goats Flashcards
caprine (goats) family and subfamily
bovidae, subfamily caprinae
goats are ruminants; what do their stomachs consist of
rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum
how many teats do female udders have
2 (cattle have 4)
when do goats reach puberty
between 3-15 months
gestation length
approx 150 days (5 months)
how many offspring do goats have
twins are usual, single and triplets also common
when do breeders tend to breed does
when they have reached 70% of adult weight
life expectancy
15-18 years
nanny goat
informal for female adult
billy
informal for male entire adult
buck
male entire
doe
female
kid
young less than 6 months
wether
castrated male
doeling/ buckling
goatling
baby female/ male
baby of either sex
yearling
one yr old goat
kidding
giving birth
polled
naturally hornless goat
disbudded
horn removal via heat at young age (7-14 days)
scurs
small pieces of horn that have grown back or were not fully removed at disbudding
bottle baby
kid that is being bottle fed instead of staying with its doe
open
female goats that are not pregnant
scours
diarrhea
weaned
kid no longer nursing from its mother
rut
when bucks are ready to breed
herd
group of goats
goat is the ____ most numerous ruminant in the world
third
goats known for being
curious, agile, good climbers and balancers
do they display more or less herding behaviour than sheep
less
when did goats arrive in aus
first fleet 1788
why are goats farmed in aus
meat, fiber, dairy
feral goats
- 2.3 million in aus
- compete for feed, damage landscape, biodiversity, waterways and equipment
- BUT also foundation of rangeland goat meat industry
ideal grazing habitat for goats
- semi-arid rangeland after rain
- combo or herbaceous shrub and tree forage
why do goats do so well in semi- arid regions
- greater diversity of diet, able to digest low quality roughages
- less effected by some anti-nutritional compounds
- longer rumen retention times
- more cellulolytic bacteria in rumen
- greater nitrogen recycling to the rumen
what are goats very susceptible to
ruminal acidosis
goats preference for browse
reduces worm burdens:
leaves are too high for worm larva to reach without tying, and tannins can inhibit worms in digestive system
true or false; although aus is relatively small producer of goats it is largest exporter of goat meat in the world
true
where does 90% of goat meat production come from in aus
extensively managed rangeland properties
where are major export markets
usa and Taiwan
- not really cooked in aus so limits many consumer markets
2 other uses for goats other than production
companion and weed control
fibre goat breads
- cashmere (cashmere) angora (mohair)
meat goat breeds
boer, kalahari red, rangelands
- body composition v similar to sheep but fat distributed differently, different BCS system
dairy goat breeds
saanen, british alpine, anglo nubien, toggenburg, lamancha, kalahari red
boer goat characteristics
- white with red/brown faces
- originated from south africa
- specifically selected for meat
- commonly used for cross-breeding
- mature weight 80-130 kg (big)
rangeland (bush) goats
- composite breed
- derived from feral goats
- major source of goat meat
- highly adapted to surive in low rainfall regions
- low input farming systems (extensive)
- can produce some cashmere fleece
- mature weight 45-80 kg
kalahari red goats
- meat and milk
- originated from kalahari desert in south africa
- colour is camouflage from predators
- hardiness and mobility suited to harsh conditions
- excellent mothering abilities including high production of milk that enhances growth of offspring
- ideal for areas where farming requires low labour input
angora goats
- fiber goat, produce mohair
- from france, named after a region in turkey
- mature weight 60-80 kg
aus produces __% of world mohair
5
mohair (from angora)
long lustrous and resilient luxury fibre, more than 22 micron, coarser than merino wool
how often are angoras shorn, how much wool
every 6 months, 3-4 grams/ shearing event
cashmere
- value comes from downy chasmere undercoat; coarse guard hair is of no value
- luxuriously soft, warn and light
how much will purebred cashmeres goats yield
300 g per year, usually shear once per year
cashmere goat
- produce good quality meat too
- down (valuable part) is from secondary follicles, guard hair is from primary follicles (not valuable)
- good mothering
- very fine 12-18 uM
cashmere growth is
daylight sensitive; initiated in dec (longest day) and stops and sheds from june onwards
growth of cashmere is not responsive to
level of nutrition (unlike wool)
what is the best type of FIBRE goat for weed control programs
cashmere due to shorter fleeces
dairy goats demand
- demand from consumers allergic to cows milk
- docile; easy to milk
typical lactation occurs
300 days
peak lactation produces how many L per day
how often milked
3.5/4 L per day
twice a day (once is fine)
mastitis caused by
physical injury or bacteria
saanen (dairy)
- originated in Switzerland, imported to aus from england
- white
- most popular dairy goat in aus
- long lactating and high producing
- 100kg mature weight
anglo nubian (dairy) but also meat, and hide
- originated in britain
- brown/ black ombre
- long ears
- all purpose
- 100 kg ish mature weight
british alpine (dairy)
- mostly black, white ears/ stripes on face
- originated in britain
- tall rangy and active breed suited to open grazzing
- good milk producer, good winter milking, long lactation
- 100 kg ish mature weight
toggenburg (dairy)
- looks like british alpine except brown, still has the white stripes on face
- originated in switzerland
- oldest known dairy breed of goat
- excellent milk production
- smallest of alpine breads
- robust, compact and vigorous
goat production annual cycle
- birth
- lactating young kids
- weaning
- growing kids, dry does
- joining; decreasing day length
- pregnancy 150 days
shearing
- usually done w goat standing on its head restrained in some form of head bail
- done just before kidding (typically in aug) and then again 6 months later
weaning of kids
- about 4 months
- for boer goats kids weaning would be when they are about 22-24 kg of body weight
hoof trimming
paring excess hoof of adult goats is usually required where goats are intensively managed and on soft soils
castration
should be done as early as is practically possible (before 2-3 months of age to reduce stress on the kids- either rubber (elastrator) rings, burdizzos or surgical catsration techniques
goat fencing
- 5 wire, electric is best, well strained bottom wire
- remember goats are great climbers
- goats do not tend to jump fences
- combo of standard fence plus electric fence works well
- should be designed to keep predators out
goat behaviour and approaches to handling
- goats are intelligent, naturally curious
- like sheep, goats exhibit flocking and following behaviour
- however goats will split from the herd, and the herd will scatter, much more readily than sheep
- mustering goats and moving them to and through a goat handling facility must be achieved w minimum stress on the stock and the operator
- different to mustering and handling sheep
- goats respond positively when shown where you want them to go
- goats trainable
- goats more at risk from handling stress
- dog use is generally kept to a minimum when handling goats in a yard
estimating age by dentition
- 2 tooth; 13-15 months (1yr)
- 4 tooth ; 18-21 months (less than 2)
- 6 tooth; 22-24 months (2 yr)
- 8 permanent incisors 27-32 months
famacha
looking at eyes for anemic score
what is the most practical method of determining the health and nutritional status of adult breeding goats
assessment of body condition score
gastrointestinal parasites
common in high rainfall regions or on irrigates pastures where stocking rates are high and sheep are run on same properties as goats
drenches (anthelmintics)
duration of activity is much less in goats compared to sheep due to their different metabolism
lice infestation
common in cooler months in goats in poor body condition w long hair-coat and where stocking rates are high
urinary blockages
common in castrated pet male goats
abortion rates
5%
pregnancy toxaemia
occurs in last 6 weeks of pregnancy when does graze poor quality pasture and are suddenly exposed to cold rainy conditions
clostridial diseases
tetanus (often associated w some form of wound) and pulpy kidney (associated w anything that causes a slowing of motility of the small intestine ex the sudden intake of excessive amounts of grain)
when are breeding goats vaccinated against clostridial disease
4-6 weeks prior to kidding this will optimize the development of maternal antibody in colostrum to protect her kids in early life
foot rot
infectious disease that infects the soft tissue between the claws (hooves) it is the same disease that occurs in sheep
minimum 3vax vaccines
6vax vaccines additional 3
cheesy gland, tetanus, pulpy kidney
black disease, blackleg, malignant oedema
drench anthelminthics
- GI roundworms, large lungworms, tapeworms, and aids in control of adult liver fluke
- referred to as drenches (oral and injectable)
- very few registered APVMA aus pesticides and vet med authority for goats
- require different dose to sheep
- misused chem resulting in meat residues would jeopardize export industry
lice treatment/ control
- limited chemicals registered for goats
- set the dose rate for the heaviest goat in the group according to label instructions
- use the correct application gun and ensure that it is delivering the required
- the application strip pour on should be along the middle of the back of all the way from the top of head to the tail
- avoid dipping goats
CAE; caprine arthritis encephalistis
- big knee
- contagious viral infection
- replacement goats should be purchased from herds which have been tested and shown to be free of this disease
- lameness
puberty
3.5 - 12 months
- bucks average 10 months
- does 4-12 months
- weight dependent
- usually 40% of mature weight
duration of oestrus
when does ovulation occurs
26 hours
ovulation occurs 12 hours after estrus ends
frequency of oestrus
21 days
birth weight for bucks and does
bucks 2-2.75 kg
does 2-2.25 kg
breeding should occur when does have reached __% body weight
70
estrus ____ in tropical regions and where good nutrition is maintained due to higher rainfall
in temper regions where growth of pasture is seasonal goats are ______
all year round
seasonally polyoestrus
when are females usually mated to kid
at 18 months of age ie their second year after birth, but they can be mated as early 7 months of age if in good body condition and well grown
ratio of bucks to does for breeding
5 bucks per 100 does
if nutritional conditions are good does can kid 3x in
2 years
when is the critical period for optimum nutritional management of breeding does
is in late gestation and early lactation
when does kidding usually occur
daylight hours
does will ____ from the herd and will ____ their kids in an isolated part of the paddock (parturition)
separate
plant
newborn kids have low amounts of ____
subQ fat so v susceptible to death due to cold expose
paddocks for does to kid in should have
good shade and tree shelter from cold winds and protection from predators
kids very susceptible to predation by
- foxes, wild dogs, pigs
- in first week of life
when does are giving births there should be in the paddock
lots of pasture supply and easy access to water
the growing fetus gains 70% of its birthweight in
the last 6 weeks of gestation
so does need to be on a rising plane of nutrition from this period through to the peak of lactation
if the quality and quantity of pasture is poor for preggo does then supplementary feeding needs to be implemented
at least 8 weeks prior to kidding
when should preggo does be dewormed and vaccinated against clostridial diseases
6 weeks before kidding
when should kids be vaccinated
6-8 weeks of age and then again 4-6 weeks later
when should strategic supplementation occur
in early lactation for does since they meet not meet their energy requirements from pasture alone especially if they have twins or triplets
there is a strong link between _____ and immunity
nutrition
- particularly to parasites
when are dairy goat kids weaned
early age 6 weeks or less using milk replacers
when are meat goats weaned
before reaching puberty usually around 4 months of age but less than 7 months
water consumption per head per day for weaners, adult dry, and doe with kid
weaners; 4-6 L
adult dry goat 5-7 L
doe with kid 5-10 L
maitenance requirement
minimum nutrient levels required to regulate basic bodily function
basic dietary components
water, energy, protein fibre/ roughage, vitamins and minerlas
goats have susceptibility to stress so
need more environmental enrichment
goats compared to sheep eating
they browse more and able to digest lower quality herbage
when offered fresh green pasture they will select
the most highly digestible grasses in preference to clovers
dietary preference percentage of grass, non woody broad leaf (forbs) and browse
- grass 30%
- forbs 40%
- browse 30%
productivity is maximized when goats fed forage diets of high digestibility
overstocking or uncontrolled feral pops will lead to
severe land degradation
