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No buts: discover the addictive joy of raising goats
Goats are amazing, multi-talented creatures that have been domesticated for over 10,000 years. As well as being a source of food, clothes, and milk, they're wonderful companions: cute, intelligent, and playful-and often as friendly and attentive as dogs. In addition, they make endearing noises and-according to ancient Ethiopian legend-discovered coffee. So what's holding you back? The new edition of Raising Goats For Dummies rebuts all your excuses, and shows you why having one-or, actually, a few-of these companionable ruminants (cud-chewing animals) in your life will bring you great joy, and, if you choose, unbeatable homemade milk and cheese-and possibly a cozy new sweater.
A happy goat aficionado since 1998, Cheryl K. Smith takes you from the grassroots of raising your goat-choosing and buying the breed you want, building and maintaining goat-friendly housing-to more elevated terrain, including how to build your own milk stand, participate in online goat shows (it's a thing!), and even monetize your goat. You'll also learn the fundamentals of proper care to make sure your goats are fed, kept healthy, and bred in ways that ensure they have the happiest life you can provide.
Whether you're researching buying a goat or learning on the hoof about the ones you have, this book has everything you need to see why getting your goat will bring years and years of joy.
Cheryl K. Smith has raised a small herd of Nigerian Dwarf and Oberian dairy goats under the herd name Mystic Acres since 1998. She is the owner of karmadillo Press and is the author of Goat Health Care, Goat Midwifery, The Best of Ruminations Goat Milk and Cheese Recipes, and Raising Goats: Some Essentials.
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Beyond the Book 2
Icons Used in the Book 2
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Getting Started with Goats 5
Chapter 1: Discovering the Joys of Raising Goats 7
Finding Goat Basics 8
Identifying the Benefits of Owning Goats 9
Becoming more self-sufficient 9
Using goats for companions or helpers 13
Raising goats as a 4-H project 14
Determining Whether Goats Are for You 15
Devoting time and effort 15
Deciding which goats are right for your situation 16
Finding out about local ordinances 17
Knowing your neighbors 18
Chapter 2: Glimpsing Vital Goat Statistics 19
Doe, a Goat, a Female Goat 19
Taking a Look at Goat Anatomy 20
Parts of the body 20
The digestive system 22
Hooves 23
Teeth 24
Beards 25
Wattles 25
Horns 26
Eyes 26
Signs of a Healthy Goat 27
Noticing posture 27
Identifying the meaning of goat cries 27
Determining normal temperature 28
Using ruminations as a health indicator 30
Taking a goat's pulse 30
Counting respirations 31
Recognizing life expectancy 31
Using a Goat Scorecard to Evaluate a Goat 31
Chapter 3: Knowing Your Capra Aegagrus Hircus (Goat, That Is) 33
Looking into Dairy Goats 34
Standard dairy goat breeds 34
Miniature breeds 38
Discovering Meat Goats 42
Boer goats 43
Myotonic goats 44
Kiko goats 45
Spanish goats 45
Texmaster goats 46
Moneymaker meat goats 46
Savanna goats 47
Investigating Fiber Goats 47
Angora 47
Cashmere 48
Miniature fiber goats 49
Chapter 4: Getting Your Property Ready for a Goat 51
Figuring Out How Many Goats You Can Support 51
Making Sure Fencing is Adequate 52
Running through types of fencing 53
Planning for gates 54
Protecting Your Plants 55
Considering which trees to protect 55
Making trees goat-proof 55
Protecting Your Herd 57
Putting hazards out of reach 57
Avoiding tethering 58
Providing a safe place to bunk down 59
Considering local predators 59
Using guardian animals for security 61
Removing poisonous plants 63
Building a Milk Stand 65
Cutting the lumber into parts and marking the pieces 67
Attaching the legs to the base 68
Attaching the side pieces to the base 68
Finishing the platform 68
Preparing the stanchion 68
Assembling the stanchion 69
Creating neck pieces 69
Adding the neck pieces to the stanchion 70
Adding the feeder attachment 70
Attaching the stanchion to the base 71
Making final adjustments 71
Part 2: Bringing Your Goats Home 73
Chapter 5: Home Sweet Homestead: Sheltering Your Goats 75
Outlining Shelter Types 75
Using an existing building 77
Putting up a shelter 77
Providing a Safe, Cozy Place for Goats to Bunk 78
Building a sleeping shelf in an existing barn 79
Using and maintaining bedding 82
Creating an Outdoor Shelter 84
Protecting your goats from the elements 84
Selecting flooring 85
Keeping Your Goats and Their Living Space Clean 86
Controlling flies and other bugs 86
Feed storage and ratproofing 88
Chapter 6: Dinner Time: What and How to Feed Your Goats 91
Goats Don't Eat Tin Cans: What and How to Feed 92
Understanding the two types of feed 92
Feeding hay and alfalfa 93
Using Chaffhaye instead of hay and alfalfa 93
Feeding grain 94
Following a feeding schedule 95
Choosing organic - or not 96
Minerals are a must 96
Supplemental feeds 97
Using Body-Condition Scoring to Fine-Tune Feeding 99
Feeding for Special Cases 100
Pregnancy 101
Milking does 101
Kids 101
Getting the Basic Supplies 102
Bowls 102
Buckets 102
Water supply 103
Mineral feeder 104
Hay feeder 105
Storing feed 106
Building a Simple Hay Feeder 106
Building a Mineral Block Holder 108
Providing Supplemental Feeding Options 110
Growing a goat garden 110
Feeding with garden plant waste 112
Storing garden produce 112
Creating a Hedgerow 113
Choosing a location 113
Determining what to plant 113
Keeping it surviving and thriving 114
Supplementing with Fodder 114
Chapter 7: Getting Your Goats: Choosing, Buying, and Bringing Goats Home 117
Choosing the Right Goats for Your Needs 118
Goats need company 118
Function matters 118
Size matters 119
Horns can hurt 119
Registered or unregistered 119
Looks count: The basics of conformation 120
Finding Sources for Goats 121
Visiting local feed stores 122
Reading the agriculture paper or thrifties 122
Checking out Craigslist 122
Surfing breeders' websites 122
Joining registries and goat clubs 123
Going where goat people congregate 123
Making Sure You Get a Healthy Goat 124
Asking questions 124
Examining the goats 125
Observing the home herd 126
Protecting Yourself with a Contract 126
Bringing Your Goats Home 128
Transporting your goats 128
Quarantining new goats 129
Watching for signs of stress 129
Chapter 8: Working with Your Goats 131
Identifying Normal Goat Behavior 131
Establishing a "pecking" order 132
Biting, butting, and mounting 133
Conducting Basic Training with Your Goats 135
Collars are not just decorations 135
Handling goats regularly 136
Walking goats on a lead 137
Teaching basic manners 138
Moving Up to Advanced Goat Training 139
Teaching tricks with a clicker 139
Using an obstacle course 140
Housebreaking 140
Preparing goats for packing 141
Training goats to pull a cart 143
Supervising Your Herd 145
Meeting their social needs 145
Evaluating the time you have to be home 146
Finding and training a reliable helper 146
Maintaining Physical Fitness 147
Walking with your goats 148
Furnishing your yard or pasture with toys 148
Entertaining with Your Goats 149
Chapter 9: Handling Routine Care and Important One-Time Tasks 151
Grooming Your Goats 151
Brushing 152
Bathing 152
Clipping 152
Specialized clipping 154
Caring for Hooves 154
Preparing to trim 155
Trimming the hooves 155
Dealing with Horns 159
Horned or not? 159
The case for no horns on goats 159
When to disbud 160
How to disbud 160
Preventing and dealing with scurs 164
Castrating Your Bucks 165
The problem of poor Elmer, or why to castrate 165
Knowing when to castrate 166
Choosing a castration method 167
Identifying Your Goats: Microchipping and Tattooing 169
Choosing a method 169
Tattooing your goat 170
Microchipping your goat 171
Part 3: Managing Goat Health and Breeding 173
Chapter 10: Outlining Basic Health-Care Requirements 175
Recognizing Signs of Illness 176
Working with a Veterinarian 177
Finding a vet 177
Knowing when to call 178
Preparing for a vet visit 178
Working with a non-goat veterinarian 180
Building a First-Aid Kit 180
The Straight Poop: Fecal Analysis 182
Giving Injections 184
Considering Vaccinations 186
Deciding whether to vaccinate 186
Looking into common vaccinations 186
Giving a vaccination 187
Keeping Health Records 188
Documenting important information 188
Keeping track of recurrent problems 189
Providing information for the vet 189
Tracking trends 190
Testing to Avoid Problems 190
Knowing what to test for 190
How to draw blood for a test 191
Knowing the Law Regarding Drugs in Food Animals 193
Chapter 11: Addressing Common Health Problems and Ailments 195
Managing the Creepy-Crawlies 195
Controlling external parasites 196
Minimizing internal parasites 198
Helping keep parasite problems at bay 202
Acquainting Yourself with Goat Viruses and Infections 202
Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV) 202
Abscesses 204
Hardware disease 205
Tetanus 205
Johne's disease 206
Listeriosis 206
Pinkeye 207
Soremouth 207
Pneumonia 208
Wounds 209
Ringworm 210
Foot rot 210
Rabies 210
Examining Feed-Related Problems 211
Scours 211
Bloat 212
Enterotoxemia 213
Nutrient imbalances 214
Poisoning 218
Chapter 12: Breeding and Looking After Pregnant Goats 219
Preparing for Breeding 219
Running through Goat Mating Habits: Courting is Crucial! 220
Identifying the season for goat love 220
Manners, or what to expect from your goat 221
Doing the deed 223
Housing a buck after breeding 223
Finding Breeding Solutions When You Have Only Does 224
The invaluable buck rag 224
Leasing a buck 225
One-night stands, or driveway breeding 225
Artificial insemination 225
Looking into the Finer Points of Goat Pregnancy 226
Length of gestation 226
False pregnancy 226
Dealing with common pregnancy problems 227
Getting Ready for Kidding 230
Preparing the doe 230
Setting up a kidding pen 230
Being prepared with a kidding kit 231
Knowing when she'll kid (and what to do!) 232
Chapter 13: Now Comes the Fun Part: Kids! 235
Grasping the Basics of Kidding 235
Knowing what to expect from labor and birth 236
Handling multiples 239
Taking Care of Mother and Kids after Kidding 240
Caring for the new mother 240
Caring for newborn kids 241
The importance of colostrum 242
Dealing with kid problems 242
Tube-feeding a weak kid 246
Vaccinating 248
Feeding the Kids 249
Deciding between hand-feeding or natural feeding 249
Choosing milk 250
Feeding individually or as a group 250
Feeding schedule 251
Introducing solid foods 252
Weaning kids 252
Chapter 14: Caring for Aged Goats 255
Identifying Health Problems 255
Musculoskeletal issues 256
Digestive issues 256
Immune system issues 257
Circulatory issues 257
Mammary issues 257
Behavioral changes 258
Making Allowances for Disability 258
Providing proper housing 258
Finding a workable diet 259
Easing chronic pain 261
Determining When to Let Go 262
Part 4: Making Your Goats Work for You 263
Chapter 15: Discovering Goat Milk: How to Get, Use, and Sell It 265
Developing a Milking Routine 266
Knowing when to milk 266
Keeping the milk fresh 267
Caring for the udder 268
Preventing mastitis 269
Keeping records 269
Ending milking (Drying off) 270
Getting a Grip on Hand-Milking 270
Getting the supplies 271
Running through the hand-milking process 272
Using a hand-milking machine 273
Using a Motorized Milking Machine 274
Handling Milk to Keep It Clean and Fresh 276
Straining the milk 276
Cooling the milk 277
Storing the milk 277
Staying Legal while Selling Milk 278
Chapter 16: Goat Meat: From Breeding to Selling and Beyond 279
Getting the Basics of Raising Goats for Meat 280
Cross-breeding standard dairy goats to produce meat goats 280
Using your dairy goats for meat 281
Selling Your Products 281
Identifying potential buyers 281
Selling goats 284
Advertising 286
Legal considerations 287
Determining what to charge 287
Using marketing terminology properly 288
Slaughtering Goats 289
Doing it yourself 289
Using a licensed slaughter plant 289
Hiring a mobile butcher 290
Humanely slaughtering goats 290
Using All of the Goat 291
Hide tanning 291
Animal feed 293
Using the organs for herd health check 293
Chapter 17: Showing Your Goats 295
Finding Shows 296
Preparing to Show Your Goat 296
Getting your goat show-ready 297
Assembling your supplies 300
Earning more than just ribbons 301
Marketing at shows 301
Showing Your Goat in Person 302
Dressing appropriately 302
Keeping your goat between yourself and the judge 302
Focusing on the judge at all times 303
Making sure not to talk with your neighbor 303
Remaining calm even if your goat is misbehaving 303
Doing what the judge asks 304
Keeping your goat properly set up 304
Being a good loser (or winner) 305
Showing Your Goat Virtually 305
Setting the scene 306
Preparing your goat 306
Photographing properly 306
Chapter 18: More Benefits of Goats: Fiber, Breeding, Weed Control, and More 309
Harvesting and Selling Fiber 310
Reviewing fiber types 310
Shearing: How and when 311
Processing the fiber 314
Spinning 316
Selling your fiber 317
Creating Mini Breeds 318
Backpacking with Goats 320
Offering Buck Service 321
Boarding Other People's Goats 322
Selling Compost 322
Hiring Out for Weed Control 323
Providing "Goat Therapy" 324
Part 5: The Part of Tens 325
Chapter 19: Ten Common Mistakes First-Time Goat Owners Make 327
Getting Too Many Goats Too Fast 327
Failing to Educate Yourself before Getting Goats 328
Underestimating the Costs 328
Paying Too Much or Too Little for Your Goats 329
Getting Only One Goat 330
Buying Unhealthy Goats 330
Neglecting Routine Management and Care 331
Overlooking Your Goats' Dietary Needs 331
Giving the Goats Too Little Attention 332
Getting a Buck before You're Ready 332
Chapter 20: Ten Misconceptions about Goats 333
Goats Will Eat Anything 333
Goats Stink 334
Goats Aren't Very Smart 334
Goats Make Good Lawn Mowers 335
Goat Milk Tastes Bad 335
Goat Meat Tastes Bad 335
Goats Get Most of Their Water from Plants 336
Goats Are Only for People Who Can't Afford Cows 336
Only Male Goats Have Beards 337
A Dog Makes a Good Friend for a Goat 337
Appendix: Goat-Milk Recipes 339
Index 357
Chapter 1
IN THIS CHAPTER
Finding out about the many benefits of raising goats
Getting to know these lovable animals
Deciding whether goat keeping is for you
I've been raising goats since 1998, and I'm still not tired of them. In fact, I can't imagine my life without them. Talk to any other serious goat keepers and you hear that after they get "in your blood" you have to have at least a couple.
When you get a sense of goats' many uses and get to know their unique qualities, goats will get in your blood, too. Goats are more than livestock, they're friends and helpmates, and they're entertaining as heck.
In fact, the popularity of goats, especially dairy goats, has grown in the United States in the past decade. That doesn't mean that the same people now have bigger herds. In fact, the average size of a goat herd went from a little over 29 heads in 2009 to almost 20 heads in 2019. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) Goat Study, small herds of 5 to 19 goats are not just pets; more than half of all dairy and meat goat farms and ranches have small herds. Dairy goats are becoming even more popular, increasing 57 percent in just ten years, but almost one-quarter of goat owners surveyed said they own their goats for more than one reason, such as milk, brush clearing, packing, or as pets.
Goats have been called the poor man's cow but a better name for them would be the "green" cow. They take up less space, cost less to feed, and even contribute less to global warming because they don't emit as much methane gas. On top of all that, they're smart, friendly, and easy to manage with the proper setup. This chapter introduces you to the benefits of raising goats and lets you know what you can expect from the experience.
Goats are intelligent and friendly animals. They come in all sizes (but only one shape) and can help you in numerous ways. After you decide what you want to accomplish with them, you have a lot of breeds to choose from. (Most goat owners have their favorite, which they can talk about endlessly.) Check out Chapter 3 for a rundown of goat breeds.
Goats are unique animals within the ruminant classification. Ruminants are also known as "cud-chewing" animals, or as having four stomachs. You can find out more about their digestive systems in Chapter 2, as well as how to tell them from sheep, what makes a healthy goat, and how goats communicate with you and each other.
Being responsible for goats is a serious undertaking. I say "goats" because goats need a herd to be happy, so you shouldn't get just one goat. You can read more about why you need at least two goats and other ways to keep them happy in Part 2.
According to legend, goats in the charge of an Ethiopian goatherd named Kaldi failed to return one evening. When he found them the next morning, they were excited and dancing next to a shrub covered in red berries. He investigated, trying the berries, and discovered that they were responsible for the goats' excitement. The goats had discovered coffee.
When the goatherd took the berries to the town monastery, the abbot disapproved and threw them into the fire. When he smelled the pleasant odor they gave out as they roasted, he raked them out of the fire, ground them up, and mixed them with water. Coffee's use as a stimulant drink gradually spread around the world.
Goats still enjoy coffee, and some goat owners use it to stimulate labor and give energy to a doe (female) that is kidding.
These critters can live for ten years or more, so getting goats is like getting a dog - you may be taking care of them for quite a while. Chapter 2 tells you about their life expectancy.
Goats are fantastic animals that have been domesticated for more than 10,000 years. You get a lot from a relatively small animal - you can milk them or eat their meat, use their fiber and their skin for making clothing, and even use their dung for fuel (if you are so inclined). In the past, goat hide was made into bags for carrying water and wine and parchment for writing on; it is still used to make drums in some countries.
You may want to raise goats for a variety of reasons. Whatever brings you to goats, you're guaranteed to find additional benefits to owning these critters after you start working with them.
Goats are not only a great way to become more self-sufficient - they can give you milk to drink and food to eat, and even help you carry your belongings when backpacking - but they teach you in a very direct way where your food comes from and give you an opportunity to affect its quality. If prices go up (and don't they always?) you are less affected if you're supplying some of your own food.
And imagine not ever having to cut down blackberries or kudzu again. You can get your friendly goat to do it for you, while growing fiber for hats and sweaters and providing you with milk, meat, and even more goats.
In this section I talk about the many ways goats can contribute and move you toward self-sufficiency.
Imagine never having to buy milk or cheese again. If you raise dairy goats you can achieve that goal. Your goats need to have kids to give you milk, and then you can milk them throughout the year for up to five years without rebreeding, if you want. Or you can stagger the kidding each year so that you have a milk supply year-round. (They need a break from milking during the last two months of their pregnancy to put their energy into growing kids.)
You need only a few goats to keep a small family in milk and other dairy products. Just one standard-size dairy goat can give you an average of 6 to 8 pounds (3 to 4 quarts) of milk each day. And, depending on the butterfat content of the milk, you can get up to a pound of cheese for every gallon of milk.
With your own milk supply, you won't need to worry about additives to the milk you drink or the cheese or yogurt you eat. Goat milk is easier to digest than cow milk, and so it is prized by people who can't drink cow milk. Depending on the state you live in, you can sell milk to supplement your income or offset the goats' feed costs.
You find out about raising goats for milk in Chapter 15.
Goat meat has always been popular in the developing world, because goats are much more affordable and use fewer resources than animals such as cows. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the demand for goat meat is expected to continue growing.
People who moved to the United States from Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa brought their custom of eating goat meat as a regular part of their diet and still want it. And more people who hadn't eaten goat meat before are willing to try a new, lean source of protein that doesn't have the taint of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Animals raised in CAFOs often never see the light of day and are unable to exercise or eat grass because they are packed into small areas.
A number of studies have shown a positive correlation between living on a farm and not having allergies or asthma. One study goes even further, showing a likely benefit of raising goats for their milk.
A 2017 study of farmers and their spouses in the United States looked at correlation between a tendency to develop allergies and exposures to a farming environment (including early childhood farm animal contact and raw milk consumption). The results backed up earlier studies from Europe showing a decreased tendency to develop allergies when in a farming environment. This was especially true in cases where their mothers had performed farm activities while pregnant, as well as when they drank raw milk and were exposed to farm animals before the age of 6.
Goat meat is easily digestible, tasty, and low in fat. If you're in charge of your own source of meat, you know how the animal was raised and what feed or medications went into the animal.
Meat goat farming provides a great opportunity to start a business or supplement your income. You can raise goats that are bred for meat, or you can use your excess dairy bucks (males) or wethers (bucks that have been castrated) as an alternative to buying meat or to provide income to support your herd. Before you jump into a meat-goat enterprise thinking that you're going to get rich, you need to investigate a few things:
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