Just Kiddin
Mini Goats
Breeders
of
Australian Miniature Goats
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We have compiled this information from a host of
different sources, from personal experience, and from experience of others
in the goat and australian miniature goat world.
We hope you find it helpful.
Disclaimer: All information provided on this website is as examples only. We recommend that it is used as a basic eductional tool and for general reference. We do not claim to represent the practices of all goat breeders, or veterinary practitioners practices or recommendations. We do not have veterinary experience, simply the experience of many years of goat management and breeding. It is recommended that you do not use any information on this site to diagnose or treat any goat health issues without consulting your vet. All information presented on this site is without guarantees, and we disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this information.
Goat Health Check
Goats are relatively easy to care for. These are generally signs of a healthy goat.
Eyes clear and bright. Tearing or cloudy eyes could mean a pinkeye infection or injury.
If you are looking at purchasing a new goat, if you cannot handle the animal to perform a general health check we recommend you try another goat and / or breeder. It is very easy to miss important details when just viewing an animal at a distance. Get hands on, you want to ensure the animal you are purchasing is in good health, and that you will be able to handle the animal when you get it home. Hand raised goats should be easy to check, even by a stranger.
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Goat Statisitics
As you have probably gathered, there are many variables where goats are concerned. Normal values and variations are given below.
Temperature, pulse, respiration and rumen motility may all vary when a goat is ill, but these values are also different for kids than they are for adults. Temperatures can be elevated after exercise and during hot weather. Temperature, respiration and rumen motility are the three most important criteria to use to determine whether or not a goat is ill.
Learn how to measure these on healthy animals to avoid stressing yourself out when you think you have a sick one.
Buy a rectal thermometer (and hold onto it when inserted!)
The key to recognising illness is watching behaviour. When you are an observant goat keeper, any odd behaviour is worth investigating. Keep notes/records of each animals health history.
Body Temperature: 38.8C to 39.8C Pulse/heart rate: 60 to 130 beats per minute Respiration rate: 12 to 30 breaths per minute Rumen motility: 1 to 4 per minute Puberty: 4 to 12 months Oestrus ("heat") cycle: 18 to 23 days Length of each "heat": 12 to 36 hours Gestation (length of pregnancy): average 150 days (145-155 days) Breeding season: Varies, some breed year round, others approx Feb-Jun/Jul. Character of Urine: Yellow, clear, pH 7-8, specific gravity 1.015 to 1.035 Character of Faeces: Firm dark pellets 0.5-1.0 cm in diameter; softer on lush pasture A goat’s normal temperature will vary between 38.8 – 39.8 °C. An individual may tend to have a normal temperature at one end or the other, but temperature readings within this range can be considered normal. Remember temperatures must be taken rectally; goats will not hold thermometers under their tongues!
Pulse and respiration can vary greatly depending on the goat’s nervous state when the rates are taken. The respiratory rate can be easily taken by watching the rib cage movement and counting the number of breaths per minute. A highly excited animal will have a higher rate than normal, so use a little common sense and allow for variations with circumstances.
A pulse rate is more difficult to take. It is easiest to take a heart rate (which should be the same as the pulse rate) with a stethoscope and count the number of beats per minute. You can also feel for heartbeats by holding your fingers tightly over the area of the heart near the bottom and front of the chest. With a little practice, you can take an actual pulse rate by feeling for the pulse on the inside of the rear leg up near the groin; you probably need someone to show you just where to feel the first time.
Puberty is the age at which an animal becomes sexually mature. Remember that sexual, physical and mental maturity are entirely different things. Sexual maturity means that a doe is capable of becoming pregnant, and that a buck is capable of impregnating a doe. The normal range for goat puberty is 4 – 12 months, but remember as in all things 'goat' you will get those that fall outside expected variations. Don't be surprised if a doe becomes pregnant earlier than this, or if it is her twin brother that got them in that condition, so bear this in mind when deciding when to seperate your kids by sex!
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Collars
As long as there are no horned goats in your herd, collars on goats make handling easier. It is not safe to use them if there are horned goats present because they can hook a collar with a horn. If all goats wear collars, they very soon get used to being led or moved around. If you have a large herd, tags on the collars can make identification easier. As we have a lot of bush, we like to use the clip type collars so that if a goat does get caught by the collar, they should be able to break free. Given the friendliness of our herd, we don't require the added security offer by the buckle type collars.
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Goat's teeth and how to estimate a goats age by it's teeth?
The average lifespan of does and wethers is about 12-18 years (though some breeders have or have heard of many goats living to be 18-21, the oldest we are aware of was about 23). The average lifespan of working bucks is about 8-12 years. The reason for their shorter life span is that going through rut each year, and all that entails, can take a lot out of them.
A goat has no teeth in the upper front of its mouth instead it has a dental pad, but it has eight teeth in the lower front - incisors. They also have a set of top and bottom molars in the back of their mouth (so don't put your finger in the back of their mouth as these can be sharp!). Generally a kid will have its eight baby (also called milk or deciduous) teeth already or almost erupted at birth, certainly within the first week or two. They also develop their baby pre-molars at this time (the front set of molars in the back of their mouth). The baby pre-molars will be replaced by permanent adult teeth between about 2-3 years of age and the adult molars will develop between 6 - 30 months
Determining the approximate age of a goat is relatively easy to do for the first few years of its life. The procedure is called toothing a goat.The size and condition of the front eight teeth is the best gauge to determine the goat's age. Determining a goats age by its teeth is far from an exact science. There are numerous factors including diet and general health that will influence the growth of teeth. As in all things goat, every one is different. For example, we have twin doelings who have been housed and fed together since birth, one got her one year old teeth at about 13 months, the other still hasn't got her one year old teeth at 16 months of age.
Kid. First year up to between 12 and 18 months.
All teeth are fairly even, small and quite sharp.
A goat is born with eight baby teeth in the lower front gum. All eight teeth are similarly small sized.The photo shows a typical set of baby teeth, a row of 8 small teeth.
Goatling/Yearling
When the goat is a year of age, give or take a few months, the two center front baby teeth are replaced by two permanent teeth. Therefore, a goat with only two permanent teeth is called a two-toother and is considered at least one year old.The photo shows a typical set of one year olds teeth. Note the two front teeth are much larger than the 3 baby teeth on each side.
The second photo shows one of the first baby teeth missing before the first one year old tooth has erupted.
Two-year-old. Second year.
In the same way the goat lost the two middle front teeth as a one year old, the same procedure happens again when the goat is around two years of age. The next two baby teeth, one on each side of the two permanent teeth, are replaced by two more permanent teeth. This goat is called a four-toother and is at approximately 2 years of age.The photo shows a goat with its one year old teeth, and has lost its second set of baby teeth ready for the two year old teeth to emerge. Note the large one year old at front, the gap where the 2 year old will emerge, then the two remaining baby teeth.
Three-year-old. Third year.
At three years of age, the third set of two teeth, one on each side of the four existing permanent teeth, is replaced by permanent teeth, and this goat is now a six-toother and is approximately 2.5 - 3 years of age.The photo shows a typical set of three year old teeth. Note the large first 3 teeth on each side with one small baby tooth still at the back.
Four-year-old. Fourth year.
The last two baby teeth become permanent teeth as the goat approaches four years of age, hence the animal is an eight-toother i.e. approx 3.5 to 4 years of age.Five-year-old. Fifth year.
The goat has a full set of eight permanent teeth.
Over five years of age.
Once a goat has a full set of permanent adult teeth, you can only guessestimate the age bas on wear on the teeth. This can obviously vary greatly depending on the goats diet and general health.The NSW Department of Agriculture (Agfact A7.2.2) within the full mouth category classifies four stages:
“fresh full mouths” : the corner teeth have erupted recently and show no signs of wear or age induced discolouration.
“sound mouthed” : all eight teeth are intact, showing some wear but are still firmly in place.
“broken mouthed” : which describes animals that have lost some or all of their permanent teeth. The age at which animals become broken mouthed varies, mainly due to environmental factors such as the type and quantity of feed available.
“gummy” : all teeth are either broken, worn down to the gums or fallen out. A gummy animal is usually old, and may have difficulty in maintaining its condition if feed conditions are hard.The above is the 'theory' of telling a goats age from its teeth. We monitor all our goats teeth every 3 months to see how the theory fits the reality. In general, we have found the following:
Goats also have grinding molars in the back of their mouth so BEWARE these teeth can be very sharp. DO NOT put your fingers in the back of a goats mouth or you will find out how sharp they are. The molars are on both the top and the bottom, and like the front teeth, the original baby teeth are replaced over time.
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Basic Goat Care & Feeding
The Ruminant Stomach
Goats are ruminants like sheep, cattle, deer, llamas, etc. Their digestive tract looks and functions quite differently from simple-stomached animals such as dogs and cats. Knowing some of these differences can be very important to achieving the best herd management.The ruminant animal has a rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum; the simple-stomached animal has a stomach. The newborn ruminant functions as a simple-stomached animal. At birth, the rumen is small and non-functional. When the kid nurses, a band of muscle tissue (the oesophageal groove) closes to form a direct tubular connection from the oesophagus to the abomasum. If you bottle-feed kids, it is important to hold the kid in a natural nursing position so the oesophageal groove closes properly. If milk is put into the rumen, either by tube-feeding or improper bottle-feeding, a considerable time may elapse before the milk makes it to the abomasum and can be digested for use. Milk may also curdle in the rumen and cause some colic symptoms.
As the kid matures and nibbles on his environment, he slowly introduces the micro organisms (bacteria) necessary for proper rumen function. Kids raised by their mothers develop rumens more quickly than bottle babies, presumably due to the mother’s influence on their eating habits. Very few bottle babies observe their two-legged mothers eating hay!
Each of the four “stomachs” has a particular purpose and function.
The rumen is the largest chamber of the ruminant stomach and has no digestive enzymes. It is a large fermentation vat populated by micro-organisms that change non digestible cellulose into proteins which can be used by the body. Roughage is worked on by the micro-organisms, regurgitated and re-chewed (as a cud), then swallowed and the process is repeated. Eventually the processed food passes on through the reticulum to the omasum in a condition ready to be digested by normal body enzymes. Methane is produced continuously as a by-product of bacterial action, so odiferous belches are a sign of a healthy rumen. Anything which harms the rumen micro-organisms can effectively halt the digestive process.
The reticulum lies in front of and below the rumen, near the liver. Its lining is honeycombed and it serves as a catch chamber for heavy articles in the feed. In cattle, magnets are often placed in the reticulum to catch and hold nails, pieces of wire and other hardware the animal might swallow. Since goats are more fastidious in their eating habits, magnets are not necessary. The reticulum from cattle is sold in the market as tripe.
The omasum is divided by long folds of tissue which help decrease the size of food particles coming from the rumen and which also help remove excess fluid.
The abomasum is the true stomach and is the only compartment that produces digestive enzymes. It acts on food prepared by the rumen just like the simple stomach acts on food entering from the mouth. It is the area of primary digestion of all grain and milk. Grain and milk do not require the efforts of rumen micro-organisms.
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Goat Feeding & Nutrition
The five major categories of nutrients are: water, protein, energy, vitamins and minerals.Like any other animal, a goat can survive without food for several days, but not without water. Clean fresh water should be available at all times. Water is a frequently overlooked dietary component. Over 60% of the soft tissues are water, and when body water loss approaches 20% the animal dies. Milk contains 87% water, so the needs of lactating does are great. Some factors affecting water intake are moisture content of the forage, lactation, environmental temperature, and salt and mineral consumption.
Energy is released to the animal by the mechanical and enzymatic breakdown (digestion) of the organic compounds in the feed. The amount of energy released depends on the ability of the digestive processes to break down the organic compounds into simple products that can be absorbed and utilised by the goat. Sugars and starches are easily digested so they can provide more energy than plant fibre to a goat. The microbes that live in the rumen secrete enzymes that breakdown cellulose and hemicellulose in plant fibre. Thus, the rumen microbes play a major role to release the energy from plant fibre.
Proteins are the building blocks of life. They are required by animals to maintain biological processes, to form antibodies, digestive enzymes as well as blood and to lay down muscle during growth and for repair of tissue. All proteins are made up of amino acids and there are about 20 specific amino acids that livestock require for normal body functions and growth.
Minerals are essential for normal biological functions in all animals. The mineral elements such as calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulphur are required in large quantities and are termed macro or major minerals. Trace or minor minerals are required in much smaller quantities and their concentration in plants and animal tissues are generally at much lower levels than the macro minerals. The essential trace minerals include cobalt, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc. The mineral content of pastures largely reflect the natural levels found in the soil and the amount added to the soil as fertiliser. It is possible that goats are less likely to suffer from a mineral deficiency due to their diverse grazing/browsing habit and their ability to select plant parts with a higher concentration of minerals.
Vitamins of importance in ruminant nutrition are either fat soluble or water soluble. The fat soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K and the water soluble vitamins are those in the B group and vitamin C. Green pasture generally contains adequate levels of vitamins A, E and K for goats and vitamin D is synthesised in the skin provided animals are exposed to adequate sunlight. Generally goats synthesise enough Vitamin C to meet their requirements and the microbes in the digestive tract are usually able to synthesise adequate of the B group vitamins. Cobalt is required for the synthesis of Vitamin B12 by the rumen microbes and cobalt deficiency shows as a deficiency of B12 with the main effect being a disturbance in energy metabolism leading to reduced growth in young animals. Goats sometimes suffer from a deficiency of Thiamine (Vitamin B1) and display an associated neurological dysfunction. Thiamine deficiency is usually associated with certain microbes in the rumen producing the enzyme Thiaminase which destroys the Thiamine synthesised by the rumen microbes. A change to a high grain diet can sometimes precipitate a Thiamine deficiency and the condition has also been reported in sheep fed diets that do not have adequate fibre to encourage good rumen motility. Vitamin E, like selenium, has a major role as an anti-oxidant and the metabolic roles of Vitamin E and selenium are interchangeable to some extent.
Nutrition overshadows all other facets of management because it directly affects health, production and reproduction. If your animals perform to your satisfaction, you probably have a handle on nutrition; if not, a diet change may be in order.
Nutritional needs vary according to growth and production status. Kids, weanlings, yearlings, pregnant does, lactating does, and bucks each have different needs. Goats prioritise the use of nutrients in the following descending order: 1) maintenance, 2) growth, 3) pregnancy, 4) milk production, and 5) reproduction, and they lose these abilities in the reverse order when the diet is inadequate. Fertility and milk production are diminished in overweight does.
Production demands on most Australian Miniature Goat are few, pets don't have to work for their keep like dairy breeds. Owners are under no pressure to learn to feed appropriately for economic (milk or meat) reasons. If the goat/s seem to thrive with a rack of hay and bit of grain, the owner may finally realise that the goats aren't performing very well when kidding problems and/or metabolic diseases during late gestation and early lactation develop, or when wethers and bucks on unbalanced diets develop urinary calculi.
Ruminants cannot digest food by themselves. Many different kinds of bacteria and protozoa populate the rumen, and it is their job to process forage into nutrients the animal can digest and absorb throughout the digestive tract. After a 20-minute lifespan, rumen microbes are also digested. Essentially, we feed the microbes who change the food into a usable form.
In addition to a very efficient digestive system that is designed to extract nutrients from every shred of forage, a goat in its natural state is a browsing animal that finds its nutrients in the leaves, twigs and bark of trees and shrubs, with pasture as back up. Because the root systems of trees and shrubs go much deeper than pasture, their leaves contain many minerals that are no longer obtainable on the leached surface to the pasture grasses. Most pastures are not grown on well balanced soils, and even then will not usually meet all of the mineral requirements for your goat/s. A good variety of grasses and weeds are ideal. Many so-called weeds are classified as noxious, not because they are poisonous (though some are) but because they grow rampant in ill-balanced pastures. Goats love most weeds and will rapidly clean them out for you but be cautious as some weeds such as the copper bearing Paterson’s Curse can be toxic. If you ensure dolomite is supplied to offset the copper toxicity if these are heavily dominant in your pasture, your goats generally thrive on this. While the weeds last, goats will generally do very well on them. It is also ideal if your goats have access to a belt of browsing trees, protected so that the goat can reach but not destroy. Care must be taken that horned goats do not get hooked up by their horns. Some trees, weeds and shrubs are considered poisonous to goats, so please ensure you become familiar with those species in your area. Refer to Poisonous Plants for further information
Goats should be allowed free access to a mineral lick at all times. Alternatively some breeders choose to mix their minerals in with the goat’s daily feed ration. There are many commercial licks available as well as recommendations for licks you can make up yourself. If buying a ready made lick block, be sure to get one suitable for goats and one that does not contain urea (as in many cattle lick blocks). Minerals are interrelated and depend on one or more of the other minerals for proper utilisation. Excesses of one or more can inhibit others. When in doubt, ask your veterinarian for a recommendation for supplements.
In addition to general browse if available, supplementary feeding is generally provided by most breeders. The amount will depend on the type of paddock/browse the goats have access to. Although many goat owners feel that a twice daily feeding is best, others feed only once a day and still have perfectly healthy goats. You will have to decide what is practical for your animal/s and your schedule. Try to keep both food and water where they cannot be soiled by the goat.
The basic food is often a mixture of oaten and/or lucerne chaff or hay. Good grassy hay is also popular. There are two basic kinds of hay. Legumes (Lucerne, alfalfa, clover etc) are generally higher in protein and minerals than grasses. Grasses have more fibre. Goats find a combination of legume and grass hay very palatable. (Note: too much lucerne can lead to problems so take care).
Hay quality is determined by the plant variety, its bloom stage at harvest, leafiness, green colour, sweet odour and softness. These factors are affected by growing conditions, harvesting methods, curing and storage. Leaves contain most of the plant protein and energy, and goats always eat them first. When given too much hay, they often refuse to eat the fibrous stems, and fibre is essential for good rumen function. Obesity and heat stress are one of the first signs of protein/energy/fibre imbalance. To help balance them, make your goats finish the hay (stalks and all) before you refill their rack.
This is generally supplemented with a grain mixture that contains 12-14% protein depending on the additional needs of the goat. Grains commonly used are oats and barley or a combination of these. Growing kid’s, does in late gestation, nursing does, and working bucks need grain. The rest of the herd can get along fine without it. Many breeders believe that wethers should not be fed grain. Grain can fatten them enough to cause serious health problems. If you must give treats, offer tasty branches like mango, wattle or similar, or small pieces of fresh or dried vegetables or fruit such as pumpkin, raisins or carrots in small quantities.
Everyone will have a different view on what, how much, and how often to feed your goats. It is really best for you to do your own investigation and assess what is best for you and your goat’s as this will also vary based on your pasture, browsing and hay options. There are many reference books available and a vast amount of information on the internet relating to feeding your goats, we suggest you read widely and then work out a regime that works best for you and your goats.
If feeding a herd of goats together, you should be observant to ensure that older/stronger goats are not pushing younger/weaker goats out of the way and getting all of their ration. If you are feeding large numbers it is best to try and sort them into smaller groups of similar size/strength so that everyone gets a fair go. Alternatively, some breeders choose to tether their goats individually so that they can ensure they know exactly how much supplementary feed and minerals each goat is getting.
It is always best to feed your goats off the ground. Goats are generally fussy eaters and will not eat feed once it has fallen on the ground. Freedom from faecal contamination of feed, water and supplements is essential in controlling internal parasites. Hooves in feed bins etc leads to increased worm loads. It is best to use hay racks and/or raised feed bins to avoid unnecessary wastage.
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Overfeeding and / or Overweight?
Being overweight or too thin both cause a variety of problems and many people have trouble judging what kind of shape their goats are in. Simply looking at the width of a goat will not tell you it's condition, this is more indicative of a full rumen. Some have told us you can tell the condition of the goat and if it is being over or underfed by feeling the base of the goat’s tail: if it is really fat, the animal is converting feed into fat, so cut down. We have yet to find this method helpful, or perhaps that's just a good sign that our goats are not over or underfed!
Many of the troubles in goat keeping seem to be due to over feeding rather than under feeding. Many hobby goat owners / pet owners tend to over feed their goats, particularly kids, risking killing them with kindness.
Overfeeding bottle babies is a common problem, Bottle babies need to fully digest the milk in their stomach before being given another bottle. Undigested milk can lead to a number of serious health issues in kids.
Similarly, overfeeding grain to older animals can lead to all sorts of health issues. Producing animals (lactating does, working bucks etc need some grain, wethers etc can generally do quite well without). Grain to a goat is like candy, so you should limit its intake and never let your goat get access to your grain storage! Overtime, excess grain consumption may lead to overweight, or more serious issues such as urinary calculi - which seems to be much more common in pet wethers who have been given too many 'treats' of grain, or ones that get into the families chicken coop and make daily raids on the chook feed!. Overfeeding of grain in the short term (such as breaking into your grain storage) can lead to acidosis and bloat which are also serious health issues which you are best to prevent rather than having to treat.
Obvious signs of overweight in a goat can include lethargy & panting. Overweight animals are lazy and don't burn enough energy to lose weight unless they are forced to exercise. They will generally spend a lot of time lounging, and may sit on their haunches like a dog, particularly during gestation, to shift internal fat away from the diaphragm and lungs so they can breathe more easily. Fat goats may pant when exercised because the lungs are somewhat compressed, the heart cannot function as well and subcutaneous fat inhibits body heat regulation. Gradual exercise and a reducing diet is helpful.
Underwight is more easily seen and felt and is correctable if it is due to simple poor nutrition. A variety of wasting and other diseases, parasites and tooth problems need to be ruled out if the goat fails to gain when its diet is improved. One or more thin goats in an otherwise normal herd should have problem/s diagnosed and treated.
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Pyschological needs of goats.
Goats establish a pecking order which you will be wise to recognise. In the paddock there will always be a top doe / herd queen. Goats form bonds both with their own kind and with humans. Bonding of does with their kids does not always come naturally. Goats relate to people quite strongly and definitely learn to respond to the person who is handling them regularly. It takes a little time and patience to transfer those bonds to others.
Hand raised kids definitely form strong bonds with humans. Whilst you can train older goats to accept close human contact, the bonds are rarely as strong as with those who were hand raised as kids. By hand raised we do not simply mean bottle raised, these can be well socialised dam raised kids too.
For those who only plan to have one goat (which we don't recommend), be prepared to act as mother/sister/kid/playmate or whatever, because if you do not the goat will probably call continuously for days on end. This is one reason, especially if living in close vicinity to neighbours, that it is better to keep at least two goats. Goats are herd animals and want companionship 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ideally this is another goat, or browsing type animal (horse/alpaca etc) who will be happy to wander around the paddock looking for tasty tidbits all day.
Bucks can generally live quite happily together outside the breeding season but you may need to separate during the breeding season if fighting starts. They are less likely to fight amongst themselves if they are not housed in close vicinity to the does!
When goats are frightened, they can be quite unpredictable. They may jump obstacles that they would not normally contemplate attempting. They are also creatures of habit and get used to certain routines. They will let you know if you break with their routine. If you don't want a goat to get into a habit - don't start it, or expect to take a little time to give them a new habit. e.g. if you feed them a supplementary feed every day at 6am and then decide to change to 12noon, they will start calling to you at 6am looking for their special feed.
Goats also like to play, so many people like to have ‘toys’ in their pens – old log stumps, tyres, large wooden cable spindles and the like can be great fun! This year our kids are having a great time on and old plastic childrens slippery dip!
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Preventative Health Care
Vaccinations:
Like most things in the goat world, there are many varied opinions on vaccinating your goats. Some people choose not to vaccinate others recommend tetanus, others 2 in 1, 3 in 1, 5 in 1, 6 in 1 or even 7 in 1 vaccine. A number of different vaccines are available for use in goats but their appropriateness depends on the location and management of the animals. As a result, vaccination protocols should be developed in consultation with a local veterinarian. Goats are often vaccinated to protect against Overeating Disease (Enterotoxemia) caused by Clostridium perfringens C or D and Tetanus caused by Clostridium tetani, since they are quite susceptible to these diseases. Ensure you are aware of the vaccination status of any animals you purchase.For more information on goat vaccinations, check out these sites:
Sheep and Goat Flock vaccinations
Qld DPI, Livestock VaccinationsWorming:
Parasite problems, caused by internal worms and coccidia, vary widely by animal age, management system, and the feed and feeding system. Crowding, overgrazing, and poor sanitation will eventually increase the severity of parasitism. Symptoms shown will depend on the species of parasite and the numbers present. Signs of parasitism may vary from sudden death to diarrhoea to subtle decreases in production efficiency (growth, milk production, and reproduction).In good soils, earth worms, dung beetles and soil microbes will take the goat dung down and process it as fast as they can obtain it. A goat given a choice would not go out and graze damp grass; they are browsers by nature and worms do not live in trees. On damp days, goats should have hay ad-lib so they are not forced to graze on wet worm infested pasture. This is even more of an issue in higher rainfall areas. Overstocked paddocks will also lead to greater worm problems. Except in freezing cold or extremely dry conditions, worms thrive all year round in Australia.
Goats when they have choice will always browse areas that the sun has been on longest so the grass is dry and generally avoids worm larvae and eggs. Properly supplemented animals with the right levels of copper are also reputed to be more resistant to intestinal worms, however there is no sound scientific evidence to support the use of products like diatomaceous earth, brewer's yeast, or garlic for treatment of parasites.
If the cost is not too prohibitive, having a worm count done at regular intervals is a good idea or learn how to do this yourself. This enables you to drench as indicated by the faecal count results, not just to an arbitrary calendar. It will also indicate the type of worms that you may have present and if you need to treat with a broad spectrum wormer or a more targeted wormer (or both).
Since young animals are most susceptible to infection with parasites, deworming of does before or at kidding is often an effective control strategy. Coccidiostatic drugs are often fed before and after weaning to control coccidiosis in kids. Specific herd programs should be developed in consultation with a local veterinarian.
It is very important that you realise the importance of worm control in your goat/s.
Worms can and do kill rapidly, so don’t underestimate them.The type and regularity of treatment varies from location to location, season to season and on other environmental conditions. It is important that you liaise with a vet in your local area to determine the best worming practices for your goat/s. Do not rely on feedback from other breeders in other locations as there is no guarantee that what works for them, will work for you. e.g. the treatment in a hot dry area in Queensland, may be quite different to a wet warm area in NSW or a colder area in Tasmania. Also some goats have been known to develop resistance to certain drenches, so again faecal counts can be an important tool in determining what you require in your herd, and when!
Click here for some great information and graphics on internal parasites of goats, and
Click here for further reading on goat worming and drenching programs.Back to Index
Hoof Care
Trimming hooves is often one of those unpopular chores, but it should be done regularly – approximately every six to eight weeks. If your property has plenty of rocks, concrete or other abrasive materials you may find you do not need to trim quite as regularly, but check to be sure. The hooves should be trimmed any time the side wall extends past the sole of the foot such that the wall starts to curl under and form a flap over the sole of the hoof. Careful technique should avoid trimming too close which may cause bleeding or tenderness.
For further information and pictures on goat hoof trimming check out these sites:
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Heat Stress
Goats cope with heat stress in a variety of ways, they may lie on their sides more than usual on a hot day or hang out in the barn or under a tree all day and pant. Lying flat out, preferably in the shade, they also expose more body surface area, especially the short-haired parts of the body. When it gets hotter, involuntary functions kick into high gear.
The environmental comfort zone for goats is between 0-30C. Above 30C goats may begin to experience mild heat stress, especially when humidity cranks up the heat index. As heat and humidity climb, goats can have serious problems with thermal stress.
High temperatures affect body function in many ways. The hypothalamus, lying at the base of the brain, is in charge of balancing the body's heat loss and gain by regulating respiration, skin temperature, sweating and muscle tone. Goats get eight times more relief from the heat by panting than by sweating, so rapid breathing is their primary form of cooling themselves. Panting and collapse are the most obvious signs of heat stress, and the rectal temperature will exceed 40C.
When the weather warms up, animals eat less in an involuntary effort to reduce body heat, feed and water consumption go down. Animals may reduce water intake however they need water to help keep them cooler. Weather and other factors can combine to get any goat, but some are more susceptible to overheating. Overweight goats cannot exchange heat efficiently. Aged goats just don't function as well as they used to, and the very young have yet to reach optimum function. Animals in poor health (illness or parasites) may not be able to cope with this added burden. Selenium deficiency may exacerbate heat stress due to marginal muscle tone. Unventilated confinement, such as being locked in a poorly ventilated barn, crate or vehicle, can be a serious threat to an animal's life in a very short time. Any forced exertion should be avoided. Don't pick a hot, humid day to trim hooves or give the goats any other hassles.
A veterinarian should be consulted as soon as you see signs of heat stress. The animal may experience pain and swelling, and your vet may prescribe drugs to treat these symptoms. There may be a variety of moderate to severe blood abnormalities, impaired kidney function and metabolic acidosis. Electrolyte imbalances are common in heat stress, and IV liquids may need to be administered to combat acidosis.
Act promptly when you find a goat you expect is suffering from heat stroke. If the goat can walk, isolate it in the shade and take its temperature. If the temperature is over 40.5C, set a fan for direct ventilation, spray the coat with water, and wet the head, legs and stomach with water. (Cold water may be too great a temperature shock to the vascular system - any water will do). If the symptoms diminish in 15-20 minutes, the goat may continue recovery on its own. Make sure the temperature is reduced to 39.8C, and watch the goat closely for a few hours to see that it acts normally. Continue to monitor its behaviour, temperature, pulse and respiration after the animal has been stabilised. If the goat is prostrate and unable to walk, do not move it. Take its temperature. Erect shade if the animal is in direct sunlight and begin cooling with water. You will need the vet, tissue destruction begins prior to death, so prompt medical attention is imperative. When cooling therapy reduces the goat's rectal temperature to 39.8C, cooling measures can be discontinued.
Remember, prevention is better than cure. Give free access to clean, cool water and freshen it frequently. In hot weather, move the water source into the barn if your goats normally have to travel to reach it. Ensure your goat/s have access to good shade and barns or living areas are well ventilated. Provide adequate barn and feeder space to reduce competition for resources. Ensure your goat/s do not undertake any activities that cause exertion or induce stress.
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Common Diseases
There are many diseases and illnesses that can occur in goats. These can be kept to a minimum if your goats are well managed both nutritionally and by preventative health care measures such as worming, vaccinations, hygienic conditions etc. Listed here is basic information on some common diseases that you should keep an eye out for. This is not a definitive list, nor should you rely on this information for either diagnosis or treatment of your goat. If you have concerns about the health of your goat/s you should always speak to your vet.
Coccidia
Coccidia are a protozoan parasite that are almost always present in a goat's environment. When the goat is infected with these parasites in small numbers, the coccidia causes very little damage and no disease. When a goat is infected in large numbers, this disease is called Coccidiosis. Coccidia can cause foamy, bloody often foul smelling diarrhoea or a dull, dry coat. Sometimes a goat with coccidiosis (coccidia infestation) has an on-again-off-again soft stool or no obvious symptoms at all. People think of Coccidiosis as a kid "disease" because kids have not built up a strong enough immune system to resist the coccidia yet, this is why kids show more problems with coccidia. You might not suspect a problem until you notice that your kids are not growing as well as they should. Young kids up to four months of age, particlarly bottle fed kids, are at highest risk. If in doubt, take a stool sample to a veterinarian who regularly treats goats. Not all cases of diarrhoea in kids are caused by coccidiosis.Environmental Prevention: Proper management is key, keep the kid's living area clean and dry. Keep food and water dishes clean. Make sure that food and water is supplied in such a way that the kids cannot step in and soil it.
Ketosis
Ketosis may occur in pregnant does late in their pregnancy though it is neither limited to pregnancy nor to lactation. It can occur when kids in utero (usually multiples) take all the nutrients (mainly minerals) available and eventually leaving the doe with insufficient to sustain life. Goats that have been properly fed and obtained all the required minerals through their pregnancy should not suffer from this complaint. Another contributory factor is lack of exercise. The doe may be depressed, weak, uninterested in food, and have poor muscle control and balance. If untreated, death follows within a few days. Early in the disease, many does will show a positive test for ketone bodies in the urine. Ketosis may occur when the doe is carrying two or more kids, or when the doe is very fat. This disease can be caused by the sudden extra demand for energy by the fast-growing kids in the pregnant goat and the inability of the goat to eat enough of her normal diet to provide this energy. The doe will rapidly metabolise fat from her body stores producing ketones (a toxic by-product) and the symptoms of the disease. If the doe lies down and cannot stand, treatment is usually not successful unless she delivers at that time. As a preventive measure, do not let the doe get fat early in pregnancy and in the last month of pregnancy.Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Syndrome (CAE) or Caprine Retrovirus (CEV)
is a viral disease. In young kids this affects the brain and spinal cord causing a rapid progressive paralysis of the limbs and usually death. In older goats, the same disease is seen as swollen joints, particularly the knees. The disease may develops slowly often showing several weeks after first kidding but may be seen earlier or later. The animal has difficulty using its legs properly, a proppy gait, or general wasting. Some infected adult goats develop pneumonia which does not respond to antibiotic treatment. Infected goats can have no fever, remain alert, and may eat well however they do not recover from the arthritis. An inexpensive blood test can be used to diagnose CAE/CEV. The disease is generally thought to be spread mainly from older infected goats to kids, perhaps by contact or through the milk from an infected doe to her kid. There are no corrective procedures or treatments. Isolating kids at birth so that they never feed from their dam and hand raising them is done to prevent the spread. It's a good idea to make sure a goat is CAE/CEV free before purchasing, however the blood test only checks for antibodies, and it's possible that an animal is infected and not (yet) producing antibodies.Mastitis
Mastitis is an inflammation of the udder usually caused by bacteria. The symptoms of mastitis are heat, pain, and swelling of the udder. Usually you will notice some discolouration of the tissue and abnormal milk. The infected udder will change in colour from slightly more pink to a bright red, or to a black and cold udder. The milk from an infected udder will vary in colour, texture, and thickness. Laboratory culture or growth of the bacteria causing the mastitis is the best way to determine the exact diagnosis. The causes of mastitis are most commonly rough treatment and unclean milking practices, although eating avocado foliage is also thought to be a cause. Consulting a vet is important for this disease since there are many different bacteria that cause mastitis and different antibiotics are best for each. If untreated the infection spreads and the goat may die or lose the udder.Pink Eye / Ophthalmia
Injury or disease can cause permanent or temporary blindness. Pink Eye infection causes cloudiness in the eye and the white part of the eye generally reddens (pink eye is infectious and zoonose). The condition is thought to be quite painful to the goat, and tears will generally run from the eye. Your vet is the best person to diagnose accurately and prescribe medication. Pink eye should not be confused with eye damage which is quite different. The eye may cloud over as a result of a scratch or blow. Many consider that most eye problems are caused by a Vitamin A deficiency and many breeders have had success with treating eye problems using cod liver oil (Vitamin A). A couple of drops in the affected eye/s and a couple in the mouth or feed until the eye/s clear have been found to be quite effective in many instances.Persistent Cough
There are numerous reasons why goats may show this condition. Dry, dusty or mouldy hay; ammonia or other noxious fumes from bedding, etc; viral infections; CAE virus, pneumonia; lungworms; caseous lymphadenitis etc. It could therefore be something very simple or very serious. It is advisable to get your vet to assess, and preferable that they do this on-site so that they can identify any potential environmental causes.Grain Overload & Acidosis
These two diseases occur when goats ingest concentrated feeds, usually grains, in larger amounts than their rumen is accustomed to or can process in a timely manner. This can lead to rumen damage caused by the rapidly fermenting grain and subsequent increase in rumen acidity. To reduce risk, keep feed amounts consistent, gradually introduce new feeds into the diet, and store feeds, particularly grains, where goats cannot access them. Animals afflicted with this condition require prompt treatment and veterinary advice should be sought urgently if you do not know how to treat quickly yourself.Zoonotic Diseases
The majority of diseases that affect goat’s, do not affect humans however, proper sanitation and hand washing should always be practiced whenever treating or handling goats. There are a few diseases however, that can also affect humans. Pregnant women are more susceptible to a number of these and should take extra care.Sanitation
Good sanitation practices will go a long way toward preventing disease in both goats and humans. These practices could include amongst others:
* Always wash hands (10 second minimum) after handling or treating goats and again before eating or drinking;
* Keep goat, bird, cat, and dog faeces etc out of feed and water;
*Conduct effective rodent control programs;
* Immediately isolate and treat sick goats; and
* Isolate newly arrived goats until their health status is known.For further readings on goat diseases, click here
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Goat Handling & Transport
Goats form a distinct social order and stable social groups. Mixing different groups will lead to fighting as a new social structure is re-established. Some animals may be persistently and severely bullied. Whenever animals are moved or handled, their social grouping should be maintained where possible. If this is not possible, then care should be taken to prevent excessive fighting when new animals are introduced. Adding several goats to an established group is generally less stressful and more successful than the addition of an individual animal.
Goats are generally gregarious, inquisitive, and agile. Goats have long memories of both positive and negative experiences. These animals are responsive to handling by humans, and adapt well to routines. Whenever possible, goats should be habituated slowly to new routines. It is important that all handling experiences are as positive as possible. Rough handling will lead to vocalisation (bleating) and resistance. If goats baulk, avoid pressuring them, they should move ahead in their own time without too much delay. There is a tendency for some bucks to turn and fight rather than run away when pursued or threatened. Handlers should be aware that untame or frightened goats may be aggressive and could inflict injury with their hooves or horns (if you have them in your herd).
Goats have panoramic vision except for small area directly behind them. Therefore, animals should be approached from a direction other than the rear. If there is no alternative, a low, quiet voice will indicate to the animal that someone is approaching and will help prevent startling. Extremely excited animals can have elevated levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol that may increase susceptibility to disease or cause abortion in pregnant animals.
When animals are sold, every effort should be taken to minimise stress during handling and transportation. Transportation is inherently stressful, so keep handling and transport time to a minimum. Rough handling is never acceptable. Pneumonia, dehydration, starvation, abortion and death can result if handlers and transporters are not conscientious in planning and conducting transportation. Trips should be planned to minimise transport time, and avoid extreme temperatures. Both proper ventilation in hot weather and the avoidance of wind chill during cold weather are essential. Animals in late gestation should be transported only when necessary, and with extreme care, to protect both the doe and foetus.
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For further information on the Biology of the Goat, click here.
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All text and images contained herein are owned by and are copyright © 2003-6 Just Kiddin Mini Goats. None of the contents of this site may be reproduced or republished except where written permission is given by Just Kiddin Mini Goats. Information about Australian Miniature Goats has been gathered from personal experience, experiences of other Australian Miniature Goat breeders and members of the Australian Miniature Goat Association Inc (AMGA)
