A healthy goat

Irvine Mesa Charros 4-H Club
Irvine, California

Goats are easy to care for. These are the signs of a healthy goat.

Eyes clear and bright. Tearing or cloudy eyes probably mean a pinkeye infection.
Coat smooth and shiny. A dull coat could indicate parasites. Fluffed up coat means the goat is not feeling well.
Appetite good. However, it is normal for a doe in labor to refuse to eat.
Attitude alert. Hunched back and droopy tail mean something is wrong.

Body Temperature: 102.5° F-104° F
Pulse/heart rate: 60 to 80 beats per minute
Respiration rate: 15 to 30 breaths per minute
Puberty: 4 to 12 months
Estrus ("heat") cycle: 18 to 23 days
Length of each "heat": 12 to 36 hours
Gestation (length of pregnancy): 150 days
Breeding season: Pygmy goats may be bred any time of the year. Dairy goats usually go into heat between August and January in the Northern Hemisphere.
Weight: An adult pygmy goat weighs between 50 and 75 pounds. An adult dairy goat doe weighs between 125 and 200 pounds. An adult dairy goat buck weighs between 200 and 300 pounds.

Back to http://www.goats4h.com/Goats.html The Goat home page
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These pages were designed by the Computer Science project of the Irvine Mesa Charros 4-H Club.