for chewing.This process continues until the pieces are small enough to pass through to the omasum. The reticulum also catches harmful things, such as wire or nails, that a goat accidentally swallows (see Chapter 11).
After fermentation and rumination break down the roughage, it moves through the reticulum to the omasum, where enzymes further digest it. The omasum has long tissue folds whose function is to help remove fluid and decrease the size of food particles that come out of the rumen.
The abomasum is the only compartment that produces digestive enzymes. It completes the next step in the digestive process of food that forestomachs partially broke down. The abomasum handles the primary digestion of grain and milk, which don’t need rumen bacteria to be digested. The products of this part of digestion pass into the intestine for final breakdown, separating waste products from usable fats and proteins.
Hooves
A hoof is the horny sheath that covers the lower part of a goat’s foot and is divided into two parts. Goats stand on their hooves and walk on them to get around, which makes them extremely important.
Because they don’t like to stand in one place to eat, goats don’t do well if they have to lie around or walk on their knees. (Yes, knees.) I recently saw goats on television whose owners had fed them well but apparently hadn’t trimmed their hooves for years. (Chapter 9 tells you how to trim hooves.) The goats’ hooves were almost a foot long and curled up at the ends. Consequently, many of them couldn’t even walk, and others walked on their knees, dragging their rear feet. That had to hurt!
Untrimmed hooves make a goat prone to foot scald or rot, which can ultimately kill a goat. (See Chapter 11 for more on foot rot.) Goats’ hooves do best in dry, rocky climates. Goats that are feral or were feral for years, such as the Spanish goat, need less hoof care than closely bred, farmed goats.
Teeth
Goats have lower teeth in the front of their mouths but only a hard pad on the top. They also have back teeth on both top and bottom, which you will painfully discover if you put your finger into the back of a goat’s mouth! The back teeth are used for cud-chewing.
Baby goats get their first teeth before birth, at around 98 to 105 days of gestation. They lose these baby teeth, just like other mammals. You can generally determine the age of a goat by looking at the eight teeth in the goat’s lower front jaw. This is called toothing a goat.
Toothing a goat is not completely accurate because you can find variances among goats. They may lose some teeth and grow new ones at different times, or their diet or health can influence how their teeth grow. Figure 2-3 shows you goats’ teeth at various stages.
Here’s a guide to toothing a goat:
First year (kid): Baby teeth are small and sharp. They gradually fall out and permanent teeth replace them.
Second year (yearling): The two middle front teeth fall out when the kid is about 12 months old. Two larger permanent teeth grow in their place.
Third year: The teeth next to the two middle teeth fall out. Two new, larger, permanent teeth grow in when the kid is about 24 months old.
Fourth year: The next two teeth on either side of the four middle teeth fall out, and new permanent teeth grow in.
Fifth year: The goat has all eight front teeth.After five years, you can guess at the goat’s age by looking for wear on the teeth and missing teeth. This will vary a lot, depending on the goat’s diet.
FIGURE 2-3: You can tell a goat’s age by his teeth.
Beards
Most but not all goats have beards. The male’s beard is more majestic than the female’s beard. Although the purpose of the beard is unknown, it’s great for capturing that unique scent that males like to flaunt during breeding season. If you’re having trouble telling whether an animal is a goat or a sheep, look for a beard — only goats have them. (But not all goats have them.) Table 2-1 tells you more about distinguishing goats from sheep.
Wattles
A wattle is a fleshy decoration that hangs from the goat’s neck just past where the chin attaches. Wattles are more common in dairy goats and pygmy goats. Most goats have two, although I have had a goat born with only one. They are a genetic trait — at least one parent has to have wattles for a kid to be born with them.
TABLE 2-1 Distinguishing Goats from Sheep
| Goat | Sheep |
|---|---|
| Tail stands up | Tail hangs down |
| Horns usually straight | Horns usually curled |
| Often bearded | Non-bearded |
| Browser | Grazer |
| Curious | Aloof |
| Independent | Blindly follow |
| Hate to get wet | Don’t mind rain |
| Butt heads by rearing up | Butt heads by charging |
| No division in upper lip | Divided upper lip |
Horns
Most goats will grow two horns (yes, even the females) unless they’re disbudded shortly after birth. (I tell you about disbudding in Chapter 9.) A minority of goats are naturally hornless, a trait called polled. Although polled goats are
