# Beards in goats (does)



## Island Creek Farm (Jun 16, 2010)

I was just curious if all breeds of goat does grow beards? My Alpines do, three of them anyway...is beard growing linked to bloodlines, or is it random? One is growing hers back at an astonishing rate, another grows none at all. I had thought only males grew them...??? Guess I was wrong!


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## wheytogosaanens (Oct 26, 2007)

All of our does have beards... However, young does have hardly any. As soon as they kid, their beards seem to grow. Some kind of initiation rite or something, LOL! We only shave them for shows.


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

I don't think nubian does get them. My toggenburgs and lamanchas have them.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Nope Nubians do not get them. It is also a status symbol. So when you shave off the herd queens status its Gung Ho for the younger does, makes them think they have a chance....HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHHAHHAHHA! Sorry sardonic laughter is hard to put in letters.
Tam


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## Ashley (Oct 25, 2007)

Another reason to like nubians  I don't care for beards. Makes them look like "nannies"


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## KJFarm (Oct 26, 2007)

I have a couple of Nubians who grow small beards.


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## Tim Pruitt (Oct 26, 2007)

Yes a few of mine have grown a stubble - but nothing like I've seen the other breeds have. I don't have any does in the present herd that has one.


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## prairie nights (Jan 16, 2009)

<<Nope Nubians do not get them>>

LOL, Tammy, I'll have to challenge that statement, I have some that do ! Though most of them don't and have clean beardless faces. Seems to be a prominent thing in certain breeds but I guess just like facial hair in humans (and I mean in women), some does sport them and some don't.

Jana


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

None of mine have thick beards, those that have them have thin wispy beards. The Obie doe likes for me to stroke her beard, for some odd reason.


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## Tracy in Idaho (Oct 26, 2007)

Some of mine grow them, some don't.


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## Bernice (Apr 2, 2009)

With my Alpines some grow beards and so don't, like Tracy and a few others mentioned. I haven't had many over the yrs though that have had beards.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I stand corrected, our does that are nubian have not had beards. Our bucks either. Thanks for that info
Tam


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## Hearts In Dixie (Oct 29, 2007)

Our mini Nubian does do not have beards but our bucks do. 

Totally got the laugh thing Caprine. We need an icon for that laugh. 

Marla


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## Aja-Sammati (Oct 26, 2007)

Watch out Tammy- Psyche may grow a beard as she ages- both of her grandmothers have very nice beards- Penny's is quite thick and beautiful when it isn't clipped for shows. Her father has a beautiful beard (think Alpine type) as does one of his 1/2 sisters. Like most everyone else, some of mine do and some don't, and it seems to follow family lines for my girls.


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## M.Nivens (Apr 15, 2010)

We have 4 adult Lamanchas, one has had a beard (or as I like to call it "goatee") since we got her as a 3 yo, one started growing one at about 2 and the two that are older have never had them. Maybe they are like wattles, some have them and some dont? As sidenote my daughter does enjoy braiding them quite a lot..


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## LamanchaLover (Jan 11, 2010)

Our 1 1/2 year old Nubian buck has a smaller beard than our 7 month old Lamancha buck. :lol


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## Holly Govero (Mar 26, 2009)

Well I had only one nubian doe have beard. I was like oh my gosh. But i liked it. I kinda wish she was a boy so i can call him jack sparrow. Oh well. Oh I miss her so much. It been 2 years now since we put her down.. I havent seen beard with other goats yet. So we will see..


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## DostThouHaveMilk (Oct 25, 2007)

I hemmed and hawed over whether to trim Snow White's beard for the Online show. In the end, I decided against it. Didn't matter that trimming beards is what is normally done for show. At over 10 years old, I was not going to remove her status symbol. Besides, it would not have been her if I removed her beard.
Both of my Nubian herdsires have some beard. Nothing like the Alpine and Saanen cross bucks I have owned in the past though.


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## Island Creek Farm (Jun 16, 2010)

Ok, with the sardonic laughter, I might have missed the intent...lol...

Is it a status indicator within the herd if all does have beards? I shaved my two newbies, and now the smaller one is picking on the larger one...is it 'cause they are now beardless? Oddly, my beardless alpha female isn't challenged at all. 

Hmmmmmmmmm


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## tendermeadowsnigerians (Sep 8, 2010)

I have 2 nubians that have beards. Of course they are 13 & 14yrs old(mother & daughter) and have not freshened in years. But it gives them character, and we love them either way.


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## Laverne (Apr 4, 2010)

I think that maybe shaving the beard makes the other goats think it is a new goat to challenge, not recognizing it without the beard. I used to shave my long hair chihuahua and my other dogs wouldn't recognize him and would want to pounce on him till they got grouched at by him


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## petey (May 1, 2010)

Neither of my nubian does have beards, but I did see an electrolysis pen hidden under a tree out in the pasture... :crazy


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## Dana (Dec 7, 2009)

I am cracking up over this. Are we really having a conversation about goat beards? I smile the whole time I sit here reading this. 

My 7 month old LM has a great beard and he even had a huge hairdo like Larry King, but I cut it off; it was full of burs. It must have been 4+ inches high and then when it was chock full of burs he look hilarious!! Not to mention he has little LM ears-- he was a sight.

I can't stand the sight of beards on any of my girls. I or my daughter usually cut them off. I think it looks so 'hick' and we have city people who come over to visit our farm sometimes. I don't want them to think my goats are the rough kind. :derr


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

All our LaMancha's and crosses of LaManchas and our mini's had beards, that were shaved off yearly...none of my Nubians grow beards between yearly shavings.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Oh Petey! :rofl

And Dana, I want to see a pic of your Larry King goat! (but only with his hairdo!)


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