Physical Health

Udder Care:

Dairy goats' udders can be damaged through a variety of means. 

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Dry, cracked udders will cause pain and can lead to mastitis.  This can be prevented through clean, dry bedding, the use of emolients in your teat spray and the application of udder creams if symptoms are starting to appear.

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Cuts and lacerations can occur as a result of other does biting them (common when does are cycling), other does horns or hooves catching them, or sharp, protruding items in the physical environment such as wire or metal rods.   Topical antibacterial sprays followed by udder creams to seal the wound and keep the skin supple with aid in the healing process.  If milking the affected teat out normally is not possible due to pain or the risk of affecting milk quaility, it may be necessary to milk into a test bucket, take the pressure off the udder by hand stripping, or to skip alternate milkings.  Avoid stopping milking the udder completely as this will increase pressure on the wound and/or lead to discomfort and mastitis as the udder fills and tightens, and could ultimately lead to the doe drying off in that half.

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Bruising, which can lead to blood in the milk, typically results from external impact (such as bunting from other goats) or internal pressure and changes associated with kidding.  The same type of milking management as for cuts and lacerations (above) should be observed i.e. continue to milk the udder out as much as possible whilst allowing the bruising time to heal by not overmilking and/or by skipping alternate milkings.  In severe cases, blood clots may block the teat canal. Hand stripping to remove these is recommended unless fresh bleeding is evident, in which case doing so may agrivate the internal wound creating more bleeding. Milk with traces of blood should not be milked into the bulk vat.

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Sunburn on the udder is uncommon but can happen over the summer months. It tends to occur just on the one side of the udder exposed to the direct sunlight as the goat is sitting.  Zinc cream enriched with Vitamin E can be used in this situation.

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Cheesy Gland may occur on the udder in either an externally visible location, or internally.  Such abcesses will begin small and may resolve themselves without affecting the milk quality. In other cases, the abcess may lead to mastitis.  For more information regarding Cheesy Gland, visit the Common Diseases and Vaccination sections.

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For information relating to mastitis, please refer to the Diseases page and the Milking Management sections of this site.

 

Hoof Care:

Proactive, preventative management of hooves is the best way to avoid hoof issues. However, even with such measures, it is likely that farms will experience some hoof related issues from time to time.  Goats with sore feet will usually visibly limp but their natural defence mechanism that makes them avoid looking like the weakest one in the herd can mean that they will not always stand out.  Other factors to look for include walking slowly and not getting up to eat when fresh food is offered. A drop in milk production and/or body condition could also point to a foot related issue.

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Split hoof walls create a gap in which foreign objects (small stones, bit of bedding etc) can be forced into, creating pain.  Cutting back the split layer and picking out any impacted matter is often all that is required to remedy this issue.  If undetected for a period of time,  infection can set in, which may need to be treated with antibiotics.  An anti-inflammary is likely to be required until the tenderness has reduced, particulary if the goat is not getting up to eat, regardless of whether infection is present or not.

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Over-grown hooves need to be trimmed back so that matter does not get trapped between the overgrowth and the base of the hoof, causing pain and ultimately leading to infection.  Overgrowth hooves also upset the natural hoof placement, putting pressure on joints and affecting the goat;s gait.  Spot trimming of affected does in between regular whole herd trims is required. As for split walls, antibiotics and anit-inflamatories my be required to support the healing process post trimming.

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Cherries (a bit like blood blisters) can develop on some hooves and are very painful.  The best way to deal with these is to remove them, often by burning them off.  Seek advice from your hoof trimming ocntractor or vet if you think this may be an issue on any of your animals.

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Joint and muscle injuries may initally look like a hoof care issue (and in some cases my stem from hoof issues).  Close inspection of the hooves and observation of where the goat is tender can help pinpoint the problem which may in fact be a sprain or joint injury. If this is the case, a combination of time and anti-inflammatories (if needed) will usually be suffice.

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Teeth Care:

If you've ever been bitten by a goat, you might not believe it (as it can be quite painful!), but goats only have teeth on the lower jaw and the back of the upper one.  The upper front jaw is a toothless, yet very hard, dental pad.

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Kids are born with their first set of milk teeth and the remaining sets appear within the subsequent few weeks, until by the age of approximately 4 weeks they have all 4 sets.  These baby teeth will be replaced by permanent incisors gradually between the age of approximately 12 months and 4 years, with one pair being replaced roughly each year. In addition to these incisors, goats have upper and lower molars and premolars.

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Most goats go through life without any teeth issues but below is a list of things to look out for:

• diets high in sugar (e.g. too much molasses or high in acidity) can cause the goats' teeth to rot

• teeth can be broken through accidental injury

• goats do loose their 'baby teeth' at 1-2 years of age which can be painful and put them off eating for a while - no specific management is required but being aware of this is important if you see a younger goat off their feed

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Body Care:

Grooming is a natural habit for goats. Posts and rails around your farm environment will be well used for rubbing and scratching against.   Where possible, install brushes for the goats the rub up against - but be aware that they will also chew on the bristles given the chance.

 

 

 

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Lice, ticks and other biting mites can be found on your goats from time to time.  The application of an annual pour-on will keep these at bay if you begin to notice the goats biting at themselves or pulling out patches of hair.  If your goats are lactating, ensure you check the milk withholding period of any product you use.  If your kids (under the age of 6 months) are showing signs of biting mites, consult your vet for alternative products that are more gentle than those designed for mature animals.

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Enrichment:

Providing enrichment activities is not only good for the goats' mental stimulation but also helps keep their joints active and builds muscle tone.

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Whilst care must be taken to choose items that avoid causing limb or udder damage, providing opportunities for the goats to climb and jump strengthens their leg muscles which is important for longevity in the herd, and also allows them to perform natural behaviours.

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Enrichment items can also come in the form of objects they can manipulate to make noise, create movement or add colour to their surrounds.  Visits from other people also provide good, safe stimulation for the goats.