Considering goats.... Input!!

[yankee'n'moxie]

Hello everybody!!

We are considering goats, and really need some help with everything that they need. Basically, we know nothing about them, and need to be taught. So I am going to post some questions, and hopefully someone will know the answers! LOL, they are probably all really simple "stupid" questions, but like I said, we know nothing! LOL

-What do they eat? Hay? Grains? How much of each?
-What do they need for shelter?
-Have any of you had luck tying them out, like on a movable dog run vs making a pen?
-What about hoof care? Do it yourself? Pay someone else?
-Milking... What are good breeds?
-Shots- What their names, what are they for, and how often do they need to be done?
-On average (including any vet costs) how would I spend on 2 goats every month? I realize that this cannot be calculated to the penny, or even the dollar because there are too many variables, but just an estimate.
-How often do you have to breed a goat to keep getting milk?
-How do you "dry out" a goat, and what are the reasons for it?

I will probably think of more questions as I begin to get answers! But, thank you in advance for your help!

BTW, I was considering Nubians... Good dairy breed?

 

[SheepGirl]

Not a goat expert, but...

Maintenance goats will need about 3% of their body weight in grass hay each day. Growing, gestating, and lactating goats will require more hay and/or grain. Free-choice loose supplement should be provided at all times.

A basic three-sided shelter will suffice, but you can go all out and get a four-sided barn as well. Just make sure there is plenty of ventilation. A cold barn is better than a warm/hot barn.

Hoof care is very easy, you can do it yourself. Buy hoof trimmers at the feed store and just trim off the edges of the hoof as/before they roll.

CD/T shots are the most universally recommended vaccine. I believe the dose is 2 cc for goats (as it is for sheep) - given 30 days before kidding or once per year.

The number one cost for raising livestock is feed. If you have pasture, maximize that as much as possible because you will save a lot on feed costs. If you have a 100 lb goat, you will need to feed 3.3 lbs of hay per day for a goat in maintenance (accounting for a 10% waste)...so about 100# of hay per month for one goat...if you can buy 50 lb bales for $5, then it would be $10 per month per goat in maintenance. Again, a lactating/gestating/growing goat will require more feed.

Goat will breed naturally every 6-12+ months. To my understanding, most people breed dairy goats once per year for milk production.

Not sure how to dry off a goat, as I've never done it before, but to my understanding, most people do it 2 months before kidding (in the dairy cattle industry, I know they dry off the cows 2 months before calving).

 

[yankee'n'moxie]

OK, thank you! Very helpful! Maybe someone else will chime in too!

 

[Roll farms]

Hello everybody!!

We are considering goats, and really need some help with everything that they need. Basically, we know nothing about them, and need to be taught. So I am going to post some questions, and hopefully someone will know the answers! LOL, they are probably all really simple "stupid" questions, but like I said, we know nothing! LOL

-What do they eat? Hay? Grains? How much of each?

(Our) Milkers get alfalfa, dry does get grass hay (here). Grain amt. depends on the animals....like humans, some eat a lot and don't get fat, some eat a little and gain weight. A rough estimate is around 2 dry measuring cups 2x a day (4c total) but heavy milkers may need more. Dry does less. I adjust according to how they look on an individual basis. Fatties get less on the stand while milking, skinnies get more.

-What do they need for shelter? Something to block the wind / keep them dry and is easily manageable to clean....again.....there are no 'rules'...use what you have / modify it to work.

-Have any of you had luck tying them out, like on a movable dog run vs making a pen?

I don't like tying goats out. Unless you are w/ them the whole time, they could become predator bait on a string or get tangled / strangled. There are relatively cheap moveable electric fence nets for goats that you would be better off with, if you don't have permanent pasture.

-What about hoof care? Do it yourself? Pay someone else?

Do it yourself w/ goat hoof trimming shears (it's not as complicated or difficult as horse feet).

-Milking... What are good breeds?

There are many answers to that question based on what you want.
Making lots of cheese? Saanen and Alpines (and Toggenburgs - but some folks (like me) don't like the taste of their milk) make a lot of milk.
Want creamy milk that's good to drink / make ice cream / butter / etc. with? Nigerians and Nubians have high butterfat.
Nigerians won't make as much, but will eat less. Some have small, difficult-to-milk-by-had teats (but some are great little milk makers - you just have to buy from strong 'milk' lines. Some Nigerians and Nubians can be 'talkative' (aka annoying).
Want a sweet, quiet breed that makes a good amount of milk w/ decent butterfat? OBERHASLI!

(I raise Obs and Nubians (and boers...and we had Toggs....I dislike them immensely.)

-Shots- What their names, what are they for, and how often do they need to be done?

CDT - 2x as babies, then 1x annually. The cost is minimal. Less than 1$ a dose.

-On average (including any vet costs) how would I spend on 2 goats every month? I realize that this cannot be calculated to the penny, or even the dollar because there are too many variables, but just an estimate.

No good answer, even a guess....depending on where you are, hay / feed could cost 3x more or 1/2 as much as mine. I rarely have vet costs, but that doesn't mean you won't. Some months you don't spend extra (vaccines, dewormers, etc.) and some months it seems everything hits at once.

(I have 25 goats, I wouldn't begin to know how much 2 costs...sorry....)


-How often do you have to breed a goat to keep getting milk?

Typically they're bred 1x a year and milked 8-10 mos. I have a doe who's been in milk well over a year now. She obviously didn't get dried off / bred this past year, since she was still producing well.

-How do you "dry out" a goat, and what are the reasons for it?

They need a break before being rebred. Some go ahead and breed them, and milk them through the first few mos. of pregnancy, then dry them off. I usually dry ours off right before I breed them, I want ALL their energy going into making strong babies, not making milk and babies.
"How" is you milk less often, and decrease grain, over a period of time. I typically go to 1x a day for 2wks, then every other day, then every 3rd day for a week. If they show no signs of stress from it, I just 'stop'. Keep an eye on the udder for a week or two, and give her a feel every couple days, to make sure no mastitis is forming.


I will probably think of more questions as I begin to get answers! But, thank you in advance for your help!

BTW, I was considering Nubians... Good dairy breed?

I love Nubians. Wonderful tasting milk (my favorite). Cute floppy ears. Personality to spare. BUT they aren't for everyone. They can be quite obnoxious / loud after kidding and at milking / feeding times. Not all are. I have been blessed w/ some intelligent / relatively quiet Nubs.
But I just LOVE Oberhasli attitudes / intelligence / personality.

Again, you will hear different answers from different people....just like not everyone wants a chiuahua or a rottweiler...to each their own.
Meet some goats and see what you LIKE.

 

[scrambledmess]

Not an expert here either, but I answered with my limited experiences.

-What do they eat? Hay? Grains? How much of each?
I have Pygmies and Nubians. I know the size difference will require difference in amount of feed. But it just seems to me that my Nubs require so MUCH more feed then the pygmies. I can feed my pygmies anything and they stay fat and sassy. I have to be careful not to feed too much or they get really FAT and sassy. The Nubs... they need good quality feed. You can't just throw anything out there. I learned this the HARD way.

-What do they need for shelter? Our pygmies have a dog house

-What about hoof care? Do it yourself? Pay someone else? This really made me nervous to try. But it was really easy to learn and to do on your own. My 15 and 13 yo sons learned quick too.

-Milking... What are good breeds? Many different.

-Shots- What their names, what are they for, and how often do they need to be done? What the others have said.

-On average (including any vet costs) how would I spend on 2 goats every month? I realize that this cannot be calculated to the penny, or even the dollar because there are too many variables, but just an estimate. When we just had the pygmies, they cost less then any thing else we owned. We now have quite a few goats. 4 pygmies and 8 nubs. We use a bale of hay a day, only the nubs get grain. Not sure how fast we go through a bag of feed. We are finally fencing in the pasture this spring. They will have 2 acres to graze on. I am hoping that will cut back on the hay a little.

They can be quite obnoxious / loud after kidding and at milking / feeding times.

This is very true about the Nubs. LOL I love them, but they sure let you know when it is feeding time, pet my head time, I just want to annoy the heck out of you time, oh look the grass is growing time....

We turn ours loose when we are out doing yard work or playing with our human kids. They are very curious and want to be wherever you are. They have snuck in the house on many occasions just to say, Hi!

 

[yankee'n'moxie]

Thanks guys!!

 

[yankee'n'moxie]

Another question: How long is a goats gestation period?

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Another question: How long is a goats gestation period?

150 days give or take a few.

 

[yankee'n'moxie]

Thanks!! How much space should a goat have?? In the barn and outside in a paddock/pasture....

 

[that's*satyrical]

Space would depend on if it's mini or standard breed. The minis don't need much at all. If you are limited with space minis may be the way to go. My does have a pen that is about 60x80 & they usually stay in only their favorite half of that area. Sometimes they branch into the other half the half that is away from their shelter & hay rack & favorite sunning spot but not really very often. My bucks pen is about 20x30 and he is fine with that. He doesn't do much but stand on his favorite tree & scope out the does on that side of the fence lol. The baby bucks are in with the chickens right now & that pen is about the same size as the buck's pen. Eventually they will all be in the bucks pen & one of them will be sold