When looking out at your herd, it can be hard to tell whether or not the animals are healthy or not. Sometimes it's obvious, like when they just lay on the ground without moving, but often times, they display symptoms that are less apparent. So here are a few identifying characteristics of goats that are not feeling their best so you'll be able to quickly scan your herd for animals that need some attention.
It may sound kinda funny, but when goats aren't feeling well, they are more prone to having a bad hair day. When they get run down, their coats get scruffy and unkempt. This is often accompanied by a tucked tail, stiff joints, and a low hanging head. These symptoms can be caused by many different issues like worms, extended cold weather, common colds, or bullying from the other goats. You will often find goats that are suffering from these issues lag at the back of the herd.
Once you identify these animals, you may want to catch them to do a Famacha Eye Score and Body Condition Score. If you find them to be wormy, be sure to make a record - that way if they continue to get run down, you can take them the sale barn and get them off your ranch!
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