4 Ways to Raise Goats

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Goats are versatile animals that are great to keep on a farm with the proper space and means. You can raise them for milk, meat, wool and even just as domesticated animals. If you are interested in keeping goats read Step 1 below for some basic information that will help you do so.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Part One: Do Your Research

Step 1. Think about "why" you want to raise goats

Before buying goats, it is good to think long and hard about why you would like to raise them.

Would you like some milk? Meat or wool? Or just as domesticated animals? Depending on the answer, you will need a specific breed of goat and a different herd.
Raising goats is a serious undertaking - you'll need to feed them every day, buy feed, pay for vet visits, and make sure they're happy and healthy - so make sure you're ready for this responsibility.
Take the time to read a few books or talk to someone who is already experienced in this field, to get the details in advance before you get started.

Step 2. Choose a breed based on your needs

As mentioned before, choose the breed based on what you would like to make from it: milk, meat or fiber. You will also need to take into consideration the size of the goats, their temperament and their needs. Here are some of the more popular breeds:

Dairy goats:

Alpine, LaMancha, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen & Sable, and Toggenburg.
Beef goats:

Boer, Kiko, Spagnole, Savannah, Texmaster, Genemaster and Moneymaker.
Wool goats:

Angora (which produces Mohair), Cashmere, Pygora and Nigora.
Goats to tame:

Miniature goat breeds such as Nigerian Dwarfs, Pygmy Goats and Kinder are best for this purpose.

Step 3. Consider the space available

The ideal would be an abundant outdoor space to let them move freely and have the physical freedom necessary to stay healthy. They will also need an indoor space to rest and shelter.

For each adult goat it is good to have 3-5 meters of space. Miniature goat breeds need slightly less space.
It is important not to pile them up or keep them in confined spaces. They could get sick and spread the disease.

Step 4. Choose the healthiest looking goats

So if you decide to have a herd of goats, it is important to know how to choose them. Avoid buying a sick goat that won't meet your needs.

Spot lively goats that move fast with ease and with a smooth pattern.
Touch them with your hands for bumps - they may indicate the presence of an abscess. Check the droppings to make sure they are firm, not mushy.
Look for goats that have deep, rounded bellies, wide hips, and large pouches with downward udders (in females). If possible, milk a few female goats to make sure they have the right temperament and that the milk comes out easily.
If you buy dairy goats, make sure they are friendly and not lively, as you will need to get close to them to milk them.

Step 5. Choose female goats over neutered or male goats

When starting out, it is a good idea to only buy female goats that can suckle and produce milk.

Males are aggressive and tend to stink when they get old. Furthermore, the pheromones they release can affect the taste of milk if these are kept close to the females.
If you don't want to keep a very large herd, it is better to borrow a male goat for breeding only, rather than buying it.
Castrated goats are male goats that are useful only for the production of meat (or for domestication). However, if you wait for the first goat to be born (which will have a 50% chance of being male), you will be able to sell males called chevons for meat production, which is famous for its lamb-like flavor.

Step 6. Take into account the age of the goats

You have several options when buying females - the choice depends on your budget and your need to produce milk or breed them.

Buy a young goat:

a young goat is at least 8 weeks old, as this is the weaning period. These goats are relatively inexpensive, but you will have to wait a year and a half or so before you can breed them, and another five months before milk production.
Buy a junior goat:

a junior goat is a goat that has not yet reproduced. They are more expensive as you will have to wait less time for breeding and milk production. Sometimes you can even buy a pregnant goat, so you will only have to wait five months before milk production, but you will have to pay an extra fee.
Buy a goat that produces milk:

a final option is to buy an older goat that already produces milk. This option is faster and cheaper than the others, however there is a risk of problems as farmers will usually try to sell weaker animals.

Step 7. Understand that goats are livestock

Goats are livestock animals and therefore prefer to be in groups. Therefore, you will need to buy at least two goats to begin with.

Many people make the mistake of buying only one goat. A goat will feel lonely and become very noisy, bleating from the need for company.
If possible, buy two goats from the same cattle (especially if they are related). Thus, they will get used to the new environment better and faster.
Depending on the circumstances, goats can also get along well with other animals, such as sheep, cows, and horses, so you might want to keep them together if you already have a few.

Method 2 of 4: Part Two: Keep and Feed the Goats

Step 1. Provide shelter for your goats

As mentioned in the previous section, goats need shelter in an indoor space to sleep, eat, and protect themselves from bad weather and nocturnal predators.

There is no need for a very sophisticated indoor space if the goats already have plenty of outdoor space to use during the day, and it doesn't have to be very large: goats love to sleep together.
Just make sure the shelter is dry and free of drafts. It is a good idea to have a small stable to put sick, injured or pregnant goats.
The floor must be covered with a coating, made of wood chips (all types of wood except cedar), straw and hay scraps.

Step 2. Build a goat-proof enclosure

Goats are famous for their sensational escapes because they can climb trees, jump fences, chew ropes, and pass through small spaces. Therefore, it is essential to build a solid and goat-proof enclosure.

The enclosure needs to be 1.2-1.5m high based on the breed of goats, so it needs to be taller for the livelier goats as well as for the Nubians breed. For a solid fence you can use wood, wire mesh or wire mesh panels. However, if you want to fortify an existing fence, you can use smooth, elastic electrical wires.
Also, be sure to close or tie up any gates or passages from the outside to prevent goats from climbing over them. Also make sure that the shelter does not have a roof that the goats can climb easily on.

Step 3. Let the goats roam

Goats love foraging for food rather than grazing, so they will eat sticks, leaves and weeds instead of lawn grass.

So you can raise goats alongside sheep, cows and horses, because they don't compete for food. Goats can also be used to clear the land of unwanted vegetation.
If you live in a rural area or in a wood, let the goats out in the pasture and let them forage for food by eating from bushes, saplings, blackberry brambles, poison ivy, clover, etc.

Step 4. Provide the goats with hay and wheat

Goats don't get all their nourishment from just the food they find around, so they'll need a lot of good quality hay (or other similar forage). Use hay of any quality - if the goats like it, of course.

Pregnant female goats also need protein, so they will need to consume 0.5-1 kg of wheat per day. You will also need to provide them with any mineral mix, which you can find at pet food stores.
As special treatments, you can give goats fruits and vegetables, such as apples, pears, peaches, watermelons, bananas, carrots, celery, courgettes and spinach. Avoid giving them potatoes, tomatoes, and kale, as they may poison themselves.

Step 5. Make sure the goats have plenty of water

It is important to have plenty of fresh water, especially during hotter or drier times. So, depending on the climatic conditions, you will need to make sure that each goat has 2 to 15 liters of water per day.

Also, it's a good idea to plan ahead on how to provide them with the water they need, to avoid finding yourself carrying buckets of water back and forth every day. Consider installing a water pipe or tank in your shelter or barn if you don't already have one.
If there is a pond or stream running through your land, it will be helpful in keeping the goats hydrated. However, get the water tested to make sure it's safe to drink. You will also need to check for stagnation or contamination.

Method 3 of 4: Third Part: Reproduction and Production of Milk

Step 1. Have female goats reproduce when they are mature

When the goats are mature - and therefore 6 months old or weighing 30 kg - they are ready to mate. They usually come into heat in the months of August or September.

If you don't have a male goat you can rent one or take your female goat to a farm where there is one. You will have to pay a fee that is around € 50-100.
Sometimes it is difficult to determine if a goat is pregnant, one of the most reliable signs being the emission of milky-white material from the lower areas.
A goat's pregnancy lasts 150 days or 5 months, and often produces two up to four cubs.

Step 2. Decide how to raise the puppies

After they are born, use a towel to remove blood or other fluids from their body, or let the mother lick them to clean them. From this point on, there are two opinions on how to care for puppies and feed them.

Some prefer to separate them from their mother immediately. To feed them, they milk the mother by hand and pour the milk into the bottles. The reason is that puppies can be difficult to breastfeed and can reduce their mother's milk production. Bottle feeding is thought to make goats friendlier and more tame.
However, many believe that separating mother from child is cruel and unnecessary. They then let the mother breastfeed her offspring (of course making sure all the puppies are fed) and only separate them after 8-12 weeks, at the end of weaning.
The choice is up to you, based on your judgment and whether you feel the process listed above is appropriate for producing more milk.

Step 3. Decide what to do with the puppies

If you don't want to grow your livestock you need to decide what to do with the puppies.

Females are easier to manage and sell as the demand for milk continues to increase. If you want, you can keep the best female offspring for milk production and replace the mother in a couple of years.
Males are more difficult. Male goats must be neutered after 3 weeks and finally sold for meat production. You can do this after weaning or when they have reached maturity. If you want, you can keep a stud.

Step 4. Understand the lactation cycle

When the mother produces the first offspring, she will produce milk continuously for 305 days.

The milk flow is abundant for the first 2-3 months after giving birth and continues to decline until the end of the cycle. The female will need a "dry" period of two months before she can give birth again and produce milk again - this is known as "freshening" in the breeding world.
If you've never milked an animal before, it's important to know the right technique. Instead of pulling the breasts, you need to put your hands around them, using your thumb and forefinger to block the flow of milk to the top. Use your other fingers to squeeze the breasts and draw the milk.
In the beginning it will be strange and slow and it will take about 30 minutes. But when you are practical you will do it in an instant!
Milk the goats once in the morning and once in the evening. During the peak production period, a goat of average height will produce around 2.8 liters of milk per day, while miniature goats a little less.

Method 4 of 4: Part Four: Keeping Goats Safe and Healthy

Step 1. Protect the goats from predators

It is important to be alert to predators in your area and to take necessary precautions.

Common predators are dogs, coyotes, pumas and birds such as crows and vultures. Some of these predators will take away your goats (especially the cubs), others will injure them enough to have to kill them.
The best way to keep them safe is to keep them indoors (with no windows or doors) every night. Buy a sheepdog to guard livestock 24/7.
Avoid tying up goats to prevent them from being easy targets for predators. Better to keep them free in a space bordered by a high fence.

Step 2. Learn to recognize the symptoms of a disease

You will inevitably have to deal with a sick goat sooner or later, so it's important to recognize the symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms are: not drinking or eating, crusted eyes, diarrhea, warm lower parts, holding the face against the fence or wall, coughing, crying or bleating more than necessary, clenching the jaws, separating from the group, pale eyelids and gray gums.
In these cases, call a veterinarian to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Goats will need annual vaccinations against tetanus and enterotoxemia (overeating) and you will also need to watch out for parasites such as lice and ticks.

Step 3. Trim the goats' fur and keep them clean

In general, goats do not need regular shearing (except for long-haired breeds), but you will still need to take care of them from time to time to clean them and make sure they are comfortable.

Brush and wash:

goats should be brushed at least once a year (especially in early summer when they shed their hair) with a sturdy bristle brush. It helps remove dandruff and fallen hair, stimulates blood circulation and gives you the ability to check for bumps on the skin that may be symptoms of disease. It is not necessary to wash the goats, but it does make things difficult for lice and ticks.
Cut out:

you will need to do this at least once a year to help the goats stay cool in the summer. Trim the tail and undersides of females more frequently to keep them clean during nursing and breeding. You will need to wash and shear them more frequently if you want to get your goats to attend events.
Tick off the clogs:

you will have to do this once a month, otherwise they will grow too large and it will be difficult for the goats to move. However, it is a fairly quick and easy procedure that you can do with a simple pocket knife.

Advice

Goats are raised for the production of milk, meat, wool and to tame them. Never name an animal you breed for meat production.
Goat manure is not as "hot" as chicken manure and does not easily burn plants.
Goats consume hay by nature. Once you have determined the amount of hay you need, do not increase it.
Goats prefer bushes, trees and weeds. Make sure they are not near any plants or trees that you don't want to be ruined. A goat standing on its hind legs reaches a height of almost 2 meters. So say goodbye to all the low branches in the area. They will be able to do it for you.
They are very clever. The goats may be able to open the fence latch as well. Take the necessary action based on the skills of the herd.
Although goats can live for a long time, they are never mounted after the age of ten. It could reduce their lives.
If you raise goats for meat, find out about the preferences of consumers in your area. Muslims and Latin Americans could be potential customers.

Warnings

Never take a goat with horns as the first goat. You have to learn how to handle them first or you could get hurt.
Do not never take a male goat as a first goat. They require more attention and are not suitable for beginners. Male goats generally tend to have an unpleasant odor. However, you can start with a castrato.
Watch out for neighbors' dogs. If a goat is attacked by a dog or coyote, be sure to check its neck for any injuries. Don't be fooled by identifying the most obvious injuries.
Goats can be aggressive, so be brave when you are around them.