Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
slope slight. A broad rump supports an udder well, and a broad shape also indicates the sus-
pensory ligaments are well attached.
Udder and teats
The udder should be firm, with strong suspension. Large size is not important: udders that are
too large or too pendulous eventually can hang low and risk being injured or stepped on. A
large udder has less to do with milking ability than with fleshiness. You should not see any
growths, rashes, or abnormalities on the skin of the udder.
The teats should be well formed — long enough to milk and not too wide. Sometimes called
sausage teats, wide teats can interfere with the function of the milking apparatus. Keep in
mind that short teats often lengthen over time with milking. If a goat has short teats, allowing
her kids to nurse may stretch them and make them longer. There should not be double teats or
teats with two orifices (openings).
Wattles and horns
Some goats have them; some do not. Wattles are folds of skin under the face on the side of the
neck. Usually these are cut away with a clean pair of scissors shortly after birth. They are
purely ornamental and, in fact, can be a problem because kids and other goats sometimes bite
at or suck at them and cause sores. Horns are also ornamental. Most dairy breeders remove
horns because they can be used as weapons, and a goat can accidentally hurt another goat or a
human with them. Some breeders prefer the decorative nature of the horns or want the goats
to be as natural as possible, so they leave them intact and learn to be cautious around them.
If you plan to show your goat, horns are not permitted and should have been removed. Horns
that are not removed when the kid is young (disbudding) are difficult to remove later (dehorn-
ing), and this must be done with a surgical operation performed by a veterinarian.
A word about weight
Excess weight puts stress on joints and ligaments and causes serious complications during
pregnancy. If you wish your goat to be healthy and stay that way, it should not be overweight.
A veterinarian can teach you to judge when your goats are gaining weight, in which case, cut
down on feed. If you purchase a goat that is obviously overweight, ask about any current and
former health issues, and get the weight off as soon as you can.
