# Coats for goats



## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

I remember reading somewhere that putting coats and goats can actually make them colder and can affect their fur growth. Is this true? Is there a valid argument against putting coats on them (unless they truly need it)


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

They really should have built up a good coat on their own. Usually deep bedding and plenty of hay should take care of it. But certainly in extreme circumstances a coat is fine.


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

I had one on Bonnie last year for awhile until she pulled it off and tried to eat part of it. This year we've let their coats grow and she looks like a brown barrel right now so I agree with Karen.


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## Goatzrule (Feb 7, 2013)

I looked it up and this is what I found 
"Goat don’t need coats. They don’t need sweaters. They don’t need blankets. Putting any kind of coat on a goat will inhibit the growth of their natural winter coat. It will also keep them from being able to puff out their coat to trap body heat, and this is one of their best defenses again the cold. A little shivering is also nothing to panic about – it’s another natural body response that helps to produce body heat. If the shivering is severe or persistent however, do give their temp a check. Unless the goat has some kind of special condition (illness, recently clipped, newborn) that interferes with maintaining body temperature, keep the coat off your goat."


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## MadCatX (Jan 16, 2018)

LMBO - Fluff their fur out - Ill have to get a pic of Bonnie she looks like a ball out there lol.


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## Einhorn (Jan 2, 2014)

I'd add that if a goat gets sopping wet it can be bad. Too warm of a coat makes a goat sweat (because you put the coat on in anticipation of it getting cold) Then as the temp drops, the sweaty goat is now a cold goat.

Although i have seen rain coats on lambs and that's about the cutest thing ever!


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## littleheathens (Apr 27, 2019)

We bought a couple of horseware brand goat coats on sale and I was so happy to have them. I'm sure the goats were too! They arrived the day it dropped to more than -20 and stayed there for several days. We'd then take them off when it warmed up to single digits. Our animals were so cold they weren't moving to drink,


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