Goats are not the kind of animal you might normally associate with any kind of grooming routine.
Our perception of farm animals is sometimes just that they are fairly unclean most of the time.
However, I was recently having a conversation with a friend who told me he has always bathed his goats.
I was not aware that this was something goat owners did, so I decided to look into the question.
Do goats need baths?
There are a few things to bear in mind when it comes to bathing your goat which I will get into here.
As previously mentioned, you do not have to bathe your goats, but there are definitely reasons to do so.
So, let’s look at goat grooming in general.
Do goats need grooming?
It is best practice with virtually any animal to make sure they get some kind of regular grooming.
With goats, this will mainly be in the form of brushing.
You can do this as often as you like, even daily if your goat is receptive.
Many goats love the grooming process, and being brushed can be a great activity.
If your goat is less bothered by brushing, you can brush it every 6 to 8 weeks.
Hoof care is also vital.
Goats are highly active animals and like to run around and climb on things.
This constant activity can have a big effect on the condition of their hooves.
Always check your goat’s hooves for any foreign objects.
Hoof trimming is also essential and improper hoof care can lead to health issues.
Make sure you have someone with experience show you how to do it first of all.
If you cut too much you can injure your goat, as can letting them become overgrown.
Again, every 6 to 8 weeks is a good amount of time between clipping sessions.
These are pretty much all of your main grooming activities which must be done regularly.
It will not only help your goat look and feel its best, it will create a bond between you as it comes to enjoy the grooming.
How should I bathe my goat?
So, that’s your essential grooming needs covered.
But what about baths?
Well, let’s first just distinguish between ‘bathing’ and ‘washing’.
It is certainly not necessary to bring your goats inside and give them a bath in a real bathtub or even really to have an outdoor bathtub for them to use.
Also, I think once again a sensible time frame for washing your goat is every six to eight weeks.
So, when I say ‘washing’ your goat, I mean using a different method to give your goat a good clean.
There are a few ways you can do this.
You will just need goat shampoo, some buckets of water, and a bathing mitt.
It can often be helpful to have a second pair of hands to help you, as they can be slippery.
Washing your goat this way with soap and water is all it will need and will leave it looking very clean.
Pour a mixture of soap and water over the goat, give it a good scrub, and then rinse it off with pure water.
Make sure the soap is all gone as leftover soap can be irritating to the goat.
You can then towel dry the goat if it is not so warm, or let it dry in the sun if it’s a hot day.
And that’s all there really is to it. No need to cause chaos in your bathroom by bringing your goat inside.
Just give some shampoo and water and a good scrub in the garden.
Do goats get fleas?
The main health advantage to regular bathing is that it will do a lot to curb external parasites on your goat.
Fleas, lice, mites, keds and ticks are all common issues for goats.
Related Post: Can Goats Get Fleas? (Answered!)
Lice are among the most common issue, and there are two kinds: sucking and biting lice.
Biting lice cause itching, whereas sucking lice drain blood and can cause anemia.
They will usually begin to show in the winter months.
If you notice your goat is itching a lot, or losing patches of hair, it may have lice.
These can usually be removed with regular brushing, and when the weather gets warmer will usually leave on their own terms.
Mites can cause similar problems, and can even burrow in the ears.
Again, they can usually be managed with regular grooming, but in extreme cases can require veterinary intervention.
There are a number of products that will work on virtually all of these pests.
Ticks burrow right into the skin, so if you live near woods, you must regularly check your goats for ticks and remove any you find.
Other than that, regular brushing will be more or less all you need in order to keep your goat free of pests.
If you notice your goat itching or looking uncomfortable, try brushing it more regularly.
Goats, then, are not particularly high-maintenance animals.
There are many advantages to regularly washing your goat, but it is not necessary to give them an actual bath.
An outdoor bucket shower with some goat shampoo is all you will need, and only semi-regularly at that.
If your goat is not a show goat, you could get away with only doing this on rare occasions.
On the other hand, it is absolutely essential to the goat’s health that you regularly brush their coats and trim their hooves.
If you do this, your goat will be healthy and happy.