Goat information? Dairy goats.?
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Question by : Goat information? Dairy goats.?
Im going to be getting a kid (baby goat) soon for my 4-H project. Does anyone have any tips on caring for them. Anything from feeding, housing, fencing, food, exercise, grooming, health, to showing. Any tips would be very helpful! Thanks
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2 Responses to Goat information? Dairy goats.?
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Your best resource is going to be the breeder you get it from. make sure its a responsible one.
I can’t really give you tips on caring unless i know what breed it is, how old it will be, etc. i can tell you a few things like:
feeding: grain will depend, but i would feed a medicated feed such as: purina show goat, or blue seal meat goat (both are medicated for coccidiosis) but hay should be fed free choice, preferably alfalfa for a growing dairy goat.
and of course fresh water at all times.
housing, this will be the first thing you square away before you get a goat. I keep my does in a 10×16 run in shed. but i have 10 in there.
You can build something as simple as a 5×8 shed. preferably tall enough for you to comfortable stand in, for mucking out, etc. and preferably with room for a hay feeder and water bucket. For a young kid i recommend a milk crate, or a storage crate sold at wal-mart. (around $ 5) it holds about 2-3 flakes of hay. and seems to be the perfect height for young and miniature goats.
fencing: i am a major fan of cattle panels. they are strong, portable, and last forever. You could use electric fence. but only if you have no predators, and i would have a permanent fence, and then electric as a temporary fence. I have 10 nigerian dwarfves on a 1/4 acre. they do graze it down in the summer though. so 1/8 of an acre would be perfect for 2 goats. ( you really should have at least 2) even if the 2nd is just a wether. the doe will need company.
Exercise: i take my does out on a walk every day to every other day, usually on mon, wed. fri. due to my class schedule. but as long as they have a small pasture to run and stretch their legs in.
Grooming: i clip my goats in the summer, for show season, you can brush them daily if you want though. i just don’t have time to brush 20 goats every day.
Health: they will need shots, ask the breeder. if they don’t do shots let me know and i’ll tell you what you need. I fell today and really can’t type a whole lot, it hurts too much.
showing: your best bet is to go to a show. and just watch. don’t enter your goat. just watch.
make sure you get a bottle baby. they are soooooo much easier to work with then dam raised kids.
If you have any other questions i would be more than happy to help. I started off with my goats in ffa after all.
Bryan
foxfirenubians@aol.com
heartsnhooves
May 16, 2012 at 4:51 am
Your best source will be the breeder and your 4-H leader. If you don’t have a 4-H leader for your goat project ask for help from your Extension.
There are some good books that you can buy, check out Amazon.
There are some good catalogs that will give you information: do a search for Hoeggers and for Caprine Supply
Make sure you have the answers to feeding, housing and fencing before you bring your kid home. And did you know that you really really have to have at least 2?
As to showing: 1. Have fun 2. Know the rules 3. Know that you have a wonderful goat that you’re proud of and show it 4. Remember peanut butter sandwich. Your the bread, the judge is bread and your goat is peanut butter. Keep the peanut butter inside the bread. 5. Make sure you goat is clean 6. Make sure your goat leads well and will let you touch her all over 7. Learn to set your goat up using the collar not by grabbing it’s legs. 8. Don’t mess with the goat too much. The best showman is the one the judge doesn’t notice. 9. Have fun!
Everbely
May 16, 2012 at 5:23 am