Life Span of Large Goats

[Sanhestar]

so far my largest goat died at age 8 or so from a hereditary conformation issue - something in his knee/back. I write hereditary because I saw the same issue, but less pronounced and much later in life in his way smaller mother and a bit in his smaller twin brother. This one had problems with conformation/hooves since he was a year old and never packed.

Another large wether, who is only a few pounds lighter than the above mentioned wether was, is still fit at age 10. But he has a much better conformation and different parents.

My now oldest goat is 16 but he requires intense pampering since he is 14 years old and is on his last weeks/months. As soon as the leaves get too hard for his worn-out teeth to chew - he will no longer eat soaked hay pellets - his time is come. He also had issues with his hind legs and back - something I see in older dogs sometimes, a rotation/dropping of the croup like Cauda Equina syndrome in dogs - for about two years now.