Do you want them for milk? For meat or fiber? Or do you just think they’d make a cute pet? The motivation behind your decision to raise goats will influence what breed of goat you will buy and how you’ll raise them. Keeping goats is a big commitment - you’ll need to feed them everyday, pay for their food and veterinary bills, and ensure that they are healthy and happy - so make sure that you are prepared to take this responsibility on board. Take the time to read a few books or talk to someone who knows about goats so you have all the details before you jump in head first.
Dairy Goats: Alpine, La Mancha, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen and Sable, and Toggenburg. Meat Goats: Boer, Kiko, Spanish, Savannah, Texmaster, Genemaster and Moneymaker. Fiber Goats: Angora (which produce Mohair), Cashmere, Pygora and Nigora. Pet Goats: Miniature goat breeds like Nigerian Dwarfs, Pygmy Goats and Kinder tend to make the best pets.
The general rule of thumb is to provide 10 to 15 feet (3. 0 to 4. 6 m) of space for every standard size adult goat. Miniature breeds will require slightly less space. [1] X Research source It’s important not to overcrowd your goats or keep them in confined spaces. This will cause them to become stressed and unhealthy, and may contribute to the spread of disease.
Look for bright-eyed and alert goats which move around quickly and easily, with an even gait. Run your hands over the goat’s body to check for any lumps or bumps - as this could indicate the presence of an abscess. Check the goat’s droppings to make sure they are firm, not runny. Look for goats with deep, rounded bellies, wide-set hips and large milk sacks with downward-pointing udders (in does). If possible, you should also try milking any potential does, to make sure they have a good temperament and that the milk comes easily. [2] X Research source If you’re buying dairy goats, make sure they are friendly and not skittish, as you will need to get close to them in order to milk them.
Bucks can be aggressive and start to smell as they grow older. The pheromones they release can also affect the flavor of the does’ milk if they are kept in close quarters. Unless you want to raise a large herd of goats, it’s better just to borrow a buck when you need one for breeding, rather than purchasing one yourself. Wethers are castrated male goats, and are only useful for providing meat (or as pets). However, if you wait until the first baby goats arrive (which have a 50/50 chance of being male) you will be able to sell the young bucks for a particular type of goat’s meat called chevon, which is popular for its lamb-like flavor. [2] X Research source
Buy a doeling: A baby doe, or doeling can be as young as 8 weeks old, as this is the soonest they can be weaned from their mothers. Doelings are relatively cheap to buy, but you will have to wait about a year and half before you can breed them, and another five months before they will start to produce milk. Buy a junior doe: A junior doe is a young doe that hasn’t been bred yet. These are more expensive than doelings as you don’t have to wait as long to breed them and start producing milk. Sometimes you can buy a young doe that has already been bred (i. e pregnant), so you only have to wait 5 months before she starts producing milk, but you will have to buy a breeding fee. Buy a doe in milk: A final option is to buy a senior doe who is already producing milk. This option is faster and cheaper than the previous ones, however there is a much higher risk that the doe you buy will have problems, as breeders will usually try to sell off the weakest animals in their herd. [3] X Research source
Many people make the mistake of buying only one goat. Single goats get lonely and will become very loud, as they bleat and call out for company. If possible, try to buy two goats from the same herd (especially if they’re related). This will help them to adjust to their new surroundings much more quickly. Under certain circumstances, goats will bond with other hoofed creatures, such as sheep, cows and horses, so this is an option if you already own some of these animals. [3] X Research source
The housing does not need to be very elaborate, and as long as the goats have plenty of outdoor space to roam around during the day, it doesn’t have to be very large - goats like to sleep together in small groups. You just need to make sure that the shelter stays dry and draft-free. It’s also a good idea to have a small stall where you can place sick, injured or heavily pregnant goats. The floor of the shelter should be covered in a thick layer of bedding, comprised of wood shavings (anything except cedar), straw or waste hay. [4] X Research source
Your fence should be a minimum of four feet high, or five feet for more active goat breeds such as Nubians. Wooden, stock panel or chain-link fences are all good options if you are building a new fence. However, if you simply want to goat-proof an existing fence, you can use high tensile, smooth electrified wire. Also make sure to brace any gates or fence posts on the outside of the fence as this will prevent goats from climbing up them. You should also make sure that the goats’ shelter does not have an easily climbable roof.
This allows goats to be raised alongside sheep, cows and horses, as they do not compete for food. Goats can also be used to clear rough land and get rid of unwanted vegetation. If you live in a green or wooded, rural location, feel free to put your goats out to pasture and let them forage for things like young shrubs and saplings, blackberry canes, poison ivy and clover, to name but a few.
Does that are pregnant or producing milk will have extra protein requirements, so they will also need a pound or two of grain each day. You should also supply your goats with a good free-choice mineral mix or mineral block, which is available in most feed stores. In terms of treats, you can give your goats a wide selection of fruit and veg, including apples, pears, peaches, watermelon, banana, carrots, celery, squash and spinach. Just avoid giving them potatoes, tomatoes and kale, as these can be poisonous to goats. [5] X Research source
It’s a good idea to plan out how you will supply your goats with water in advance, as you don’t want to be stuck carrying buckets of water back and forth to their shelter each day. If you don’t have one already, consider digging a water line to your goat shelter or barn or installing a stock tank. If you have a creek or pond on your land, this is a convenient way of ensuring that your goats stay hydrated. However, make sure to get the water tested first to make sure it is safe for drinking. You will also need to watch out for contamination or stagnation. [6] X Research source
If you don’t own a buck, you can either hire a buck or bring your does to a farm that has a buck. You will have to pay a stud fee, which is usually somewhere between $50 to $100. It can be difficult to tell if a doe is pregnant, so one of the best signs of a successful mating is a milky-white colored discharge coming from her nether regions. A goat’s pregnancy lasts for 150 days, or five months and most pregnancies will produce two kids, though sometimes there can be as many as four.
Some people prefer to immediately separate the kids from their mother. To feed them, they milk the mother by hand then pour the milk into bottles to feed the kids. The reasoning behind this is that baby goats can be difficult to wean and cause the mother goat to produce less milk. It is also believed that bottle-fed goats will be be tamer and friendlier. [2] X Research source However, others believe that separating the mother from her babies is cruel and unnecessary. They allow the mother to feed the babies herself (though you will want to keep a watchful eye to make sure none of the kids are left out) and will only separate them when the kids are ready to be weaned, between 8 and 12 weeks old. [3] X Research source Which route you decide to go down is a matter of personal preference and will depend on whether you value increased milk production above a more natural process.
Young does are usually easy to deal with, as the demand for milk-producing does is high and you can sell them on to other goat owners as soon as they are weaned. If you like, you can keep the female offspring of your best milker, as she can take her mother’s place in a couple of years time. Bucks are slightly more difficult. The majority of young bucks should be castrated by the time they are three weeks of age, as they will ultimately be sold for meat. You can do this as soon as they are weaned, or wait until they have reached maturity. If you want, you can keep one buck as a breeding sire.
The milk flow is usually highest 2 to 3 months after giving birth then tapers off towards the end of the lactation cycle. The doe will require a two month “dry spell” before she gives birth a second time and begins producing milk again - an event which is known as “freshening” in the dairy world. If you have never milked an animal before, it is important to get the technique right. Rather than tugging on the teat, you need to wrap your hand around it, cutting off the milk supply at the top using your thumb and forefinger. Then you can use your other fingers to squeeze the teat and extract the milk. At first, you might find milking to be somewhat slow and awkward, and it could take you up to 30 minutes per goat. But once you get the hang of it you’ll be able to do it in a jiffy! You should milk your goats once in the morning and once at night. During peak production, standard-sized goats will produce up to 3 US quarts (3,000 ml) of milk per day, while miniature goats will produce slightly less. [7] X Research source
Common goat predators include dogs, coyotes, cougars, and birds such as ravens and vultures. Some of these predators will carry your goats (especially the kids) away, while others will injure them so badly that they will need to be put down. The best way to keep your goats safe is to lock them in a secured building (with no open windows or doors) every night. You should also consider getting a livestock guardian dog to fend off predators 24/7. If you need to deter vultures specifically, the USDA recommends hanging a vulture carcass (which doesn’t have to be real) from a tree or post. You should also avoid tethering your goats, as this makes them an easy target for any predators. Leaving them loose in an enclosed space with a high fence is much safer. [8] X Research source
Some of the most common and visible symptoms of a sick goat are: not eating or drinking, crusty eyes, diarrhea, hot udders, pressing its face against a wall or fence, coughing, crying or calling more than usual, grinding teeth, separating itself from the group, pale eyelids and grey gums. The sooner you call the vet to treat your goat, the greater the chance of restoring the goat to full health. Your goats will also need yearly vaccinations against tetanus and enterotoxemia (an overeating disease) and you will need to watch out for parasites like lice and ticks. [2] X Research source
Brushing and bathing: Goats should be brushed at least once a year (preferably at the start of summer when they’re shedding) with a firm-bristled grooming brush. This removes dandruff and loose hair, stimulates blood flow, and gives you a chance to check for any lumps on the skin or other signs of diseases. Bathing your goats is not strictly necessary, but it helps to remove lice and makes clipping easier. Clipping: You will need to clip your goats hair at least once a year, to help them stay cool throughout the summer. You may want to clip the tail and udder regions of female goats more frequently, to help keep them clean during milking and kidding season. You will also need to bathe and clip them more frequently if you plan on entering them in shows. Trimming hooves: You will also need to trim your goats’ hooves about once a month, otherwise they will become overgrown and hard to walk on. This is a relatively quick and easy process, which you can do with a packet or roofing knife.
