# Flaking horns



## TGreenhut (Jul 25, 2011)

My three does' horns have started flaking and chipping. What could this be? They have access to loose minerals and also a mineral block. I feed them alfalfa hay and a scoop of grain each day. They also have access to pasture all day.


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## TGreenhut (Jul 26, 2011)

anybody? it looks fairly bad....


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Jul 26, 2011)

Not sure.  We had a rescue a couple years ago that was doing this but that is because she was fed nothing but corn.


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## Squirrelgirl88 (Jul 26, 2011)

My does are 4 months old, and their little horns look kinda dry and are peeling a little too. They are not getting corn as a primary food source. They have hay, free choice loose minerals, pasture, and purina goat pellets (small amount) given in the morning.

I'm surprised no one has posted anything else.


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## Goatherd (Jul 26, 2011)

Possibly the reason for the sparse posting is that many people that post here have goats without horns.  You don't have a problem if you can't see it.

Like every living being, genetics, diet and environment all contribute to how a body grows and develops and maintains it's health.

I was unable to find any specific information concerning goat horns as far as composition and how to maintain them with optimum growth and health, so I searched for information on antlers, which while not the same, are similar.  

On a personal note...the two does that I bought two years ago came here with pitiful looking horns.  This wasn't a disbudding gone bad, but just poor development due to negligence and malnutrition.
While it took time, today their horns look like they should  They've thickened, lengthened and lost any dry, flaky appearance that they had.  Unconsciously, I would attribute this to greatly improved nutrition, pasture and browsing made available to them, which they didn't have at their former home.

This is what I found concerning antler growth and development and would think that some of this is applicable to goats.


*Nutrition Important to Deer Antler Growth

When of the biggest factors which will affect whether your area is producing trophy racks is nutrition. The bottom line on deer antler growth is that if the area does not hold the nutrition to support the genetics of the species, then that area will simply not grow trophy whitetail deer antlers. Because were dealing with tissue the antlers of deer require nutrients. Much like the weightlifter who properly consumes the correct amount of carbohydrates, protein, etc., the weightlifter need nutrition to build his tissue and muscle. So are the needs of the whitetail deer in regard to antler production and the ability to store fat, and build muscle. This is why the Midwestern United States gives birth to the biggest bucks in the world. The Midwestern United States contains the richest dirt in America and grows the most nutritious agricultural crops afforded to the whitetail herd. 

Body growth takes precedence over antler growth. Any deficiency in dietary energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus or certain vitamins during spring and summer can have strong negative effects. There are only two possible solutions to poor nutrition. One is to reduce deer numbers to more closely match the capacity of the natural habitat. The other is to improve the habitat by cutting, burning, planting or fertilizing to restore the lands capacity to support healthy deer. This is one reason why shooting does is a vital part are producing deer antlers that grow big and fast on your bucks. If it would only stand to reason is there were fewer does a more abundant Food Supply would be available to the bucks in your area. The modern day whitetail enthusiast knows in order to have whitetail deer antlers abundantly that part of a quality deer management program is to harvest does.

The organic makeup of antlers during the growing stage is almost entirely protein. Even after mineralization (hardening) is complete, a good portion of protein remains in these antlers. To grow the best set of antlers that his genetics and age will allow, a deer needs food containing at least 16% to 18% "digestible" crude protein. (Not all proteins are digestible to a deer.) The most important factor in growing trophy antlers is to provide the buck with nutrient rich food during the growth period from April through October. 

Calcium is another element needed by deer during and after the antler growth period. Although a deer can borrow calcium from bones in other parts of his body and utilize it for antler growth, he still needs foods that contain a minimum of 0.45% calcium.


Phosphorus is also needed for antler growth. Although dietary phosphorus requirements are not completely known, it is believed that the lowest level a deer needs for adequate antler growth and other body functions is 0.30%.


Vitamin D is important in promoting calcium absorption and mineralization of bone. A deer gets all the Vitamin D he needs by absorbing ultraviolet light through its skin and eating vegetation that has been in direct sunlight.


Vitamin A is important to antler development once the bone hardening begins. Carotene's in "green" leaves can be converted to Vitamin A. Green leaves can become scarce during the winter months, but remain an important part of the deer's diet.*


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## Goatmasta (Jul 26, 2011)

I use to have horned goats and had several that would do this each year.  Not sure why.  Not all of them did, but the ones that would did it every year usually late summer early fall.  I never worried about it.  I always suspected that they all did and that the others just rubbed the flakes off and I never noticed...  the horns always looked healthy even though they did this.


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## TGreenhut (Jul 27, 2011)

Thanks for the responses, I'm really trying to figure this out.

Squirrelgirl88 my goats are 5 months old and have the same diet (even the same type of grain) so maybe it's something we are feeding them? Or maybe because our goats are around the same age it could be a normal developmental thing? 

Goatherd, do you think it is anything to worry about? I treat my goats very well and feed them what I am supposed to so I do not think it is malnourishment.

Goatmasta, what do you mean by "the horns always looked healthy even though they did this"? Did the horns look healthy *while* flaking or just before and after the flaking. I don't see how they could, but if the horns did look healthy during the chipping, that certainly isn't the case with my girls.


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## Goatmasta (Jul 27, 2011)

TGreenhut said:
			
		

> Goatmasta, what do you mean by "the horns always looked healthy even though they did this"? Did the horns look healthy *while* flaking or just before and after the flaking. I don't see how they could, but if the horns did look healthy during the chipping, that certainly isn't the case with my girls.


before and after...   It has been a long time, but best I remember they just shed like, looked a little rough when "shedding" but looked perfectly normal before and after.  It makes sense that they would shed especially since they are growing.  A horn has a very hard outer layer, it isn't as thick as you might imagine...


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## Squirrelgirl88 (Jul 27, 2011)

My girls are rubbing their little heads on everything. They remind me of a deer in rut, rubbing on trees and branches. I assume all this rubbing is what is causing the flaking. They do look like they are a little dry though. I just wondered if I should put something on them topically to "moisturize" them. I'm fairly confident that they are otherwise healthy. Their eyes are clear, their coats are shiney, and no dry skin.

I thought maybe there would be someone here that raised meat goats and would have experience with horns. We chose not to dis-bud our Nigerian Dwarf girls. Most of the Dairy Goat crowd is not supportive of this decision. But I sure see alot of pictures on here of goats with horns, I'm sure someone has some advice.


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## Goatherd (Jul 27, 2011)

> Goatherd, do you think it is anything to worry about? I treat my goats very well and feed them what I am supposed to so I do not think it is malnourishment.


Not at all.  I was just giving you the info that I found.  Sometimes things are just what they are and then they right themselves!


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## TGreenhut (Jul 27, 2011)

Thanks everybody! I feel alot better about this now.


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## happydodgefarm6113 (Jul 27, 2011)

I asked same question and was told that as the horns grow they shed, peel, look bad. Our two 5 month old kids look like what you are describing and is normal.


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## Renegade (Jul 27, 2011)

happydodgefarm6113 said:
			
		

> I asked same question and was told that as the horns grow they shed, peel, look bad. Our two 5 month old kids look like what you are describing and is normal.


This is correct. As young goats and their horns grow the horns will peel. Goats will rub their horns on everything and it will knock the peeling part of the horn off so alot of people don't notice it. We have four show does that are 5 months old that all have peeling horns. They are all very well fed so it's definitely not nutrition based. When we show we use a horse hoof product on their horns to make them shine. It has decreased the peeling a lit bit.

Donna Finley
Finley Boers


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