Opinions wanted please. I went to look at some goats for sale and I found one that I like. Two of the other goats out there have some sort of skin tag looking things hanging down on each side of their necks. They both have the exact same things. They hang down about 2 inches. They are thin and there doesn't appear to be anything in them. Almost certain it isn't C/L. I have seen that. It's not an abscess, just some floppy things that hang down like tubes with hair on them. I don't want to buy any trouble. The one I want doesn't have them, but I want to be careful. Anybody have any ideas, please. Thanks. Brad
Those are wattles. I LOVE goat with wattles! They serve no known purpose in life but many people think they are really cute on goats. (Me included. ) Some goats have them... most don't. It's totally a visual appeal so you decide if you want your goat to have them. Edited to add picture: My goat on the left has no wattles... my girl on the right does - you can just see one hanging down under her left cheek:
Cinder....Is totally right....they are wattles......it is just part of that goat....some people like them ....while others don't........ :wink: :greengrin:
yup waddles or wattles not sure how you spell it :? no harm to the goats - some call them goat jewlery
Yep, that's them. (I love this place). So totally harmless? May be a cruel question, but can they be lanced at a young age if necessary? I dont want to hurt them, but some customers my be a little leery. Also, do they seem to be hereditary? If so, does it seem to be more buck related or doe related? Thanks again. Brad
I dont think its hereditary. also, lost of breeders just nip them off at a young age (i think) theres nothing there so it wouldnt hurt very bad
It is genetic, and it doesn't need to be with eoither parent, they can be passed if a grandparent has them. You can't "lance" them because all they are is excess skin...nothing in them. As AlaskaBoers said though, some breeders snip them off at birth which is less traumatic than doing it as an older kid or an adult, they don't hurt the goat and they are more pleasing to the eye if they sre symetrically placed on the neck...some have them in very odd looking places...behind the ears, on the cheeks under jaw or on the chest. I have read where it is possible to get rid of them by tightly tying dental floss around the base...same concept as banding a buckling, it looses blood supply and can be snipped with minimal bleeding after a few days. I got my first "blinged" goatie last year, Bailey is the only "accessorized" doe I have...we'll see if those wattles are passed onto her kids next March.
i dont think there is a reason to remove them -- but yes people do remove them when young at times especialy on show animals as they are a pain to clip so I hear. Yes the wattle gene is hereditary - but not 100% I had a doe with wattles and out of twins one had them and out of triplets 2 had them. So even if you remove the wattles someone could breed that doe or buck you sell and end up with wattles and be totaly confused by it since both parents "dont" have wattles. I would at least mention it if you do remove the wattles
I own Fancy that also has waddles (just thought about that). Fancy is the dam to all three of my girls that have waddles. Their sire did not have waddles. Jewelz (waddles) bred to non waddle - twins do not have them - so far Dobie is due in June bred to non waddle - we will see!! Fancy is bred to non waddle - due end of summer - we will see.
yep you can snip them off with a pair of scissors at birth, with very little bleeding. I will be doing it to mine if ever they have waddles ... I dont like em!
Some wattles are not "even" in my alpines anyway. They have a short one and a long one or they may have "teardrop" one and a long skinny one. I have a doe kid with only one wattle and wish I had cut it off! Some people say they tie dental floss? or something similar around the wattle very tightly and let it fall off in time. Sue
