How to Buy a Goat: What to Look For & Red Flags
Buying your first goats is exciting — and the decisions you make during purchase affect your herd for years. A healthy, well-bred goat from a reputable breeder is an investment that pays dividends in production, offspring quality, and reduced vet bills. A cheap goat with unknown health history can introduce disease to your entire herd and cost you far more than you saved. This guide helps you buy smart.
Where to Buy
| Source | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Established breeders | Health-tested, known genetics, mentorship, registration papers | Higher price, may have waitlists | Breeding stock, dairy does, show animals |
| Farm-to-farm (direct) | Can see living conditions, meet the animals, negotiate | Quality varies widely, may not be tested | Any purpose if you know what to look for |
| Livestock auctions | Lowest prices, immediate availability | Unknown history, stressed animals, disease exposure, no returns | Experienced buyers only. Not for beginners. |
| Breed-specific Facebook groups | Large selection, can see reviews of sellers, breed-specific knowledge | Cannot inspect in person (if shipping), scams exist | Finding specific genetics or breeds not available locally |
| ADGA/breed association classifieds | Registered animals, breeder accountability | Smaller selection than social media | Registered breeding stock |
Physical Health Check
Before you buy any goat, examine it yourself or have an experienced person examine it with you:
- Eyes: Bright and clear. No discharge, cloudiness, or squinting. Pull the lower eyelid — mucous membranes should be pink to red (FAMACHA 1 to 2), not white or pale.
- Nose: Clean, no discharge. Occasional clear discharge is normal; thick, yellow, or green discharge indicates respiratory infection.
- Coat: Smooth and shiny (or appropriate for the season). Rough, dull coat indicates parasites, mineral deficiency, or poor nutrition. Check for lice — part the hair along the spine and look for tiny crawling insects or nits.
- Body condition: Feel the ribs and spine. Ribs should be easily felt but not visually prominent. BCS 2.5 to 3.5 is healthy. A thin goat (visible ribs, prominent spine) is either underfed or has a health problem.
- Hooves: Trimmed and healthy. Overgrown hooves suggest neglect. Foul smell or soft, grey tissue between the toes indicates hoof rot.
- Udder (does): Should be soft, pliable, well-attached. Hard lumps may indicate chronic mastitis or scar tissue. If she is in milk, check milk from both sides — it should be white and smooth, not clumpy or watery.
- Rear end: Clean. Fecal staining (diarrhea) on the tail and rear legs indicates a digestive or parasite problem.
- Movement: Watch the goat walk and run. No limping, no stiffness, no reluctance to move. Swollen knees may indicate CAE arthritis.
- Lumps: Feel along the jaw, neck, shoulders, and flanks for lumps. Lumps near lymph nodes may be CL abscesses.
- Behavior: Alert, interested, social. A goat standing alone, head down, away from the group is likely sick.
Questions to Ask the Seller
- Health testing: "Has this goat been tested for CAE, CL, and Johne's? Can I see the results?" No results = assume untested = high risk.
- Vaccination history: "Is she current on CDT? When was the last booster?"
- Deworming history: "What dewormer do you use and when was she last dewormed?" This tells you about parasite management and potential resistance issues.
- Production records (dairy): "Do you have milk test records? Is she on DHIA?" Actual data is worth more than "she milks a lot."
- Kidding history: "How many times has she kidded? Any complications? How many kids per kidding?"
- Why are you selling? Legitimate reasons: herd reduction, retiring from breeding, too many doelings retained. Red flag reasons: evasive answers, "she just doesn't fit our program" (may mean she has problems).
- Registration: "Is she registered? Can I see the papers?" Verify the registration number matches the tattoo or microchip.
- Dam and sire info: "Can I see the dam? What buck was she bred to (if selling bred)?" Seeing the dam tells you what the doe may look like at maturity.
Record what you find before you forget it
Log each goat's health tests, vaccination history, and your own notes in Herd Manager from day one.
Start free →Understanding Registration Papers
- ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association): The main US registry for dairy goats. Papers show breed, parentage, breeder, and any star milker designations.
- AGS (American Goat Society): Alternative dairy goat registry. Some goats are dual-registered in both ADGA and AGS.
- ABGA (American Boer Goat Association): Registry for Boer goats.
- NKR (National Kiko Registry): For Kiko goats.
- Transfer: When you buy a registered goat, the seller must sign the transfer section on the registration certificate. You then submit it to the registry with a transfer fee ($5 to $15) to put the goat in your name.
- Verify before paying. Check the tattoo or microchip against the registration papers. Confirm the registration is active (not expired or revoked) on the registry's online database.
Pricing: What Is Fair?
See our full article on goat costs for detailed pricing by breed. In general:
- If a goat is priced significantly below market, ask why. There is usually a reason — health issue, temperament problem, or the seller needs to move them fast.
- Health testing, registration, milk records, and show wins all justify higher prices. You are paying for verified quality.
- Transportation costs add up. Factor in gas, trailer rental, or shipping fees when comparing prices from distant breeders.
- Buying bred does is often the best value — you get a proven doe plus kids within months.
After Purchase
- Quarantine 30 days before introducing to your existing herd
- Test for CAE/CL/Johne's if not already tested (even if the seller says they are clean — trust but verify)
- FAMACHA check and deworm if needed
- Hoof trim if needed
- CDT booster if vaccination history is unknown
- Start your health records immediately — this goat's file begins on purchase day
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for when buying a goat?
Bright clear eyes, pink (not pale) eyelid membranes, a smooth coat, good body condition, trimmed sound hooves, no lumps near the lymph nodes, and alert social behavior. For does, feel the udder for soft, well-attached tissue with no hard lumps.
What questions should I ask before buying a goat?
Whether it has been tested for CAE, CL, and Johne's (and to see the results), its CDT vaccination and deworming history, kidding and production records, registration status, and why the seller is parting with it.
What are red flags when buying a goat?
Walk away if the seller won't show you where the goats are housed, refuses to document health testing, dismisses visible lumps as just bumps, prices suspiciously low, or pressures you to buy on the spot.
Should I quarantine a new goat?
Yes, always. Quarantine new goats for 30 days before introducing them to your herd, re-test for CAE/CL/Johne's even if the seller says they're clean, and FAMACHA-check and deworm as needed during that window.
Are auction goats a good idea for beginners?
No. Auctions have the lowest prices but the highest risk: unknown history, stressed animals, disease exposure, and no returns. They suit experienced buyers who can assess an animal quickly.
Start each goat's file on purchase day
Herd Manager records purchase details, health-test results, and arrival observations, so every goat's history begins the moment it arrives and nothing important gets lost.
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