By Lacey Yates
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re either interested in purchasing a dairy goat or already own one. Maybe you even already call your female goat a doe, but mistakenly refer to her mammary system as a “bag”. Maybe you are currently looking for a buck to service your doe, but are using the incorrect word calling them “billy” when speaking to breeders about available bucks leading to you not be taken seriously.
It’s really important, and professional, to use correct dairy goat terminology. So throw out the incorrect “billy”, “nanny”, and “bag” terms and replace them with the right words! The more you know, the more you grow.
Here is a list of the most common correct terminology and meanings:
- Doe – female
- Doeling – female kid
- Dry doe – mature doe that has kidded before but is not currently lactating
- Buck – uncastrated male
- Buckling – uncastrated male kid
- Kid – very young goat
- Wether – castrated male
- Bred – pregnant
- Milker – female goat that has had offspring and is lactating
- Dam – mother
- Sire – father
- Udder – mammary organ that produces milk
- Teats – attached to base of udder
- Orifice – opening of teat that milk comes out of
- Lactation – period of time that a doe is producing milk
- Kidding – act of giving birth
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