Why do some of my goats

[Jillis]

have a strange looking ridge of hair growing straight up off of their spines? It is a thin, tall, ridge of hair, and then it curls at the ends. It looks like a funky mohawk. Is this a sign of some type of mineral deficiency?

[SHELBY]

What kind of goats are we talking about here?

My pygmy and spanish goats have this, It's kind of funny cause they can raise it and lower it like a dog does when they are a little mad.

[mygoat]

No, all goats have that to some extent.they will raise that ridgeline when they are cold, angry or playful. You'll probably notice it while they are playing and butting each other around. What breed are they? I have noticed that Faiting goats that have long haired animals in thier background often grow a long ridge down thier back that falls every which way and often curls. It is quite cute, lol!

[Jillis]

All my goats raise the hair along the ridge of their spine when they are "fighting" or scared...but this is always sticking straight up. The rest of their hair is relatively short.

The ones that have it are:
A Saanen, a Saanen/Alpine cross, an Nubian/LaMacha cross, 2 twin white LaManchas.

It is thin, and curls at the ends. It doesn't look right, or as if it belongs. I've never seen it in pictures of healthy goats in any book or on any website. The particular ones who have it seem to be less thrifty than the others, and more prone to sickness or cocci or whatever is going around, they get it first, worst and longest, with more recurrances. They didn't start out with it, but they are only about 4 to 5 months old...

Thanks for your replies!

[chamoisee]

It can be a breed trait, or run in certain family lines. I've had goats with a 5-6" fringe all along their spines...at any rate, nothing to be worried about. a coat that isn't healthy looking overall, on the other hand, might indicate the need for better nutrition, worming, or a mineral deficiency.

[Farmgirl2005]

my boys have that too... i have three fainting goats and they using it when challenging eachother.. it stands on end to make them look bigger.. i believe the more they fight the higher it stands...
lyn

[Jillis]

Thanks, everyone! I feel better now!

[ozark_jewels]

Yep, its just a trait that runs in certain lines or crosses......It makes them individual. :baby04:

[rhjacobi]

Hi Jillis,

As all the posters have said, this can be quite natural. I'm not familiar with all breeds, but I would be curious about the curly part that you describe.

Does the hair coat feel smooth or coarse, especially the curly areas? I don't know if they would be shedding or not yet in Vermont, but has their hair coat color or texture changed even subtly - other than what might be attributed to shedding? If the hair coat has gotten coarser or duller, it could also be from nutritional deficiencies that affect the hair coat, usually from parasites (what we usually call worms).

I have found that in all the breeds that we have, the Nubien crosses especially will get some curl to the hair down the spine if they need to be wormed, but it also feels coarse to the touch.

Bob
Lynchburg, TN.

Originally Posted by Jillis

have a strange looking ridge of hair growing straight up off of their spines? It is a thin, tall, ridge of hair, and then it curls at the ends. It looks like a funky mohawk. Is this a sign of some type of mineral deficiency?

[Jillis]

The hair is soft, and I've noticed that a few of them are beginning to shed a bit. I wormed them all about a month ago, maybe a little less...thanks for all the info. I keep learning...

[EatChevre]

My Toggenburg has that ridge of fur too.