Mountain Lodge Farm
Goat Wether Care Booklet
A brief guide to caring for your goats.
Mountain Lodge Farm • Eatonville, Washington
www.mountainlodgefarm.com
Names:
Birthdays:
Moms & Dads:
Weaning dates:
Banding dates:
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Your wether comes from a registered herd of Nigerian Dwarf
and La Mancha goats. Our herd is CAE (Caprine Arthritis
Encephalitis) & CL(Caseous Lymphadentis) free.
Your wether has been given tetanus shots, has been
disbudded (horns removed) and has been castrated (or will
be castrated) with the banding method.
Our goats have been bottle-fed and are very comfortable and
friendly with their human caretakers.
Normal Temperature: 101.5 - 104°F
Heart Rate: 70-80 beats/minute
Respiration: 12-15 breaths /minute
Life span: Healthy wethers live 11-16 years
@ 1-4 Weeks:
Milk: 1oz per lb, 3 times a day** (we use 6 oz. whole cow’s milk
mixed with 2 tbls. plain yogurt and 2 oz. cream for Nigerians).
Hay: Grass hay to nibble on & access to a mineral supplement (we
use a mix of SweetLix 16:8 Meat Maker, Dried Kelp & Diamond V
XPC Yeast). Check your feed store for goat minerals.
@ 4-7 Weeks:
Milk: 8 – 12 oz., 2 times a day (mix same as above)
Hay: Grass hay to nibble on and we add alfalfa hay & access to a
mineral supplement.
@ 7-8 Weeks:
Milk: 8-12 oz., 1 time a day (no cream added)
Hay: Grass and/or alfalfa hay to nibble, minerals & some choose to
introduce ¼ to ½ cup rabbit pellets per day.
Care: Your wether may begin to shed their horn scabs. They often
look bloody, but they are a natural, painless part of that process.
Spray with wound cleaner. The hair will grow back shortly.
Weaning (anywhere from 8-12 weeks of age):
Milk: 8-12oz., 1 time a day (no cream) for 1 – 2 weeks
Encourage them to drink water by placing one of the bottle nipples
in the water bucket and adding a little vinegar or electrolyte
solution.
8 Weeks – 8 Months:
Hay: Grass and/or alfalfa hay, optional ¼ to ½ cup rabbit pellets
per day, minerals & introduce baking soda free choice.
Care: Watch the site of your wether’s castration. As it dries up and
is ready to fall off – you may need to apply wound spray or iodine
in that area. This process can take up to 8 weeks.
Deworming: We use an herbal dewormer from Molly’s Herbals at
fiascofarm.com, but there are other non-herbal varieties out there
– speak with your vet for a good one.
Adulthood:
Hay: Grass hay almost exclusively. Use caution with GRAIN OR
ALFALFA (high in calcium & phosphorus which can cause urinary
calculi). Start taking your goats out to browse – many vitamins and
minerals can be found in the brush. Keep up the minerals & baking
soda.
Care: Trim hooves as needed (about every 2 months). Deworm as
needed.
Besides feeding your goats healthy rations and providing them clean
drinking water and bedding, the best thing you can do to ensure the
health of you animals is to pay close attention to them! Don’t
change their feed quickly, and don’t overfeed them.
Signs that something is wrong:
 Not interested in food and/or not ruminating
 Diarrhea
 Limping
 Crying out in pain
 Green or cloudy nasal discharge
 Straining to urinate
Fiascofarm.com is a great resource for understanding what might be
wrong with your goat. If you are not sure – call your vet.
Basic first aid kit:
 Thermometer
 Wound spray or iodine
 Electrolyte replacement powder or fluid
 Hoof trimmers
 Probiotic paste (we give anytime goat has diarrhea or is
stressed or hurt).
Wether specific health concerns:
Coccidiosis: Danger time: 4 wks. – 6 mos. This is a parasite found in
the intestine. While normal in adult goats, it can be lethal in kids. It
is spread by ingestion of feces.
Symptoms: Diarrhea, listlessness & bloody stool.
Treatment: Coccidiostats as directed by your vet. Plus
probiotics and electrolytes if needed to replace fluids.
Urinary Calculi: This can be a big problem in adult wethers but is
easily preventable with the correct diet. Avoid foods high in calcium
(alfalfa) and phosphorus (grain) after your wether is full size.
Symptoms: Straining to urinate, frequent attempts to
urinate, blood in urine. This is very painful for the goat and
the only treatment available is a very expensive surgery – so
best to avoid all together. An ounce of prevention…
Owning a goat is a fantastic challenge that is worth every penny and
drop of sweat. We are rewarded ten-fold for our time spent with
them.
A few last minute tips:
 Goats really don’t need much space to thrive – but they do
need some shelter and fencing. They don’t enjoy the rain so
keeping a roof over their heads and dry bedding is key.
 Goats should not be staked or tethered to anything. The risk
for strangulation is too great.
 Goats, while easy to handle – can test your mettle. If you
think they could possibly get into something or out of
something – they will! Patience and goat-proofing go a long
way.
 Because wethers do not expend energy on milking or
breeding – they can quickly become overweight. Keep their
weight down and your wether will keep healthy.
 Goats push or butt with their heads amongst themselves –
but they shouldn’t do the same with you. Respond to this
behavior with a firm “no.” If this is not enough – a squirt of
water or firm tap on the nose should do it.
 Goats love to jump and play. An old stump or backyard
children’s toy will provide huge fun for them.
Online:
 fiascofarm.com : This is a great general goat
reference. We also use Molly’s Herbals to treat our
goats and you can find her products and advice
here.
 pholiafarm.com : The Caldwells run a fantastic farm
in Oregon. This site is rich with info specifically
geared to Nigerian Dwarf owners.
 caprinesupply.com : Find all your goat related
products here.
 thegoatstore.com : Hoegger Goat Supply - another
great source for products.
In Print:
 Belanger, Jerry. Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy
Goats. 2001. This is the classic. I’ve seen it on all
goat owners’ shelves. All around good reference.
 Amundson, Carol A. How to Raise Goats. 2009. :
This is a great book for kids and beginners of all
ages. Lots of photos and a great goat overview.
A big thank you to Gianaclis Caldwell at Pholia Farm! This booklet
was greatly influenced by her Wether Care Guide.