Opinions please on blanketing goats

[Minelson]

I put my German Shepherd's blanket on Gretta to see if it would fit. It did. I am hesitant to use a blanket for her...don't want to do more harm than good. It's 14 degrees right now. I have a friend who says don't kill your critters with kindness when the subject of blankets comes up in the winter...any thoughts from all you goat pros? I'm adding a picture
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...6100MZM2bloyY8

Thanks!

[collegeboundgal]

if she is dry and draft free she'll do better w/o. they've got worm fluffy winter coats that we don't have and if she has a belly full of hay, she's her own little furnace.

-Melissa

[horsehelper]

The only time I use blankets is to keep newborns warm if they get chilled, and then only for a day or two. I might use one on a sick goat to keep it warm. But overall, blankets will do more harm than good. If they get wet, your goat will get colder than without a blanket. They are also perfect environment for lice and skin problems. Your best bet is a draft free, dry barn or shed where they can get out of the weather. Just let them be goats. They grow all that winter coat for a reason.

[AnnaS]

I blanket goats who shiver and don't warm up with a drink of hot water. I have three blanketed now-it's been below 0 all weekend and -22 this morning. The blanketed goats are all narrow bodied and don't have as much room for the rumen full of hay. The baby does are like beer kegs on legs and don't seem to feel the cold at all.

Blanketing can also save on hay. If they can retain more body heat, they don't need to keep their rumen packed all the time.

If they are milking, they can put more energy into making milk instead of keeping their body temp up. I know one breeder who blankets her does at 40 degrees for this reason.

If you do blanket, leave the coat loose enough so the goat can fluff out her fur if she gets chilled.

[DocM]

The only times I use blankets: Chilled sickly goats, weak goats (post partem in very cold weather), baby goats (usually just bring them in the house) born in very cold weather, fly sheets (light material) right after they're shaved for show, on show day to keep them clean (white goats), intimidation factor in bringing all the goats up to the ring in matching sheets (it works, trust me), goats that are bathed early in show season after being sheared. When I say "very cold weather", I'm talking single digits. Goats are hardy animals and do not need to be blanketed. Shivering is a mammalian response to warm the body and shivering doesn't mean the animal is chilled. A hunched shivering goat is chilled. That said, I have a side business making blankets and sell tons of them. I don't blanket my horses either, and they don't live in stalls. The goats and horses are all outside in 20 degree weather right now. They have an open sided barn when it rains. They're in good condition and all have grown good winter coats, even though they were sheared in late august for the last show of the season. I'd rather put them in the barn and let them snuggle in bedding instead of putting coats on them. It conditions the animal to not regulate its own body heat.

[Liese]

The weather here is very erratic, this morning at 5am it was 50* but 3 days ago it was 25- 30*F. The Nigerians all have a thick undercoat they have grown for the winter but the Alpine does haven't grown any thicker coat at all. Is this typical for Alpines? Because I milk in the screened porch I do throw a blanket or my coat over them during milking but that nice for me too if there is a breeze! Otherwise I haven't coated them but I have wondered when I see them shivering slightly in the early morning. I was thinking of polar fleece since like wool it stays warm even if damp. Not that damp is too much a problem this droughty year!

[goatsareus]

Originally Posted by Liese

The Nigerians all have a thick undercoat they have grown for the winter but the Alpine does haven't grown any thicker coat at all. Is this typical for Alpines? I was thinking of polar fleece since like wool it stays warm even if damp. Not that damp is too much a problem this droughty year!

Are you looking for the light white fluffy stuff on their belly right next to their skin, on your Alpine? Seeing the Alpines are a Swiss breed, I would expect that they are quite well adapted to winter weather. I have only had Toggs and they fared -20*F very well. I have never used a blanket on any goat, especially a healthy adult. I have used a hair dryer on babies though.

[Jillis]

Alpines are usually very winter hardy.