Dairy goats have a strong herd instinct and prefer the companionship of at least one other goat. Bucks should be kept in separate quarters away from milking does. Management Ideally, goats should be dehorned when they are very young. It is advisable to wait until they are 1-2 weeks of age and in good flesh to be sure they are healthy and not coming down with neonatal diarrhea. If discolored skin is fixed to the skull in two rosettes, horn buds are present.
Moveable skin indicates a naturally hornless condition.
Hooves should be trimmed frequently to assure proper development of the hoof. To check the health of goats and determine suspected illness, it is useful to know their normal physiological values. Pulse is about 83 per minute ranging from 50 to 115. Respiration is around 29 per minute with a range from 15 to 50. Body temperature is about 103.6 degrees Fahrenheit.