A Complete Guide to Key Points of Goat Rearing and Feeding

I. Wool Combing and Shearing

For goats raised for meat and cashmere, wool combing and shearing should be carried out every spring. When the downy wool around the goat's head, ear base and eye rims begins to shed, start combing. About one week after combing is completed, proceed with shearing. When combing, first lay the goat down on its side, tie the two front legs and one hind leg together with a rope, then use a sparse comb to gently comb out the bits of grass and dung stuck to the goat's body, following the direction of the hair from the neck, shoulders, chest, back, loin and thighs, working from top to bottom. Then use a fine comb to comb against the direction of the hair, in the order of thighs, loin, back, chest and shoulders. The comb teeth should be kept close to the skin, and the pressure should be even to prevent tearing the skin.

II. Dehorning

Lay a 5-7 day old lamb on its side, feel the horn base with your fingers, and when you feel a hard protrusion, cut away the hair at that spot and apply petroleum jelly around it. Take a stick of caustic potash (soda), wrap one end in paper, wet the other end and rub it repeatedly on the horn protrusion until slight bleeding occurs. After rubbing, sprinkle a layer of hemostatic and anti-inflammatory powder on the horn base, and place the lamb alone in a small pen separated from the ewe to prevent the medicinal liquid from getting on the ewe's udder during nursing, which could damage the udder.

III. Hoof Trimming

This is generally done after rain. When trimming the hooves, seat the goat on the ground, stand behind the goat so that it lies half-reclined between your legs, and lift its hind legs so that it cannot get up. When trimming, start from the front limbs, first use fruit tree shears to cut off the overgrown horn tips, then use a knife to trim the edge of the hoof sole until it is level with the sole. Continue until pale red blood vessels are visible at the hoof sole. If excessive trimming causes bleeding, apply iodine tincture to prevent infection. If the bleeding does not stop, heat a branding iron until it is slightly red and quickly cauterize the hoof sole. After shaping, the hoof sole should be flat and level, and the front end of the goat hoof should be square-rounded.

IV. Brushing

Dairy goats should be brushed every day to keep the body clean and promote blood circulation. When brushing a goat, it is best to use a stiff grass brush to brush the whole body from top to bottom and from front to back. If there is dung soiling the goat's body, it can be gently combed off with an iron brush or rinsed clean with water, then wiped dry.