# Shivering Buck



## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

When I went out to feed yesterday I noticed that the bucks hind end was shivering...like the muscles when an animal is cold. It was cold, but no one esle was shivering.. Not the does or the horses. He didn't look uncomfortable, just those hind leg muscles shaking. There was no wind and the pen is protected from wind pretty much. Why was he doing this? 

I called the owner and she had no clue either. She looked in her goat book and this didn't seem to be any type of desease related thing. He is clean and healthy and so are my does. I feed them and went out to check him again about 1/2 an hour later and he was fine, no shivering.

I was wondering, do bucks do this when in rut and the does are not ready to be bred yet? He bred one doe and the other ones has not come in yet. Could this have been a stress thing because he is in rut and the girls aren't ready? He has not done it since and I think the other doe came in as her back end is very dirty!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Shivering is a normal response to the body warming itself up.....his body was just regulating itself... :wink: 

If he was acting sick and not eating and shivering.....then... I would get a temp ....as that indicates ...that he would be sick.....


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

That's was my first thot.. But, no one esle was doing it! One of my does is thin as her kids took alot out of her...fattening up now. She was fine. He stopped soon after I gave them hay, which I know warms them up. Just thot it might be something different. He was born up here so cold weather is nothing new to him.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

He sounds fine.....but.. if in doubt...get a temp.... :hug:


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Well, I just called the owner to come pick him up. I think he has bred my girls and I do not want him to get sick here. He seems fine. Owner will watch him and do what needs to be done I am sure...but I will let her know. He was shivering agin just now, soo he might just be cold. He doesn't have anywhere near the coat my girls do. He has been breeding for about a month, so he may just need to goo home and relax!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

If he doesn't have as long of hair as the others and just got done breeding... he could be down a bit on his weight....so... he is feeling the cold more....it was definitely a good idea... to get him back home... so the owner can start feeding him more to get his weight up.... It is also a good idea for the breeder to put him in a warm stall ...to help him out...so he doesn't burn off all the feed.... just trying to stay warm..... :wink:


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

yesterday one of our does was shivering...her back legs and I just decided to take a temp and turns out she had a 105.9 temp so we gave her penicillin and today she is fine...if I ever think something seems weird I always take temps just to be safe!


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

My buck shivers frequently, but... when I got him he had been out to pasture with no human contact. It took three of us to corner and catch him. Even though now he will come up to me and I can catch him any time I want, he still occasionally shakes. Since you don't own this buck and he has bred all your girls he may just be paying more attention to his surroundings than the girls.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

Owner just picked him up. He was whole body shaking when in the truck so we assume it is more stress than anything esle. Of course my youngest doe calling to him didn't help! I think she will miss him  Anyway, he is homeward bound, so he should be able to settle down soon and relax!

Thanks for all your replies!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:thumbup: :hi5: :greengrin:


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

Glad to have it confirmed that the shaking hindquarters thing is due to them warming up - Eclair started doing this on Monday evening and I kinda started to freak out  - took a temp and it was normal, so I wasn't too worried, researched and came up with "it could be from the cold, it could be this that or the other thing" so I was keeping an eye on things, Tuesday morning was really cold and she was shaking in her hindquarters and then would do a whole body shiver... but it was warm this morning (37) and no shaking or anything, and what you've described is exactly what she does, so I am certain it's just adjusting to the (slightly) warmer barn. Her coat isn't as fuzzy as Fiona's - would it be a good idea to get her a dog coat or something for those really cold nights? They have a nice bed of straw and wasted hay in their shelter box.


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## Itchysmom (Apr 3, 2010)

You shiver when cold too! Just make sure there is plenty of hay for her to eat. Digesting hay warms them up.


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## Devin (Feb 6, 2011)

My buck has longer hair than my other goats, but his coat is not as thick. Sometimes he shivers in the mornings when he comes out of the shed to eat. He is not skinny, but rut has kept excess weight off of him, I hope as he leaves rut then he will fatten up a little. Otherwise he seems just fine. They all snuggle in the barn at night. So far the problem hasn't been excessive, but I keep an eye on him.


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