# If a goat is just fat is her belly still hard?



## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

I'm trying to check my ND to see if she could just be fat, and I've felt for fat along spine, elbows, etc., to see if she has extra padding, but with nothing to compare it to, I don't know if I'm feeling fat or just skin.... ANYWAY, I can't feel any movement in her belly, but it's hard and tight... and she pulls away from me the closer I get to her udder...which is not full by any means, but it is there. Soooooo, do fat goats have tight bellies? or soft ones?


----------



## jenfrank (Aug 24, 2009)

OK, is this a stupid question? I'm a bit of a dum dum when it comes to rearing farm animals.... If I'm obsessing this much over a goat, I can only IMAGINE how crazy I'm gonna drive my daughter some day when she's old enough to have kids... the human kind, of course... :slapfloor:


----------



## helmstead (Oct 2, 2008)

No way to tell ya... you either need to preg test her or wait. :wink:


----------



## ProctorHillFarm (May 15, 2008)

I agree- if i were you I would draw some blood and send it in- that way you will know either way and wont drive yourself crazy for the next 5 or so months!


----------



## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I would just hang in there and wait and see. If you really want stop stressing I would do a preg test with bio tracking i think it's called. You can ask Kelebek about this...she uses it regularly to check for pregnancies. There really is no way to tell for sure your doe is pregnant without doing a preg test.


----------



## Ariel301 (Oct 13, 2009)

As far as checking her body condition to see if she is too fat--along the spine will be sort of squishy underneath the skin (can be hard to tell if she is long haired). If she is too fat, you will have trouble feeling her ribs too. If you can feel them (but not see them sticking out!) she's probably not overweight. 

My does are in good condition, not fat or too thin, and their bellies are fairly tight feeling and round just from eating. They aren't pregnant enough yet to feel anything. My Flora was really fat all summer and she was really round and squishy. 

But it's not a really good way to tell if they are pregnant, unfortunately...I wish there was an easy and accurate way to tell just looking at them lol! Getting a test done is the best way to know for sure, but they can be a touch pricey when you factor in the testing, the supplies to get the sample, the postage...At least it's too expensive for me to do this year. I'm just having to wait and see with mine.


----------

