Raising goats is easy and fun but also requires daily, monthly and even annual chores. If you are interested in raising goats for pleasure or purpose this is a must-read to understand what is involved with their care.
Raising Goats – Daily Chores
When raising goats, the daily chores may vary depending on the breeds you raise, the season and whether you have milk goats. But some chores need to be done routinely regardless of why you have goats.
Fresh Water
Goats need access to fresh water 24/7. This is especially important during the hot summer months and when does (female goats) are pregnant or lactating.
Water buckets should be emptied and rinsed thoroughly before refilling twice daily. This job is usually performed first thing in the morning and then again in the evening after the goats return to the barn for the night.
Grain Please
Goats require a little grain in the morning before you let them out to pasture. As a general rule of thumb, give each goat one-half cup to about a cup of grain daily. (More for lactating does and less for castrated males called wethers.)
Milking goats should be fed grain twice daily while the goat is being milked.
Hay Time
If raising goats for the first time, one of the things you will quickly discover is that goats need hay. Based on the season and whether or not your goats are allowed daily access to green pasture, will depend on how much hay should be fed.
Feed a little hay to goats daily before letting them out in the pasture to avoid overeating and causing bloat (a serious condition that can be fatal.). Feed goats their regular amount of hay upon returning to the barn in the evening.
During the cold winter months, or when goats are not allowed access to pasture, feed a generous amount of hay twice daily.
Dairy Equipment
Dairy equipment must be cleaned after every milking. This may sound extreme, but if raising goats for dairy purposes, it is a must to ensure milk is not contaminated with harmful bacteria.
After each use, all milk equipment must be rinsed in lukewarm water (not hot), scrubbed, rinsed, dipped in dairy acid cleaner and rinsed again.
Raising Goats – Monthly Tasks
Monthly tasks can be easy to forget, so it’s best to have a routine day or add it to your calendar so you don’t forget these important tasks.
Cleaning Day
If you are new to raising goats, it may surprise you how dirty their stalls can get in just one month. Cleaning out the stalls each month will not only cut down on the chances of your herd contracting external and internal parasites, but it will also help reduce dust, supporting a healthy respiratory system.
Take a Look Around
Goats are curious creatures that seem to thrive on adventure. However, those adventures may not always be in the goat’s best interest. Notorious for finding weak spots in the fence, butting open gates and doors, and even chewing on barn walls, goats have a knack for finding the weak spot in your carefully maintained barn and pasture.
When raising goats, you will quickly learn that to keep your herd safe and confined, you’ll need to stay on top of any weak spots in their housing. Check the perimeter of the pasture for weak spots in the fencing or torn fencing a goat could get caught on, and make any necessary repairs.
After the monthly stall cleaning, it’s also a good idea to look around for weak spots, double-check gate latches (both pasture and stalls), and look for any hardware (such as wire, nails, screws, etc.) that your goats could ingest or injure themselves on. Make repairs as needed, and be sure to remove any sharp objects to prevent injuries.
Hoof Trimming
Hoof trimming is another routine chore of raising goats. Hooves should be checked once a month to ensure they are staying healthy and not becoming overgrown. This is also a good time to check out the goat’s feet to ensure there are no sores or hoof rot.
Not all goats will need their hooves trimmed monthly, while others may require a trim every two weeks. Even if your goats are allowed access to pasture and do not require a monthly trim, be sure to check them anyway to avoid hooves from becoming overgrown and keep your goat in the habit of having their feet handled.
Raising Goats – Checkup Time
Goats can be prone to disease and parasites, so it’s a good idea to check them monthly for a routine checkup. Check each member of your herd’s coat for external parasites, ticks and thinning fur. Also, check each goat’s weight and mouth. If a goat is losing weight or seems injured or sick, call a vet right away.
Annual Checks
When raising goats, it’s easy to fall into the everyday humdrum and forget about all the annual to-do lists. But just because these jobs only need to be performed once a year doesn’t make them less important.
Vaccine Time
Just like cats and dogs are vaccinated against certain diseases, goats should be too. While there are several optional shots available for goats, there are two shots that all goat owners should consider.
Rabies Vaccine: Rabies is a concern for goat owners all across the U. S., but this disease is most prevalent in California, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. Vaccinating your goats against rabies is not a legal requirement, but if you live in an area prone to this disease, a vaccine may save your goat’s life. Rabies vaccines must be administered annually by a veterinarian.
Tetanus Shot: Tetanus is caused by a bacteria known as Clostridium tetini entering a goat’s bloodstream through a wound or cut in the goat’s flesh. Tetanus is a painful and often fatal disease. Baby goats should receive their first vaccine at five to six weeks of age. Vaccinate adult goats annually.
Breeding Time
Whether raising goats for milk or selling them as companion animals, breeding your herd is an annual job. Female goats are usually ready to breed in late August through early January.
Does go into heat every twenty-one days, so if you miss the first one, don’t sweat it. In another three weeks, your doe will be ready to breed again.
Storing Hay
If you have a barn or shed to store it in, stocking up on a year’s worth of hay will save you time and money and prevent the need to venture out on cold, snowy days to buy hay.
Purchase hay in the late summer/early fall for the best prices and freshest quality.
Raising goats may require a lot of work, but for those who are drawn to these delightful creatures, the results of a happy, thriving herd are well worth the effort.
This article about raising goats was written for Hobby Farms magazine. Click here to subscribe.
