Do You Really Want Goats?

The reality of hoof trimming is that it has to be done and it has to be done often. You may have read that you can trim your goats' feet every 3 or 4 months. I have definitely found this to be incorrect. I try to trim my goats' feet about once per month. If their feet aren't properly cared for, they can develop hoof rot and abscesses. You absolutely cannot have a healthy goat who has unhealthy feet.

Goats need fresh, clean water. If you do not have a fresh water source on your land, you will have to provide it. That means busting ice and removing the chunks in the winter. It means hauling a water hose if you don't have water available in your barn. It also means dumping and scrubbing their water troughs and keeping them clean.

Having enough room for your goats is essential. You cannot pack them in your back yard or expect them to live in one single field. Over grazing or making them eat off the land they have been pooping on for months is horrible management. Field rotation is essential to control parasites (worms). You cannot just give your goats dewormer and assume you will control parasites. Fields need at least a 3 month rest. We do deworm our goats. That is part of good farm management, but it must be coupled with field rotation. If you have forested areas, that is beneficial because the goats will be browsing, not grazing and eating off the ground where they have pooped. You will read everywhere that goats are browsers, not grazers. This is essentially true, but my goats like to graze as well. However, they do not care for many varieties of weeds that I wish they would eat, but they do love my landscaping. Goats should never ever be kept chained up. Ever. And don't expect them to be your lawnmower either. If you plan to keep bucks, then you essentially have 2 herds because they cannot be kept with the does. Therefore, you need room to rotate everyone.

Goats require permanent housing, and it needs to be in place before you buy your animals. Especially for your does. You don't have to have something that will make the cover of Southern Living magazine, but it needs to provide safety and shelter. It needs to be warm, safe, dry, and clean. You really need to be able to give a doe and her new babies their own private space for many reasons. For example, one of our babies was having a hard time getting the opportunity to nurse because every time another doe walked by, the mom would jerk away to butt the offending passerby. Privacy helps the doe and her babies rest, recuperate, and bond in peace.

Also, our does love their shed and expect to put up every night. If they are not put in their shed, you are going to hear lots of screaming. I think they feel safe. However, they will also spend a lot of their day time in there if we don't shut them out. For some reason, they think peeing and pooping in the shed is a great idea. So, keeping their area clean is another essential chore that has to be done often. Lots of shoveling.

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As for the bucks, I build them what I call hoop houses. These are mobile and I think they provide enough shelter. I use cattle panels, T posts, a tarp (or metal roofing), and zip ties. So, it's cheap and mobile. In the winter, I put a round bale in one end for wind blockage and for them to eat. For us, this has been safe, adequate housing for the bucks and wethers.

What I Feed:

You need a good hay source. Also, if you want your milk production up, you will need to supplement. I use alfalfa pellets and goat enhancer pellets. I also keep an all species sweet feed on hand. I generally feed the pelleted feed in the milking stand. If I am only milking in the morning, then everyone gets their evening snack at their individual station. Everyone is tied to their station and eats their own food. This way there is no fighting, butting, and stronger goats eating the weaker goat's portion. They also get a goat mineral block. We mostly only feed hay during the winter. However, when it rains my does refuse to go outside, so I give them hay.

What I Don't Feed:

ChaffHaye: I've been given this product when I have purchased goats so that they have an easy transition to my feeding system. The owners say their goats love it. However, when I get them home, they either won't touch it, or eat it last when there's nothing else. My goats prefer our hay hands down over this product.

Adequate fencing is a must. Woven wire is best. Our woven wire fencing has barbed wire along the top and bottom to help keep predators out. Goats can easily jump. If you have bucks, you don't want them getting in with the girls whenever they please. Bucks and does being fenced side by side is a No-No. They can breed through the fence. We also have a mobile solar powered fence. I use it for field rotation. Sometimes the bucks will stay in it and sometimes not. If they want out, they do not care if they get shocked. They will either jump it or crash through. The does will stay in, but only during the day. If I don't put them in their shed at night, they will take the shock and bust out.

Your goats need to be vaccinated, dewormed, and possibly disbudded. Either you need to have a vet come out or learn how to do it yourself. And let's face it, at some point you are going to have sickness. You need to establish a relationship with a veterinarian so that when you have an emergency, you have someone to call.