Goating 101

HERD ANIMALS

Goat are herd animals, so they NEED to have a companion. That is why we only sell in pairs unless there are other goats or a suitable herdmate at the place where the baby is moving to.  We do not recommend raising your goat alone as they need the companionship of another, plus it helps keep them warm on cold winter nights.  A lonely goat is a stressed and unhappy goat.  

WORMING

We usually wait until the kids are weaned before first wormings unless we feel they need to be wormed sooner.  We recommend Ivermectin or Ivomec (injectible, given orally) or Valbazen for deworming at the rate of 1cc for 22lbs orally. Fecals can be done by your vet if you suspect any problems.  Pulling down the bottom eyelid (google FAMACHA for techniques) should show a nice red/pink color and not be whitish (pale) or the goat could be anemic and wormy and need treatment ASAP. Our adult goats are only wormed as necessary. Over worming can lead to resistances.  Our adult does are wormed 30 days prior to kidding.  Be careful worming your goat if it becomes pregnant as some womers are NOT SAFE to give while your goat is bred.  Do not give Valbazen if pregnant.

HOOVES

Hooves need to be trimmed but not until a few months after birth and then just every 2-3 months.  The more you trim, the faster they grow.  A simple pair of pruning shears will do the trick.

SHELTER

Most goats HATE to get wet so always provide a shelter of some sort for them to get in and out of the rain.  We also offer warm to hot water and soaked beet pulp on super cold mornings.

FENCING

Wire fencing at least 4ft height is recommended.  Make sure they are protected from predators or dogs and that they cannot find a hole to get out.  Goats are super smart escape artists! Do not tether or tie your goat to something and leave it as it is very dangerous and they can choke to death.

VACCINATIONS

We recommend first shot of CD&T at 8 weeks old and again at 11 weeks but please check with your vet first. We give a CD&T with a dose of 2cc sub Q to our adults yearly.  All our does were boostered with CD&T 30 days prior to kidding so the kids have their dams immunities until their first vaccination at 8 weeks.

OVERHEATING

New baby goats love to run and play and jump and if it is hot outside they CAN overheat so please be careful and watch them that they do not start panting.  Always keep fresh water available and give them rest periods often. Please watch children and other pets that so they do not chase them relentlessly as they will cause stress to the goats.

FEEDING HAY

Give free choice fresh hay daily, bagged chopped Timothy or Bermuda by Dumor at TSC is one of our favorites for small kids.  You can also use a bale of timothy (usually for rabbits) until they are about 6 months old and then we start switching over to Bermuda or a grass hay.  Place hay in a hayrack to avoid contamination.  We do not advise hay nets to hold hay as they have been known to get their heads tangled in these and could choke to death. We do not advise fescue hay for pregnant goats as it could cause fescue poisoning just like it does in horses. Goats are very picky and will not eat off the ground nor will they eat grain or hay that has gotten wet by rain.  Keep food bowls clean as well as give fresh water daily.

FEEDING GRAIN/PELLETS

We feed our does (not bucks) DuMor or Purina goat feed from Tractor Supply. Grain should not be the primary source of nourishment for goats so be careful not to overfeed. We typically feed about 1/2 cup of grain per adult goat per day. We increase amount slightly when pregnant or nursing. Be sure to keep grain in a “goat proof’ container to keep curious goats from gorging themselves on grain. Overfeeding can result in bloat which requires medical intervention.

URINARY CALCULI/WETHERS

WE DO NOT FEED OUR BUCKS OR WETHERS ANY GRAIN! This is due to a problem with bucks overeating grain and also to prevent them from getting Urinary Calculi (similar to kidney stones). If your goats are straining and cannot urinate, UC is likely the culprit.  We have found that providing a really good hay is the safer choice.  When bucks are wethered it is very important to NOT feed much grain, if any at all. We don’t feed our bucks ANY grain, only hay. Wethering should be done around 3-4 months of age and is not suggested earlier due to an increased UC risk as a buckling’s urethra may not be fully developed.

BOTTLE FEEDING SCHEDULE not set in stone, just a guide

We recommend whole goat milk or Vitamin D cow’s milk from the grocery store to bottle feed.  This is much better for them than goat milk replacer formula or powdered milk which can cause diarrhea.  Very often, problems with bottle fed kids stem from the use of milk replacers.  Every diet change should be gradual and over several days. Warm the milk slightly in a microwave until 102.  Be careful not to get it too warm or too hot.  Shake well to avoid hot spots. We also suggest the Pritchard nipple.  Watch for too much or too fast milk flow as that could choke baby goats. It is also a good idea to try and ‘burp’ bottle babies after each feeding in case they have swallowed any air.

Week 3-4 Feed 3 times daily 6 to 8 ounces each feeding.  This is the time to add a small dish of pelleted goat feet (just girls), minerals and small fresh water dish along with some hay in small rack where they can pull it through.

 Week 4-6 Feed 3 times daily 8-10 ounces each feeding. Small kids can continue with 3 feedings, bigger kids can go with 2 feedings. They should be eating some solids by now.

 Week 6-8 Feed 2 times daily 10-11 ounces each feeding and slowly decrease the amount of milk as they start consuming more pellets and hay.

 Week 8-12 Feed 1 time daily 10-11 ounces. Start weaning down a few ounces per week until fully weaned 12 weeks.