What kind of goat do I have?

[Stacykins]

Thanks! I'll go look at his teeth later and I will worn him tonight. Is Safeguard okay to use?

Safeguard is safe but largely ineffective. Powerful parasite resistance to that drug from many years of misuse.

 

[sagealbright]

Thanks for the feedback! The vet came out Monday to check him out. Turns out he's only 4 months old so we can not castrate him yet. He had an upper respiratory infection, worms, and a fungus on his one leg. He was given antibiotics and a shot of wormer. Bet thinks he came from a large goat farm and they did not take care of him well due to the fact that he had all these issues. Vet is coming back next Monday to dehorn him. I didn't want to do it but he's head butting me so much already and I don't want him to continue to do that when he has bigger horns. He's become best friends with my bantam rooster and they actually sleep together now!

 

[GitaBooks]

Adorable picture!

 

[cassie]

There are a couple things you need to do ASAP. Worm him and then after he has been wormed, if he doesn't improve in condition have a fecal sample run to find out if the wormer you used was effective. A wormy goat often has a poor appetite. Pull down the lower eyelid and look at the color. It should be a dark pink. If it is pale pink or white it means he is anemic, and anemia is usually caused by worms. He needs to be castrated soon and he needs a shot of CD/T which is for enterotoxemia and tetanus. He doesn't look like he is a year old to me, and as others have said he looks undernourished. I don't know why that breeder told you he was a year old because his testicles are descended. The testicles should be descended at birth. That person needs to look more carefully at her own animals. There is a way to tell the approximate age of a goat by looking at their teeth. I saw a diagram how to do this in a book once, but I never learned how and I have never personally known anyone who did.



P

 

[cassie]

Thanks for the feedback! The vet came out Monday to check him out. Turns out he's only 4 months old so we can not castrate him yet. He had an upper respiratory infection, worms, and a fungus on his one leg. He was given antibiotics and a shot of wormer. Bet thinks he came from a large goat farm and they did not take care of him well due to the fact that he had all these issues. Vet is coming back next Monday to dehorn him. I didn't want to do it but he's head butting me so much already and I don't want him to continue to do that when he has bigger horns. He's become best friends with my bantam rooster and they actually sleep together now!

Why can't you castrate him at four months? Most people castrate pet goats earlier than that. He will reach puberty very soon. I have known bucks to be fertile at five months and some before that.

 

[sagealbright]

Why can't you castrate him at four months?  Most people castrate pet goats earlier than that.  He will reach puberty very soon.  I have known bucks to be fertile at five months and some before that.

Vet said it's too early to castrate him. He said if we do at this age the urethra won't grow as much and he can be at risk of stones.

 

[GitaBooks]

Vet said it's too early to castrate him. He said if we do at this age the urethra won't grow as much and he can be at risk of stones.

Yes, that is a risk. It is wise to wait if he is not mature enough.

 

[Stacykins]

There are a couple things you need to do ASAP. Worm him and then after he has been wormed, if he doesn't improve in condition have a fecal sample run to find out if the wormer you used was effective. A wormy goat often has a poor appetite. Pull down the lower eyelid and look at the color. It should be a dark pink. If it is pale pink or white it means he is anemic, and anemia is usually caused by worms. He needs to be castrated soon and he needs a shot of CD/T which is for enterotoxemia and tetanus. He doesn't look like he is a year old to me, and as others have said he looks undernourished. I don't know why that breeder told you he was a year old because his testicles are descended. The testicles should be descended at birth. That person needs to look more carefully at her own animals. There is a way to tell the approximate age of a goat by looking at their teeth. I saw a diagram how to do this in a book once, but I never learned how and I have never personally known anyone who did.



P

I agree. Anything that breeder says needs to be taken with a big grain of salt. As mentioned: testicles are present at birth. All teeth are also present at birth unless a kid is premature, the teeth just change in size and shape as the goat ages. So they don't really know goats very well, and you don't want to be taking that kind of information to heart. And to say his age is over one year? Yea, I am glad the vet confirmed his true age for you!

I am glad a vet saw him and is getting him back on the right path. He will need a goat buddy, the sooner the better. If you get him wethered soon (four months is plenty old for urethra development, even three months), then the companion can be a doe. If you don't get him wethered soon, the companion will need to be another male, since he is producing viable sperm at this age.

Horn removing will not stop the headbutting, though it will help keep him from getting caught in fences and whatnot. What WILL stop it is you not encouraging any headbudding behavior. Never push on his head, for instance. When he does headbutt, disipline him. A simple squirt of water deters most goats. If not, add a bit of vinegar to the water, then it really deters them. No head play at all, don't even scratch him on the top of his head. Only scratch him on his cheek or chin if you need to pet him on his head/face.

 

[cassie]

Vet said it's too early to castrate him. He said if we do at this age the urethra won't grow as much and he can be at risk of stones.

OK. But be aware of the fact that bucklings can impregnate does at less than five months of age. That isn't a problem if you don't have any female goats. In another month he may well start to smell, pee on his head, and do the other things bucks do. The fact that he has been undernourished may slow him down some though.

 

[sagealbright]

OK. But be aware of the fact that bucklings can impregnate does at less than five months of age. That isn't a problem if you don't have any female goats. In another month he may well start to smell, pee on his head, and do the other things bucks do. The fact that he has been undernourished may slow him down some though.

We do not have any females. Just him right now and looking into getting a friend for him. Right now he hangs out with the chickens. I hope he doesn't pee on himself anytime soon. That would not be fun.