Goat Terms:
Abomasum = the fourth or true stomach of a ruminant’s digestive system which contains gastric juices and enzymes
Abortion = Early termination of a pregnancy
Abscess = A self contained or enclosed collection of fluid / puss within tissues or organs. Generally a sign of an infection although some are sterile
Acidosis = A condition where the rumen becomes to acidic often due to the overconsumption of grains or forage or sudden changes in diet
Aflatoxin = Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are toxins caused by molds that contaminate animal feeds and cause serious illness
Afterbirth = Placenta and other fetal membranes which are normally expelled from a doe’s uterus. The normal timeline for this expulsion is three to six hours.
Ammonium Chloride = Mineral salt fed mainly to male goats to prevent the formation of urinary calculi.
Anemia = Deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. Iron is used to replenish the blood. In goats this is often a sign of internal parasites.
Antibiotic = Medication used to inhibit or kill the growth of harmful bacteria.
Antihelmenthic = Medication used to remove or kill internal parasites / worms (de-wormer)
Antitoxin = A serum used to treat biological toxin caused diseases such as tetanus
Banding = A method of neutering / castrating a buckling that uses an elastrator castration band at the base of the testicles. The testicles then shrivel up and dry, eventually falling off.
Bleating (calling) = Vocalization made by the goat.
Bloat = Acute indigestion presenting with swelling of the stomach due to excessive gas. Most often due to overeating new feeds or fresh forage.
Body Condition Scoring = A method of evaluation to approximate the physical condition of a goat. Scale is typically 1 to 5 (thin to fat).
Bolus = Administering a pill orally.
Booster (vaccination) = Second or multiple vaccination given to increase resistance to a specific disease.
Bo-Se = Injectible selenium (mineral) and vitamin E supplement. This is only available as a prescription.
Breed = Goats that have a specific color, body shape and other characteristics which are similar to that of their ancestors and capable of transmitting those characteristics to their offspring.
Browse = Grasses, leaves, twigs and other vegetation eaten by goats
Buck = Adult male goat that is intact for breeding (Billy = Informal term meaning the same)
Buckling = Immature (intact) male goat
Butting (head butting) = Act of bashing horns or forehead into another goat or object (including people).
Caprine = All things goat
Caprine arthritic encephalitis (CAE) = Disease that results in inflammation of the joints and brain similar to AIDS in humans.
Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) = A highly contagious disease most often characterized by abscesses on the lymph nodes.
Castrate = Removal of the male testes / testicles.
CC = Cubic centimeter. Has the same value as the milliliter (ml).
Chlamydia = A microorganism that has many strains and is spread by direct contact with fresh body secretions. It causes pneumonia, abortion, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, arthritis and encephalitis in goats. It is a zoonotic illness meaning that it can transmit to humans.
Chlamydiosis = Infectious disease causing abortion in does. Pregnant human women should never handle aborted caprine remains.
Clostridia = Anaerobic bacteria commonly found in the environment. This class includes the organisms that are responsible for tetanus and enterotoxemia.
Cocci / Coccidia = Protozoan bacteria that live in contaminated manure causing coccidiosis in livestock.
Coccidiosis = Parasitic disease caused by cocci that destroys the lining of the small intestine. Often presents with watery diarrhea, dehydration and sometimes death. Spread by accidental ingestion of feces.
Coccidiostat = Chemical substance used in the control of coccidiosis.
Colostrum = First milk produced by the doe after kidding. It is full of natural antibodies and minerals.
Concentrate = High energy, low fiber, high digestible feed.
Condition = Amount of fat and muscle on the goat’s body.
Crossbreed = Offspring resulting from the mating of 2 different breeds.
Cud = Cud chewing is unique to ruminants. Food is sent to the rumen where it is subjected to bacterial processes, and then it is regurgitated to the mouth and chewed.
Cull = Removal from the herd. Can mean euthanasia, slaughter or selling of the goat.
Dam = Mother goat
Dehorning = Removal of existing horns
Dental Pad = Extension of the gums on the front of the upper jaw in place of teeth
De-worm = Use of chemical or herbal means to rid a goat of internal parasites
De-wormer = Substance used to rid a goat of internal parasites
Disbud = Cauterizing (burning) the horn buds with a hot iron to prevent their growth
Doe = Adult female goat (Nanny = Informal term meaning the same)
Doeling = Female goat under 1 year of age
Drench = Giving liquid medication by pouring into the back of the mouth with a drenching syringe or other similar device.
Dry = No yielding milk any longer
Drylot = A pen which contains no browse / grass where animals are kept for extended periods of time.
Elastrator = Tool used to apply heavy rubber bands to the scrotum for the purpose of castration.
Emaciation = Extreme leanness as a result of loss of flesh often due to lack of food but can be the result of disease / parasites.
Encephalitis = Inflammation of the brain. Several diseases cause encephalitis.
Energy = Nutrient category of feed. TDN or total digestible nutrients
Enteritis = Inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Enterotoxemia = Systematic disease that is caused by the bacterial toxin, Clostridium perfringens, in the intestines. The resulting symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea and convulsions, often fatal without treatment. Kids are subject to enterotoxemia type C and adults are subject to enterotoxemia type D. It is often referred to as overeating disease which is a misnomer as it can be triggered by rapid changes in diet, weather or stress.
Escutcheon = Arched area at the back of the udder below the perineum.
Estrus / Heat = Time when a doe is ovulating and receptive to a buck for breeding. Estrus usually lasts 24-36 hours. At its peak when the doe is the most receptive is called standing heat.
Forage = Food that contains fiber (silage, hay and pasture)
Fecal egg count (FEC) = Number of worm eggs in a gram of feces
First freshener = Doe kidding for the first time
Flehmen (flehmening) = Act of curling the upper lip upwards and back in order to increase the ability to discern scents. Used by bucks to determine the estrus status of a doe.
Free-choice = Providing something as available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week (all the time). This often applies to hay, water and minerals.
Freshen = Start of milk production (usually accompanied by kidding)
Gastroenteritis = Inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Gestation = Length of pregnancy. For goats this is 145-150 days typically.
Grain = Seeds of cereal crops. Oats, corn, barley, wheat (and others)
Grade = A crossbred goat resulting from the combination of a purebred stock with non-pedigreed stock.
Hay = Grasses mowed and cured (dried) for use as forage / roughage
Heart girth = Circumference of the chest directly behind the front legs
Hermaphrodite = Born with both the male and the female sex organs
IM = Intramuscular Injection (in the muscle)
Immunity = Resistance to a specific disease
Iodine = A mineral. Also refers to an antiseptic for wounds.
IV = Intravenous (in the vein)
Johne’s disease = Chronic wasting disease of ruminants. A main symptom of Johne’s is diarrhea.
Ked = A blood sucking tick that pierces the skin.
Kid = Young / baby goat under 1 year
Kidding = Giving birth
Lactation = Period of time that a doe produces milk.
Larva = Immature stage of an adult parasite
Legume = Plant high in nitrogen such as alfalfa, clover or lespedeza
Liver Fluke = A parasitic worm that infests the bile ducts of the liver.
Lungworms = Parasitic roundworms that infest the respiratory tract and lungs.
Mange = Chronic skin disease caused by mites.
Manure = Dung (feces, poop, droppings) of livestock.
Metritis = Inflammation of the uterus.
Milk Fever = Disease affecting dairy breeds just after giving birth / start of lactation. A substantial drop in the blood calcium level causes problems with nerve transmissions which in turn causes partial or almost total paralysis.
ML (ml) = Milliliter (used interchangeably with cc)
Nitrate Poisoning = Condition caused by eating toxic levels of plants containing high levels of nitrates.
Nose Bots = Tiny larvae that crawl into the nasal passages.
Omasum = Third compartment of a ruminant’s stomach
Oocyst = Saclike pouch which contains the fertilized cell of a parasite
Open Doe = Female goat that has not been bred or not become pregnant.
Orifice = Opening in the end of a functional teat
OTC = Over the counter or a drug not requiring a prescription
Parrot Mouth (overshot) = Congenital defect causing the upper jaw to project beyond the lower jaw.
Parasite = Organism that lives on or in another organism.
Pinkeye = Inflammation of the eye. In goats it is usually caused by mycoplasma or Chlamydia. It is highly contagious and transmittable to humans.
Pizzle = Urethral process of a goat’s penis
Pneumonia = Infection of the lungs. Can be bacterial, viral or fungal
Polled = A goat that is naturally hornless.
Precocious Milker = A doe that comes into milk and hasn’t been bred.
Pregnancy Toxemia = Metabolic condition in pregnant does where the blood contains toxins. It is generally caused by an energy deficient diet during the late stages of pregnancy.
Probiotic = Living organism used to manipulate fermentation in the rumen.
Protein = Nutrient category of feed. Used for growth, milk and body tissue repair
Purebred = Unmixed lineage.
Quarantine = Act of isolation or separation of a goat from other goats. Important when dealing with sick or new animals
Rehydrate = Replacement of body fluids lost through dehydration. Dehydration is often caused by heat stress or diarrhea
Reticulum = Second compartment of a ruminant’s stomach.
Roughage = Coarse and bulky plant matter that is high in fiber.
Roundworm = Parasitic worm with an elongated round body
Rumen = Large first compartment in a ruminant’s stomach.
Ruminant = Animal that chews cud and has a four chamber / compartment stomach.
Rumination = Process involving a cud being regurgitated, re-chewed and re-swallowed. Also known as “chewing cud”
Rut = Period of time in which bucks are highly interested in breeding. Usually in autumn
Scours (scouring) = Diarrhea (having diarrhea)
Scrapie = Goat version of “mad cow disease”
Scrotum = External sack which holds a buck’s testicles
Scurs = Incomplete horn growth from inadequately removing / disbudding horns.
Sheath = Outer skin covering that protects a goat’s penis
Shipping Fever = Respiratory disease usually brought on during transport.
Silage = Fodder / feed prepared by storing and fermenting green forage plants in a silo or airtight environment.
Sire = Father Goat
Sore Mouth = Viral infection that causes scabs around the mouth, nostrils, eyes and may affect the udders of lactating goats. It is highly contagious.
SQ = Subcutaneous Injection (under the skin)
Stanchion = Also known as a head gate. It is a device used to secure animals in a stall or at a trough for feeding, milking or care.
Systemic = Affecting the whole body
Tapeworm = Segmented, ribbon like, intestinal parasite. Tapeworm eggs look like grains of rice in the feces
Toxoid = A serum used to prevent biological toxin caused diseases such as tetanus
Udder = Female mammary system – the “sac” that holds the milk
Undershot Jaw (under bite) = Congenital defect causing the lower jaw to project beyond the upper jaw.
Urethral Process = see Pizzle
Urinary Calculi (UC) = Stones / grit of mineral salts in the urinary tract. Most commonly found in wethers and bucks. UC is primarily caused by an imbalance in calcium and phosphorus in the diet.
Uterus = Female organ which encloses the fetus and allows it to develop (womb)
Vaccination = Injection of weakened or killed pathogen used to stimulate an immunity against the pathogen.
Vagina = Passageway from the uterus to the outside of the body (birth canal)
Vaginal Prolapse = Protrusion of the vagina in late pregnancy.
Vascular = Pertaining to or provided with the blood vessels (veins / arteries)
Wattles = Hair covered appendages of flesh hanging from the neck of some goats. Wattles serve no real function.
Wether = Male goat that has been castrated
Abomasum = the fourth or true stomach of a ruminant’s digestive system which contains gastric juices and enzymes
Abortion = Early termination of a pregnancy
Abscess = A self contained or enclosed collection of fluid / puss within tissues or organs. Generally a sign of an infection although some are sterile
Acidosis = A condition where the rumen becomes to acidic often due to the overconsumption of grains or forage or sudden changes in diet
Aflatoxin = Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus are toxins caused by molds that contaminate animal feeds and cause serious illness
Afterbirth = Placenta and other fetal membranes which are normally expelled from a doe’s uterus. The normal timeline for this expulsion is three to six hours.
Ammonium Chloride = Mineral salt fed mainly to male goats to prevent the formation of urinary calculi.
Anemia = Deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. Iron is used to replenish the blood. In goats this is often a sign of internal parasites.
Antibiotic = Medication used to inhibit or kill the growth of harmful bacteria.
Antihelmenthic = Medication used to remove or kill internal parasites / worms (de-wormer)
Antitoxin = A serum used to treat biological toxin caused diseases such as tetanus
Banding = A method of neutering / castrating a buckling that uses an elastrator castration band at the base of the testicles. The testicles then shrivel up and dry, eventually falling off.
Bleating (calling) = Vocalization made by the goat.
Bloat = Acute indigestion presenting with swelling of the stomach due to excessive gas. Most often due to overeating new feeds or fresh forage.
Body Condition Scoring = A method of evaluation to approximate the physical condition of a goat. Scale is typically 1 to 5 (thin to fat).
Bolus = Administering a pill orally.
Booster (vaccination) = Second or multiple vaccination given to increase resistance to a specific disease.
Bo-Se = Injectible selenium (mineral) and vitamin E supplement. This is only available as a prescription.
Breed = Goats that have a specific color, body shape and other characteristics which are similar to that of their ancestors and capable of transmitting those characteristics to their offspring.
Browse = Grasses, leaves, twigs and other vegetation eaten by goats
Buck = Adult male goat that is intact for breeding (Billy = Informal term meaning the same)
Buckling = Immature (intact) male goat
Butting (head butting) = Act of bashing horns or forehead into another goat or object (including people).
Caprine = All things goat
Caprine arthritic encephalitis (CAE) = Disease that results in inflammation of the joints and brain similar to AIDS in humans.
Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) = A highly contagious disease most often characterized by abscesses on the lymph nodes.
Castrate = Removal of the male testes / testicles.
CC = Cubic centimeter. Has the same value as the milliliter (ml).
Chlamydia = A microorganism that has many strains and is spread by direct contact with fresh body secretions. It causes pneumonia, abortion, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, arthritis and encephalitis in goats. It is a zoonotic illness meaning that it can transmit to humans.
Chlamydiosis = Infectious disease causing abortion in does. Pregnant human women should never handle aborted caprine remains.
Clostridia = Anaerobic bacteria commonly found in the environment. This class includes the organisms that are responsible for tetanus and enterotoxemia.
Cocci / Coccidia = Protozoan bacteria that live in contaminated manure causing coccidiosis in livestock.
Coccidiosis = Parasitic disease caused by cocci that destroys the lining of the small intestine. Often presents with watery diarrhea, dehydration and sometimes death. Spread by accidental ingestion of feces.
Coccidiostat = Chemical substance used in the control of coccidiosis.
Colostrum = First milk produced by the doe after kidding. It is full of natural antibodies and minerals.
Concentrate = High energy, low fiber, high digestible feed.
Condition = Amount of fat and muscle on the goat’s body.
Crossbreed = Offspring resulting from the mating of 2 different breeds.
Cud = Cud chewing is unique to ruminants. Food is sent to the rumen where it is subjected to bacterial processes, and then it is regurgitated to the mouth and chewed.
Cull = Removal from the herd. Can mean euthanasia, slaughter or selling of the goat.
Dam = Mother goat
Dehorning = Removal of existing horns
Dental Pad = Extension of the gums on the front of the upper jaw in place of teeth
De-worm = Use of chemical or herbal means to rid a goat of internal parasites
De-wormer = Substance used to rid a goat of internal parasites
Disbud = Cauterizing (burning) the horn buds with a hot iron to prevent their growth
Doe = Adult female goat (Nanny = Informal term meaning the same)
Doeling = Female goat under 1 year of age
Drench = Giving liquid medication by pouring into the back of the mouth with a drenching syringe or other similar device.
Dry = No yielding milk any longer
Drylot = A pen which contains no browse / grass where animals are kept for extended periods of time.
Elastrator = Tool used to apply heavy rubber bands to the scrotum for the purpose of castration.
Emaciation = Extreme leanness as a result of loss of flesh often due to lack of food but can be the result of disease / parasites.
Encephalitis = Inflammation of the brain. Several diseases cause encephalitis.
Energy = Nutrient category of feed. TDN or total digestible nutrients
Enteritis = Inflammation of the intestinal tract.
Enterotoxemia = Systematic disease that is caused by the bacterial toxin, Clostridium perfringens, in the intestines. The resulting symptoms are stomach cramps, diarrhea and convulsions, often fatal without treatment. Kids are subject to enterotoxemia type C and adults are subject to enterotoxemia type D. It is often referred to as overeating disease which is a misnomer as it can be triggered by rapid changes in diet, weather or stress.
Escutcheon = Arched area at the back of the udder below the perineum.
Estrus / Heat = Time when a doe is ovulating and receptive to a buck for breeding. Estrus usually lasts 24-36 hours. At its peak when the doe is the most receptive is called standing heat.
Forage = Food that contains fiber (silage, hay and pasture)
Fecal egg count (FEC) = Number of worm eggs in a gram of feces
First freshener = Doe kidding for the first time
Flehmen (flehmening) = Act of curling the upper lip upwards and back in order to increase the ability to discern scents. Used by bucks to determine the estrus status of a doe.
Free-choice = Providing something as available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week (all the time). This often applies to hay, water and minerals.
Freshen = Start of milk production (usually accompanied by kidding)
Gastroenteritis = Inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Gestation = Length of pregnancy. For goats this is 145-150 days typically.
Grain = Seeds of cereal crops. Oats, corn, barley, wheat (and others)
Grade = A crossbred goat resulting from the combination of a purebred stock with non-pedigreed stock.
Hay = Grasses mowed and cured (dried) for use as forage / roughage
Heart girth = Circumference of the chest directly behind the front legs
Hermaphrodite = Born with both the male and the female sex organs
IM = Intramuscular Injection (in the muscle)
Immunity = Resistance to a specific disease
Iodine = A mineral. Also refers to an antiseptic for wounds.
IV = Intravenous (in the vein)
Johne’s disease = Chronic wasting disease of ruminants. A main symptom of Johne’s is diarrhea.
Ked = A blood sucking tick that pierces the skin.
Kid = Young / baby goat under 1 year
Kidding = Giving birth
Lactation = Period of time that a doe produces milk.
Larva = Immature stage of an adult parasite
Legume = Plant high in nitrogen such as alfalfa, clover or lespedeza
Liver Fluke = A parasitic worm that infests the bile ducts of the liver.
Lungworms = Parasitic roundworms that infest the respiratory tract and lungs.
Mange = Chronic skin disease caused by mites.
Manure = Dung (feces, poop, droppings) of livestock.
Metritis = Inflammation of the uterus.
Milk Fever = Disease affecting dairy breeds just after giving birth / start of lactation. A substantial drop in the blood calcium level causes problems with nerve transmissions which in turn causes partial or almost total paralysis.
ML (ml) = Milliliter (used interchangeably with cc)
Nitrate Poisoning = Condition caused by eating toxic levels of plants containing high levels of nitrates.
Nose Bots = Tiny larvae that crawl into the nasal passages.
Omasum = Third compartment of a ruminant’s stomach
Oocyst = Saclike pouch which contains the fertilized cell of a parasite
Open Doe = Female goat that has not been bred or not become pregnant.
Orifice = Opening in the end of a functional teat
OTC = Over the counter or a drug not requiring a prescription
Parrot Mouth (overshot) = Congenital defect causing the upper jaw to project beyond the lower jaw.
Parasite = Organism that lives on or in another organism.
Pinkeye = Inflammation of the eye. In goats it is usually caused by mycoplasma or Chlamydia. It is highly contagious and transmittable to humans.
Pizzle = Urethral process of a goat’s penis
Pneumonia = Infection of the lungs. Can be bacterial, viral or fungal
Polled = A goat that is naturally hornless.
Precocious Milker = A doe that comes into milk and hasn’t been bred.
Pregnancy Toxemia = Metabolic condition in pregnant does where the blood contains toxins. It is generally caused by an energy deficient diet during the late stages of pregnancy.
Probiotic = Living organism used to manipulate fermentation in the rumen.
Protein = Nutrient category of feed. Used for growth, milk and body tissue repair
Purebred = Unmixed lineage.
Quarantine = Act of isolation or separation of a goat from other goats. Important when dealing with sick or new animals
Rehydrate = Replacement of body fluids lost through dehydration. Dehydration is often caused by heat stress or diarrhea
Reticulum = Second compartment of a ruminant’s stomach.
Roughage = Coarse and bulky plant matter that is high in fiber.
Roundworm = Parasitic worm with an elongated round body
Rumen = Large first compartment in a ruminant’s stomach.
Ruminant = Animal that chews cud and has a four chamber / compartment stomach.
Rumination = Process involving a cud being regurgitated, re-chewed and re-swallowed. Also known as “chewing cud”
Rut = Period of time in which bucks are highly interested in breeding. Usually in autumn
Scours (scouring) = Diarrhea (having diarrhea)
Scrapie = Goat version of “mad cow disease”
Scrotum = External sack which holds a buck’s testicles
Scurs = Incomplete horn growth from inadequately removing / disbudding horns.
Sheath = Outer skin covering that protects a goat’s penis
Shipping Fever = Respiratory disease usually brought on during transport.
Silage = Fodder / feed prepared by storing and fermenting green forage plants in a silo or airtight environment.
Sire = Father Goat
Sore Mouth = Viral infection that causes scabs around the mouth, nostrils, eyes and may affect the udders of lactating goats. It is highly contagious.
SQ = Subcutaneous Injection (under the skin)
Stanchion = Also known as a head gate. It is a device used to secure animals in a stall or at a trough for feeding, milking or care.
Systemic = Affecting the whole body
Tapeworm = Segmented, ribbon like, intestinal parasite. Tapeworm eggs look like grains of rice in the feces
Toxoid = A serum used to prevent biological toxin caused diseases such as tetanus
Udder = Female mammary system – the “sac” that holds the milk
Undershot Jaw (under bite) = Congenital defect causing the lower jaw to project beyond the upper jaw.
Urethral Process = see Pizzle
Urinary Calculi (UC) = Stones / grit of mineral salts in the urinary tract. Most commonly found in wethers and bucks. UC is primarily caused by an imbalance in calcium and phosphorus in the diet.
Uterus = Female organ which encloses the fetus and allows it to develop (womb)
Vaccination = Injection of weakened or killed pathogen used to stimulate an immunity against the pathogen.
Vagina = Passageway from the uterus to the outside of the body (birth canal)
Vaginal Prolapse = Protrusion of the vagina in late pregnancy.
Vascular = Pertaining to or provided with the blood vessels (veins / arteries)
Wattles = Hair covered appendages of flesh hanging from the neck of some goats. Wattles serve no real function.
Wether = Male goat that has been castrated