Pygmy Goat Project

7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project

1/19

$1.25

4-H

Pygmy

Goat

Project

4 -H1130

/Reprinted

July

1987

OREGONSTATEUNIVERSITYEXTENSIONSERVICE


2/19

Contents

Your4-Hpygmygoatproject

Purpose

Advantages

Requirements

Opportunities

Activities

Learning

about

pygmygoats

Glossary

of

terms

Pygmygoatfacts

Caring

for

your

pygmy

goat

Fencing

Housing

Bedding

Feeding

Wethers

Bucks

Dryoes

Pregnantdoes

Milking

oes

Kids

Notes

onfeed

Breeding

Kidding

Tattooing

and

ear

taggingfor

identification

2

Tattooing 2

Ear

tagging

2

Castration 2

Elastration

2

Emasculatome 2

The

knife

3

Grooming

3

Use

chemicals

and

drugs

carefully 3

Hoof

triminng 3

Dehorning 3

Using

anelectric

dehorning

device3

Chemical

methods

of

dehorning

3

Dehorning

paste

3

Health

management

6

Internalparasites

6

Lice

6

Mange

6

Mastitis 6

Foot

ot 6

Brucellosis

7

Bloat

7

Diarrhea

7

Ketosis

7

Abcess

7

White

muscle

disease

7

Trainingand

showingyourgoat

8

Training 8

Fittingfor

show

8

Final

reparations 8

Showing 8

Yourown

grooming

8

Guidelinesfor

judging

pygmy

goats,

National

Pygmy

Goat

Associationnterspread(pages 10-11


3/19

Your

4-Hpygmy

goatproject

Purpose

a

4-H

pygmy

goat

proj-

ect

you

as

a

4-H

member

will:

earn

how

to

select

and

care

for

a

pygmygoat;

earn

responsibility

forhavingani-

malsofyour

own

to

carefor

regularly;

earn

the

importance

of

keeping

accurate

records;

earnabout

nature's

processes

by

caringforanimals;

and

earn

citizenship,

sportsmanship,

and

thevalue

ofcooperation.

Advantages

Pygmy

goats

make

ideal

4- H

projects:

hey're

inexpensive

to

buyandfeed.

hey'reeasy tohandleandtransport.

heyrequirerelativelyfewfacilities.

hey're

ideal

pets.

Requirements

Tohaveapygmygoatproject,these

aretheimportant

requirements:

oushouldfind

out

ifyoucan

legally

raise

a

pygmy

goatinyour

area.

You

should

own,

lease,

or

have

available

for

your

us eat

least

one

pygmy

goat.Ifyou

lose

youranimal

duringtheproject,

you

maycon-

tinueasa4-Hmember.Youcan

attend

meetings

and

tours,

partici-

pate

in

presentations

and

judging

contests,andget

credit

for your

record

book.

Youcanalsoobtain

anotherpygmygoat.

oushouldhavetimeeachday

to

care

for

your animal.

oushouldhaveashedorshelter

to

protectyouranimalfromtheweather.

ou

shouldberesponsible

for

feeding

and

caring

for your

pygmy

goatanddomostofthe

work

yourself.

You

shouldhave

suitablyfenced

pasture,

feed,andnecessary

equip-

ment.

oushouldkeepa

recordofyour

pygmy

goat

project

on

a

4-HAnimal

Science

Record,

4-H

lOOlROunior)

or

4-H

1 002 R (senior).

Opportunities

A sa

4-Hmember,

you

will

have

an

opportunity

to:

elongto

a

4-H

livestock

or

goat

club

withotherboys

and

girls;

ttend4-Htrainings andtours;

iv e

presentations

aboutpygmy

goats;

earn howtoidentifycrop plants,

grasses,

and

weeds;

xhibityourproject

animal

atafair;

earn

how

toselectlivestock

and

to

participate

in

judging

contests;

articipatein

shows

andcontests;

and

earn how

tokeep

meaningful

records.

Activities

If

possible,

use

your

ownmoneyto

payfor your

pygmy

goat

project.

If

you need

to

borrow

money,

make

a

businesslikearrangementwithyour

bankor

with

yourparents.Besure

to

meet

your obligations

when

they're

due.

Here

are

other

activities

you'll

take

partin :

ee paccurate,monthlyrecords

on

yourpygmy

goat.

Records

are

interestingand

can

be

fun

if

youus e

them

properly.

earn

the

parts

ofthe

pygmygoat

so

you

can

talk

aboutthem.

earn

ho w

to

feedpygmygoats

properlysotheywillremainhealthy.

earn

aboutdiseasesofpygmygoats

andkeepyouranimalsfree

of

parasites.

each

your

goatstolead

while

they're

young.

ekindto

your

animals.Teach

them

to

trust

andrespectyou.

Makeyouranimalscomfortable.Be

suretheyhaveshade,fresh

water,

salt,adry

place

toliedown,

and

freedom

from

flies,

lice,

and

other

pests.

Learning

about

pygmy

goats

gmy

goats

werefirst

imported

into

the

United

Statesin

1959,

and

they're

nowraisedmainlyas

petsorlaboratoryanimals.

Some

peoplemilkthem.

Pygmy

goats

aresmall,

compact

animals.

Their

legs,

neck,

and

head

are

relatively

short

inrelation

to

body

length.The

body

circumferencein

relation

to

height

and

weight

is

proportionallygreater

thanthatof

other

goats.

Pygmy

goatsarehardy,alert,and

playful.Theyhaveeventemperaments

and

love

company,

eitherhumanor

goat.

Goats

really

like

people,and

they

like

to

play.

Along

with

dogs,

they

are

believed

to

be

the

earliest

domesticated

animals.

They'll

followlikepuppies

and

cuddle

like

kittens.

But

don't

play

butt

gameswiththemthatwillteach

them

bad

habits.

Pygmygoatsenjoysomethingto

climband balance

on.They're

fun

to

watcheven

theadults

will

jump

aroundandscamper.Sittingoutsidein

asunnyspot

with

a

goat

friendcanbe

relaxingandenjoyable.

The

coatof

straight,

medium-length

hair

variesindensitywithseasonsand

climate.Femalesmaybebeardless.

Adultmales

should

display

abundant

hair

growth

with

full,

long,

and

flowing

beardand

a

large

mane

that

drapes

capelike

acrossthe

shoulders.

All

colorsareacceptable,but the

most

common

isagrizzled,saltand

pepperpattern

of

any

color.Common

colors

are

blue,agouti

(speckled),

black

agouti,

carmel,

and

white

agouti.

The

breed

specifications

require

that

the

muzzle,

forehead,

eyes,

andearsbe

accentedintoneslighter

than

thedark

portion

ofthe

body,

except

in

goats

that

are

solidblack.Front

and

rear

hoofs

and

stockings

are

dark,and

so

are

the

crown,

dorsalstripe,

and

martingale(see

figureand"Guidelines

for

judging

pygmygoats,"pages

10-11) .

The

headshouldbeshort

to

medium

inlength

with

aslightdishand

naturallyhorned;disbudding and

dehorningarerecommended.

The

femaleisconsideredmatureat

2 4monthsand the

male

at3 0months.

Atthattime,females

and

males

should

have

aminimum

heightof1 6inches.


4/19

t l

thurl

pinone

escutcheon

femur

rear

f I

uddera tta chm ent

frontannon

muz

Figure1.Theanatomyofthepygmygoat.


5/19

Glossary of

terms

Compare

this

list

with

figure1 .Th e

terms

that

are

printedin

italics

hereare

also

labeled

in

figure

1 .

Anteriorrontend (theoppositeof

posterior).

Barrel

id-section

of body;ribcage.

Blind

teatackingan opening.

Buckled

jointsxcessivelybentor bent inthe wrong direction.

Cannonront:legbonebetweenkneean d

pastern

joints.

Rear:

leg

bone

between

hock

an d

pastern

joints.

Chine

ackbone,

spine.

Cobby

hort-legged,

thick-set.

Crops

oreribs.

Crooked

facefacethatis

uneven

o r

crooked.

Dewclaw

heprojection ofthe legbehind

joint

of

cannon

an d

pastern.

Disbudding

emovalof horncells

beforehorndevelops.

Dorsal

ack.

Dorsal

stripe

inear

marking

along

spine.

Flankhe

portion

of

body wherethe barrelmeetsthe stifle.

Girth

beltight

marking

circling

the

barrel.

Heartgirthircumference ofchestmeasuredbehind the elbows.

Loin

he

part

of

the

back

from

the lastrib

to

the

hip.

Malocclusion

efective

contact

ofopposing

teeth

in

the

upper

an d

lower

jaws;

misalignment.

Martingaleideways

extension

of

the

dorsal

stripe;

cross-shaped

marking

(seen

from

above).

Mature

oes

at

2 4

months,

bucksat3 0

months.

Overshot

pperjaw projectsbeyondlower

jaw.

Lowerteeth

do

no t

contact

upper

dental

pad.

Pastern

he portionofth efootbetween thedewclaw

an d

thehoof

Pin

bone

he

posterior

point

ofthe pelvis.

Posterior

ituatedbehind

or

at

the

rear

of (theopposite

of

anterior).

Roman

nose

Convex profile.

Rump

pper

portion

of

the

rear.

Slab-sided

ong

an d

flat,

rather

than

well-arched,

ellipticalribcage.

Snipey

ong,narrow,pinched.

Stifle jointhe joint

between

the

femur

an d

the

tibia.

Undershot

ower

ja wprojectsbeyond upper.

Lowerteethdo no t

contact

upper.

Ventralertaining

to

the

belly

side;

lower.

Wattles

hort,

finger-shapedappendageson neckor

jaw;

optional

nonfunctional.

Wethercastrated

male

goat.

Withershe

highest

partoftheback,whereth eshoulderblades

almost

touch.

Wry tailcrooked tail.


6/19

Themaximumheightforthefemales

is

ll'A.

inches.

For

themales,it's

2 3 A

inches.

Disqualifying

defects

are:

naturally

polled,crooked

face;

Roman

nose;

multipleteatsin

bucks;

functional

rudimentary

teatsinbucks;bucks

with

onlyone

testicleorno

testicles;

evidence

of

inability

toreproduce;

evidence

of

hermaphroditism

(no

sex

organs);

permanent

lameness;

or

perma-

nent

totalblindness.

Pygmy

goatfacts

Gestation

period:

1 45

to

1 55

days

Estrusperiod:2to

3

days

Breeding

season:

August

to

mid-March

Number

o offspring:Average

of

2.1/kidding

Number

o front teeth:

eight

Caring

for

yourpygmy

goat

ats

are

lovable,

responsive

pets

thatwillbe easytocare

forif

you're

careful

withyour

man-

agementof

them.

If

you

don't

have

a

healthy goat,

you

won'tenjoy

your

animal.Healthy animalsproduce

kids

easily,

give

milk

willingly,

and

are

inexpensive,

efficientbrushcontrollers.

Fencing

Probably,most

goat

troubles

arise

from

inadequate

fencing

and

housing.

Making dowith

what

you

have

will

probably

work

withtiny

2-month-old

kids,

but

when

your

goats

get

bigger,

theycan

jump

or

climboversome

4-foot

fences Theycan

also

open

gates

anddoors

with

clever

us e

of

their

noses.

Tightly

strung,

4-foot-high

stock

fencing

is

recommended.

Woven

wire

is

better

ifyoucanaffordit.Thestock

fencingwith

6-inch

squares

is

prefera-

ble

to the

12-inchkind.

Electricfenceis

alsoeffective

(i n

somesituations,it's

less

expensive).

Don'tusebarbedwi r e

fence

ifyou

canpossiblyavoiditbecause

your

goats

will

ge t

tangledand

cutbadly.

If

you

have

a

predator

problem

with

loosedogs,

your

owndogs,

or

coyotes,

you'llneed

a

higher

fence,

withsome

of

it

underground.

Another

reason

for

good

fencing,in

addition

to

protecting your

goats,

is

to

keep

themfromquickly

destroying

yourfruittrees

and

rose

garden.

Loose

goats,

with

theirnonselective

browsing,

can

also

ruinyourrelations

with

your

neighbors

Youcanbuildgood

willbyallowing

your goattovisityourneighbors'

blackberry patch,if

they

request

it .

Alsotake timetoconsider

that

goats

liketo

reach

throughfences

to

eat.

Don't

putyour

fence

within2/2feet

of

any

valuableor

poisonousshrub-

bery.

Housing

Fenceyourgoatsproperly,andbe

sure

you

have

a

good

latchonthe

outside

of

thegate.Provide

for

shade

in

the

summer.

Theyalsoneed

a

dry

placeforsleeping,

eating,

andexer-

cising.

Formoderateclimates,a

three-sided

shed

that

facesnortheast

is

recom-

mended.Acanvasdropmaycover

the

open

side

in

bad

weather.

Barns

or

shedscan

face

south

ifthere

is

agood

w ay toclosethem.Anopeningtothe

south

canbeverynice

on

coldsunny

days.

Makesureyou

buildthe shed

so

that

therainrunsaway

from

thedoor.

Provide

for

adequate drainage.

Some

sheds

arebuilt

with

slanted

roofs

that

the

goatscanclimb

on.

Theylovetosit

on

the

roof

and

to

butt

each

other

off

whenthey'replaying.Make

the

roof

tallenough

for

adults

to

walk

under.

Bedding

Concrete

floors

are

expensive

but

ar

easytoclean.Goats

are

frequently

reared

on

slatted

wooden

floors.

Put

down

fresh

straw

orleavethe

haythatdropson

the

groundbut

make

surethe

surface

is

dry.

Ifyo u

have

aslatted

wooden

floor,

youcan

le tthisbuildup

during

the

winter.The

urine

and

droppings

filter

down

throughand

inthe

springtime,

you'll

have

a

supply

of

organic

fertilizer.

You'll

alsoneed

to

prepare

raised

woodenbeds

foryour goatstosleep

on.

Goats

can

ge thoof

problems

if

theyare

forced

to

stand

aroundon

w et

bedding.

Figure

2

shows

anarrangementthat

shouldwork

well.

Thecomposition

roofing

material

helpstowear

down

the

goats'hooves.This

in

turnhelps

to

avoidfrequent

trimmings.

Leading

your

goat

on

a

graveledroadalsohelp

to

weardown the

hooves.

Boardstowalkonarea

real

helpif

your

goats

have

churned

up

a

path

through

the

mud.Eveninalarge

pasture,goatswillcongregatein

favorite spots,

andthesecan

become

quite

muddy.

Try

feeding

them

at

variouslocationstoavoidthisproblem.

Aboardsidewalkfrom

the

gateto

the

shedis

an

improvement

over

slogging

through

deepmud

puddles.


7/19

Composition

roofing

material

o

climb

Canvas

laphat

olls

out

of

he

way

Rack

Bench

or

sleeping

n

Concrete

y Straw

bedding

Water

off

the

ground

composting

Figure2.A

plan

foragoatshed(suitableformoderateclimates).

Inside

the

goat

shed,

you

need

ahay

rack

thatgoatswon'tclimb

onyou

don't

want

droppings

in

the

food

or

kids

caughtandtangled Thereare

fancy

ones

available

from

catalogs

and

feed

stores.You

can

make asimple

hay

rack

by attachingstock

fencing

to

a

shippingpalletwiththe

center

boards

removed.

Nail

thisata

slight

angleto

the

side

ofthe shed.

Make

sure

to

attachthewire

so

that

thesmallest

squares

are atthe

bottom.

The

goatscanpull

the

hay

out

from

thisrackeasily,

andthechafffallsto

theground.

Whenyou've

built

your

rack,

drop

halfof

a40-pound,trace-mineralized

salt

block

inside

it.

This

way,

the

salt

staysdryand

sanitary.

Feeding

Goats

stay

healthy

onlyifthey'refe d

properly

for theirage,

sex,

and

individual

condition.

Basically,

pygmy

goats

can

live

quite well

on good

fine

grasshayand

some

grain

each

day.

In thesummer,

if

they

havebrowse

available,they

willeat

less

haybut

haymustalways

be

available.Fresh,

clean

water

mustalwaysbe

accessible.

Scruboutthewaterbuckets

frequently

to

prevent

scum.

Round,

galvanized,

steeldrippans

(thekindusedfor

oil)

make

great

goat

dishes.

They're sanitaryandindestruct-

ible.

A syou

do

with

the

water

buckets,

make

sure

you

wash

and

disinfectthe

feeddishes

often,

to

help

control

parasites

(worms).

Wethers.

Feed

them

carefullythey

can

developurinary

stones.

Givethem

balanced

rationsfor

calcium,phos-

phorus,

magnesium,

andprotein.

Bucks.

Your

bucks

can

alsodevelop

urinarystones.

Give

them

the

same

balanced

rationlisted

forwethers.If

youplantous eyour bucks

for

breeding,they'll

need

extra

food

becausethey're

burning

up

a

lot

of

fuel.

Theyneed

anaverageof2cups

alfalfapellets

aday,depending

upon

thesizeandactivitylevelof

the

buck.

Dry

does.Feed

them

the

same

balanced

ration

you

give

your

wethers

and

bucks.

Doe saresmaller

and

probably

don't

need

the

amount

of

foodthatthebucks

do.

Startwith2

cups

and

work

from

there.Over-

conditioned

(fat) does

havedifficulty

gettingpregnant

anddifficultyin

delivering

kids.

Pregnant

does.Don'toverfeed

thembutbe suretheirfeed

contains

approximately

1 6 %

protein.

Milking

does.

They

need

twice

the

amount

of

feed

thatyou

give

your

pregnantdoes.

Theyalsoneed

access

to

increasedamountsof

water.

Kidswillbe gettingmost

of

their

nourishmentfrom theirmothers

for

about

the

first 2

months

of

life.

They'll

start

nibbling

hay

and

grain

from

mothers'feed

dishes

at

aboutweek

of

age.

Youcanwean

goats

from their

mothers(orbottles)at

about

1 0

weeks

of

age.


8/19

Notes

on

feed.Feedyour

goats

yard

trimmings,such

astreeprunings

(apple,pear,

cherry),

cornstalks,

plums,

roses.

Goatsthriveon

blackberries.

Do

not

feed

azalea,

rhododendron,

or

laurel

they're

poisonous.

Tansy

ragwort

is

also

poisonous

togoats.

Usually,

they

won't

eat

it

unless

nothing

else

isavailable.

Controlling

it

in

your

pens

andpasture is

the

best

w ay

to

avoid

this

potential

problem.

Breeding

Keepabreedingrecordoneverydoe.

Theserecordscanhelpyou

plan

ahead

for

thekiddingdates

and

anyspecial

feeding

or

management

needed

at

this

time.It

is

also

important

to

record

any

abnormal

heat

periods

or

other

special

conditions

associated

with

reproduction.

Does

are

usually

bred at

7

to

1 0

months

of

age.

Earlier

breedingwill

stunttheanimals'growth,and

itmight

interfere

with

normal

development

of

their

fetuses.

The

normal

breedingseason

for

the

pygmy

goat

is

from late

Augustto

mid-March.Goatsare

seasonalbreed-

ers

and

usually

won't

breed

at

other

times.

Estrusisthe

period

whenthedoewill

receivethebuck.Usuallythis

period

lasts

2

to3

days

and

is

characterized

by

uneasiness,ridingotheranimals,or

standingforriding,

shaking

ofthetail,

frequenturination,

and

bleating.Con-

ception

isusuallymoresuccessfulon

the

second

day

ofestrus.

The gestation period

is

the

period

from

breeding

to

kidding.

Normally,

thisperiod

is

from

1 45

to

1 55

days.

It's

common

for

a

doeto

have

two

kids.

Some

does

have

three or

fourat

onetime.

Kidding

About1 50 daysafter

breeding,

the

doewillbeready

to

haveheryoung.

The

udder

will

contain

milk3

to

4days

before

kidding,

and

sometimes

earlier.

Ifthe

udder

becomes

painful

to

the

doe,she

may

be

milked.

The

first

milkafterkidding(called

colostrum)

contains

nutrients

needed

for cleaningout

the

digestive

tract

and

VitaminAtobuildresistances.It

developsantibodies

against

disease,

anditcontains

the

necessaryenergyto

givetheyoung

a

good

start.

Prepareyour

kidding

penbyclean-

ing

and

disinfecting.Usefinebedding

so

the

kidswill

notbecomeentangled.

Keep

water

pails

highenough

offthe

floorsothe

kids

willnot bedroppedin

wateranddrown.

Thedaybefore

kidding,

substitute

partofthe

grainwitha

warmw etbran

mash.

This

islaxative

and

will

clean

out

her

digestive

tract,

thus

making

less

competition

for

the room

in

the

vaginal

area.Penthe

animal

and

leave

her

alone.(See

figure

3 .)

Symptoms

of

kidding

are

uneasiness,

bleating,

pawing,

etc.

Afterthemu-

cous

dischargelubricatesthepassage

and

theplacental

sa c

breaks,

the

kids

areusuallyborn

withinanhour.Check

thedoeat

half-hourintervalsandgive

hereverychancetokidwithout

assistance.

Ifs hestrainsfor

over

anhour

and

a

halfwith

little

success,sometimesit

helps

to

place

bedding

orasackhalf

filledwithsawdust

under

her

hind

legs

or

rear

en d

(if

s he

is

lyingdown),

so

he

front

end

is

downhill.

This

may

help

kids

toge tproperly

linedup

for

presentation.

(This

text

continues

on

page12.


9/19

l

sr

STAGE

THE

CERVIX \S

DILATING

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AT

HIP

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FLANK

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DISCHARGE

FULLUDDER

FLUIDILLED

MEMBRANE

PROTRUDES

Noisr

RESTLESS

v

THEKID

J S

N

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^

BIRTH

ANAL

4*

MEMBRAMt

*3\)

THE

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LIPS

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K

^THE

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SHOVCDtvKSe

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OLOtTKuM

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(SR

totTHiM

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TWO

Figure

3.Thebirth

of

a

pygmy

goat.


10/19

uidelines for judgingpygmy goats

Does

ucks

PGA

BREED

STANDARD

DEAL

TRAITS

GENERAL

APPEARANCE:44

ALANCED

wel l -b lended,

howing

style

PROPORTIONStypically

cobby:

wide

in

elationtolength&height

Body

MEASUREMENTS

meet

specificationsforag egroup

CONDITIONptimalfo rag ean df rameofanimal; EALTH

PERFECT

GeneticallyORNEDdisbudding

ermitted)

H E A D

&EXPRESSION:

0

2

XPRESSION

lert,

nimated

H E A Dypey,

medium

hort;

rofiledished

MUZZLE

broad,full,ounded;os e

short,

wide,

f lat

JAWSbroad,trong,wellmuscled,symmetricallyaligned

BITEven: neitherover-

or

undershot

EYESbright,

et

well

part,

rominent

bu t

otprotruding

EARS

irm,

medium

ized,

lertly

erect

COAT: OAT

dense,ai r

straight;

medium

ong;

bundan t

n

ucks

BREED

MARKINGS:

2

REEDSPECIFIC

MARKINGS

dist inct: lightaccentsonmuzzle,forehe

ears,

around

eyes

an d

tail;

contrasting

dark

crown,

dorsal

str ipe,

canno

hocks,

oofs

OPTIONAL

MARKINGS:

lightgirth

areas

ar eacceptable

NECK: ECKstrong,ull - throated,

muscular,

ound,blendingwell

ntowithers

S HOUL D ER S :

HOUL D ER S

well

aidbackan dangulated,ladesfirmlyattached

WI THER S

nearly

level

withspine

CHES T:

0

0

H E S Tfloor

wide;forechestprominent;

eart

GIRTH

arge,

fullat

elbow

RIBSong,wellsprung,wideapart

BARREL:ARRELsymmetrical,

road,eep,wideningtowardslow-setflanks

BACK: ACK

strong,

road,traight;

evel

along

chinean doin

RUMP: UMP

medium

long,

medium

wide,

eitherlevelor

steep

H I P S

wide,

earlylevelwith

ac k

T H U R L S

ig h

an dwideapart;

PINBONESwellapart,prominent

TAILsymmetrical,etan dcarried

high

LEGS&FEET:

0

2

EG Sstrong,well

muscled,

wide

apart,

squarely

se t

FORELEGS

straight,

CANNONBONE

short;

elbows

close

toibs

HINDLEGS

well

angulated,

short-hocked,

parallel

an d

aligned

with

hips;

fem

an d

tibia

long,

wellmuscled;stifle

joint

pronounced

PASTERNSshort,strong,esi l ient

FEETwellshaped,ymmetrical;

eels

deep,

oles

level

GAITsmooth,alanced,ground-coveringan deffort less

REPRODUCTIVESYSTEM,

BUCKS:

ESTICLESormal,qual

n

ize;

oth

fully

descended

M AM M AR YSYSTEM,BUCKS: EATS: Tw osingle,ormal,on-functional,

evoidfmultiple

orifices;re efdeformities

MAMMARY

SYSTEM,

DOES:

12

EATS: cylindrical,symmetricallyshaped an dplaced,milkable,function

free

fdeformities

nd

obstructions

devoidofmultipleorifices

UDDERfunctional,

alanced,i rm,lastic,

ounded,mall

to

medium

sized,

well

attached: highinrear,

well

forwardnfront

BUCKS&DOES:EX

CHARACTERISTICS

ronounced,eithermasculineorfeminine

100

100

10


11/19

Pygmy

Goat

Association

TRAITS

of

size

hornlessness

REASONING EVALUATION

OF

FAULTS

RANGING

FROMMODERATE

TO

VERY

SERIOU

Consider

degree

of

deviat ionfromobby

(compact)

type;

ls o

se e

NECK

Se e

BREED

STANDARD

ODY

MEASUREMENTSchart

Evaluate

extent

of

over-

or

under-conditioning

Check

coat

an d

skin

condition,apparent

ealth;

ernias

areser iousto

very

ser iousfault

Polledairsproducehighpercentage

ofhermaphroditesan dnfertilemales

os e

crooked

malocclusion

l indness

pendulous,

helicopter

See:

EYES;

EARS;

EALTH

Long

or

level

ead

is

nottrue

toPygmy

type

ser ious

fault

Scant,snipeyforefaceis

notharmoniouswithreedtype

Weak,

misalignedj ws

ar e

poor

feedprocessors;check

generalcondition

In

ids:

undershotbites

are

common

oderatefault;

overshotbites

(rare)

ery ser ious

In

dults:

misalignmentisa

ser ious

fault;

noticeablyover-undershotery

ser ious

Eyesprotruding,rse ttoofarapart

(orto o

close)

veryser iously

disturb

facial

alance

Earshape,ize,ndcarriage

greatlycontribute

to

overal lalert

appearance

distinct,

reed-

markings

Coat

too

short

an dsparseprovidespoor

insulat ion

moderate

fault;ee

EALTH

Coat

too

long,

urly,r

silky

veryser iously

contradicts

breed

type

Weak

ormissingmarkings,r

markingsotherthan

thosespecif ied,detractfromPygmytype

an dm aychallenge

breed

denti ty:valuate

extent

ofdetractionas

ser ious,very

ser ious

or

disqual i fying

cannonoversized

todisplay

tw o

normal,

descended

testicles

and/or functional teats

orifices

teats

blind teats

teats

blind

udder

Weak,

thin

eck

veryser iously

detracts

fromstrong,alancedoutline

Poorly

articulated,oorly

placedshoulders

ser iously

handicap

locomotion

an dstamina

H igh

withers

ca n

mean

oo r

shoulderlayback

an d

attachment

oderate

to

ser ious

fault

Pinched,lab-sided,

hallow

chest,

confined

y

Ribsthat

ar eshortan d

close

ser iouslylimitheart

an dungcapacity/size,

.e.,

ongevity;

ribs

overly

sprungser iouslyhandicapmobility/agility

Disproportionately

narrow,

hallowbarrelser iouslyreduces

capacity;

an

overlyrotundbarrelca ne

a

ser ious

burden

forth e

animal

Aweak,

wayed,

rreachedac k

ser iously

correlates

with

early

aging;revents

efficient

mo

R u m pto o

short

an d

steep,

rto o

long,

means

less

than

optimalelvic

structure;

erious

Steep,

arrow

hips

an d

closely

spaced

thurls

ser iously

reduce

pelvic

basin

capacity

for

delivering

kids

Wry,

r

broken

tail

s

a

moderate ,mainlycosmetic

fault

Consideredseparately

an ds

a

totalassembly:ny

unsoundcomponent

ofl imbs

ca nser iou

affect

activity

level,grazing/browsing,

breeding/carryingability,keletal

ormali tyan d

gait,eneral

ealth

an dongevity.

eg

shape,

lacement,

muscling,ngulat ion;footshape

an dsymmetry,esiliency

of

pasterns,healthy

joints,

ll

contribute

to

th e

appearance,

agility,endurance,ndbalance

of

a

well-built

animal.

Unbalanced,nefficient,abored,

rstiff

locomotion

strains

th e

entire

system

an d

s

very

ser iously

penalized

Cryptorchidism

s

an

nherited

trait

Deviations

from

ormal

et

ofteats

m ay

causeproblemsinan dmilkingan d

id

earing;

fault

small,lose,neven

teatsmoderately;multipleteatsan dmultiple

orifices

seriously

Poorly

attached

udder

breaks

down;

pendulous,

umpy ,

unbalancedudder

ca n

cause

ser ious

healthproblems(mastitis)

an d

ronenesstoinjury

1 1


12/19

Most

kidswillbe bornwithout

assistance.

The

normal

position

is

for

the

head

to

be

on

the

frontlegs.

Sometimes

the

hind

endcomesfirst.If

the

head

is

back,

or

one

or

bothfront

legsaredown,

youwill

needtohelp.

Ifyouassist,tiethe doe'sheadtoa

wall

ring

or

place

the

neckin

a

stanchion.Washyour armsandhands

withwarm,soapy

water

containing a

mild

disinfectant.

Besure

your

finger-

nails

areshort.Insert

your

hand

and

explorethe

position

of

the

kids.

Don'tpullon

anything until

the

doe

strainsandbe carefulthatyou

know

what

you'repulling

on.

Be

gentle.

Guide

thefront

legs

and

head

toward

thepassageand

let

naturetake

its

course.

Sometimes,old

goats

oranimals

in

highconditionseemtoactasthough

they

are

about

to

kid,

but

they

don't.

Assist

themby elevatingthefront

feet.

Iftheydon't

kid,

cleanse

your

hand

and

check

the birth

canal.

If

your

hand

can enter,thedoeshould

kid.

Some-

times

the

cervixdoesnot

dilate,

and

a

veterinarian's

assistanceis

necessary.

The

afterbirth

willusually

be

passed

in3 0minutesto4hoursafterthekids

areborn.Ifthis

does

not

happen

within6hours,

call

your

veterinarian.

It'sgood

practicetodipthenavels

of

newborn

kidsin

a

dilute(7%)

iodine

solution.

Keepthissolutionina

large-mouth

jar

so

thatyoucandip

the

cord clearto

thekid'sbelly.

This

prevents

undesirable

organisms

from

enteringthekidthrough

the

cord

shortly

after

birth.

After

kiddingisover,

the doewill

appreciate apail

of

warmwaterto

replace

lostbody

fluids.

Allow

herto

rest.When

sh e

ishungry,

give

herhay

andabout

V i

to A

of

herusual

grain

feedwarm

bran

mash

is

preferred.

Watch

herclosely.Increasethe grain

slowlyassh ecan

handle

it.Itwill

usuallytake your

doe

2

weeks

to

get

backonfullfeed.

Tattooingand

ear

tagging

foridentification

Be

sureyour

animals

areproperly

marked

foreasyidentificationboth

at

home

and

atshows.If

you

depend

on

recordsbased

onnames

(with

no

w ay

to

tiethe namesto the records in

a

positive

manner),

you

maylose

some

sales.

Never

buy

purebred

goats

from

a

breeder

who

doesn'thave

positive

identification

on

the

animals.

He

or

sh e

may

be

careless

with

pedigrees,

too.

Tattooing.

For

identification,goats

ordinarilyare

tattooed

inoneearorthe

soft

tissue

alongside

the

tail.Tattooing

is

done

with

an

instrument

you

can

buy

fromlivestock

supplyhouses.Itlooks

likeapair

of

pliers,

and

you

insert

numbers

or

letters

into

it.

Each

number

isoutlined withsharp,needlelike

projections.

Beforetattooingyouranimal,

prac-

ticeby"tattooing"

a

piece

of

paper or

cardboardtobe

sure

you

print

the

correct

number.Then

us e

aclothto

clean

the

area

to

be tattooed(for

example,

the

ear).Print

the cleaned

area withthenumberand

rub

tattoo

in k

into

the

holeswith

your

finger.

Ear

tagging.Most

goat

owners

don't

us eeartags

foridentifyingtheir

animals.

They've

seen

a

valuable

but

inquisitive

animal

catch

the

tagon

a

fence

orbrush

and

rip

the

ear,

thus

disfiguring

it.

If

youdo tag your goats

onthe ear,

be

careful

to

placethetagaboutinch

from

the

head,

on

the

topof

the ear,

whereitcaneasilybe read.Useeither

an

ear

punch

or aself-piercing

tagpreferably

the ear

punch

because

thereis

moreroom

around

the tag after

healing,

so

the

ear

is

notso

sensitive.

Castration

If

you

have

buck

kids

that

you

don't

planto

keep

for

breeding,

don't

let

them

run with

the

herd

beyond2

to

4

months

ofage.

Well-fed

animals

matureearly,

and

theymaybreed

the

young

females.

If

you

haveolder

bucksthat

you

plan

to

use

for

meat

purposes,castrate

them

at

an

earlyageor

there

will

bea

taint

tothe meat,

and

the

meat willbe

less

tender.

Theearlier

the

male

kids

are

castrated,

the

lessshockto

the

animal.

Get

the

job

done

as

soon

as

the

testicles

descend

intothescrotum.This

may

vary

from 7

daysto3 weeks

of

age.

When

you

plan

to

usecutting

instruments

or

the

elastrator,dothe

job

before

fly

season

and

preferably

beforewarmweathersets

in .Animals

to

becastrated

with

acutting

instru-

ment

should

not

be

excited(their

hearts

beat

faster,

andtheremaybemore

bleeding).

The

instruments

for

castration,

other than

the

knife,

cost

from

$16.50

to

$30.00.Check

to

see

if

your

club

could

ownthese

instruments

jointly

andlendthemout

asneeded.

This

wouldsaveeverybodymoney.

Elastration.Theelastrator

is

an

instrument

thatlooks

like

a

pair

of

pliers.Itexpands

aspecialrubberring

so

you

canplaceitaround

the

scrotum

above

the

testicles.

Sit

down

and

hold

the

kidonyour

knees.

Push

the

testiclesinto

the

scrotum bypressingonthebellywall

with

your

left

hand

and

slide

the

hand

toward

the

scrotum.

Withyour

right

hand,expand

thering,

slip

itoverthe

testicles,butbelow

the

rudimentary

teats.

Be

sure

bothtesticles

are present

beforeyoureleasethe ring.Glandswill

dropoffin10

days

or

2

weeks.The

animal

will

show

discomfort

for

about

an

hour.This

is

abloodlessoperation.

Emasculatome.Thisis

aheavy,

long-handled,cord-crushinginstrument.

Place

it

above

each

testicle,

but

below

the

rudimentary teats.Crush eachcord

separately

and

leave

the

instrumenton

1 0to15

seconds.

Do

the second

cord

below

the

firstone.Thescrotum

or

sa c

remainsonthe

animal,

buttesticles

dry

up

becausethe blood

supply

doesn't

get

totheglands.

This

is

abloodlessoperation.It's

safeto

us einflyseason,

and

the

animal

will

showlessshockthanwith

the

us e

of

theelastrator.

Youcan

us e

thisinstrumentonold

animals,

but

they

will

show

more

shock

thanyounger

animals

(their

cords

and

bloodsupply

are

furtherdeveloped).

There may

besomeanimalsthatdon't

actually

ge tcastratedunlessyouus e

greatcarewith

the

instrument

doublecheck

a

few

weeks

later.

12


13/19

Theknife.Thisisthesurestmethod,

butitinvolvesasmallamountof

blood.

There

seems

to

be

less

shock

whe naknifeisused.Sanitize

the

lower

'/ aof

the

scrotum

and

the

knife

with

a

milddisinfectant.

Havesomeonesitdown

and

holdthe

ki d

on

the

knees.

Hold

the

ki donits

back,

with

the

legssecuredby

the

handsof

the

holder.

You

cut

off

the

lower

/3

of

thescrotum,exposingthe

two

testicles.

With

disinfected

hands,

draw

each

testicleoutslowly,

cord

andall.If

the

animal

is

older

than

a

month,scrape

the

cord

with

adullknifeuntilitis

severed.

There

willbe

several

dropsof

blood.

If

theanimal

isyoung,placeit

back

with

itsmotherinaclean,

well-bedded

pento

prevent

infection

andpossiblytetanus.

Youcan use

the

knife

on

mature

bucks,

too.Butdon't scrapethecord

off

with

themuseinstead

an

instru-

ment

called

the

emasculator,

which

has

acrushingedgeon

the

uppersideofi ts

blade

anda

cutting

edgeon

the

lower

side.The

crushing

pinchesoff

the

bloodvesselsso

there

is

lessbleeding.

Don'tus eaknifeduringthefly

season

and

don't us ea

knife

unlessyou

practice

goodsanitation.

Because

there

ismorebleeding

with

older

animals,

it's

safer

to

get

aveterinarian to

do

their castration.

Grooming

Well

fed,

properly

housed

goats

needtobegroomed.Goodgrooming

includes

brushing

frequently

with

a

reallystiffdogbrush.Abath

during

warm

weather

helps

to

controlfleas

andlice.Animalswithaheavy

infestation

of

lice

will

becomeun-

healthyand

anemic.

Theirresistanceto

other

infections

willbelowered,

and

their

coatswilllook

awful.

For surerprotectionagainstlice,

powder

your

animalstwicea

year

(fall

andspring)

with

alivestockdust

that

has

either

Sevin

or

Malathion

as

the

activeingredient.Startsprinkling

behind

the

ears,

along

the

backbone to

thetail.Workitinwith

yourbrush

and

le tgravitydo

the

rest.

Use

chemicals

and

drugs

carefully

Ifyou

us echemicals

and

drugsto

keep

your

animals

healthy,

be

sureto

us ethemcarefully.Usethesematerials

only

under

the

supervision

of

an

experiencedadultora

veterinarian.

Always

read

the

label

and

carefully

follow

the

directions.

Dehorning

Hooftrimming

Goats'

hoovesgrow

rapidly.

They

can

becomebent,cracked,

or

infected

andeventually

crippleyouranimal

unless

you

trim

them

properly.

Do

this

aboutonceevery3months.

The toolthatyou

us eisuptoyou.

Youmayus ea

utility

knife.Some

people

like

small

pruning

shears.

A

smallhand

plane

will

help

keep

the

hooves

level.

Stopwhenyouseepink

Useiodinefor

minor cuts.

Figure

4

shows

asideview

and

a

bottom

view

of

acorrectly trimmed

hoof.

Manykids

can

be dehornedat

about

week

old.

Don't

waituntil

a

solid

hornisevident,

or

treatingmaystunt

horn

growth

and

produce a

disfigured

horn.Getthe

job

done

before the

fly

season

starts.

Mature goatscan

be

dehorned,but

thisisprobablyajobfora

veterinarian,

whocan

us e

nerve

blocks

so

the

animal

will

not

suffer.

Usually

a

small

wire

sa w

is

used.

The

bleeding

is

reduced

becausethe

saw

blade closes

off

and

crushestheends

of

thebloodvessels.

Pine

tar

willhelpdisinfecttheareaand

keeptheflies

away.Youcan

use

specialelastrator

bands

to

dehorn

goats.

Usinganelectricdehorning

device.

The

end

oftheelectrically

heated

dehornershould

be

fromV t

inchto

inch

in

diameterpreferably

inch

for

malekids.

Plug

the iron

in

and

heat

it

to

a

cherry

red.

Restrain

the

ki d

and

apply

the

iron to

the

horn

spot

for

10

to

1 5

seconds

or

untilthe areais

a

copper

red.

This

should

destroy

the

horn

cells.

Apply petroleum

jelly

to

the

spot

and

release

the

animal.

Chemicalmethodsofdehorning.

You

can

purchase

potassium

hydroxide

ina

stick

form

atthe

drug

store.

Do

not

letchildrenhandle thismaterial,

and

do

notstore i twhe rechildrenc an

handle

i t

serious

burns

ar e

possible.

First,

cut the hair

from

around

the

horn

area.

Wrap

paper around

the

caustic

stick

to

protect your

hands.

Dampen the stickby

dipping

the tipin

water.

Restrain

the

animal

and

apply

the causticstickwitha

circular

motion

until

the

horntissue

is

burned

off

ina

circle

about

inchindiameter.

Usually,

the

area willappear

pinkish

white.

There

maybe

drainage

from

the

area,so

putpetroleum

jelly

around

the

burned

spot

and

downtheside

of

the

head

so

the

face

will

not

be

burned.

Pen these

goats

separately

fora

day

or

so

after

the

operationor

they

may

burneachotherwiththecausticon

their treated

areas.

Don't

let

these

treated

goats

nursetheir

mothers

theycaneasilyburn

their

mothers'

udders

Dehorningpaste.You

can

buythis

pastefromlivestock

supply

houses.It's

probably

safer to

us e

than

the

potas-

sium

hydroxide

stick

mentioned

in

the

previous

section.

Here again,

keepthe

treated

animal

separate

from

others

for

aday

or

two.

13


14/19

TOOLS...

foot

ot

shears

or

pruning

shears

and

utility

knife

ANATOMY...

-TOE

WALL

SOLE

.HEEL

LEVEL/rhomboidi

hape

H O O F

fd

ewe

law

xoronary

band*

TRIM

WALLS

TRIM

H E E L S

OVERGROWN

J

I

TRIM

EXCESS

H O O F

GROWTH

ifhe

hoofs

are

rimmed

regularly

the

ob

s

much

easier

if

he

goat

bleeds

se

some

iodine

andmake

surehe

animal s

tetanus

ooster

is

p

odate

PROPER TRIM

Figure

4.Thebasicsofhooftrimming

(above).

Ontheopposite

page,goodrestrainingprocedures

to

use

while

you're

trimminghooves.

14


15/19

A

BENCH

ITH

TWO

YE

BOLTSALLOWS

YOU

T O

SIT

ANDSWITCH

-OR

YOU

CAN...

HAVEARIEND

HELP

QUEEZEAGAINST AWALL

USEA

MILKING

STANCHION STRADDLEO

OREAR

15


16/19

Health

management

evention

is

thesingle

most

important

issue

regarding

the

health

care

of

your

pygmygoat.

Bealert to theoverallhealth

of

your

animals.

Signs

ofgood

health

include

a

glossyhair coat,

upright

ears,

bright

eyes,

a

good

appetite,

firm

droppings

andan active,

alert,

and

attentive

disposition.

If

you

see

any

serious

change,

giveit

immediate

attention.

It'sa

good

practice to

isolatene w

and

returninganimals

from

the

restof

the

herd

for

a

minimumof

week.

Thiswill

prevent

thespreadofpossible

disease.

Safety

in

your

pens,

barns,

andpastureswill

prevent

injuries

anda

possiblecallto

the veterinarian.

Clean

uptheclutter,

trash,brokenobjects,

rotten

wood,etc.,

from

the

area where

your

goats

live.

Beyond

thesemeasures,

correct

feeding

will

certainly

be the

most

important

stepto

good

goat

health.Be

sure

your

animals

have:

n

ample

supplyof

good,clean

water,

ccessto

minerals,and

roperamountsof

grain

and

rough-

ag e(a sindicated

in

thesectionon

feeding,

page

7 ).

Be

sureto

keep

good

health

records

on

each

animal.Include

dates,

problems,

corrective

action,

and

results.

Internal

parasites

The

first

signs

of

parasitic

infection

are generalunthriftiness,

arundown

condition,

and

a

rough

hair

coat.

Watch

for theseothersigns:

loss

of

weight,

poor

appetite

(or

none

at

all),

diarrhea

(often

present),

andthe

variousstages

of

anemia

(paleness

of

the

lipsand tongue,mucous

membrane

aroundtheeye).

Take a

sampleof

droppings

from

each

goat

to

yourveterinarian

for

examination,

to

determine the

type

and

degree

of

infestation.Treat

according

toyour

veterinarian's

recommendations.

There

areseveral

good

wormers

on

the markettocontrolinternal

para-

sitesespeciallyworms.

Make

sure

the

wormer

you

useis

approved

for

pygmy

goats.

A

regular,continuing

program to

prevent internal

parasites

will

paybigdividends.

Lice

Therearetwotypes,

those that

attach

themselves

to

the

skin

and

suck

theblood,andbitinglicethatliveon

scales,

hair

fibers,

and

skin

debris.

Lice

spendtheir entire life

cycle

on

thegoat.

You

can

treat

affected

animals

for

liceby

either

spraying

or

dusting

spraying

is

more

effective(readagain

the

section

on

grooming,

page

13 ) .

There

is

also

an

injectable

product

available

on

prescription

from

your

veterinarian.

Mange

A

minute,spindle-shaped

mite

is

responsible

foradiseasetermed

demodetic

mange

in

goats.The

mites

livedeep

intheskinwhere

they

give

rise

to

soft

oval

blebs,

whichrange

from

inch

to

inch

indiameter.

These

are

usually

smooth-surfaced,

but

theymay

rupture.

If

they

do,

bacteria

caninvade

the

skin,causing

a

secondary

infection

that

produces

small

abscesses.

Blebs

are

most com-

monly

found

under

the

legs,butthey

may

occur

along

the neck,

legs,

face,

or

flanks.

Serious

symptoms

arerarely

present

beforeyearof

age.

As

soon

as

you

note these

blebs,

cut

them

carefully

incross

patternwitha

sharpknife,

squeeze

out

the

contents,

and

paintthe cavitywith

Formalin

or

iodine.

Such

treatment

doesn't

guarantee

a

cure.

However,

it

prevents

an

increase

in

the

sizeof

the

incised

blebs,

and

it

maycut

down the

number

of

mites

that

transfer

to

other

animals.

Fortunately,

demodetic

mange

poses

no

special

economic

threat.

Mastitis

This

inflammation

of

the udder

is

caused

byvarious

typesofbacteria.

Contributing

factors

include

failure

to

keep

bedding

clean,

bruises

from

nursing

kids,cuts

orscratchesonthe

udder

or

teats,or

infectious

discharges

fromtheuterus thatmayrundown

over

the

bag.

The

first

symptoms

you

noticemight

be

a

doe's

straddling

walk

and

failure

ofthe

ki d

to

nurse.

The

udderis

usuallyhard,

hot,

and

swollen,

and

you

mayseeflecksorclotsin themilk.

Isolatethe

animalfrom

the

herd

and

applyhotpacks.Use towels

soaked

in

epsomsalts,

as

hot

as

your

hand

can

stand.Repeatthis

fourto

fivetimes

a

day.

After

soaking,carefully

drythe

udderandthenmilkitout.Next,

gentlymassage

the

udderwith

camphor-

ated

oil.Callyourveterinarian.Heor

sh e

mayalso

suggest

infusing

the

udder

with

antibiotics.

Foot

rot

Thisis

infrequentingoats.But

it

may

occurinanimalsthatspend

much

of

their

timeinwet,

unsanitaryyards

or

barnsor

that

stand

in

w et

bedding

constantly.

Thefirst

symptoms

you'll

notewill

be

lameness,thenaswelling

ofthefoot,

which

becomes

hottothe

touch.

In

treating,

pare

awayal l

dead

tissue

with

a

knife

and

soak

the

foot

in

an

appropriatedisinfectant.Bacteria

are

usuallyinvolved,

andyour veterinarian

may

recommend

theuseofoneof

the

broad-spectrumantibioticsasasupple-

mentary

treatment.

1 6


17/19

Brucellosis

This

infection

ingoatsiscausedby

the

germ,

Brucella

melitensis.

The

symptomsare

abortion,

lameness,

inflammation of

the

udder,

and

reduced

milkflow.

Test

al l

your goats

for thisinfectionitcancausea

serious

diseasein

humans

called

undulant

fever.

Ahuman

can

contract

the

disease

not

only

from

the unpasteurized

milk,

but

also

fromassistingat

kiddingtime

ifthediseaseis

present.

The

organism

cangainentrance

through

a

break

in

theskin.

Followstate

and

local

regulations

aboutpasteurizingmilk.Therehave

beenveryfew casesof

thisdiseasein

recent

yearsin

goatsin

the

United

States,butit'swiseto

blood-test

your

goats,

anyway.

Bloat

Bloatingis

an

accumulation of

excessive

amountsof

gas

in

the

rumen.

Thismayresultfromovereating

tender,

young,high-moisture-content

legumepastureor eating lush,

green

forage

that

isstillw etwithdew.

Occasionally

bloating

may

follow

the

chokingcaused

by eating

apples,

corncobs,

or

the

like.

Bloat

causes

a

swellingin

the triangle

formedby

theleft

hip

bone,

the end

of

the

ribcage,and thetopof

the

loin.

Theanimal

willshowdistress,

lying

downandrising,kickingat the

abdomen,

slobbering,

and

grunting.

You

can

prevent

bloat

by

making

sure

that

youranimals

haveagood

feedof

dry

hay

before

you

turn

them

outonamoist,

youngpasture.Usea

grass-legumepasture

rather

than

straight

legumes.

You

needyour veterinarian

forthis

treatment,whichintroduces anti-

ferments

through

a

stomach

tube

or

drench.

Animalsdievery

suddenly

withbloatdon'twait

before

you

call

for

assistance

Diarrhea

In

kids,

bacterial

scours

occur

usually

during

the

firstfew

days

of

life.

Itmayresult

fromchilling,

anunsani-

taryenvironment,orfaulty feeding

practices.Thesignsincludeliquid

eces,weakness,

and

depression.

Un-

less

such

kidsaretreated,deathmay

occurwithin2 4hours.

The

newborn

kid

should

always

receivecolostrummilkfor

the

first2or

3days.Ifhandfeedingfollows,strict

cleanliness

of

equipment is

necessary

evensterilizingfeedingcontainers

whenever

a

problem

exists.

At

leastthree

feedingsadayare

recommended,

with

either

milk

or

a

milk

replacer.

A

milk

replacerlow

in

lactoseandcontainingantibiotics

may

help

prevent

the

occurrence

of

dietary

scours.

Ifsuch

scouring

begins,skipa

feeding

and

dilute

the

milk

replacer

for

thenextfew feedings.Then,if

the

diarrhea

persists,

consult

your

veterinar-

ian

about

using

asuitable

medication.

In

older

animals,

diarrheamaybe

causedby

intestinal

parasites,

coc-

cidiosis,Johne'sdisease,orother

factorssuch

asasudden

shift

from

dry

feed

to

lush

green

pasture.Gradual

changesin

the

feedingprogram

are

always

recommended.

Scouring

may

appear

in

grazing

animals

after

the

first

heavyfrost,but

it

usually

fades

away

in

ashort

time.

Ketosis

This

metabolic

disease

occursjust

beforekidding,or2

to

4weeks

afterward.Thefirstsymptomsare

twitching

of

the

ears,muscularspasms,

and

lossof

appetite.

A s

it

continues,

comadevelopswithrapid,labored

breathing,frequenturinating,

and

finally

death.

Thecausesseemto

include

an

unbalanced

diet,

sudden

changes

in

the

diet,orunderfeeding duringadvanced

pregnancy.

Treatmentwithintrave-

nous

glucose

and

intestinal

stimulants

is

ofsomeuse,but

prevention

is

the

real

answer.

You

should

give

your

does

a

diet

containing

good

greenalfalfaor

legume

hay and

atleast

a

halfpoundof

graincontainingcorn(seethesection

onfeeding,page7 ).

Feed

your

does

at

regular

hours

and

don't makesudden

changes

in

their

diet.

A

moderate

amountofexercise

willtendto

keep

theirbodiestonedup

and

your

animals

from

going

offfeed.

Abscess

Thisisacommon problemingoats

in

many

areas

of

the

country.

Abcesses

arecausedby

the

bacteriaCoryne-

bacterium

pseudotuberculosis

(cor-ine-

bac-ter-e-um,

su-doe-tu-ber-cu-losis).

Theyappeararound

the

head

and

on

the

neck

most

commonly.

The

disease

is

spread

frominfected

animals

andfrom

the

environment

through

small

punctures

in

the

skin

caused

by sharp

(evenpinpoint)objects

and

vegetation.

Takespecialcare

to

avoid

infected animals at

fairs,

to

protectyour goat.

If

abscessesdo

occur

on

your

goat,

consultyour veterinarianforrecom-

mendedtreatment.If

the

abscess

shouldbreakopen,

cleanthoroughly

with

iodine,flushdaily,and

keepthe

infected

goat

awayfromothers.Keep

fliesawayfromthe abscesssite

with

a

good

fly-repellentspray.

W hite

musc le

disease

Younggoats

aresubjecttothis

disease,causedby aselenium

defi-

ciencyin

the

diet.The

level

of

selenium

will

vary

fromarea toareainpastures

and

feed.

Ask

your

veterinarian

or

Extensionagentif

there's

aneedtoadd

selenium

supplements

to

rationsin

your

area.

A

singleshot

of

selenium/vitaminE

solution

is

generally

required

by

newborn

kids.

Ifyourarea

is

severely

deficient,

al l

your

animalswill

need

seleniumtreatmentyear-round,in

their

feedorby injection.

Whitemusclediseasecanbe con-

firmed

only

by

examination

after

death.However,

youcanuncovera

deficiencythat

may

lead

tothedisease

by

testing

a

blood

samplefrom

your

goat.

The

sample

is

tested

for

selenium

deficiency.Treatmentmaybeginas

soon

as

results

areconfirmed.

17


18/19

Training

and

showing

your

goat

Training

W

rk

with

your

pygmy

goat

until

it's

gentle

and

will

lead

or

standasyou

want

itto.

A

few

minutesadayforseveralweeks

is

better than

several

hours

a

day

just

before

theshow.

Teach

your animalto

lead

easilyand

to

walk

with

its

head

up.

Teachit

to

stop,

to

stand

quietly,

and

totakea

few

steps

backwardwhen

yo upush

back

on the

collar

and

on

its

shoulder

with

your

hand.

Don't

make

sudden

moves,

jerk,

or

abuse

your

goat.

Holdit

so

thatitcan't

ge taway.

Teach

yourgoat

to

stand

quietlywhensomeone

handles

it .

Fitting

for

show

Wash

your

animal,

paying

close

attention

to

under the tail,

hooves,

and

intheears.

Pygmygoats

are

not

clipped

for

show.

They're

judged

on

the

lengthof

their

hair

and

the conditionofthehair.

You'll

onlyneed

to

clip

inside

the

ears

with

a

closeblade.

Trim

the

feet

so

the

animal

stands

straightonitslegs.

Trim

asoftenas

necessary,usuallyonce

every

6weeks

and

several

days

before

the

show.

Finalpreparations.Before

taking

your

goat

into

the

showring,

brushit

downcarefully.Removeal lstraw.

Cleanthe

ears,

nostrils,

and

feet

with

a

cloth.

Be

readywhenyour classis

called.

Showing

Pygmygoatsin 4-H

are shownwith

a

leather

collar

orneck

chain.

Bucks

are

not

shownin4-H.

Lead

your goat

slowly,holdingthecollarwithyour

right

hand,and

walk

forward.

Ifthe

judge

is

on

theoutside

of

the

circle,

lead

with

your

left

hand.

Always

lead

from

the

side

ofyour

goat

that

is

away

from

thejudge.

Lead

in

aclockwisedirection

or

followthe

judge's

directions.Don't

crowd

the goat

ahead

of

you.Don't

movesoslowlythat

the

other

exhibi-

tors

crowd

up

behind

you.

Keep

your eye

on the

judge so

that

youcanstop,

pose

your

goat,

or

move

as

he

orsh edirects.

When

youstop,

take

the

collar

in

your

left

hand.You

can

pose

the

goat withyour

right

hand.

Whenyour goat

isproperly posedwith

feet

set

squarely,head

up

and

alert,

le t

itstand

naturally.

Don't

fuss

withit

more

than

you

need

to.

As

the

judge walks

around

to

the

left

of

your

goat,step

alittle

to

the

front

so

thathe

or

sh e

can

ge t

a

good

side

view.

Then,as

the

judge

walks

on

around

in

front

of

your

goat,

step

back

quietly

to

the

left

sidesothatsh e

or

he

can

ge ta

good

frontview.

If

your

animal

stands

well,

letit

stand

in

that

position.Showyour

animal

to

itsbest

advantage.

Always

pay

attention

to

your

goat

andto

the

position

of

the

judge.

Continue showingal lthe time

that

you

arein

the

ring.

Whereveryourgoatmayplace,

be

courteous

and

pleasant.

Pay careful

attentionto

the

reasons

thejudge

gives.

Wait

until

your

name

is

called

orthe

classisdismissedbeforeleavingthe

showring.

Yourown

grooming

Besure

your

hands,

face,

fingernails,

clothes,and

shoes

are

clean.

Have

your clothespressed,

shirt

tail

in ,

shoes

tied,and

your

hair combed.

Check

to

seeif

whiteclothesare

required.

In4-H,

w ealways

do

ourbest.We

learn

from

experiences

sow e

can

"Make

the

Best

Better."

AWvv.':.'.'

18


19/19

Th e

Oregon

State

University

Extension

Service

provides

education

and

information

based

on

timely

researchto

help

Oregonians

solve

problemsand

develop

skills

related

to

youth,

family,

community,

farm,

forest,

energy,

and

marineresources.

Extension's

4-H/Youthprogram

assists

young

people,

their

families,

and

adult

volunteers

tobecomeproductiveandself-directing

by

developingtheirpractical

skills

and

knowledge.

Professionals

and

volunteers

together

provideeducational

projects

and

activitiesinanimal

science,

lant

cience,omeconomics,

ngineering,atural

esources,

nd

xpressive

arts.

Thisublication

asreparedtregontateniversityyldenilliker,ormer

Extension

specialist,4-H-Youth;NorbertVandehey,formerExtensionspecialist,

4-H-Youth;

and

onald

Hansen,

xtension

eterinarian.

heuthorsratefully

cknowledge

he

technical

assistanceandguidanceof

RalphBogart,rofessoremeritusof

animal

science,

and

he

ditorial

ssistance

fyle

piesschaert,ormer

SU

xtension

gent.his

publication

incorporates

material

originally

published

in

Goat

Care:

The

Beginner's

Goat

Care

Guide,

by

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