[Seven Acres]

Hi everyone,

We have recently purchased our first goats, they are 5 month old boar wethers. We picked them up on Saturday and have been keeping them inside, due to the wet weather, feeding them hay and goat mix as instructed by the lady we purchased them off.

The lady we purchased them from said they were a little skinny, although they have belly's you can feel every bone in their neck, haunches, shoulders etc is this normal?
I have been giving them goat mix morning and evening along with adlib hay, though, I noticed yesterday that they have very small bottom teeth and no top teeth, they are quite gummy, is this normal for goats of 5 months?

They are bright and alert in themselves and have been eating well, always finishing the mix and most of their hay, though my concern is if they have very little in the way of teeth, should I be feeding them more of a mash, to allow them to digest the food they are ingesting correctly? or are they younger than 5 months and should be getting milk as well as some concentrate feed?

Any help or advise would be gratefully received.

Kind regards

[Anke]

You just made me spluttering into my porridge (with goatsmilk and goats cream of course) with laughter.... why don't you get yourself a good book on goatkeepeing, and all will become clear. I hope these kids were not an impulse buy...

PS.: Goats - like sheep and cows have no upper teeth in the front.
PPS.: and no you shouldn't feel every bone, but goats are not as chubby as some breeds of sheep.

[harmony]

Hi Seven Acres as Anke says goats have no upper teeth. They like us start with milk teeth and get the permanent ones later. A good book for reference is always a good idea.


Get in touch with a local goat club and see if there is a member who will help you along. Where are you? Someone here might be close to you.


From what you say they sound healthy and without seeing them it is hard to say whether they need more food or something else. Obviously their previous owner thought they were skinny though. Is your hay good quality? Have they been wormed or vaccinated?

[Seven Acres]

Well I apologies for my 'stupidity' Anke

From the reading I did earlier on the internet, it said that they should have teeth, hence my question. I have not owned goats before, though am not dippy, we have pigs, sheep and horses, we have just not had goats, or baby's at that.

[Seven Acres]

Hi Harmony

Thank you, that is very useful.

We are in Keynsham, between Bath and Bristol. Do you know anyone in the local area?

The hay we feed is the same for our horses, so yes, good quality, green and not dusty etc.

The lady said that she has wormed them when she purchased them, though that I should also worm them again, unfortunately I haven't yet popped into Mole valleys to ask what wormer they recommend. I am unsure if they are vaccinated, should they be is we are raising them for meat? is the vaccination for flu and tet as with horses?

[sabrina]

Best to get yourself a good book on goats. I bought one when I started keeping sheep, years ago now but every now and again I need it for something. Never had goats myself but do have ponies, sheep and pigs. there would be wormers just for them I expect. Anyway enjoy the experience.

[harmony]

I don't know people in that area as I am miles away but hopefully someone will pop up. Ask in the feed merchant who else buys goat feed!


Get a worm count done as they maybe ok if they were already done. Talk to your vet. Talk to them about vaccination too. It covers various things including pneumonia. Always worth protecting youngstock.


When Anke has finished cleaning up her spluttered porridge you will find she is a mine of information about goats and will give sound, experienced advice along with others on here. None of us were born knowing everything so ask away!

[Seven Acres]

Brilliant, thank you for all your help and great idea re the feed merchant, I had not thought of that 

[Penninehillbilly]

Hi SA,  I'm sure Anke didn't mean anything bad by her spluttering, i admit I laughed when I saw your post  , most ruminant keepers take it for granted everyone knows these things but good you've had the sense to check  . Goats have a hard pad instead of top teeth.
Boers shouldnt really be boney, Have a FEC done before worming, i found a site on the Internet who is much cheaper than our vet, they send you little containers, report is emailed, or if you have access to a microscope you can do it yourself. If anyone has sheep in your area ask if you can buy some wormer off them, or pay them to give your goats a dose (sometimes double the sheep dose, check on here when you get the wormer name).
Also be aware - wormers have a withdrawal period, you cannot use animal for meat for a stated time after dosing, check first.
If you want to rely on Internet for info, at least get a book from your library, good to sit down and read through rather than looking for specific information.
Oops, sorry for long post, hope it's useful 

[harmony]

And I have to admit laughing at Anke's porridge everywhere! 

[Fleecewife]

There's nothing to laugh at in your post SA.  You needed info and here is the right place to come.


As you already have animals, you will know that a good relationship with your vet is worth cultivating.  I would suggest that in the first instance you discuss an overall plan with your vet for FEC, worming, vaccinations etc rather than ask at a feed store.  Your vet knows you, your stock and the area you live, plus what diseases and problems are currently going around in your area.
Enjoy your goats     

[shygirl]

fluke them?
some goats are skinnier than others, though Boers shouldn't be that skinny if they are a meat breed.

[Lesley Silvester]

There is a Somerset Goatkeepers' Association.I was a member but no idea who you would contact. I suggest you get in touch with the British Goatkeepers' Society in the first instance to find local clubs.

[shygirl]

if its any consolation, our local museum has a sheep skull on display which has top teeth.
if they don't know then what hope do the rest of us have?

[macgro7]

if its any consolation, our local museum has a sheep skull on display which has top teeth.
if they don't know then what hope do the rest of us have?

Are you sure???

This is sheep skull and you can clearly see it doesn't have any teeth on top in the front. It does, however, have the back ones.
Interesting fact: when we got our house two years ago, we found FIVE sheep skulls in different corners of the property! Perhaps the people who lived here were satanists?