Goat care and feeding

Chapter one: GETTING STARTED

Welcome to the wonderful world of goat ownership!

Goats are bred, raised, and maintained for many purposes including milk and milk products, meat, skins for leather, mohair, cashmere, brush control, packing, and companionship. Goats can be productive and rewarding if they are provided with a safe healthy environment and proper care.

The best goat for you depends on your motivation for keeping goats.

Dairy, fiber, meat, and miniature goats are different types of goats that come in many breeds, colors, shapes, and sizes.

-Dairy: Nubian, Alpine, Saanen, Toggenburg, LaMancha, and Oberhasli.
-Fiber: Angora and Cashmere.
-Meat: Boer, Kiko, Myotonic, and Spanish.
-Miniature: Nigerian Dwarf and African Pygmy.

A goat is a herd animal and will not be happy without a companion. I would suggest getting a pair of goats, does or wethers, so they can keep each other company.

HANDLING

Goats are naturally friendly and like plenty of attention. They love to have their necks scratched, shoulders rubbed, and sides petted.

For easier handling, a plastic choke-chain can be used as a collar to assist you in leading your goat. To avoid strangulation, the collar should be weak enough to allow the goat to break the chain if necessary. We use plastic chains available at most hardware stores.

Goat kids like to play by pushing with their heads. Do not allow them to push against you because when they grow up, pushing turns into butting. Teach your goats while they are young not to push or jump on you.

A goat protects itself by butting with its head. They butt heads with each other when they play or to determine which is stronger. Goats with horns can be dangerous to you and other goats and are known to get caught in fences and feeders.

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Next: HOUSING

Chapter two: HOUSING

Goat housing does not have to be fancy but should consist of a sturdy, dry, draft-free structure that can provide protection from the sun, wind, rain, and snow. An indoor home that has an open door to the pen or pasture is perfect.

Goats require 15 square feet of housing per goat. An example of a simple two goat shelter would be 5 feet by 6 feet (30 square feet), and tall enough for you to stand up while inside. You will need to get into the shelter when the temperatures drop to provide the goats with bedding, feed, minerals, and water. It is also easier on you when the temperatures rise and it is time to clean out the old bedding.

A good floor for a goat shelter begins with dirt because it allows the urine to drain into the ground. Provide bedding in the shelter when the weather becomes cold and wet. We start with a layer of shavings topped with a thick layer of straw. We allow this to build up during the winter, adding fresh straw as necessary. Keep the bedding clean because goats can get hoof rot if they are forced to stand on wet bedding. Remove all bedding when the temperature begins to rise because it attracts flies and is not necessary in warm, dry weather.

If you are planning on breeding goats, you will need more housing. You can have several small shelters or you may want to begin with a large barn type structure. The advantage of having a large structure is that it can provide plenty of space for additional stalls, milk area, and storage of hay, grain and bedding. Of course, with this type of structure, utilities such as electricity and running water would also be beneficial.

Our goats are located in three separate goat pens:
-The Boer goats are using a 6 feet tall, 8 feet by 8 feet, three-sided shed.
-The Nubian goats are using a 5-1/2 feet tall, 8 feet by 24 feet Quonset hut, made from five 16 foot cattle panels, zip ties, cut T-posts, and two heavy duty tarps.
- The buck pen is located in another pasture and they are using a 5-1/2 feet tall, 8 feet by 12 feet Quonset hut, made from three 16 foot cattle panels, zip ties, cut T-posts, and one heavy duty tarp.

Looking for step-by-step instructions to build a quonset hut shelter? Read the updated article on goatseeker.com

Chapter Three: FENCING

Fencing is the most important and biggest challenge in maintaining goats. Most goat problems arise from inadequate fencing. Goats are curious and can do tremendous damage in a short period of time. They will jump over, crawl under, squeeze through, stand on, and lean against, all types of fence. Some goats are even clever enough to open latches on gates and doors.

A goat fence can be made of chainlink fence, livestock panels, field fencing (woven wire), or electric wire that is a minimum of four feet high. Stock fencing with 6 inch squares is preferable to the 12 inch type, since kids can climb through the 12 inch holes. Barb wire is not recommended for goats because they can get tangled and cut badly.

Do not place the fence within three feet of anything you do not want to be eaten. Goats like to stretch their necks and eat whatever grows on the other side. Be sure to keep anything that the goats might climb or jump on away from the fence or they will learn to use that object to get to the other side.

The fence for the goat yard or goat pen should provide at least 200 square feet of space per goat. A yard that is 20 feet by 20 feet would allow two goats plenty of room to jump and play. You may want to provide something to climb on such as cable spools, covering the holes with a board to prevent injury.

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Next: Feeding

Chapter Four: FEEDING
(Part one)

Goats need a balanced diet to remain active and stay healthy. The nutrient requirements essential for growth, production, and reproduction are energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water.

The major source of energy for a ruminant is provided by pasture, browse, hay, and grain. An adequate amount of energy must be provided or it will result in decreased production, reproductive failure, increased mortality, and the goat will be more susceptible to diseases and parasites

Hay is a pasture plant that has been cut, dried, and bundled into bales. It should be stored under cover and off the ground. Goats do not like hay with coarse stems and should never be fed moldy hay. A good all purpose hay is Grass Alfalfa. A goat should eat 3 percent of its body weight in hay each day. Since goats will not eat more hay than they need, you can offer it available at all times. You will need to remove the leftover hay daily since goats will eat the tender parts and leave the rest.

Grain is a highly palatable mix of sweet feed. Unopened grain should be stored under cover and off the ground. Opened grain should be stored in a metal or plastic garbage can with a tight fitting lid. Never feed moldy hay to your goats.

Wethers, bucks and does that are not pregnant do not require grain. If you choose to add grain to your goat's diet, a maintenance ration of dry COB (corn, oats, and barley) can be fed at 1/4 to 1/2 pound per day.

Read the updated article on goatseeker.com.

Next: Feeding (part two)

Chapter Four: FEEDING
(part two)

Pregnant goats can have a pound of grain per day. During the last 2 weeks of pregnancy, gradually increase the grain up to 3 pounds a day by the time she gives birth.

Lactating does are fed a 16% protein grain ration at a minimum of 1 pound per day plus an additional 1/2 pound for each pound of milk produced over 2 pounds. The amount of protein is more important that the quality of protein. An adequate amount of protein must be supplied if rapid growth and high production are to be obtained.

Goat kids get most of their nourishment from their mothers. They will begin nibbling on hay and grain as early as 1 week of age. Goats can be weaned from milk when they reach 10 - 12 weeks.

The dietary vitamin requirements of goats are simple because of the feeds they consume and the forming of vitamins in the rumen.

Goats consume trace minerals from good hay, forage, and concentrate. Trace mineral salt should be provided at all times. It is available in loose form or compressed into a block.

Goats must always have access to fresh, clean water. It must be filled up daily and can be offered in a pail, tub or trough. Provide cool water when it is warm outside and warm water when the temperatures begin to drop. The water should be dumped and cleaned once a week or when necessary.

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Next: Grooming

Chapter five: GROOMING

Hoof trimming is necessary when you see growth start to curl under and form a flap over the sole of the hoof. Goat hooves can grow uncomfortably long in a short amount of time. A goat can become crippled if their hooves are left unattended for too long.

Goat hooves vary in how often they need to be trimmed. Fast growing hooves may need trimming every three weeks. Slow growing hooves may not need trimming for 2 months. If you trim your goat's hooves on a monthly basis, your goat will get used to the routine and they will learn to stand still.

Shearing of the Angora goat is routinely done in the spring after the worst of the cold weather. They are routinely shorn once a year to harvest the mohair fiber. If treatment of external parasites is needed, this is the time to treat.

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Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes and is provided without warranty of any kind. It should not be considered professional medical or veterinary advice and the reader assumes all responsibility for any use, misuse, or abuse of the information contained herein. Seek professional advice before making use of any of the information contained herein.

Contents Copyright (c) Michael and Terilyn Curry. All Rights Reserved.