Caring for Wethers
Dairy goat wethers take special food and care.
There are many misconceptions about caring for wethers. I believe this is because meat breed wethers are often sent to market at your local fairs. Likely, when you go into a feed store, they are going to give you their market wether advice. However, dairy goat wethers are not market wethers because they are not going to be butchered six months after birth. Dairy goat wethers are often pets and they need to be fed a special diet to help them live a long and happy life.
Understanding Male Goat Anatomy
Male goats have a unique anatomy compared to other mammals. They have a long, narrow urethra which ends in a very narrow opening called the urethra process or "pizzle". Their urethra also bends in the middle. Calculi, also called stones or crystals, are caused by high levels of minerals. The calculi are usually small and the goat is able to pass them without problem. However, if large calculi form, the goat may not be able to pass them through the urethra. This is a disease called Urolithiasis or urinary calculi. Urinary calculi blocks the normal flow of urine and can cause the urethra to burst, leading to death.
Preventing Urinary Calculi (UC)
DELAYED CASTRATION: Delayed castration allows the already narrow urethra of a male goat to continue to grow in diameter. This means that if a goat develops stones, they are more likely to be able to pass them. We recommend delaying castration until at least 15 weeks of age.
WATER: Goat must have access to clean water at all times. Not only access but easy access. Consider the weather; if your waterer is out in the weather, your goat may not go to it. We like to add a splash of apple cider vinegar to encourage the goats to drink. The more they drink, the less likely the are to have stones because they are constantly flushing their system.
DIET: The best thing you can do to decrease your goat's chance of having urinary calculi is to ensure you are feeding your goats a proper diets. Goats need a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 2:1 up to 4:1. The overall diet, which includes hay, feed, minerals, and snacks, should have twice the calcium of phosphorous. The easiest way to do it is to only buy items already balanced. The best thing to do is feed your wethers a grassy alfalfa hay (this is a mix or orchard grass and alfalfa), a loose goat mineral (we like Sweetlix Meat Maker) and NO GRAIN. If you must give snacks, try raisins, carrots or apples, instead of grain and flour-based snacks.
Symptoms of Urinary Calculi
A goat may or may not show any or all symptoms. If you suspect urinary calculi, withhold water from your goat and call your veterinarian right away.
Abdominal pain.
Restlessness. They may kick at their belly.
Frequent attempts to urinate sometimes with tail twitching.
Groaning or crying while attempting to urinate.
Bloody urine, or crystals on the hairs around the penis shaft.
If the urethra has ruptured, the abdomen may be swollen (known as water belly) and the goat may lose its appetite and become depressed.
Ammonium Chloride
We recommend that all owners of male goats keep ammonium chloride on hand in case of suspected urinary calculi. This can be difficult to find in stores so order it online before you need it.