Читать книгу Raising Goats For Dummies - Cheryl K. Smith - Страница 54

Goats spend the first three years of their lives growing. They are almost their full size at age 2, but can still put on weight and height for another year.

Goats’ general life expectancy is about 7 to 12 years. Wethers often live longer than does and bucks — over 10 years — probably because they are most often pets and have less stressful lives. One of the common causes of death in wethers is urinary calculi.

Does live an average of 11 to 12 years. They often die from kidding-related problems because of the stress that it puts them under. They are more prone to parasite overload and losing condition from feeding kids. Does who aren’t bred after about the age of 10 often live longer. I have heard of does living as long as 20 years.

Bucks have shorter lives than either wethers or does, living on average 8 to 10 years. The stresses of annual rut (breeding season; see Chapter 12) take their toll on them. They have to deal with other bucks’ aggressions and lack of eating and sleeping.

Elderly goats require special care and feeding to deal with health conditions that they may have. I tell you more about older goats in Chapter 14.