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4-H
Pygmy
Goat
Project
4 -H1130
/Reprinted
July
1987
OREGONSTATEUNIVERSITYEXTENSIONSERVICE
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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
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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.
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t l
thurl
pinone
escutcheon
femur
rear
f I
uddera tta chm ent
frontannon
muz
Figure1.Theanatomyofthepygmygoat.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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9/19
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Figure
3.Thebirth
of
a
pygmy
goat.
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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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
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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
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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.
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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
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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
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7/24/2019 Pygmy Goat Project
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.
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