Goats show some features that characterize their breed from their early days, such as size and type of fur. The size of a goat at birth varies according to species. Saanen goats have large babies, which can reach up to 14 lbs., while Nubian goats average 8 lbs. at birth. Nigerian dwarf goats weigh about 2 lbs. at birth. Females can give birth to up to four babies, but a litter of one or two is more common. The size of the litter also influences the size of the baby goats, with smaller litters resulting in bigger animals.
Goat babies come in a wide variety of colors and fur types. Angora baby goats have thin, silky fur, ranging from brown and black to white. Alpine goats have a thick black and white coat. Young La Mancha goats have short, glossy fur in a wide combination of colors. The shade of the fur can change during growth.
Most goat babies feed on milk from a few weeks to as long as five months. At birth, the digestive system of the young goat is not ready to digest grass, but milk protein and lactose are easily digested in the small intestine. Colostrum is the first milk a newborn goat receives. This nutritious milk also works as a laxative to help clean the mucous from the newborn's digestive tract. Colostrum is also a source of antibodies that protect the goat baby against pathogens during its first three weeks of life.
The major obstacles to the survival of goat babies at birth are hypoxia, or lack of oxygen, hypothermia, or exposure to cold, hypoglycemia, or low levels of blood sugar, and infectious diseases, especially in animals that did not feed on colostrum. Genetic conditions that affect young goats include umbilical hernias and hydrocephalus.