The Essentials of Managing a Goat Farm

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The Essentials of Managing a Goat Farm

• Holly-Nicole Craghead

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Introduction. To Goats
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Goat Facts

• Picky eaters, they nibble
• They dont eat beer bottles
• Clean animals
• The billys stink
• Many domesticated goat breeds
• At least 60
• Herd animals
• Versatile
• Live in diverse climates
• desert, mountain, tropical, plains
• Average life is 10 12 years, but they can live
  up to 30

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Mischievous
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Curious
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Inquisitive

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History

• Greek Mythology
• Pan Greek goat god of shepherds and flocks
• Lustful
• Protector
• Pan pipe
• Bible
• Jesus said, as a good shepherd would divide his
  sheep from his goats
• Goats got the shaft
• Goats are then seen as outcasts

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Housing

• Ideal Goat Housing Should Be
• Dry
• Draft-Free
• Well Ventilated

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Health

• Hearty
• Diseases include
• Pneumonia
• Parasites
• Lungworms
• Liver fluke
• Lice
• Vaccine schedule Impt!

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Feed

• ALWAYS have plenty of fresh water
• Feed goats
• Weeds, grasses, hay, barley, bran, corn, alfalfa,
  clover, sugar beets
• Treats cabbage, carrots, turnips, beets
• Do NOT feed
• Milo causes urinary calculi
• Only alfalfa causes bloat
• Changes in feed should be done gradually

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Breeding

• Puberty _at_ ½ year old
• Estrus is a 21 day cycle, lasting 12 days
• Gestation 145 days
• Seasonal breeders
• Influenced by the length of daylight
• Breed August through February

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Kidding

• Baby goats are called kids
• Goats rarely need help kidding
• Birthing Kit
• What to expect
• What to do and when
• Supplies needed for birth
• Management of the nanny and kid post birth
• Each kid weighs between 1 and 5 Kg.
• Offspring
• single, twins (most common), triplets, quads

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Products

• Milk yogurt, cheese, soap
• Meatchevon (cabrito)
• Fiberwool, mohair

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Thank You

• Thats The End.