We have a couple of goats that look pregant (one especially), but I know they aren't. Anyone know what would make them look this way and what we could do for them. thanks

-- Lesa in VA (Lemaradd@aol.com), February 18, 2002

Answers

The two things that pop into my mind right off would be worms and hay- belly (which is just a coloquial, polite way of saying they're too fat). I suppose it would be prudent before I go on too far to ask what type of goats are they? Some pygmy goats just look like that all the time.....little fire plugs with legs! (Oh no, now I'm going to feel the wrath of all the dyed-in-wool pygmy people...the first goat I ever fell in love with was a pygmy goat so please don't get upset!) Regardless of breed, it wouldn't hurt to de-worm them if it hasn't been done recently and to review what you are feeding them. Keep in mind that non-working goats need to be fed much less than working goats (pregnancy and lactation are forms of work, believe me!).

-- Sheryl in Me (radams@sacoriver.net), February 18, 2002.

Lesa could you send some of us photos? There is a false pregancy that goats can get, but unlikely that you have a couple at a time in a small herd. If the does are related and dairy especially swiss they could have displaced obomossums, a really good photo of this in Goat Medicine of dam and daughter with this, one of the 4 stomaches slips out of the lining of the stomachs that holds it into place, but instead of it being low and all the way around like a really pregnant doe, it is sort of out to the side really wide.

Another mystery is after you have been on the boards for awhile, improve your hay, stop feeding chicken scratch or whole corn and grain your goats correctly, start a good worming program, and put out loose minerals, your goats all of a sudden start flourishing. Their rumens get working really good and are all full, and the very first thing that happens is the folks look at their healthy full rumen goat and say they look pregnant, when actually it is what they should look at. And don't look at the haybelly/full rumen of a goat and ever think it is fat, always feel over their ribs. Ribs and skin, they need to gain weight, unless they are an excellent milker. Ribs with some flesh over it and skin, perfect. Ribs, skin and a roll of flesh you can grab........................what are you doing out in my barn!!!! :) God that is old! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), February 18, 2002.

Like Vicki said, it could be false pregnancy, or great body capacity and a full belly. Or, it could be that somehow, some way, a buck did get to the does...This happens more than you might think. I don't know if the does jumped in the buck's pen and out again, or if the bucks escape and then return to their pen, but it does happen, and then the breeder sits scratching his head, wondering how this ever occurred!

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), February 18, 2002.