Trimming goat hooves is essential to good goat health. Overgrown hooves can hide diseased tissue, and lead to a slow painful decline in the goat’s overall condition.

Hermaphroditism is not uncommon among goats, especially dairy goats of Western European descent. Before people realized the correlation between goats being polled and possible hermaphroditism, rates were as high as 6-11% of goat herds in the U.S in the early 20th century.

Have you ever wondered why some years, some sires — or even some dams — produce more of one gender than others? Can certain management practices favor one over the other — or is it random? Is one more desirable than the other in the goat world?

What is goat blood testing, and why should you do it? Where can you find goat testing lab and how do you know what goat diseases to test for?

Perhaps the most obvious reason for A.I. is to eliminate keeping a live buck on the premises. Even if you’re only breeding a few each year, A.I. can easily be the cheaper, more time-efficient option. Another big bonus is the opportunity to utilize the genetics of very elite bucks, particularly those in herds you would otherwise be unable to access.

Chip was standing very still and “looked sick.” He would also occasionally strain, as if he were sneezing but without the sneeze part. He had urinary calculi.