Hi! We have three three year-old Nubian goats, and one of them has been bleating ALL day long the past three days. Anytime we walk out of the house, anytime the rooster crows, anytime she feels like it. I don't see anything wrong with her, but she'll only be quiet if you stand right there with her. The girls were noisy a day or so last fall, but nothing like this. Could she be in heat?

A second thing we've noticed is that her tongue is blue on the end... about a third of it. I've never really looked at her tongue before, but we can't help but see it because she keeps bleating and sticking it out. Are blue tongues normal for goats or is there sone strange disease I've not heard of?

Thanks... and sorry for the dumb questions! Our neighbors will probably be calling soon if we can't get her to be quiet! Kim :-)

-- Kim Frey (frey@splus.net), November 30, 2001

Answers

Hi, Blue tongue is not normal, is it greyish blue, Have you wormed them? Does she have a temp? Her mouth should be pink not blue. Is she eating and drinking normal? Does she have a cud going? Barb

-- Barb (vozarbi@sensible-net.com), November 30, 2001.

Is she wagging her tail alot? Another sign of heat. Sometimes they will mount the other does, or have other does mount them.

-- mary (mlg@aol.com), November 30, 2001.

I had a Nubian doe that I sold recently had a dark tip in the tounge. (I think it was like dark grey if that) She's always had it ever since I bought her. I thought it was normal for her as she did fine and grew good. She is now residing at another farm in Idaho.

-- Debra (olallacreek@myfarm.net), November 30, 2001.

I would guess that she is in heat, if she stops yelling soon she was in heat and should recycle in about 18-21 days. Best way to make her to be quiet is to breed her. I have a couple of goats that have either black/grayish spot on their tongue or some of it is spotted. This could be normal for her and you have just noticed it now that she is yelling. It can also be in indicator that she is sick.

-- Leslie in Western WA (sundaycreek@gnrac.net), November 30, 2001.

Yep shes in heat. And yes spotted tongues are normal, several of mine have oblong circles of blue on theirs also. Just like some have spots on their udder and under their tails and others don't. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), November 30, 2001.

Thanks everyone... I went out and wormed her in case that's the problem. She sort of quieted down in the afternoon. I haven't noticed any mounting behavior, but lots of pacing and tail wagging. The other two goats don't quite know what to do with her. I'm hoping they don't start as soon as she quits, if it is heat.

We need to find a buck, I guess! Thanks again for all the help... It's good to know there are quick answers out there! Kim

-- Kim Frey (frey@splus.net), December 01, 2001.