As goats become more popular as pets, as well as excellent dairy or meat animals, you may be more likely to receive requests for their care. Most owners will be happy to show you the routine and answer any questions you may have. However, here are a few fun facts that will help you go into a “Meet and Bleat” (yes, I made that phrase up) armed with a bit of goat knowledge.

Although you may have heard male goats referred to as ‘billy goats’ and females referred to as ‘nanny goats’, the proper terms are actually ‘bucks’ and ‘does’. Some goat owners may use the former terms and there is certainly nothing wrong with that, but all of the purebred goat registries and most breeders will use the latter terms. Babies are called ‘kids’. A male kid is referred to as a ‘buckling’ and a female is a ‘doeling’. A neutered male is called a ‘wether’.

The process of giving birth is called ‘kidding’ and ‘freshening’ refers to the time she begins lactating. A doe in milk for the first time is usually referred to as a ‘first freshener’. Most does have 1-4 babies at each kidding, although sometimes even more!

There are many breeds of goats, each with their specific purpose. Most are bred for their milk or for their meat. Many people refer to all smaller breed goats as Pygmies, but there are two well known breeds of the miniature status: the Pygmy, primarily bred for meat and the Nigerian Dwarf, bred for dairy.

Most goats are quite friendly if they have had human contact from birth, especially ‘bottle babies’ who often hand raised. Does and wethers make the best pets, as bucks are more likely to have a bit of an attitude. They also spend most of their time looking for does in heat, displaying some unusual behaviors such as urinating on their own face. They are known to have a distinct ‘aroma’ which is why most bucks are owned by those wishing to use them for breeding.

Goats are herd animals, and it is always recommended that they have at least one goat companion.

They feed on primarily hay and forage, with some supplementation of minerals and possibly grain, depending on location and stage of life, such as pregnancy. Goats like to eat brush at eye level with some grazing, but are not known as ‘lawn mowers’ as much as sheep are.

Goats can be escape artists, so one needs to double check every latch and gate. Their natural curiosity will often get the best of them. They love climbing and jumping on objects, so if you park your car near them, keep the doors closed. Mine jump in my car whenever my tailgate is open, and I am unloading food.

I have highlighted a few of their health concerns, but this list is by no means complete.

Any type of grain fed to the goats or other farm animals such as chickens must be securely stored where they cannot get into it on their own. Given the opportunity, they can overeat grain and have severe gastric consequences, leading to great discomfort or death.

If a buck or wether seems uncomfortable, it is important to make sure they are able to urinate. Blockages can occur similar to those in male cats and if this occurs, it is imperative to seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

There are three major goat diseases that most breeders test for on an annual basis: Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE), Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) and Johne’s Disease. Because these are very serious and not curable, most goat owners are concerned about the ‘biosecurity” of their herd. Therefore, you may wish to ask what precautions are expected as you travel from visit to visit.

There is so much more to raising goats but the preceding tidbits may help you feel comfortable when meeting new clients. I can hear you now… “That wasn’t so baaaaaad after all”.