# Bathing goats



## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

Hi all! More newbie questions..

How often do you all bathe your goats? Does? Bucks? Kids? Treated differently?

I dusted all my goats with DE and now their skin seems to be dry especially my 5 yr old boer doe and my 4 month old Nubian doeling. All my adult goats had a bath about 5 mo ago.

Other than these two, how often should I bathe healthy looking goats? I know goats don't like water but I like to cuddle with my goats and I like it when they feel clean 

As a horse person I have been told not to bathe horses too much because it takes away the bodies natural oils. But as a dog person who cuddles with her dogs, I bathe my dogs about every 6 weeks and just make sure their diets have plenty of omega acids and fish oils.

Is there anything I could add to the goats feed to help with dry skin?

I know this is a silly question but any feedback would be appreciated 


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

I usually never bathe my goats, unless they are filthy (bucks usually) or if I'm showing them. When I happen to bathe them I use a baby or puppy/kitten shampoo, because it's gentle on the skin. Bathing too frequently will dry out a goat's skin and make their fur rough. 

Try adding wheat germ oil to their feed, it helps skin stay soft and battles dandruff. Olive oil will also work, but it's more expensive. Just put some in a spray bottle and mist it over their grain before feeding, or you can drizzle it. BOSS will also help skin conditions.

I find that in most cases a good daily brushing is enough to make the coat shiny, and the skin releases natural oils that keep it soft and supple.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

What is BOSS? Where can I get it? My goats love to be brushed  I have some "healthy coat goat formula" that I have not used in a while because they don't like when I put it on their grain or pellets. It's made with soybean oil does that sound ok?


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

BOSS stands for black oil sunflower seeds, you can use the bird food kind. The oils in it keep the weight on your goat and improves the skin (most of the time, some goats are unaffected by it).

I heard that soybean oil is unhealthy for goats, so I used the wheat germ oil. My goats like it and I've noticed a huge difference in their appearance. They look "shinier" and sleek! You can find WGO at most livestock and ranching supply stores.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

mountaingoats12 said:


> BOSS stands for black oil sunflower seeds, you can use the bird food kind. The oils in it keep the weight on your goat and improves the skin (most of the time, some goats are unaffected by it).
> 
> I heard that soybean oil is unhealthy for goats, so I used the wheat germ oil. My goats like it and I've noticed a huge difference in their appearance. They look "shinier" and sleek! You can find WGO at most livestock and ranching supply stores.


Thank you for the info! Goats are pretty smart I bet they didn't eat that stuff I gave them because they knew soybean oil wasn't good for them! Haha! I will definatly get the WGO instead and try the BOSS!

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## LittleBits (Aug 6, 2013)

I bathe in the summer for their clips. I just use dawn dish soap, or orvus, some sort of something, lol. Bucks get treated the same, kids don't get bathed. So basically they get a bathe about 2x a year, except for showing. 
They do get brushed daily though


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

What about an exceptionally dirty or dandruffy kid? Her fur just has a weird feel to it. It's not coarse but it's not really soft either.. It kinda feels like hair that has been over processed with conditioner, has anyone ever done that to their hair on accident? It feels kinda stringy (and she has never had a bath)


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

I'd start her with a good brushing to remove excess skin and fur. Add some oil to her feed as well...if she is very filthy then you could bathe her with a gentle shampoo, dawn makes them cleaner but can dry their skin out more.

If oils and baths and brushings don't solve the problem, you might want to look into copper bolusing. Copper deficient goats have fish tails, red tints and overall just very course "yucky" feeling fur. Adults get a 4 gram bolus and kids 2 months-1yr get a 2 gram bolus.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

I was going to bolus her with copper next week when she turns 4 months. I don't know what fish tail is but she has all the other symptoms.. Her black fur is reddish all over her body. The fur on her neck turned more black and shiny a couple weeks after a dose of BOSE but her body as not changed


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

Should I give her the copper now? She is petite for her age.. About 40 lbs


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

Also her fur is not coarse it's thin, and I don't mean thinning like she's loosing fur I mean the strands are much thinner than any of the other kids. All my kids are from different farms so they were all brought up with different feed, supplements, and minerals. She is the only one with an issue


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

Btw mountaingoats, it looks like you have replied to a lot of my posts with a lot of good info. Thank you 


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## LittleBits (Aug 6, 2013)

I'd go ahead and bolus her. 2 grams should do it. 
If she's got a lot of dandruff and a not so great feel to her coat, you could go ahead and give her a bath on a nice hot day. You can also put a coat and skin conditioner on her afterwards too. I use a show pig spray left over from the fair pigs.


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## LittleBits (Aug 6, 2013)

What is the analysis of your mineral, by the way? I'm wondering if she also needs more zinc...


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

LittleBits said:


> What is the analysis of your mineral, by the way? I'm wondering if she also needs more zinc...


They get manna pro goat mineral free choice but I don't think they like it so they don't go through it a lot... Sometimes I sprinkle it on their grain to make sure they are getting it.

Crude ProteinMin4.00%
(This includes not more than 4.0% equivalent crude protein from non-protein nitrogen)
CalciumMin16.00%
CalciumMax19.20%
PhosphorusMin8.00%
SaltMin12.00%
SaltMax14.40%
PotassiumMin1.50%
MagnesiumMin1.50%
CopperMin1350 PPM
ManganeseMin2750 PPM
ZincMin5500 PPM
SeleniumMin12 PPM
Vitamin AMin300,000 IU/LB
Vitamin D3Min30,000 IU/LB
Vitamin EMin400 IU/LB

They also have free access to a goat block

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS 
Crude Protein Min
18%

Crude Fat Min
2%

Crude Fiber Max
8%

Calcium (Ca) Min
3.2%

Calcium (Ca) Max
4.2%

Phosphorus (P) Min
1%

Salt (NaCl) Min
10%

Salt (NaCl) Max
12%

Sodium (Na) Min
4.5 %

Sodium (Na) Max
5.5%

Copper (Cu) Min
50 ppm

Copper (Cu) Max
55 ppm

Iodine (I) Min
10 ppm

Selenium (Se) Min
1 ppm

Selenium (Se) Max
1.1 ppm

Zinc (Zn) Min
170 ppm

Vitamin A Min
20000 iu/lb

Vitamin D3 Min
1000 iu/lb

And a billy block which I can't find a guaranteed Analysis for..

But the doeling has had this problem since I got her less than 2 months ago.. She is getting a little better but I am still not happy with her coat..

Can I use cowboy magic shampoo like I use on my horses? It makes them look and feel great!

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

They love the goat block, they like the billy block but they don't seem to care for the manna pro loose minerals.. What do you use for loose minerals?


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

If she is at an age where she has started cudding, go ahead and bolus her with copper. There have been times when i noticed even young kids showing signs of deficiency. For the bath, if they seem dirty or their hair seems dry, give them a bath and also make sure they are not having any parasite problems. External or internal. That DE can really dry their skin even though it does help with external parasites, so that may the problem.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

doublebowgoats said:


> If she is at an age where she has started cudding, go ahead and bolus her with copper. There have been times when i noticed even young kids showing signs of deficiency. For the bath, if they seem dirty or their hair seems dry, give them a bath and also make sure they are not having any parasite problems. External or internal. That DE can really dry their skin even though it does help with external parasites, so that may the problem.


She has been dewormed and I have her on the every 3 week cocci prevention. The new buckling I got had mites so that's why I have been treating them all with DE. She is definitely cuddling. Should I put mineral oil on their bodies instead of DE? I heard that helps with mites too?

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## anderson (Jun 1, 2014)

I've been brushing mine when they're on the milk stand and spraying them with an herbal mosquito repellent that smells really good. To me they seem as clean as if they'd had baths and they smell nice too.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Maybe just use a shampoo that will get rid of the mites, then you will kill two birds with one stone and not have to use DE or mineral oil. I would be afraid the mineral oil would attract even more dirt.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

doublebowgoats said:


> Maybe just use a shampoo that will get rid of the mites, then you will kill two birds with one stone and not have to use DE or mineral oil. I would be afraid the mineral oil would attract even more dirt.


Oh ya your right.. It would. I have atroban for mite bath, it's not really a shampoo but it will probably get the dirt and dandruff off too. I will try that and copper. Thank you!

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Good luck with them! I actually really enjoy giving my goats a bath and getting them all trimmed (hooves and hair). They always look so fancy afterwards!


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

Just did my boer doe and the 2 Nubian kids. I just wanted to let everyone know that the buckling came from a very good breeder, she told me about the mites before I went to pick him up and she said she didn't want to sell him until he was mite free. But since it was such a long drive and I had already arranged transportation and I had been so anxious to get him I decided the mites were not a big deal and I was going to get him anyway and just preventativly treat all the others with DE.

My other goats do not appear to have mites, I am just trying to be cautious.

I posted this pic on another thread but since not everyone here was on that thread I will share my little buck with you all too! The mites that he had were only on the edges of his ears, so very manageable and I don't see any evidence of them any more. The rest of his body and coat looks wonderful! I think I had dusted him with DE before this pic so you can't see exactly how gorgeous his coat is but take my word for it he has the shiniest softest coat ever! His breeder took amazing care of him!








Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

Is she a standard or a mini? Minis get less copper of course...you could treat her now with a 2 gram bolus, it sounds like she might need it. A fish tail is when they lose hair on their tail tip, and the hair "splits" so it looks like a fish or whale tail.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

She is a standard nubian, the pic is of my Nubian buckling. She does not have a fish tail but I bolused her today with 2 grams


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

But my alpine guernsey cross has fishtail! Good thing I bolused him last week! Thank you all for the great info! I hope my goaties are in great shape soon!


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

This is my doeling on the left and buckling on the right when she was younger, about a month ago, they grow so fast! You can kinda see the reddish on her rear leg, under belly and a little on the shoulder you can't see it very well but you can tell she is not her blackest.. Although they had both just been dusted with DE right before that pic so both their colors are a little dull from it

Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## HappyCaliGoats (Apr 2, 2014)

The reddish color covers her whole body now except her neck and legs. And it seems to be just the tips, I thought she was just getting sun bleached...


Newbie to Nubian dairy goats. Also have 1 alpine/guernsey wether, 1 boer doe, 2 Pygmy does, and 1 Pygmy/Nigerian wether.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

Yep, I can see the red on her hind legs. They should look great once the copper takes effect!


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