Is this a hermaphrodite? pic

[tailwagging]

if so are they rare?
It was sold to our friend as a bush doe.

[susanne]

looks like it.
sorry
if only for brush clearing, should not be a problem

[DairyGoatSlave]

Iv never seen one in goats, but wow, that looks "different". Its pretty rare Id think!

[ozark_jewels]

Yes, I'd guess that is what you are looking at. I had one a few years ago. Yours is much more mature and showing more of the bucky side in its looks than mine was by the time it left my farm. Mine was sold as a companion goat.
It is pretty rare.....not sure what the percentage is. I've only ever had one.

[tailwagging]

I thought it was but had never seen it before. They are grossed out about it and wants to sell it now. anyone knows if there is a place that may want to buy it for science?
other wise they are going to sell it as a barbecue goat.

[betsy h.]

I'd think about keeping it!

They are great for telling you when your fertile does are in heat so you do not have to keep a buck all the time! and are just as good at eating brush, just like all the others.....

[ChickenMom]

I think she's cute!

[DairyGoatSlave]

yeah, id keep it for a brush goat if thats what you wanted her for. Its not big deal unless your walking behind it staring its bum all day.

[Backfourty,MI.]

I have never had one born here before but if they only want it to clear brush then I don't see the problem. It may turn out to be a really sweet goat & a good little pet to have around.

[dezeeuwgoats]

I know a breeder who kept a hermie just to tell her who was in heat.

[luvzmybabz]

OK please do not laugh at the rookie but what in that pic show a herm. I notices a redness in the back end area but I thought boys organs were on the belly I am confused right now.

[DairyGoatSlave]

luvzmybabz, Its a hermi, see how its different looking, It dosent have two whole sets of both genitalia, its like a combo(someone correct me if im wrong).heres a page i found that has another pic of a he she goat http://community.livejournal.com/go_go_goats

[betsy h.]

Call her 'Lady Ga Ga'!

[KSALguy]

Call her 'Lady Ga Ga'! omg thats great lol,

we had a Hermaphrodite show up once, she looked all the world like a normal doeling untill her udder dropped on one side with a testical, she sure tasted good though

[angelsprite]

Tailwagging,
From what I've read of the research, and there has been a ton of research on the polled gene in goats that is the most common cause of hermaphroditism, if a doe LOOKS like a doe, it's probably not a hermaphrodite. If it looks like a buck, but it's teats and genitalia are positioned a little too far back, it may be a hermaphrodite. Some of the does look for all the world like a buck and there are even reports of some fertile intersex bucks that sired offspring, then later became infertile, but began giving milk like a doe.
I'm sure there are other forms of hermaphroditism, and your doe's vulva looks a little different, but that could be from kidding problems (vaginal prolapse) if she has kidded previously. I've noticed that in other species, females that are intersexed usually have a vulva that looks upside down. The doeling in the photo on the other link also has a vulva that looks upside down, though it's difficult to tell from the pic. Your doe's vulva isn't upside down, but it's protruding and obviously has more tissue than usual. So, you might have the vet take a look before culling. She may be a hermaphrodite, but you want to be sure.
She looks a little old to have survived without being able to conceive. Most people would cull a doe that didn't have babies after a year and a half old. Maybe you got someone's cull, if she is a hermaphrodite.
The bearded gene is dominant in males and recessive in females. Does that are not intersexed will get beards. I have several and all are good producers. Doelings and even adult does will mount each other, just like horses, cows, dogs, even cats will. It's just part of the nature of mammals.
The most common cause of hermaphroditism in does is breeding two natural polled goats together. Since dairy breeders poll all their goats, and many don't even realize that some of those would never grow horns, they can't tell which are polled and which are not. So, they breed two together that should NOT be bred together and they get hermaphrodites. By polling, they remove the goat's cooling system and an important tool for distinguishing which goats can be bred to one another without the risk of hermaphroditism. Then, when they get a hermaphrodite, some breeders will "cull" it by selling it to someone who doesn't know it's a hermaphrodite and that person wastes a lot of feed money trying to breed it. Your most economical route is probably to have a vet check the doe out. That way, you know if she is a hermaphrodite for sure, or whether she is just a big doe with a beard and a big vulva.

[barngirl]

One of our does had a hermie this spring, and I could tell almost at birth. They have a little "pea" sized growth on their vulva (often times) and when they're young just don't look "quite right" back there...as they mature than you can tell that something isn't right! They aren't bad - you can use them for brush, a teaser and a companion goat...they shouldn't smell like a buck either.

Jenna

[tailwagging]

I don't think they will keep it. It grosses the wife out. they got her in a group of pygmy. but since she was a large goat they wanted to know if I wanted to buy her/it. I saw the rear and said no. I have no need for a bush goat. I was hoping that there may have been a place that would want it. besides the ethnic group.

It was acting like a buck the day I took the pic. front leg kicking, head low,tongue out , mounting,spiting and chasing the real buck around....

this is their real buck
8 months old

[SheriM]

AngelSprite, good post...very detailed and well thought out, but I do want to mention one thing. It's easy to tell a polled goat from a horned goat, even when they're very young. When disbudding dairy goats, you have to locate the horn bud, so if the goat is naturally polled, there won't be a horn bud and the producer will know it is polled.

[Cyngbaeld]

Only way to be sure is get a buccal smear and have a vet or lab look at it for the sex chromosomes.

[Patt]

I have a naturally polled buck (alpine) and both of the doelings I got from him this year were naturally polled too. I didn't have any trouble telling the difference.