Raising Healthy & Happy Goats

A Quick Guide

Success Guide For Raising Healthy Goats Book

Goat Farming Introduction

Goat farming has been a part of agricultural practices for centuries. Raising goats can be a rewarding experience that offers various benefits, such as providing nutritious milk, tasty meat, and luxurious fibre. However, like any livestock endeavour, goat farming comes with challenges. To ensure success, understanding the different breeds and their purposes are essential.

Raising Goats, Benefits & Challenges

Goats are hardy, intelligent animals that can adapt to various environments. They are low maintenance, requiring less space and feed than larger livestock. However, they can be prone to health issues and require proper care and attention to prevent diseases and injuries.

Breeds

There are various goat breeds, each with its unique qualities. Dairy breeds like Alpine, Nubian, and Saanen are known for their milk production. Meat breeds like Boer and Kiko are bred for high-quality meat, while fibre breeds like Angora and Cashmere are prized for their luxurious fibres.

Housing & Fencing

Goat Housing, Bedding, Exercise Yards And Pasture Management Guide Book

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Shelter Types

A well-designed shelter is crucial to protect goats from the elements and predators. Common types of shelters include barns, sheds, or three-sided structures with a roof. Ensure the shelter has proper ventilation and is easy to clean.

Space Requirements

Each goat requires approximately 20 square feet of indoor space, and outdoors 250 square feet of space for grazing. Adequate space is essential to prevent overcrowding, which can lead to stress, poor health, and low productivity.

Fencing Options & Considerations

Choose a sturdy fencing option to keep goats safe and contained. Goats are great escapologists. Options include woven wire, electric, and wooden fences. Ensure the fence is tall enough, to prevent goats from jumping over, and to be secure enough to keep predators out.

Goats Nutrition & Feeding

Plants And Goats Easy to Read Guide

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Essential Nutrients - Goats

Goats require a balanced diet with essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh water should always be available.

Feed Types

A combination of forage, hay, and concentrates ensures a balanced diet. Offer pasture or hay as the primary food source, supplemented with grains or commercial goat feeds for additional nutrients.

Feeding Schedules & Management

Feed goats twice a day, providing the necessary nutrients without overfeeding. Adjust the feeding schedule based on factors like age, breed, and purpose (meat, dairy, or fibre).

Health & Wellness

Goats Health Issues

Some common goat health issues include parasites, respiratory infections, and hoof problems. Monitor your goats closely for signs of illness.

Preventative Care

Routine care, such as deworming, vaccinations, and hoof trimming, is essential to maintain good health. Provide a clean, dry environment to minimise disease risks.

Veterinarian

Contact goat veterinarian specialists if you notice unusual behaviour, lethargy, weight loss, or other signs of illness. Prompt intervention can prevent complications and improve recovery.

Breeding & Kidding

Kidding Goats A Simple Guide

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Goat Reproduction Cycle

Goats have a reproductive cycle of approximately 21 days, with a gestation period of around 150 days. Breeding season typically occurs in the autumn. However, some breeds can breed year-round.

Kidding

Ensure the doe is in good health before breeding. Provide a clean, warm, and comfortable environment for the doe to give birth.

New-born Care & Management

Monitor new-borns closely, ensuring they receive colostrum within the first few hours of birth. Keep the environment clean and dry to prevent infections and warm.

Raising healthy and happy goats requires knowledge, dedication, and attention to detail. It is essential to understand the needs of your goats, such as proper nutrition, housing, health care, and socialisation, to ensure their well-being. Additionally, regular monitoring and timely intervention can prevent potential health issues, keeping your herd in top condition. By investing time and effort into understanding and meeting the needs of your goats, you will be rewarded with a thriving, productive, and content herd.

Table of Contents

Healthy Goats Frolicking – Poem

There once was a farmer named Mat,

Who wanted a goat, whom he could make fat,

To join his fine herd, he searched high and low,

For a goat, that would win at a show.

Mat travelled the lanes, near and far,

In search of a goat, that would be a star,

At last, in a village remote,

He found the most beautiful goat.

Mat brought her back home to his farm,

She fitted in, like a magical charm,

The other goats gathered around,

And their welcoming bleats did resound.

The shelter was cosy and warm,

To keep all the goats, safe from the storm,

The fencing was secure, and stood tall,

To protect them, one and all.

Mat cared for his goats with much thought,

Nutritious feed, he lovingly brought,

With fresh hay, and water to drink,

Their health and well-being, he kept in sync.

He tended to their needs, measuring their weight,

Vaccinations and check-ups, were kept up to date,

A watchful eye, both day and night,

Ensuring each goat, stayed alright.

Mat knew his new goat, was a masterpiece,

Her coat, was as soft as a fleece,

Daily he brushed her skin,

So, she would be certain to win.

He took the goat to the show,

She was the very best doe,

Mat won the rosette,

Together they made the winning silhouette.

The farm was alive with delight,

Healthy goats frolicking in sight,

And goatherder Mat, proud as could be,

His herd thriving, for all to see.

As kids came along, she did bloom,

Her offspring, like her, he did groom,

With care and devotion combined,

A happy and healthy life, for all were enshrined.

May The Goat - Song

In a pasture green and wide,

Where the sun shines bright outside,

There's a happy goat named May,

Dancing through the fields all day.

Oh, May the goat, she's full of cheer,

Bringing smiles from ear to ear,

Her laughter sounds, her spirit bright,

A ray of sunshine, pure delight.

With her friends, she loves to play,

Chasing the butterflies all day,

They flutter and fly around her head,

In the pastures, on the farmstead.

Oh, May the goat, she's full of cheer,

Bringing smiles from ear to ear,

Her laughter sounds, her spirit bright,

A ray of sunshine, pure delight.

A life of plenty, joy, and grace,

A paradise, where these embrace,

The grass so lush, goat food deluxe,

Every need fulfilled, with love and trust.

As the sun sets in the sky,

A golden glow, a sweet goodbye,

May and her friends, gather in the shed,

Their hearts content, at time of bed.

Oh, May the goat, she's full of cheer,

Bringing smiles from ear to ear,

Her laughter sounds, her spirit bright,

A ray of sunshine, pure delight

In dreams, they rest, their bodies at peace,

A love for life that won't decrease,

And every day, as the sun does rise,

May's laughter fills, the morning skies.

Oh, May the goat, she's full of cheer,

Bringing smiles from ear to ear,

Her laughter sounds, her spirit bright,

A ray of sunshine, pure delight.

Artwork

Goat In Stanchion Artwork

Information

Image Citations

Goat Farming Introduction

Raising Goats, Benefits & Challenges

Fencing Options & Considerations

Goats Nutrition & Feeding

Essential Nutrients - Goats

Feed Types

Feeding Schedules & Management

Goat Reproduction Cycle

Kidding

New-born Care & Management

Healthy Goats Frolicking – Poem

Photographs & Art Works

Copyright

My Lap Shop Publishers

Keywords: Angora goats, Boer goats, breeding, Cashmere goats, dairy goats, fencing, fibre goats, goat farming, goat health, goat housing, goat nutrition, Kiko goats, kidding, livestock, meat goats, new-born care, Nubian goats, preventative care, reproduction cycle, Saanen goats, shelter, space requirements, veterinarian, wellness, Poem, Song,

Hashtags: #AngoraGoats, #BoerGoats, #Breeding, #CashmereGoats, #DairyGoats, #Fencing, #FiberGoats, #GoatFarming, #GoatHealth, #GoatHousing, #GoatNutrition, #KikoGoats, #Kidding, #Livestock, #MeatGoats, #NewbornCare, #NubianGoats, #PreventativeCare, #ReproductionCycle, #SaanenGoats, #Shelter, #SpaceRequirements, #Veterinarian, #Wellness, #poem, #song,

Created: 13 April 2023

Published: 14 April 2023

Page URL: https://www.goatlapshop.com/raisinghealthygoats.htm