Goat Glossary

Abomasum -The fourth and second largest chamber of a ruminent's stomach..where actual digestion takes place.

Acidosis -Condition where rumen pH falls, usually because the goat ate too much grain.

AI -Artificial Insemination...(yes they do it for goats*S*)

Barrel -The entire body cavity, also the girth of the body at it's largest, near the last rib.

Blind Teat -A teat that is non-functional due to birth defect,injury or disease.

Bloat -Gastritis: too much accumilation of gas in the stomach can be fatal!

Bolus -Large oval pill form of medication(good luck*S*)

Breeding Apron -Device used to keep a buck from breeding.

Buck -A male goat..also referred to as a 'Billy'..but NEVER in the registered circle!

Buck Rag -Cloth or sock rubbed on the scent glands of the buck; to be put in with a doe to induce or detect heat cycle.

Butterfat -Cream content in milk

Cabrito -Literally "little goat" The Spanish use this term referring to goat meat.

CAEV -Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus..THE most dreaded disease in goats! also known as "big knee".

C.M.T. -Home method of testing for mastitis.

Caprine -Pertaining to goats.

Caproic Acid -A fatty acid that is responsible for making goat milk taste 'goaty' with age.

Chevon -Goat meat as referred to by the French.

Chevre -Classic French soft cheese made with goat milk.

Colostrum -First milk-this is a thick yellowish milk that provides all the antibodies a baby kid needs..high in protein and vitamins..it is only made by the doe from the time of birth to about a week after(it decreases concentration as days go by).

Corpus Luteum -Yellow body; solid yellowish mass of tissue that developes in a doe's ovary after an egg has been released.

Cryptorchidism -Undescended testicles or testicle.

Cud -Soft mass of food regurgitated and rechewed by a ruminent.

Curd -Coagulated milk.

Dam -Female parent.

DHIA -Dairy Herd Improvement Association administered by the USDA.

DHIR -Dairy Herd Improvement Registry; production testing program administered by goat registries in cooperation with the DHIA.

Disbud -Removal of horn buds from young goats to keep horns from growing.

Dished -Slightly concave face type, characteristic of Pygmy goats and some Swiss breeds.

Doe -Female goat: also referred to as 'nanny'..but NEVER in the registered circles!

Drench -A liquid medication or the administering of a liquid medication.

Dry Doe -Mature doe that is not lactating.

Dry off -To stop milking at the end of a doe's lactation; ususally 2 months before she's due to kid.

Elf ear -LaMancha ear up to 2 inches in length.

Enterotoxemia -Toxic indigestion that may follow acidosis..also a bacterial infection from an organism found in the soil-typically in spring. Can Be FATAL!

Estrus Cycle -A series of 17 to 23 day cycles during which time the doe comes into regular heat; usually from July through February.

Estrus -Heat:period of sexual mating.

Flush -Increase the doe's nutritional intake before mating;stimulates ovulation and conception.

Foot rot -Fungus infection causing lameness: usually caused by lack of hoof trimming and/or having feet in wet pens over an extended period of time.

Free choice -Method of feeding when food is available at all times.

Freshen -When a doe beings to give milk after kidding.

Gopher ear -LaMancha ear one inch or less in length with no cartilage.

Grade - A doe with one parent being registered and the other of mixed or unknown ancestry.

Heart girth -Circumference of the chest just behind the front legs.

Heat - sexual readiness.

Herd -more than one goat.

Hermaphrodite -An animal with both male and female sexual organs.

In kid -Pregnant.

Lactating -Giving milk or in-milk.

Legume -Group of plants that includes alfalfa and clover.

Let down -Release of the milk by the mammary glands; usually stimulated by the presence of the milker or kid..also induced by "bumping" the udder..(watch you kids eat).

Mange -Contagious, itchy skin disease caused by mite.

Manger - A trough that holds feed.

Mastitis -Inflammatory infection of the udder.

Mites -Tiny parasites that feed on skin and blood.

Off feed -Not eating as much as usual...this is a signal!

Omasum -One of the four chambers of the ruminant's stomach..also called 'many ply".

On test -Enrolled in the DHIA milk testing program.

Papers -Certificates of registration.

Parlor -Place where the doe is milked.

Placenta -Afterbirth.

Progeny -Offspring.

Recordation -Documentation of a crossbreed or a grade dairy goat on record with the registry.

Registration -Documentation of a purebred or American goat on regsitry with a registry.

Reticulum -Second of the four chambers of a ruminant's stomach.

Ringworm -Contagious fungal disease.

Roman -Convex facial profile, characterisitc of the Nubian goat.

Rumen -First and largest chamber of a ruminant's stomach; found on the left side of the goat.

Ruminant -An animal with a four-chambered stomach that chews cud.

Scours -Severe diarrhea can be FATAL to kids! (especially).

Scrotum -Hanging pouch that contains the buck's testicles.

Scrub -Goat of unknown ancesetry.

Scur -Odd-shaped horn resulting from improper disbudding or disbudding too late.

Settle -Get pregnant.

Shipping Fever -Pneumonia accompanied by diarrhea, usually resulting from travel stress.

Silent heat -In heat but showing no outward signs.

Sire -male parent.

Stanchion -A restraining table that holds the goat still by the neck while being milked (HA!).

Standing heat -Doe's receptivity to being bred.

Unrecorded Grade -A doe whose ancestry is either unknown or just not recorded.

Uterus -womb.