HINTS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR NEW GOAT
There are as many ways to raise your goat as there are to raise children. Some things are basic and necessary
for their health. I am hoping that this will give you a few ideas to work with.
There are several fine books out there that can help. I recommend "Raising Dairy Goats" by Jerry Belanger, and "Raising Goats Naturally" by Deborah Niemann. There are many more, these two just happen to be favorites of mine. The "Naturally" in the title is a little deceiving but it is a good collection of information from many sources.
There are also several good goat forums on the computer. The " Goat Spot" is a forum with members from all over the country and out of country. It is a way to learn from others by checking the forums but you also have to sift thru and decide which advice fits your situation or is advice to follow at all.
Goats all need some kind of shelter from the weather and to keep them safe. They hate the rain. If you are going to be milking or kidding -a dedicated area for this is also nice to have. We converted a small camper into a milk room as I have shown on this website.
Draft is something you want to avoid for their health and comfort, and keeping their bedding clean and fresh is important. They need good ventilation in their stall areas also. Living in a space closed with urine smell can cause health issues. I have also found that they enjoy a raised bench for sleeping on and a few dog kennels to cozy up into. Some people like to let the bedding build up and keep adding fresh on top. I personally like to get the wet out of my pens as we live in a wet place. In a cold spell the bottom layer composting helps to keep them warmer. This is something that is personal preference. Personally I like to just have a thick bed of straw for them to nestle into. We clean our barn every couple of weeks - clean up very wet spots more often if needed.
Clean pens are important with milking goats - if they smell bad you can get bad tasting milk. I think a good test for your stall or pens is - if you can't kneel down in the pen it is too dirty. When talking about their shelter, always look for any dangers for them. They love to climb up on things and can get into trouble.
Fencing needs to be a good tight fence with additional protection if possible. We used the Red Top goat and sheep fence because it is a 4 inch square and good strong fencing. "No- climb" horse fence is good also but we found it hard to pull tight. I would think chain link is the best if it is in your budget. We run a hot wire along the outside of the fence at sniffing level
installed "NiteGuard" flashers on corner posts flashing out into the field and the woods. Our animals are in a smaller, well protected area for the night and not out in the field. Because we have cougars and bobcats in our area we have lights on around the perimeter of the pen as well. I like to keep a radio on in my milk area hoping a predator would think someone is present.
Goats need good quality hay and grain, loose minerals designed for goats and other supplements if needed. Salt blocks are NOT sufficient for goats. I like to keep kelp meal (I offer several times a week, and goat minerals in their own mineral feeder for them to get at their leisure. I have read that the baking soda is not a good idea for the males because it can increase the problem with UC - We do not leave baking sode out for any of the animals. I am sure you realize that keeping water pails fresh and clean and all their feed dishes clean is very important for their well being. A few needed items could be -food bowls, hay rack, mineral feeders, and water buckets. Grain storage containers should always be kept where there is no chance of animals getting into it. Our hay and grain is kept in a small separate building at our farm.
Our does are feed alfalfa ( have used chaffhaye also) in the morning along with their grain when they are on the milk stand and orchard grass in the evening. I usually give them orchard grass for the rest of day plus they get their daily walk for browse - weather permitting. I like to mix COB with a little calf manna and black oil sunflower seeds for my girls. Milkers get a good portion and yearlings get only a little. They have to come to the milk stand for grain so I know how much they are getting and it gives me a chance to check them over. Our males get very little grain - they get a handful of grain in the am. and their feeders filled with orchard grass. There is a grain mix for the males with ammonia chloride in it - or you can add a pinch to their food. Mine will not eat this but some do. I personally do not buy it for my boys.
I suggest everyone has a first aid kit for their goats. Keeping some basic items on hand is a big help if it is needed in a hurry. It is sometimes too late if you have to go to a feed store to hunt down medication. Blood stopper, antibiotic, tetnus antitoxin, CD antitoxin, needles and syringes, probiotics and a thermometer are my must. My first aid kit is a long list as I would rather throw away an outdated med than not be able to get one in an emergency. Some other handy ones to have are Thera Bloat, Vitamin B Complex, Specro Guard for scours and always epinephrine in case of a reaction to a med.
For basic antibiotics I keep Bio Mycin 200 and Penicillin. It always seems to me that if I am well equipped I usually don't need it. The odd time an antibiotic is needed I like to consult my vet and see his recommendation.
Over use of meds in my opinion is not a good idea. I do keep a couple of herbal items - one for pain and give a little for disbudding and castrating.
Having a vet that will come if needed is a life saver. We use the West Willamette Vet Clinic in Creswell. They have three vets on farm call for 24 hour a day emergency. My first call to them was a well check farm call- I wanted him to know where we were. We feel very lucky to have found them and have always had a quick response when they are needed. I can't say enough good about Wes Violet and his staff.
All yard area and fields need to be goat safe. They are grazers and move from plant to plant, tree to tree. Some of the common plants homeowners use can be very poisonous. The best plan is to get them out of the area totally as your little ones can get in if a gate is left open. Braken fern, rhododendrons and azaleas are poison. Check out your area for plants that will hurt your little ones. Your extension office and the web are good places to start. Because goats are browsers and not grazers like sheep it is very healthy for them to get fir bows and other tree branches. But always be sure it is safe for them.
The following is a list of signs of a potential problem in your goat. You need to recognize when there are signs of something different going on. Investigate and take action. Here is a helpful list.
-Not chewing their cud. Not getting up when you come into their pen.
-Pressing their head against a wall or fence. We saw this after a lamb ate bracken fern and ended up with polio. One died and one lived after being given thiamine by our vet.
-Not urinating or staining to urinate. (This would pertain to the males -Urinary Calculi) In most cases I think it is close to fatal when it reaches this point. It is better to try to feed them so that this condition can be avoided. Consult a vet for more information. Castrating too young can also be a cause I believe. Some people say that a solution with ammonia chloride or ACV will help. I have never had to deal with this problem so can not offer advice on it. I do add apple cider vinegar to one of their water buckets, bucks and does have a choice of plain water and water bucket with ACV - they usually go to the one with the vinegar first.
-Feces aren't pelleted. Sometimes it is because they have eaten a lot of fresh grass or it can be parasites. Pale or gray lower eyelids and gums are also a sign of parasites -they become pale because the animals is anemic. Doing your own fecal tests can be interesting and help you to keep on top of parasite problems. Fiascofarm.com has some good information on how to do this at home. Or you can have a fecal run by the vet once in awhile. If you see small worms, rice like things in their pellets or little segments you have a tape worm problem and need an appropriate wormer for that. I use Valbazon if I see any sign of tape worm. I use chemical wormer as I don't trust the herbal ones but you have to make your own decision on this. Talking to your vet will help you decide.
I only worm after I have checked with a fecal to see what is going on.
-This list can get long. Watch for limping, staggering, ears held oddly, isolating themselves from the other animals, grinding their teeth (usually means pain), coughing, unusual crying, runny nose or eyes. For goats in milk, check udders for any lumps, also in their milk or heat in the udder as this could be mastitis and needs immediate action.
This list can be intimidating but if your animals are well taken care of - few problems usually arise. I have seldom had a sick animal.
Here are the answers to a few common questions I have been asked.
- Our does and bucks are registered with the American Dairy Goat Assoc. ADGA and we used to do Linear Appraisal on a yearly basis. We do not show and keep our herd closed. As yet I am not on milk test.
- The only vaccine we give is three way. CD&T. Babies are given 1 cc SQ at about 5 weeks and a month later given the second shot. I only give my adult animals a booster every couple of years. I have founds that this can leave a lump but is usually clears up in a few weeks -message the area of the shot well after giving it.
-Our older animals have all tested negative for CL, CAE and OPP on the sheep. We have no health problems, and we have no history of abortion in our herd.
-All of our goats have been disbudded, we have no polled animals (unfortunately)
-We let our does raise their babies. I feel this makes a stronger youngster and my girls are so bonded to their babies.
They are a strong family unit. It also saves me a lot of work bottle feeding. You can have a doe that teaches her baby to avoid you but it usually makes up to you as it gets a little older. I find by the time of weaning they stop running from me. Treats help them get over it also.
I hope this information sheet helps you with any unanswered questions you may have. Enjoy your little one - they have so much love to give you.
If I can help you with a problem or question feel free to call anytime.
Bev - 541-942-3812 wndngrvr@wildblue.net
Windingrvrfarm.com
Winding River Farm -facebook
There are as many ways to raise your goat as there are to raise children. Some things are basic and necessary
for their health. I am hoping that this will give you a few ideas to work with.
There are several fine books out there that can help. I recommend "Raising Dairy Goats" by Jerry Belanger, and "Raising Goats Naturally" by Deborah Niemann. There are many more, these two just happen to be favorites of mine. The "Naturally" in the title is a little deceiving but it is a good collection of information from many sources.
There are also several good goat forums on the computer. The " Goat Spot" is a forum with members from all over the country and out of country. It is a way to learn from others by checking the forums but you also have to sift thru and decide which advice fits your situation or is advice to follow at all.
Goats all need some kind of shelter from the weather and to keep them safe. They hate the rain. If you are going to be milking or kidding -a dedicated area for this is also nice to have. We converted a small camper into a milk room as I have shown on this website.
Draft is something you want to avoid for their health and comfort, and keeping their bedding clean and fresh is important. They need good ventilation in their stall areas also. Living in a space closed with urine smell can cause health issues. I have also found that they enjoy a raised bench for sleeping on and a few dog kennels to cozy up into. Some people like to let the bedding build up and keep adding fresh on top. I personally like to get the wet out of my pens as we live in a wet place. In a cold spell the bottom layer composting helps to keep them warmer. This is something that is personal preference. Personally I like to just have a thick bed of straw for them to nestle into. We clean our barn every couple of weeks - clean up very wet spots more often if needed.
Clean pens are important with milking goats - if they smell bad you can get bad tasting milk. I think a good test for your stall or pens is - if you can't kneel down in the pen it is too dirty. When talking about their shelter, always look for any dangers for them. They love to climb up on things and can get into trouble.
Fencing needs to be a good tight fence with additional protection if possible. We used the Red Top goat and sheep fence because it is a 4 inch square and good strong fencing. "No- climb" horse fence is good also but we found it hard to pull tight. I would think chain link is the best if it is in your budget. We run a hot wire along the outside of the fence at sniffing level
installed "NiteGuard" flashers on corner posts flashing out into the field and the woods. Our animals are in a smaller, well protected area for the night and not out in the field. Because we have cougars and bobcats in our area we have lights on around the perimeter of the pen as well. I like to keep a radio on in my milk area hoping a predator would think someone is present.
Goats need good quality hay and grain, loose minerals designed for goats and other supplements if needed. Salt blocks are NOT sufficient for goats. I like to keep kelp meal (I offer several times a week, and goat minerals in their own mineral feeder for them to get at their leisure. I have read that the baking soda is not a good idea for the males because it can increase the problem with UC - We do not leave baking sode out for any of the animals. I am sure you realize that keeping water pails fresh and clean and all their feed dishes clean is very important for their well being. A few needed items could be -food bowls, hay rack, mineral feeders, and water buckets. Grain storage containers should always be kept where there is no chance of animals getting into it. Our hay and grain is kept in a small separate building at our farm.
Our does are feed alfalfa ( have used chaffhaye also) in the morning along with their grain when they are on the milk stand and orchard grass in the evening. I usually give them orchard grass for the rest of day plus they get their daily walk for browse - weather permitting. I like to mix COB with a little calf manna and black oil sunflower seeds for my girls. Milkers get a good portion and yearlings get only a little. They have to come to the milk stand for grain so I know how much they are getting and it gives me a chance to check them over. Our males get very little grain - they get a handful of grain in the am. and their feeders filled with orchard grass. There is a grain mix for the males with ammonia chloride in it - or you can add a pinch to their food. Mine will not eat this but some do. I personally do not buy it for my boys.
I suggest everyone has a first aid kit for their goats. Keeping some basic items on hand is a big help if it is needed in a hurry. It is sometimes too late if you have to go to a feed store to hunt down medication. Blood stopper, antibiotic, tetnus antitoxin, CD antitoxin, needles and syringes, probiotics and a thermometer are my must. My first aid kit is a long list as I would rather throw away an outdated med than not be able to get one in an emergency. Some other handy ones to have are Thera Bloat, Vitamin B Complex, Specro Guard for scours and always epinephrine in case of a reaction to a med.
For basic antibiotics I keep Bio Mycin 200 and Penicillin. It always seems to me that if I am well equipped I usually don't need it. The odd time an antibiotic is needed I like to consult my vet and see his recommendation.
Over use of meds in my opinion is not a good idea. I do keep a couple of herbal items - one for pain and give a little for disbudding and castrating.
Having a vet that will come if needed is a life saver. We use the West Willamette Vet Clinic in Creswell. They have three vets on farm call for 24 hour a day emergency. My first call to them was a well check farm call- I wanted him to know where we were. We feel very lucky to have found them and have always had a quick response when they are needed. I can't say enough good about Wes Violet and his staff.
All yard area and fields need to be goat safe. They are grazers and move from plant to plant, tree to tree. Some of the common plants homeowners use can be very poisonous. The best plan is to get them out of the area totally as your little ones can get in if a gate is left open. Braken fern, rhododendrons and azaleas are poison. Check out your area for plants that will hurt your little ones. Your extension office and the web are good places to start. Because goats are browsers and not grazers like sheep it is very healthy for them to get fir bows and other tree branches. But always be sure it is safe for them.
The following is a list of signs of a potential problem in your goat. You need to recognize when there are signs of something different going on. Investigate and take action. Here is a helpful list.
-Not chewing their cud. Not getting up when you come into their pen.
-Pressing their head against a wall or fence. We saw this after a lamb ate bracken fern and ended up with polio. One died and one lived after being given thiamine by our vet.
-Not urinating or staining to urinate. (This would pertain to the males -Urinary Calculi) In most cases I think it is close to fatal when it reaches this point. It is better to try to feed them so that this condition can be avoided. Consult a vet for more information. Castrating too young can also be a cause I believe. Some people say that a solution with ammonia chloride or ACV will help. I have never had to deal with this problem so can not offer advice on it. I do add apple cider vinegar to one of their water buckets, bucks and does have a choice of plain water and water bucket with ACV - they usually go to the one with the vinegar first.
-Feces aren't pelleted. Sometimes it is because they have eaten a lot of fresh grass or it can be parasites. Pale or gray lower eyelids and gums are also a sign of parasites -they become pale because the animals is anemic. Doing your own fecal tests can be interesting and help you to keep on top of parasite problems. Fiascofarm.com has some good information on how to do this at home. Or you can have a fecal run by the vet once in awhile. If you see small worms, rice like things in their pellets or little segments you have a tape worm problem and need an appropriate wormer for that. I use Valbazon if I see any sign of tape worm. I use chemical wormer as I don't trust the herbal ones but you have to make your own decision on this. Talking to your vet will help you decide.
I only worm after I have checked with a fecal to see what is going on.
-This list can get long. Watch for limping, staggering, ears held oddly, isolating themselves from the other animals, grinding their teeth (usually means pain), coughing, unusual crying, runny nose or eyes. For goats in milk, check udders for any lumps, also in their milk or heat in the udder as this could be mastitis and needs immediate action.
This list can be intimidating but if your animals are well taken care of - few problems usually arise. I have seldom had a sick animal.
Here are the answers to a few common questions I have been asked.
- Our does and bucks are registered with the American Dairy Goat Assoc. ADGA and we used to do Linear Appraisal on a yearly basis. We do not show and keep our herd closed. As yet I am not on milk test.
- The only vaccine we give is three way. CD&T. Babies are given 1 cc SQ at about 5 weeks and a month later given the second shot. I only give my adult animals a booster every couple of years. I have founds that this can leave a lump but is usually clears up in a few weeks -message the area of the shot well after giving it.
-Our older animals have all tested negative for CL, CAE and OPP on the sheep. We have no health problems, and we have no history of abortion in our herd.
-All of our goats have been disbudded, we have no polled animals (unfortunately)
-We let our does raise their babies. I feel this makes a stronger youngster and my girls are so bonded to their babies.
They are a strong family unit. It also saves me a lot of work bottle feeding. You can have a doe that teaches her baby to avoid you but it usually makes up to you as it gets a little older. I find by the time of weaning they stop running from me. Treats help them get over it also.
I hope this information sheet helps you with any unanswered questions you may have. Enjoy your little one - they have so much love to give you.
If I can help you with a problem or question feel free to call anytime.
Bev - 541-942-3812 wndngrvr@wildblue.net
Windingrvrfarm.com
Winding River Farm -facebook
