Possibly the reason for the sparse posting is that many people that post here have goats without horns. You don't have a problem if you can't see it.
Like every living being, genetics, diet and environment all contribute to how a body grows and develops and maintains it's health.
I was unable to find any specific information concerning goat horns as far as composition and how to maintain them with optimum growth and health, so I searched for information on antlers, which while not the same, are similar.
On a personal note...the two does that I bought two years ago came here with pitiful looking horns. This wasn't a disbudding gone bad, but just poor development due to negligence and malnutrition.
While it took time, today their horns look like they should They've thickened, lengthened and lost any dry, flaky appearance that they had. Unconsciously, I would attribute this to greatly improved nutrition, pasture and browsing made available to them, which they didn't have at their former home.
This is what I found concerning antler growth and development and would think that some of this is applicable to goats.
Nutrition Important to Deer Antler Growth
When of the biggest factors which will affect whether your area is producing trophy racks is nutrition. The bottom line on deer antler growth is that if the area does not hold the nutrition to support the genetics of the species, then that area will simply not grow trophy whitetail deer antlers. Because were dealing with tissue the antlers of deer require nutrients. Much like the weightlifter who properly consumes the correct amount of carbohydrates, protein, etc., the weightlifter need nutrition to build his tissue and muscle. So are the needs of the whitetail deer in regard to antler production and the ability to store fat, and build muscle. This is why the Midwestern United States gives birth to the biggest bucks in the world. The Midwestern United States contains the richest dirt in America and grows the most nutritious agricultural crops afforded to the whitetail herd.
Body growth takes precedence over antler growth. Any deficiency in dietary energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus or certain vitamins during spring and summer can have strong negative effects. There are only two possible solutions to poor nutrition. One is to reduce deer numbers to more closely match the capacity of the natural habitat. The other is to improve the habitat by cutting, burning, planting or fertilizing to restore the lands capacity to support healthy deer. This is one reason why shooting does is a vital part are producing deer antlers that grow big and fast on your bucks. If it would only stand to reason is there were fewer does a more abundant Food Supply would be available to the bucks in your area. The modern day whitetail enthusiast knows in order to have whitetail deer antlers abundantly that part of a quality deer management program is to harvest does.
The organic makeup of antlers during the growing stage is almost entirely protein. Even after mineralization (hardening) is complete, a good portion of protein remains in these antlers. To grow the best set of antlers that his genetics and age will allow, a deer needs food containing at least 16% to 18% "digestible" crude protein. (Not all proteins are digestible to a deer.) The most important factor in growing trophy antlers is to provide the buck with nutrient rich food during the growth period from April through October.
Calcium is another element needed by deer during and after the antler growth period. Although a deer can borrow calcium from bones in other parts of his body and utilize it for antler growth, he still needs foods that contain a minimum of 0.45% calcium.
Phosphorus is also needed for antler growth. Although dietary phosphorus requirements are not completely known, it is believed that the lowest level a deer needs for adequate antler growth and other body functions is 0.30%.
Vitamin D is important in promoting calcium absorption and mineralization of bone. A deer gets all the Vitamin D he needs by absorbing ultraviolet light through its skin and eating vegetation that has been in direct sunlight.
Vitamin A is important to antler development once the bone hardening begins. Carotene's in "green" leaves can be converted to Vitamin A. Green leaves can become scarce during the winter months, but remain an important part of the deer's diet.
