Last updated: 14 October 2026 | Written for Eid ul Adha 2027
Qurbani Easy Editorial Team • Advised by our panel of Islamic scholars
Quick Answer: A healthy goat is bright, alert and interested in its surroundings, with a shiny coat, bright eyes and clean nostrils, according to NADIS, the UK animal disease information service. Warning signs include going off feed, diarrhoea, a persistent cough, sudden weight loss and nervous signs. This is general health guidance, not a veterinary diagnosis and not a ruling on whether an animal is valid for Qurbani.
If you choose or inspect an animal yourself, health is the first thing you can see. The signs below come from one veterinary source we opened; the religious conditions on age and defects are covered in a separate guide.
Signs of a healthy goat
- Bright, alert and inquisitive, interested in its surroundings.
- A shiny coat.
- Bright eyes and clean nostrils.
- A temperature within the normal range if you check it with a thermometer: 38.6–40.6 °C (average 39.3 °C).
Signs that something may be wrong
- Diarrhoea.
- A persistent cough.
- Sudden weight loss.
- Any nervous signs.
- Going off feed, or a gradual reduction in feed; this may be an early sign.
- A rise in temperature.
NADIS also says a skilled keeper learns to recognise physical and behavioural changes and knows that individual goats vary. Does can be very vocal when on heat, which can be mistaken for pain.
What this guide does not cover
The age at which an animal is eligible, and the defects that matter for Qurbani, are fiqh questions covered in animal conditions: age and defects. We did not open a veterinary source on buffalo, so this guide is about goats only.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a healthy goat look like?
NADIS (the UK National Animal Disease Information Service) says a healthy goat should be bright, alert, inquisitive and interested in its surroundings, with a shiny coat, bright eyes and clean nostrils.
What is a normal temperature?
NADIS gives the normal range as 38.6 °C to 40.6 °C, with an average of 39.3 °C (102 to 104 °F), for a goat checked with a thermometer.
What signs suggest something is wrong?
NADIS lists diarrhoea, a persistent cough, sudden weight loss, any nervous signs, going off feed, and a rise in temperature; refusing feed or gradually eating less may be an early sign.
Does this decide whether the animal is valid for Qurbani?
No. The religious conditions on age and defects are in animal conditions: age and defects. This guide is only about health, and it is not a veterinary diagnosis.
Does Qurbani Easy check the animals?
Our booking pages say the animal is healthy and Shariah-eligible. We do not describe the checking process here because it is not part of our approved facts.
Related guides: animal conditions: age and defects; buffalo Qurbani explained.
If you would rather not choose the animal yourself, you can book Qurbani online on our website.
Citation Sources
• NADIS (National Animal Disease Information Service, UK), “Goat Health 1 – The Healthy Goat” — nadis.org.uk — signs of a healthy goat, normal temperature, warning signs.
No religious source is used in this guide and no ruling is stated. This is general veterinary guidance from one source; it is not a diagnosis. For age and defects in Qurbani, see the linked guide.