Goat on a diet? Pics added

[StoneWallFarmer]

I just acquired my first Pygmy goat today. He is a wether and a companion to my ND buck. Henry is enormous, I mean enormously enormous! I know that pygmys can be quite rotund, but Henry is well over 100lbs. His previous owners were very generous with snacks and treats, sending bags of cookies along with him.

So my questions are, is it awfully unhealthy for a goat to be so fat? And is Henry's size really as crazy as it seems to me? I'm used to my sleek alpines and not so sleek, but still reasonable, nigerian dwarfs! If he does in fact need to slim down a bit how do I go about that? He gets very little grain, free choice hay and apparently copious amounts of animal cookies Obviously cut out the cookies right lol.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

It is not good for a goat to be very overweight. If you can I would slim him down for sure. Thing is though, not Pygmy goat get to 100 pounds so he is crossed with something else which means he may not be very overweight. If you could get a picture or two of him that may help to determine his condition. What is his BCS?

 

[StoneWallFarmer]

Ill try to get some pics tomorrow. He is a registered Pygmy so I'm assuming he is pure bred.

BCS? I guess I'm still a goat lingo newbie.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Ok good. That should help alot.

So he's registered. Then I would say that yeah, he's a full Pygmy but that would be the first I have ever seen one that big!! He's freaking huge then!! lol

Yes, BCS means Body Score Condition. Here and here are some links that may help you to determine the BCS of your goat.

 

[StoneWallFarmer]

Freaking huge is an understatement! I was like when I saw him! My poor dh had to lift him into the back of my car!

Thanks for the links, I'm checking them out now

 

[StoneWallFarmer]

I'm going to attempt to post some pics of goaty Mcfat-fat. Hopefully I get it right

 

[StoneWallFarmer]

 

[Catahoula]

I am sorry... he is adorable but is quite round.... like you have said, no animal crackers to start.

 

[CocoNUT]

I've heard Pygmies described as "beer kegs with legs"...maybe he's just a keg and a half?

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Honestly he doesn't look overly huge. It is rather hard to tell from the picture though. Yes, Pygmys are supposed top look like beer kegs on legs. haha I would stop feeding him the crackers and all feed. Give him hay only along with his normal browse and pasture. Just no feed, if you feel he is too fat.

One questions though. How do you know hid weight? Is that just what you are guessing he weighs, is it tape weight, or is it his actual weight?