# HOW ARE YOU KEEPING YOUR GOATS COOL ON 100 DEGREE DAYS?



## draykesmom (Nov 22, 2011)

Im doing my best over here, trying to keep a fan (blowing around the hot air)... and water tanks cold, and making sure to feed in shade... what else can I do to try and keep my animals cool - short of brining my herd into the house and air conditioning.. which I am beginning to consider .. (my husband would flip.. lol)... 

I have contemplated wetting them down and putting them in the barn with the fan... but they are allowed to run in and out as they please and trapping them in would just deplete the amount of air they are getting... any other ideas? I do have a sprinkler going most of the day.. only letting the pump cool off in spurts.. trying to keep things less dusty...


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I put out buckets of water with electrolytes in them along with plain water.


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## apachedowns (Mar 14, 2010)

all goats are clipped-especially the babies as they can be real stupid running around to play, only feed in the early morning before the heat really hits and in the evening about 7pm when the sun is soon to set, fans moving air in the barn, water changed several times a day...pleny of areas provided with shade. We had temps last week at 105-112 degrees in southern NJ...these measures helped alot  I also give them powder probios when we have a heat wave to deter any rumen issues that may arrise due to heat stress...


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I clip all my girls.. (I don't clip the kids as they don't/didn't have any winter fur..) If I feed them their hay outside I feed it a bit early and in the shade I give fresh cold water through out the day, and the probios  I don't have any 'barn fans' but plan to get some.


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## goatfarmergirl (Jul 3, 2011)

I rub my goat's body and udders with wet rag and provide them with plenty of fresh water.On hot days they lie in the shade all day.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Oh and on really hot days I hose them off... even the ones that can't stand baths stand still and like it on HOT days!


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I avoid getting them very wet on hot days, and I certainly wouldn't bring them into the air conditioning (unless you plan on keeping them there) because sudden temp changes can make them sick. You can get them a little moist or wet their ears. But plenty of TREE shade is best. Thick leafy TREE shade, no substitute!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I clips all of my girls and one of my darker boys. They have plenty of hay, and always, always fresh water! One of our girls we had to bring into the milking room with a fan blowing on her. That was one of the hottest days of the year last year. We brought her in, gave her (don't laugh) water ice, and rubbed her down with an ice pack until her temp went down. But I wouldn't do this unless the goat is really in trouble. Most of the time they're okay (=


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## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

I have fans going today with plenty of cool water, my guys can go in and out but stay in barn once it gets really hot......I also mist them with squirt bottle of 50/50 water and alcohol......we are 104 as of right now


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## meluvgoats (Apr 19, 2012)

Well its lashing rain over here... I wish we had a bit of sun


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

^ I know what you mean! We have had a lot of rain! I am enjoying the sun.... just not the heat!


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## BlueMoonSpot (May 11, 2012)

I make sure they have fresh, cool water in the shade. I put ice chunks in the bucket sometimes to keep the water cool. I comb the goats a few times per week to keep their coats healthy if they beginning shedding at all. They are out on pasture all day and they have several shade trees. Like others have said, feed during the cool hours of the day. I don't clip the goats and they have been fine so far. =)

Both the goats and my horse like sucking on ice cubes, so if it's really hot I'll bring out a few for them to have. =)


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

We don't let the goats in the barn during the day, with the exception of the triplets having access to the creep area. We also don't have electric in the barn.
Plenty of shade and more air circulating outside anyway, We make sure they have plenty of water, and check on everyone every so often to make sure they are okay.
It's so miserable outside, thank goodness there is at least some wind and low humidity.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I am with milkmaid on the wetting down. When I was about 7 I hosed off one of my dads calfs and long story short the calf died and got in big trouble. For the most part my goats do very well in the heat, but yes i make sure to let them out very early during the summer because when it gets hot they are a bit lazy and I want to make sure their tummy is full. You could try to spray the ground down, but when I do that to their laying area they get mad and lay some where else.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Here in central WA we've been having super weird...cool whether. Usually it's very hot right about this time. 
But the best thing you can do for goats is to provide plenty of shade and cool, clean, fresh water. They usually will do pretty well just like that. But on the super hot days...good idea to keep checking on them...make sure none are overheated.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Someone mentioned shaving the goats. I don't shave mine, but I'm considering it since the heat index tomorrow is supposed to be 104 and anyway, it's always hot here in the summer!
BUT I'm afraid they will be hotter and maybe get sunburned since they will be less insulated. Any thoughts?


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## TiffofMo (Jan 10, 2011)

I just shaved some of my long thick haired goats. They also have plenty of shade in there pasture. I have them lock in one area right know that's shaded almost all day.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Their summer coats naturally cool their body...they keep the sun off their skin and allow air flow through the coat to cool them. Goats are not meant to be shaved (besides fiber breeds) so shaving really isn't necessary. If they are fully shed from their winter coats and have a nice summer coat in...don't shave them.


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## rosti (Feb 1, 2011)

Today was the third over 80 degree day we've had all year. I put old, white T-shirts on my dark girls and dumped a bucket of water on them every 2 hours. All the goats got showered-not just the dark ones. I thought they would hate it, but they didn't mind and it seemed to work.


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## Idahodreamer (Sep 19, 2009)

Fans, Cold Water Mist/ Spray bottle *if goat is extremely hot* and frozen fruit and other treats that can be chilled. We usually do frozen strawberries, bananas, raspberries, apples, oranges, etc. . . . . and lots, and lot's of fresh water. 
Cool Aide to make sure they stay hydrated . . . . and I usually go around with my mineral salt and offer some to each goat individually . . . . they tend to think it's more special out of my hand. 
Hope everyone else's goats are staying as cool as mine! I am so scared they'll keel over I think I go overboard . . . . .but oh, well, they think their in Eden here, even if it is hot.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

It's 10:30 at night and 82*..... not very comfortable sleeping weather. Today was another high 90 day with the heat index over 100*....I have one fan in my barn, it's a box fan that I confiscated from my hubby last summer and suspended it facing down from the ceiling in the girls' area, the back of the barn where Murphy has his area, open doors and window...Teddy, Angel and Heidi also have open doors and windows....unfortunately, the only tree shade my goats have is if they climb the hill of the pasture in the hot sun to get to it. EVERYONE gets full buckets of water at 4:45 am, they all get hay and my milkers get their feed, unfortunately I'm not able to come home from work to refresh water in the heat of the day but do so as soon as I get home at 2... my barn and pastures are in full sun until around 5pm, it's at that time that they all go out to browse, we did have some rain late this afternoon and all goats were in the pasture til 9 tonite so I know I'll be seeing "goat pies" from the wet grass in the morning. All were bedded with hay tonite and I'll do the same at 6 tomorrow morning...they've all faired well in the heat however I'm thankful that it hasn't been any hotter.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Honestly I just make sure they have water at all times. Mine have fared really well and no one has really gotten over heated.


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