# Hypothermia?



## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

I just read that goats can get hypothermia and it's a killer. What is the lowest temperature for a goat and if the temp gets too low in winter what do I do?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Goats are hardier than most think, they do need to have adequate shelter to protect from bad weather though.
A healthy goat can acclimate their bodies to temperature changes pretty well... Here in West Central PA, the winter temps have gotten as low as 6* below zero in past winters and my goats have all been snug and warm in their barn.
During very windy, snowy cold weather, I close access doors and fluff bedding and provide buckets of hot water often for them.


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## Farmgirl675 (Oct 21, 2010)

As Liz stated goats are quite hardy, we routinely see temps well below zero and high wind speeds here in the winter and so long as they have a decent shelter they do very well. Their hair actually is excellent insulation, mine frequently have snow built up on their backs and it won't melt unless the air temp raises enough to melt it. The biggest thing is to make sure they have acess to water and hay (they use the heat from digestion to maintain body temp and roughage/fiber creates the most heat when digested0. The only time I worry is if they get soaking wet and can't "puff" up their fur, or they are very young or have compromised immune systems, even then so long as they have a dry draft free area with decent bedding they do very well.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

liz said:


> Goats are hardier than most think, they do need to have adequate shelter to protect from bad weather though.
> A healthy goat can acclimate their bodies to temperature changes pretty well... Here in West Central PA, the winter temps have gotten as low as 6* below zero in past winters and my goats have all been snug and warm in their barn.
> During very windy, snowy cold weather, I close access doors and fluff bedding and provide buckets of hot water often for them.


Okay, good to know thanks Liz.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

I just wanted to say, that a couple years ago I had temps at 46* BELOW zero for 12 days straight. I had my goats locked in the barn with lots of straw and fresh hay and water, 3 even kidded. I never lost a one.

 The one thing that some people do that is NOT a good idea in my opinion is use a heat lamp. They get use to that warmth, and they do not regulate their body temp, then you have a power outage, NOW you have problems. 

 They just need a good place to get out of the wind.

 I had someone that wanted to purchase 6 of my goats. I was all ready until I know of someone else that also sold her some, she called and said that they did not even have a barn, she just used CRATES that were put together barely big enough to turn around, that was their shelter. That was in Laramie WY. NOPE I will keep them before i did that.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

As long as goats have some place to get out of any type of weather that is draft free, they should be ok. Putting down straw will also help with warmth.

I think an unhealthy goat has a better chance of getting hypothermia than a healthy one. So keeping your goats in good health and good husbandry goes a long way.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with what was said.

The only time a goat has a hard time with cold weather is, if their rumen is off, they are sick, just born to no milk in their tummy.
but other than that, with proper shelter, draft free and plenty of good feed, good bedding, shavings or straw, they do real well.


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> As long as goats have some place to get out of any type of weather that is draft free, they should be ok. Putting down straw will also help with warmth.
> 
> I think an unhealthy goat has a better chance of getting hypothermia than a healthy one. So keeping your goats in good health and good husbandry goes a long way.


regular hay or grass would work, right in lieu of straw? But then again, don't they just eat it up


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## ladyharley (Sep 7, 2012)

sweetgoats said:


> I just wanted to say, that a couple years ago I had temps at 46* BELOW zero for 12 days straight. I had my goats locked in the barn with lots of straw and fresh hay and water, 3 even kidded. I never lost a one.
> 
> The one thing that some people do that is NOT a good idea in my opinion is use a heat lamp. They get use to that warmth, and they do not regulate their body temp, then you have a power outage, NOW you have problems.
> 
> ...


wow that is sad, they would probably get sick.

I have a 16'x16' wire pen which I put pallets all around it for stability and put tarp over the pallets that to help with the wind, but they also have their own little area with food and water. I don't even know if goats cuddle together?? I have two dog houses in there as well and I know that the male uses the igloo dog house. I don't know what she does, but they have choices on where they want to go :dance::dance:


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## dollface72 (Jan 5, 2014)

I have 2 boer female goats in may they will be a yr old Monday night we are getting into temps of up to 15 below with high winds they have a shelter our barn which I take water out several times a day and have access to hay and goat feed my husband hooked up a generator for heat for there heater and it usually maintains a temp in there of 20 degrees we only use when gets cold like this is there anything else we can do to make sure they r warm should we use goat coats ?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Welcome Dollface, so long as they have plenty of good hay they will be fine. Their rumens act as a furnace.
A friend on the other side of the state walks out in her pasture to her snow mounds moving.
My girls enjoy hot buckets of water dumped into the main ones.


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## dollface72 (Jan 5, 2014)

Thank you so much Sadie Lynn and baby cakes are our pride and joy love them like our kids and my husband in hospital with pneumonia so just worried they will be okay . Also yes my girls love warm water during these cold days and nights .


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