Getting Your First Goats - the Basics

So you made the commitment to getting goats.. how exciting!! Contrary to popular belief, they do not eat everything, but do require a balanced diet for their rumen (first section of a goat's stomach) to function properly. Below is a list of some basic terms and information as well as some of the things we do at our farm to help get you started into the goat world.

If you haven't done so already, it is a good idea to find a local vet that knows goats. A good goat vet who does emergency calls is priceless.

Find other goat enthusiasts and people to learn from... but how??

- Facebook - there are many different groups dedicated to goats, so you can jump on there and find ones that interest you

- Local farm stores - Lots of farm store employees own their own farms and/or know others that do

- Goat shows are also a great place to learn, even if you are just going to watch. Most farms are very happy to meet new people and teach them what they can!

Terms:

doe - female goat

doeling - baby female goat

yearling - goat between 12 - 24 months old

buck - male goat

buckling - baby male goat

wether - castrated male goat

kid - baby goat

kidding - giving birth

disbudded - horns removed

polled - naturally hornless

sire - father

dam - mother

freshen - to come into milk after kidding. Ex. a First freshener is a doe that has kidded for the first time and is now producing milk for the first time.

Goats need a goat friend (or 2 or 5)! They are herd animals and are much happier together. Please do not get just 1. They can breed very young (about 8-12 weeks old), so you do not want to keep intact bucklings with doelings over that age. If you do want to keep doelings and bucklings, you would need a friend for each and separate accommodations for them.

What do goats need? Their basic needs are simple - A field to roam in, fencing to keep them in, hay and/or forage to eat, fresh water, dry shelter, shade for warm days and warm areas for cold days and nights, and loose minerals.

What we feed:

Entire Herd

- has access to a field of grass/plants to munch on through the day

- gets the same pelleted feed with sunflower seeds mixed in, but the does get more sunflower seeds than the bucks

- have loose minerals always out and available to them

- have kelp available to them typically with herbals mixed in. We are currently mixing in Fir Meadows DWA wormer and GI soother to help prevent worms and coccidia.

Milking does

- goat pelleted feed on the stand 2x per day. About 3 cups per day

- Chaffhaye 2x per day - about 1.5 lbs per day

Non-Milking does

- goat pelleted feed in the evening about 2 cups per day

- Chaffhaye 2x per day - about 1.5 lbs per day

Kids

- goat pelleted feed in small portions in the morning and evening

- Chaffhaye 2x per day with the does

Bucks

- goat pelleted feed in the evening about 1.5 cups per day

- Chaffhaye 2x per day - about 1.5 lbs per day

Watch your goats to learn what their normal is. Goats typically do not show illness easily, so when they act off it is important to act quickly. At the first sign your goat is acting off:

- Check temperature with rectal thermometer - should be 101.5 - 103.5 F.

- Check for off poop and urination

- Contact your vet and/or mentors for recommendations

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Medicine cabinet basics

- Thermometer or 2

- De-wormer

- Vet wrap

- Iodine

- Vitamin B complex

- Needles and syringes

- Antibiotic like LA200 or the low sting version Biomycin 200

Supply Cabinet - What we keep in addition to above (subject to change as we learn and grow)

- Vetericyn spray

- Banamine - perscription from vet for pain relief and fever reduction

- Di-Methox for coccidia treatment

- lubricant for helping with delivery

- Disposable gloves

- Disposable shoe covers for visiting other farms and others visiting our farm

- Eye antibiotic gel and ophthalmic/pink eye gel

- Lice treatment

- Replamin plus gel

- Copper bolus

- Nu-stock

- Probiotic Paste

- Molasses

- Hoof trimmers

- Brushes to hand brush them

What do goats love?

- Jumping! Give them anything to jump on and they will - play structures, cinder blocks, tires, boards, anything and everything!

- Sleeping in tires. Next time your vehicle needs new tires, save on the recycling cost and keep them for your goats.. they will thank you for it! We also create little bridges with boards from the tire to tire for the babies - so they are not tall, but perfect for babies to play on.

- Scratches - they love scratching themselves on brushes you can leave out for them or a scraper door mat nailed to a wall.

- Raised pet beds - they love these!

- Treats - anything from oranges to animal crackers! They love to eat.

Thank you so much for stopping by and we hope you love your new goats!

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