Do you groom your goats coats?

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Wow that sounds like it belongs in a Dr. Seuss book...anyway...Do you brush your goats down? How often do you have to wash them or clip them? I am getting Nigerian Dwarfs so it's not like they are fiber goats, but am curious as to how much grooming they require (besides the hooves). Also, I have read that many goat "parents" find that some of their kids enjoy being pet or scratched and was wondering if they might like being brushed down with a horse brush or something. I doubt they'd like being "bathed" with hose or soapy water since I read they hate water, but is it necessary ever? Oh, and these are just going to be home pet/milkers. I have no intention of ever showing them, I just want to give them great care

 

[kstaven]

Really long haired goats like the toggenburg will matt up a bit when foraging in heavy brush a lot and maybe need to get a good coat brushing then. Beyond that most goats don't have issues. Since ours are used for dairy they are washed and brushed down regularly. A clean animal helps prevent milk contamination.

 

[Roll farms]

Our Toggs usually need a good trimming in the summer to keep them from looking scruffy, the other breeds we have (Nub, Ob, Boer) shed out well enough that it's not necessary to use trimmers.

I do brush our other ones when they're shedding out to help speed the process along.

I shave their tails and udders at kidding time, both to keep the milk cleaner and to help keep the cleaning out process after giving birth from being so messy.

 

[dkluzier]

We have nubians and pygmys. The pygmy gets groomed after he's been into the burrs, otherwiso we do not regularly groom them.

 

[ThornyRidge]

depends on your goats actually. I have pygmies and nigies and I don't show.. however, my goats love a good brushing!!! I have three in particular that will actually nudge you if you stop. I also recommend giving them a good brushing once you see their winter undercoat coming out.. it can be quite itchy and the goats seem to enjoy the assistance. as far as bathing I can't honestly say i have ever bathed them.. I have rinsed off some that have become downright gross or after does birth I have cleaned up their back ends a couple times.. also will be determined how clean their environment is.. I find brushing the goats is a good way to relax both for them and me and it strengthens the bond between you and your animals if they are up for it.. oh and I use a regular old dog brush.. the one with the wire like bristles (just make sure they are not too sharp) and also a soft brush around their faces...

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Thanks! I didn't think they would necessarily need it, but I'm glad to hear they will enjoy it! TSC is becoming one of my fav stores lately, I may just go pick up some brushes next time I'm there...can you have your paycheck just written out to TSC? LOL....I can't wait to brush them down!

 

[lupinfarm]

Every now and then I groom our 2 Pygmy's, they're gonna need bathes this summer... Anyone know what I can use to bath them? Would Mane and Tail for horses be okay? We got that stuff comin' out the ying yang here lol.

 

[Lil Chickie Mama]

Obviously have no experience but I've been reading up and whatever you use should be VERY gentle and use it sparingly. When you rinse be sure to get all the suds out. I read one person that used Original (Blue) Dawn Dishwashing liquid and another that used castile soap. If there are tough spots of muck that won't come out use a scrubby soap like GoJo or something, but again-sparingly. The main website I saw also says using a licorice scented goat milk soap to rid the bucks of some of their odor, and she even said you could use bluing to make the goats whiter but only use it quickly or it could stain them blue for a while. Here's her website, she's talking about getting goats ready for a show. HTH

 

[samplekasi]

Not sure about your goats but I have nubians 2 of my goats 1 buck and one older doe have a winter undercoat you part the fur and at the base it is almost like very short woolish type undercoat these 2 get special care I brush them everyother day in the late spring if I notice that they have not been able to shed it on their own which it may get thinner but never gone untilo I brush for a couplke of weeks I use a cheap dog brush with the tips on the metal bristles.

 

[()relics]

We handle,clip and brush all our show animals from the day they are born...Just makes things easier later...I can trim hooves, check udders, strip milk, do just about anything to most of our goats without restraining them...Makes things alot easier when they are on the pasture.