# Washing goats?



## stoneyheightsfarm (Jan 19, 2008)

This is probably a very silly question... I know goats aren't crazy about water, but can I wash them? With a dirt floor in the barn and part of their pen being dirt, they're getting kinda dusty. Does anyone do this? If so, how?


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 27, 2007)

You can wash goats, its pretty common when some show. But if its just dust in their coats, I use a horse brush to brush it out of their coats.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

If the haircoat is long and untrimmed, it's going to be a pain in the butt. If they are trimmed, or if you can do a longer trim on them now, it will be easier, and they will stay cleaner. Can you put down some bedding? We have a new barn and the floors are not finished (they are clay), so most of the stalls are still dirt, and the goats love rolling around in the loose dust and just get filthy, plus their udders are dirty. I fixed up one big stall for them with bedding, minerals, alfalfa pellets, hay, water, etc. and they have been staying out of the dirty stalls and have been much cleaner. I too use a horse brush, but if I were to have tried to use it last winter, before I body clipped, it would have been worthless just about. Just too much hair and undercoat. 
Anita


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## Faithful Crown Nubians (Dec 5, 2007)

I wash my goats by putting the milk stand in the drive way and putting them on the milk stand.


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## Wendy Tinney (Jul 15, 2008)

I have wondered what kind of "shampoo"? They tell you not to use human shampoo on a dog. Can you use human shampoo on a goat or is there some goat shampoo? 

Wendy


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## Kaye White (Oct 25, 2007)

Sorry, but I don't wash my show goats. I keep them clipped short, use a stiff and soft bristle brush on them. I've got one 4yr. old doe here that's had maybe one bath in her lifetime. The Saanen....different story! But, she's only had one bath this year...Nationals. My reasoning...they're already stressed by traveling and I'm not going to make them sick by wetting them down. With good minerals and all that...the hair coats stay soft and clean plus a lot of bathing and you wash the natural oils from their coats.

Yeah, it may take a few more clipper blades per year...but they're cheaper than meds.
kaye


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## Wendy Tinney (Jul 15, 2008)

I talked to someone about why the 2 pair of Listers I have used, both got sooooo hot. People on here rave about them, and I spent more time cooling the darn things off. So I asked (not on here) if I was doing something wrong. Was told to give the goats a bath first. Have not given a bath in 5 yrs and really didn't want to start! All that to say thanks Kaye for saying you don't bathe the goats.

Wendy


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 27, 2007)

I agree with Kaye on the bathing part. A healthy clipped goat looks great with just a good brushing down. And thanks Kaye for saying that traveling/showing is stressful on the goats...I have a good friend who gets on me everytime I say that....says I have to get over that type of mentality..... :?LOL!
I see much more goat washing at shows being done by people who also show sheep.....guess because they are so used to having to wash the sheep?


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Nothing is better than livestock shampoo, Corona etc, they are diluted into a bucket of water just like washing a car  The morning of bathes which is right before being shaved, which saves your blades, I fill up two 5 gallon buckets of water and an 8 quart bucket. Let them warm in the sun. Then put all the goats on the cattle panel fence double clipped with their heads up. I take the hose to all of them just to wet them, I am not soaking them as well water is much to cold to put on a ruminant with a 102 temp, it drops their core temp and slows the rumen, why so many does at shows look gaunt and sunk in. Wash all the goats, I always put blueing in the shampoo and by the time I get down to the last goat the first goat has stood with the blueing for 5 mintues, which will get grey out of white goats and makes your black and brunette goats shine. Then rinse rinse rinse with the warm buckets of water, when you are done rinse some more. I use a horse squeegy to get off most of the water, and those chammy cloths both in the cattle section but also car section at wallmart work well to. They then stand in the sun to dry. When dry they get shaved, back out to be clipped to the fence again where they are brushed really well and sprayed with show sheen....Sara purchased the last case of Champion left in the world, which is the best stuff. Both contain a laquer that keeps them clean, it's amazing stuff and it really works. Then it's back to the stand, for that final look at feet and I use high gloss clear paint on hooves, which takes about 20 mintues to dry with a fan blowing. Vicki


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## goatkid (Oct 26, 2007)

I bathe my goats at home prior to clipping them. Clean hair is easier on the blades. I've never heard of special goat shampoo. I usually use Mane & Tail and sometimes have used dog shampoo. Since the bottle says you can use the Mane & Tail on your own hair, I've never sen any reason you couldn't use a gentle human shampoo on goats or dogs and have washed both goats and dogs with baby shampoo with no problems.
I don't bathe the goats simply to remove dust. The only time I wash mine is before clipping prior to a show. I rarely bathe a goat once I'm at the show grounds. Kathie


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## Cotton Eyed Does (Oct 26, 2007)

The only time I bathe is when I do go to a show and that isn't very often. I bathe, trim, shave udders, clip everything like the day or 2 before I leave for the show. I bathe them on the milk stand out in the yard with Johnson baby shampoo, dry them with a towel and clip them to the fence until they are dry and I do use a show sheen spray on them. Once at the show I just spray with some of the show sheen and wipe them off.


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## ecftoggs (Oct 26, 2007)

We have tough Toggs and we bathe before we clip and at most shows - never had any problems. I do notice how dirty our white pants get when we show for people who don't bathe their goats- yuck! Besides our girls usually make it a fun event with their friends at the wash racks and they come back with more water on them than the goats! Sure wouldn't do a showmanship without having clean goats. We do watch the weather though and don't bathe them if it is cold as it just isn't worth it then.
Mary


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## Kaye White (Oct 25, 2007)

:laughcry Toggs are like brown carpet...they don't show dirt, like Saanens! Reason I like them. 


> Besides our girls usually make it a fun event


If I had someone else to bath mine...they might get baths more often. :rofl
Kaye


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## ecftoggs (Oct 26, 2007)

Well, my girls were washing goats for others at Nationals for a minimal fee - guess you missed it! Oh, well better luck next time  Maybe we wouldn't be washing the goats if the girls weren't around either??
Ya Kaye the Toggs are brown but what about those streaks of white in them :??? Wish I could just keep scrubbing to get the facial stripes wider!
Yes, I am glad I don't have Saanens or we would just be showing green goats.
Mary


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## Kaye White (Oct 25, 2007)

:sniffle Well...darn it! I could have had clean goats! Goat detail...what a great idea!
Kaye


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## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

Would the shampoo get pokeweed out of a white coat too? I've never had problems keeping my girls clean for show, but the one Snubian, since we've moved, is now a lovely shade of clay and pokeweed. :nooo
Megan


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## FRW (Sep 29, 2008)

I washed mine pretty regular.In the fall we would clean out stall and use lime to help keep the ammonia levels down in the winter and I washed them to make sure they did not have the lime on them.Even if it is a little cool I would tie them in the sun and wash and towel dry.
We always washed them before showing and they learn to like it.Most will want a drink while they are getting a bath. Use a mild soap and a conditioner if you are going to wash them allot. It will keep them from having dry skin.
Good Luck
Floyd Williams
TNT"S Nubians
Groves,TX


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