Record keeping for goats

[madcow]

What specific records does everyone keep on their goats? I know it would be important to keep track of lineages and weights, breeding dates, kidding dates and outcomes, etc, but what else? Does anyone keep track of feeding practices, such as amounts of feed and dates changes are made, etc.? I don't have registered goats and no information about their parents, except for my new kids, of course, and don't really plan on getting any registered goats in the near future. I will be milking my does and I will keep track of their freshening dates, volumes of milk, and dates they dry up. Anything else? Does someone have forms for all of these things that they are willing to share with me and others? Anything will be helpful!

 

[marlowmanor]

We have unregistered goats as well. The only parent info I have is on my wethers. I did see the mothers of my does though.

Right now what I have in my goat record book is:
Goat Name
Breed
Gender
color including markings.
Birthdate either exact or at bare minimum month and year.
Purchase date
When shots were given like CDT and wormers (though I only worm if needed)
Breeding dates for my does
Kidding information (how many born, genders, colors, as well as previous kidding info)
When hoof trimming was done (I try to check hooves every 3 months)
I plan to put the kidding info in when my does kid mainly what they have and how the delivery went.
I don't plan on milking my does so won't be keeping up with milking stats.
Not sure yet if I will be able to weight babies either. If I am able to I will write that info in my record book too.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I record:

Goat Info

Goat Name
Breed
Percentage
Registry
Reg #
Microchip/Tattoo
Birth Weight
30 day
60 day
90 day
120 day
150 day
180 day
Wean
1 yr
2yr
3yr
4yr
5yr
Tag #
Color
DOB
Sex
Litter Size
Litter Order
Wean Date
Horns
Disbud Date
Breeder Name
Breeder Farm
Breeder Address
Purchase Date
Amount
Sire Name
Sire Registry
Sire Reg #
Dam Name
Dam Registry
Dam Reg #
Owner Name
Owner Farm
Owner A dress


Hooves

Goat Name
Date Trimmed
Score from 1 thru 10 (1 being worst and 10 being best)


Worming

Goat Name
Date
Wormer Used
Wormer Dose
Goat Weight
Reason/Worms
Comments (I do my own fecals so this helps there)


Fecals

Goat Name
Fecal Date
Barberpole #
LiverFluke #
Tape #
Cocci #
Other #
Notes


Weights

Goat Name
Monthly Weight (updated on the 1st of every month) (All prior weights are kept too)
ADG for the month
Letter(s) assigned to tell me if goat is Still Growing, Pregnant, Full Grown, or Not Pregnant


Care Sheet

Goat Name
Date
Symptoms/Observations
Disease/Sickness
Action/Treatment
Comments


Breeding Sheet

Doe Name
Buck Name
Breed Date
Again
Process
Due Date
Kid Date
Litter Size
Bucks
Does


I also have my own registry that all goats that live here are registered in, including all kids are born here. All goats have an individual reg # that is recorded along with more info. I have much more info in there but will not go into that.

I have another spreadsheet that comes with a program I am part of that has more info, mostly about the kids and their stats.

 

[madcow]

I record:

Goat Info



I also have my own registry that all goats that live here are registered in, including all kids are born here. All goats have an individual reg # that is recorded along with more info. I have much more info in there but will not go into that.

I have another spreadsheet that comes with a program I am part of that has more info, mostly about the kids and their stats.

Wow, that's great information! With all that information you don't have to keep it in your head and you have a good reference for each goat. Do you mind if I use this information for my goats' records? Thanks so much!

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Wow, that's great information! With all that information you don't have to keep it in your head and you have a good reference for each goat. Do you mind if I use this information for my goats' records? Thanks so much!

No I don't mind. It took me over a year to get all that together and choose what I have chosen. I've spend alot of time talking to people and researching goat records and have never found any that are real good. I decided to make a spreadsheet myself and really like it. I don't like to put how I do it all on here because I see people selling and making money off theirs and half the time theirs sucks so I don't like giving mine out much but just putting a list is ok. I see alot of people doing what I was doing, desperately searching for something to help with record keeping and there are no good ones I've found out there. So when I see people I sometimes have to tell them.

But yes, you may use them.

 

[ksalvagno]

Wow, that's great information! With all that information you don't have to keep it in your head and you have a good reference for each goat. Do you mind if I use this information for my goats' records? Thanks so much!

No I don't mind. It took me over a year to get all that together and choose what I have chosen. I've spend alot of time talking to people and researching goat records and have never found any that are real good. I decided to make a spreadsheet myself and really like it. I don't like to put how I do it all on here because I see people selling and making money off theirs and half the time theirs sucks so I don't like giving mine out much but just putting a list is ok. I see alot of people doing what I was doing, desperately searching for something to help with record keeping and there are no good ones I've found out there. So when I see people I sometimes have to tell them.

But yes, you may use them.

Why not sell it? Print out some sheets, put it in a notebook and sell it.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

Thought about it but I don't know how I'd do it. It's better in a spreadsheet so that would be best. I have it in a spreadsheet and on paper.

 

[Mossy Stone Farm]

I use easy keeper here on the farm you do have to pay but i love it!

 

[jodief100]

What records you keep depend on your needs, goals and how much time you have. I have 40-50 does at any time so I keep mine simple.

Sire
Dam
Dates Dam was with the buck
Birth weight
Weaning weight (between 8-12 weeks) adjusted to a 90 day normal
Weight of dam at weaning
Registration Number (if applicable)

I find that goats susceptible to worms do not wean big kids so keeping track of weaning weights indirectly keeps track of worm issues.

Immunizations are about 2 weeks before the earliest kidding day so knowing the breeding days takes care of that. Boys and yearlings are done in December.

Should I do more? Maybe, but this works for me.

I also keep track of expenses but that is for a different discussion.