Before buying goats there are 5 things to have in place. Your goats will need shelter from the elements and predators, clean fresh water, feed, and established routine maintenance. You need a goat mentor or 2 because there are bound to be questions as you began your goat ownership journey. Read on to learn what you need to know before buying goats.
While not discussed in this post you will also want to consider your goals for your new goats, the best age of your new goat, and how many you are going to get. Plan to purchase at least 2, as they are a herd animal and need the companionship of another goat.
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Table of Contents
Shelter from the Element and Predators
Goats are a prey animal. Coyotes, wild (and some) domestic dogs, bears, mountain lions, and wolves would all enjoy a tasty goat meal. Around here we also have large birds such as bald eagles. A new born Nigerian Dwarf baby weighing in at 3 lbs. or less are vulnerable to being snatched for a large bird’s lunch.
Goats are tough critters, but still need protection from wind, rain, snow and the hot beating sun of summer.
The type of shelter provided can vary greatly based on your available resources, type of predators in your area, and personal preferences.
A building with proper ventilation and a way to keep goats locked in at night will go a long way in bringing you piece of mind when the coyotes start howling.
Clean Fresh Water
As a child it was drilled into our heads at a young age the importance of clean water buckets and fresh water. I heard about it if there was a single speck of dirt in a white scrubbed bucket.
I keep a scrub brush handy to eliminate any film or dirt build up on the goat’s water bucket. This brush is a different one than the one used on chicken waterers. Both are located near the spicket where I fill my water containers at chore time.
Keeping the water containers clean and changing out the water seems to encourage a goat to drink. I observed my goats on more than one occasion quickly drink from the bucket right after I fill it. This despite the fact there was water in the bucket for them to drink before I dumped and brought them fresh.
You may choose to use a small tank or buckets for watering your goats. I have found 2- or 2.5-gallon pails to be wonderful water buckets for 3 to 5 Nigerian Dwarf goats. However, in a larger herd a small tank would work well. Keep in mind you do not want any containers to be so full of water a baby could drown in it.
How Much Water does a Goat Drink?
The research I found varied. The amount of water a goat consumes changes based on the following:
- age of the goat
- size of the goat
- a pregnant doe
- a lactating doe (or a doe producing milk)
- current weather conditions
Feed
In researching and reading other experiences I found a wide variety of opinions on exactly what to feed goats. Many of the differences appeared based on the goals for a particular goat. A goat in milk has different nutritional requirements than a pet wether or even a breeding buck.
All goats need forage of some type. There are varying opinions on the benefit of feeding grain, and how often.
Processed Feeds or Whole Grain Mix?
Feed companies will tell you all the benefits of process feed over regular grain. I personally prefer a whole grain as I believe going with a natural feed benefits any animal in the long run. When I look no farther than my own grocery options, processed over whole foods and my decision is made. I fail to see the benefit in providing a processed food when a body whether mine or a goat is designed to break down and process whole food.
These are my opinions. Please conduct your own research to find what works best for you. There are various companies providing both options at feed stores. Local mills are slowly fading. However, there are still places to have your own feed ration mixed with locally grown grains.
On CG heartbeats Farm we feed a 16% protein textured grain to the does. The bucks get a small amount or none at all which varies by season. The hay is a grass alfalfa mix for the does and a grass/alfalfa hay to the bucks with the does getting a higher percentage of alfalfa and bucks less. All have pasture access a portion of the day when the season and weather permits.
The feeding program here is subject to change as I continue to learn and grow my knowledge base.
Urinary Calculi
Urinary Calculi is considered prevalent in bucks and wethers over the does. The physical anatomy of a male goat’s makeup contributes to the problem. One school of thought suggests a high protein diet contributes to the creation of kidney stones and urethra blockage. Another contributing factor is thought to be castrating or neutering too early. When planning a feeding program for bucks and wethers, you may want to feed little to no grain and a grass hay low in protein, calcium and phosphorous over alfalfa hay.
Routine Maintenance
- Hoof care
- Parasite prevention and Famacha Scores
- Vitamins and mineral supplements
Hoof Care
Goats need their hooves trimmed on a regular basis. Providing hard surfaces for them to play and live on will naturally reduce how often they need a trim. With out natural wear, goats need their hooves trimmed every 4 weeks or so. If they need corrective work you may need to trim them more often. If they have hard surfaces wearing their foot, they can go longer than 4 weeks.
You will need a hoof trimmer to maintain hoof growth. A hoof trimmer will become dull before it is no longer good. You may want to locate a local option to sharpen your hoof trimmer or sharpen it yourself.
A rasp is helpful in adding a finished touch to a goat’s hoof. I especially like having 2 different rasp options as in the last picture. Click on any of the following pictures to view details when considering your purchasel
Parasite Prevention
Parasites are a part of an animal’s life. All animals are known to have some level of parasitic infection. The object is to keep parasite population at a controlled level so an animal will experience optimal health.
A good parasite prevention program reduces the need for harsh chemicals as a means to save an animal’s life. Pasture rotation and herbal supplements promote a healthy goat and a less likely chance of a parasite overload. Land of Havilah provides excellent alternatives for parasite prevention and as a source of natural vitamin and mineral supplement. There are other herbal parasite prevention programs on the market. Land of Havilah is the one I use.
Monitoring Parasite Load
Monitoring a goats parasite load also helps to bring awareness to a goats need for additional support against parasites. Checking stool samples and FAMACHA scores are the other important tasks in staying ahead of parasite damage to goats.
Stool samples can be checked for parasites at your local veterinarian office. There are various labs who also provide this service. Meadowmist Labs from Michigan offers cost effective stool sample checks. You can drop off samples or mail them in. Use the link to learn more. https://www.meadowmistlabservice.com/441123869
Checking a goats FAMACHA score involves looking at the color of a goat’s interior lower eyelid. One of the best descriptive videos I have found on You Tube can be seen using the link below.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Here is another topic you may desire to research further when determining what works for your herd. Briefly there are synthetic options or a more natural route. Just like our own bodies some vitamins we produce ourselves when given the proper tools. In a roundabout way, providing vitamin and minerals helps against parasite overload too because a healthy animal promotes a better equipped immune system.
It is a safe bet the hay and grain we feed will vary in the amount and availability of certain vitamins and minerals. For an example, here in the Midwest selenium is known to be lacking in the soil. The food grown here will not provide the selenium our bodies or our animals need. Supplements are needed to keep your goats healthy.
Still using selenium as an example, there are 3 ways to deliver the selenium, via IV or an injection into the vein, orally through a paste and orally through a powder they eat on their own.
There are also synthetic or natural options of vitamins and minerals on the market. All of these are considerations to research and decide which works best for you. You might want to experiment with different options to learn your best fit.
Land of Havilah provides natural options via a couple different products, one is a powder, and one is a liquid. When you purchase either of these you are given a free online course to teach you how to use each one. The information include dosage, frequency, and how to use with various species.
A Mentor
Finding other goat owners to reach out to when you have questions or problems makes the journey of new goat ownership easier. The person may be who you purchased your goat from, a person or farm you follow on social media who raises goats or a new friend who you met because they too have goats.
No single person knows everything. Each will have basic philosophy. Some rely less on chemicals and more on herbs and vitamins, others feel most confident in modern day medicines. Find mentors who share your same basic values. I always say there are 2 ways around the barn, and both get you to the other side.
We can all learn from each other, even if our views are not exactly the same. Don’t be afraid to hear a new perspective.
In Summery
Learning about these five topics will prepare you for what you need to know before buying goats. This provides a general idea to prepare you before bringing your goats home. There is always more to learn.
Keep in mind goats are a herd animal. Many farms will not sell you only 1 goat unless you have already have other goats to be a similar companion. Goats need other goats around as a part of their overall health. You would not want to put a mature buck with a 3-week-old bottle baby. While a bit of an exaggeration, it is important to understand goats are best housed with other goats of the same sex and age or group.
What to learn more about the Nigerian Dwarf goats at CG Heartbeats Farm? Click the link below:
https://www.dontclipmywings.com/nigerian-dwarf-herd/
Any questions? Please leave a comment below. Or email me at cgheartbeatsfarm@gmail.com
