Chapter 4: Perform goat routine management practices

Goat production is a vital component of Kenya’s livestock sector, contributing significantly to rural livelihoods, food security, and economic development. Effective management of goats requires precise identification to monitor health, breeding, and performance accurately. This chapter focuses on routine management practices with emphasis on goat identification methods, a critical step to ensure proper record-keeping and traceability in Kenyan farms and institutions such as agricultural training centers and cooperative societies.

4.1 Goat identification methods

Identification is the marking or naming of each goat so that it can be recognised as an individual and linked to its records. Without it, the technician cannot say which doe was treated, which buck sired which kids, which kid has the best growth or which animal belongs to which owner. A good method is permanent, easy to read at a distance or with a reader, quick to apply, cheap and kind to the goat. No method is perfect, so a farm may use two together, for example an ear tag for daily reading and a tattoo as a permanent back-up. Example: in a dairy goat unit of 60 does milked twice a day, every doe has a numbered ear tag so that the milk recorder can write the yield against the right animal. The methods are tattooing, ear-tagging, ear notching, microchips and naming. Identification of newly born kids is covered in kid management.

Tattooing

Tattooing marks the goat with a number or letters pressed into the skin with ink. It is done with a tattoo kit, which has a pair of pliers holding a set of needle-pointed digits and a pot of tattoo paste. The mark is placed on the hairless inner surface of the ear, between the ribs of the ear and away from the large veins, or in the tail web in some breeds. It is permanent, cannot be lost like a tag and can be read many years later, so it is preferred for breeding stock and registered animals. Dark skin makes the mark hard to read, so it is shown best on light-skinned ears. The steps are:

1. Set the digits in the pliers to the number to be given and test them by pressing on a piece of paper.
2. Restrain the goat firmly, with an assistant holding the head, and wash and dry the inside of the ear.
3. Wipe the ear with a swab of spirit so that the area is clean, and disinfect the pliers.
4. Rub a thin layer of tattoo ink or paste on the skin where the mark will go.
5. Position the pliers between the ribs of the ear and squeeze them firmly and quickly so that the needles pierce the skin.
6. Rub more ink into the punctures with a soft brush or toothbrush, and let it dry.
7. Release the goat, check that the number is clear, record it against the animal, and disinfect the pliers.

Ear-tagging

Ear-tagging attaches a plastic or metal tag carrying a number to the ear. The number may be printed in large figures that can be read from a distance, and the tag may carry the farm name or a colour code for the year of birth. It is widely used in commercial herds, because it is quick, cheap and easy to read. Tags are applied with a special applicator that matches the tag, and they are sized for the age of the goat: small tags for kids and larger tags for adult animals. The steps are:

1. Choose tags of the right size and check that the numbers are in order and not repeated.
2. Load the tag in the applicator and keep a record sheet ready for the numbers.
3. Restrain the goat and disinfect the applicator and the ear.
4. Position the tag in the middle third of the ear, between the ribs of the ear and away from the veins, with the number facing outwards.
5. Squeeze the applicator in one firm movement to push the pin through the ear and lock the tag.
6. Check that the tag lies free to move, with room for the ear to grow, and is not too tight.
7. Record the tag number with the details of the goat and treat the ear with antiseptic spray.

The ear is checked for a few days for swelling and infection, and the tags are checked regularly, since tags can be torn off by thorns or fences, fade or become unreadable. A lost tag is replaced with a tag of the same number, noted in the record.

Ear notching

Ear notching marks the goat by cutting small V-shaped or round notches in the edges of the ears with notching pliers or a sharp, sterilised knife. The position of each notch stands for a number, so the pattern of notches reads as the goat's number. It costs almost nothing and is permanent. It is suitable where tags are costly or often torn off, but it hurts the animal, can become infected and is slow to read, because the ear must be seen closely. The farm must use one code, written down and displayed, so that every worker reads the notches in the same way. An example scheme is:

In this scheme a goat with a notch on the upper edge of the left ear and one on the lower edge of the right ear is number 31 (30 + 1). The steps are:

1. Disinfect the notching pliers, and restrain the goat with its head held still.
2. Decide the notches needed from the number and the code chart.
3. Place the pliers at the right position on the ear edge, away from the large veins, and cut cleanly and quickly.
4. Do not cut two notches close together, because the ear can tear between them.
5. Stop bleeding by pressing with clean cotton, and apply antiseptic to the wound.
6. Record the number, and check the ear wounds for the next few days.

Microchips

A microchip is a tiny electronic device, about the size of a grain of rice, in a glass capsule. It holds a unique number which a hand-held reader shows when it is passed near the animal. The chip is injected under the skin with a special needle at the site recommended by the veterinarian, for example at the base of the ear, by a veterinarian or a trained technician. It is hidden under the skin and is hard to lose or alter, so it gives a dependable record of identity for breeding stock, for animals sold at high prices and for animals that must be traced in a disease outbreak. The reader links the number to the animal's record on a computer or phone. The chip and reader are costly, so the method is used mainly in commercial herds, research farms and breeding units. Related electronic devices are the electronic ear tag, which holds the same kind of chip and is read by a reader but can be lost, and the rumen bolus. The care taken includes:

• Check the chip: Scan the goat before and after implanting to confirm that the number reads.
• Use sterile needles: A new sterile needle is used for every animal and is disposed of in a sharps container.
• Record the number at once: Write the chip number in the goat's record with its tag or tattoo number.
• Keep readers charged and tested: A reader should be tested on a known chip before a day's work.
• Mark the animal in another way as well: A visible tag allows the farm to read the animal without the scanner.

Naming

Naming means giving each goat a name, such as Neema or Baraka, that the attendants use to call and recognise it. It is used in small herds, on smallholder farms and in dairy units, where the herdsman knows each animal well, and goats learn to come when called, which makes it easier to bring does to the milking stand. A name is not a proper identification by itself, because two goats can have the same name and names are not recorded on a reader. For pedigree animals, the name is registered with the breed society, usually with the farm's prefix, together with a number. The following points are kept in mind:

• Give each animal one name: No two goats in the herd have the same name.
• Keep names short: A short name of one or two syllables is easy to call and remember.
• Write names in the register: The name is written next to the tag number and the date of birth, so that records are not confused when the herdsman changes.
• Link the name to the dam or the year: One way is to give kids of a doe names starting with the same letter, or to give each year's kids names starting with a letter chosen for that year.
• Support naming with a mark: A tag, tattoo or chip is always used with the name.

Visual recognition and choosing a method

Goats are also recognised by their coat pattern, horns, ears and size, and in a small herd a herdsman may know every animal this way. This becomes unreliable when the herd is big or the goats look alike, so it is combined with one of the marks above. Hot branding on the skin is not recommended for goats, because it scars the skin and lowers the value of the hide. The method is chosen by considering:

• Herd size: Small herds may use naming and tags, while large herds need tags and a record system.
• Purpose: Breeding stock and animals for sale at high prices need a permanent mark such as a tattoo or chip.
• Cost: Notching is cheap, tags cost little, and chips and readers are costly.
• Skill and equipment available: Tattooing and implanting need training and clean equipment.
• Welfare: The method should cause as little pain as possible, and the equipment should be clean.

Chapter Summary

This chapter covered essential routine management practices in goat production, beginning with various goat identification methods that ensure proper tracking and individual care. It detailed castration techniques used to control breeding and improve herd quality, followed by the importance of regular hoof trimming to prevent infections and mobility issues. The chapter emphasized vaccination schedules to protect goats from common diseases and explained the necessity of isolation and quarantine procedures to manage new or sick animals. Maintaining an adequate supply of clean water available at all times was highlighted as crucial for goat health. Accurate record keeping was stressed for effective herd management. The chapter also covered shearing for fibre harvest and hygiene, culling of unproductive or unhealthy animals from the breeding herd, and the control of internal and external parasites through dipping, bush clearing, dusting, spraying, deworming and drenching.