule's feed. The horned goats also terrorized my goats that didn't have the horns. I finally decided that horned goats were not for me. There is a banding prcedure you can do to goats that allready have horns. Using the same bands for castration, apply these around the base of the horn. This will cut off the blood supply to the horn and it will fall off - after some time. (Here is a link to a procedure Elastrator Dehorning of Goats) The better way to have a goat without horns is to disbud them at about 1 week of age when you can just feel the bud forming. Disbudding a kid is done with a specially-made electric hot iron tool which is applied to the horn buds when they are only a few days old. Waiting too long to disbud is more likely to produce 'scurs' (unwanted and possibly dangerous (to the goat) partial horns. (There is an explanation of scurs in the Mz. Precious column). Fias Farm has written an excellent article giving instruction on dehorning complete with pictures. |
| Sickness Goats get colds just like people. A few sniffles or snotty nose for a few days is not a big deal...but if it continues or worsens, you will need to intervene. Usually penicillin subcutaneous (in muscle) for 3-10 days is the best plan. The dose and duration is product dependent. But, please seek veterinary advice if you are inexperienced or doubtful.. There are several good links listed to the left to describe possible goat sicknesses and treatment. I use DURAPEN (Peniicillin G Benzathine and Penicillin G Procaine in Aqueous Suspension) (150K units penicill G benzathine, 150K units penicill G procaine). The vet suggested 3 days, but in my expereince I needed to continue for 7-10 days sometimes. You have to use your judgement. Diarrhea Diarrhea is always a concern to the goat owne. You should always endeavor to get the diarrhea stopped as soon as possible. If it lasts for more than a few days, it could mean your goat has a coccidiosis problem. Coccidiosis in a few numbers is normal, but it can get out of control in times of stress and cause serious problems quickly. Sometimes, after shipping the little goats will get diarrhea from getting too stressed out. |
| Shelter: Provide shelter for your Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats. They do not like to get wet. If you only have a few goats, those big dog igloos are wonderful. They goats will jump on top and play King of the Mountain. If you have several goats, you should at least have a 3-sided shelter to protect them from rain and wind. They like to stay all together. A barn, of course is the best choice. |
| Hoof care Trim Hooves regularly - about every 4-8 weeks. The wear will depend on their living conditions. If you provide a large rock for them to jump onto, their hooves will require trimming much less frequently. I use "Shear Magic Hoof Trimmer: from Jeffers supply (See JeffersLivestock link below). |
| Worming Deworm every 2-4 months or as needed. Rotate between wormers. -Safeguard for goats (if you use horse Safeguard the dose for goats is 3X that for horse) -Ivermectin 1% (cattle injectable): 1cc/55 lbs orally (this is 2x the cattle dose) -Cydectin (cattle injectable): 1cc/22-25 lbs orally |
| The Nigerian Dwarf goat is a miniature dairy goat originating in West Africa. They can be compared to the Pygmy goat (also of African origin) but the Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goat is a distinct separate breed from the Pygmy. The Pygmy goats are considered a meat goat and are short and "cobby" whereas the Nigerian Dwarf goat is conformed more like a dairy goat similar to the confirmation of the larger dairy breeds. There are two maximum height standards on the Nigerian Dwarf Goat reflected by the 2 registries available in the US. The ideal for both registries on does is 17"-19" at the top of the withers with AGS's maximum height being 22.4" and NDGA's maximum height at 21". For bucks, both registries have an ideal height of 18"-20" with AGS's maximum height at 23.6" and NDGA's at 23" The average weight of an adult Nigerian Dwarf goat is about 75 pounds. Nigerian Dwarf goats, like other breeds of goats, are a herd animal and they need the company of other goats. Keep this in mind on your first purchase and be prepared to buy a minimum of two goats. If you are limited in ability to purchase two goats at once, they would do ok with a mule, a horse, some geese, or some ducks. They get along well with horses, donkeys and mules, but it depends on the individual animals involved. It would be best to carefully supervise the animals before leaving them unattended. The best situation is to have at least three goats of the same breed. The bigger breeds tend to dominate the smaller. We have our goats in a pen with a mule. Our mule's name is Molly. Molly became very attached and protective of our goats in a short period of time. We also found that once Molly was introduced to the pen, the goats stopped trying to escape the fence. We later found that once the does started kidding, Molly became obsessed with protecting them. The mule will not leave the new kids for feed or during bouts of severe storm. |
| Have you ever heard that old saying "get your goat"? The origin of that phrase came from the 19th century. It seems that hyperactive race horses were often given goats as stable mates because the goats presence tended to have a calming effect on the horses. After the horse became attached to the goat, it became very upset when its companion disappeared - making it run poorly on the track. In the 19th century, when a devious gambler wanted a horse to lose, he would get the horse's goat and take it away the night before the race, thus agitating the horse. Hence the phrase...'get your goat'. (Phrases, Cliches, Expressions & Sayings) |
| How Often does a Dairy Goat go into heat? In general, dairy goats are usually seasonal breeders (like deer) - most breeding occurs in late summer (fall) through early winter. The dairy goat has an 18-21 day estrus cycle (called a "season"). The doe's season lasts from a few hours to 2- 3 days. Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats differ from other dairy goats because they come into season every 3 weeks(18-21 days) all year round. |
| How Can I tell when my goat is in heat? You can tell a doe is in heat because she will act restless, uneasy, excitable, or agitated. Often she will make unusual bleating sounds and she will flag (wag) her tail a lot. You might see vulvular swelling and a clear to whitish vaginal discharge. This is normal. We keep a few wethers with our does. The wethers will act 'bucky' when a doe goes into season. He will try to ride her and will pester her a lot. He will flick his tongue over her sides and neck. He can be very vocal and make very unusual sounds during this time. Sometimes we could swear we hear them talking during this time. |
| How do I care for my Nigerian Dwarf Goats? Like all livestock, Dwarf dairy goats need some basic care for optimum health. They are hardy animals that are easy to care for, but the more you learn about them the better the care you can provide. (This is only a very brief list that I will be expanding on as time goes along. Thank you for your patience.) |
| Feed: 1st of all -- Be wary of plants that are poisonous to goats and make sure there aren't any in their feeding area. Hay -- Alfalfa/timothy mix (no mold or dust). Don't feed above their heads or they might get an eye infection from bits falling down into their eyes. -Grain: Purina Goat Chow (or other grain labeled for goats). Goats can also eat sheep feed (note: but sheep can't eat goat feed.) -Water: Always provide fresh water for your Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats. In the winter, they especially like warm water - I call this 'goat tea'. They really love it - it helps to warm them up. -Supplements: Loose minerals for goats - supplied free choice. The minerals should contain selenium. Check your vet for the selenium requirements in your area. Here in southern Indiana, the soil is moderately depleted and my vet suggests a selenium shot bi-annually. Jeffers supply has a good loose mineral called "Sweetlix". (See JeffersLivestock link on left under 'Stores to Buy Supplies'). Also give baking soda free choice - this aids in digestion. Another good supplement to consider is Brewers Yeast. You can find Brewer's yeast at any health food store or in the health food section of a grocery. Brewer's Yeast is very high in many B vitamins. -Vitamins: I keep some B vitamin shots available to help out in times of stress. |
| Vaccinations: CDT (C&D enterotoxaemia and Tetanus) vaccinations are the most important. I give one month after birth, a booster at 2 months, and then once a year thereafter (in the spring) Check with the vet in your area for specific needs. |
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| Design: Lap Lander with a licker license. I had a Jack Russell Terrier that was crazy about licking me in the face. My friend Larry said - "Hey, does she have a licker license?" Next thing you know, he added the lap lander because she's such a silly ole lap dog. We figured lots of other people probably have kissy dogs too, so we made this design -- My Dog is a Lap Lander with a Licker License!. This design is available for many dog breeds...check the drop list below. We are adding more designs as fast as we can so please keep checking back. Bookmark this page and join my newsletter at the design store. |
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| Be sure to browse our design stores for goat or dog related T-shirts and other clothing. We also have magnets, buttons, home & office and other stuff. (We have expanded our store to include many other categories too ... such as sports, people, holidays and MORE!) |
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| Design: GOATA Here is a design series about a wise old goat named GOATA ~ when I was showing a co-worker my goat pictures, Hal said -- hey, that one looks like YODA! It looks like he is saying "May the Forage be with you!" We laughed and laughed and before you know it, GOATA was born along with many GOATA proverbs. Click on the picture to see many more GOATA designs and when you find a design you like - apply it to any of the many products that are available. If you have an idea for a GOATA wisdom design, please contact me. Thanks for looking! |
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Pick a dog breed from the list below to see some unique designs specific to that breed for clothing and other products.
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Check it out! Find that perfect gift for the dog lover that you know!
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| Goats IN THE NEWS: |
| ~NEWSPost India - New Delhi, Delhi, India |
| Recipes: |
| ~ Nutrition horizon (press release) |
| ~Peace Corps |
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| Check out this GOAT Puzzle Crossword design on t-shirts, tile boxes and other products in my GOATS & GOLDENS store! |
| Goats make wonderful companions for horses. Have you heard the expression 'get your goat' ~ meaning to make you angry? Where did that phrase come from? |
| Horses of a high strung nature were often accompanied by a goat to keep them calm. Legend has it that rivals and crooks deliberately betting against that horse, would steal the goat, resulting in the horse being upset and less able to run a good race. |
| There is also a French phrase "prendre la chevre" which means "to take awy the goat". To take a goat in those days was to take away their only source of milk which I'm sure might cause the owner to become a bit troubled and anxious . |