Goat people!!! questions!!!

[miss_thenorth]

Ok, so I think I'm leaning more towards getting goats again. so my question is--- if I were to build a permanent area for them--considering two small breed (maybe two large breed) goats, what is the minimum size I would need for an pen. I would still be letting them out in electric netting , but on the chance that they have to stay contained- what size area would I need for them to be comfortable. For kidding, we will set up an area in the barn, so that need not be a concern. (as soon as my chicken addition is added, that area will be for kidding)

And--if I have two does, could they be kidding at different times so that I have a fairly consistent supply of milk?

Would the best book for me to get be the Storey's one, or is there a better source of info.

Thanks!

 

[SheriM]

If you're talking about just a "loafing area" for them to hang around in at night and on days when you can't be there to supervise their grazing/browsing, you could probably get away with a fairly small area, maybe as little as a couple hundred square feet, but keep in mind that goats waste feed like nobody's business, so if you have to feed them in the small pen very often, it will soon pile up. And I would not let them out into an area confined by electric netting unless you can be there to keep an eye on them. I have not used this type of fencing but a friend of mine has lost several kids who got tangled up in the netting and got zapped to death.

As for staggering the freshening to have a constant milk supply, it depends on the breed of goat. Some are aseasonal breeders, some aren't. My Boer, for example, pretty much stop cycling about this time of year and don't start up again till about August. Now, that's not to say there's no chance they can breed, but it's far less likely. The gestation is 5 months, so in theory, you could breed one to kid in the spring and one for the fall, but you don't want to go too early or too late in the season if your winter's are cold and you don't have a heated barn. Here in Sask., I don't kid till May because before that, the weather is too unpredictable.

Hope this helps.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Thanks, that's what I was looking for. And yes, I am home all day--they will definitely be supervised while out in the net. I basically want an area to confine them to if I am ever NOT home, (and for night time) and I didn't want it too small. winters here are surely not as cold as where you are. I lived near Timmins, ON, and I would guess winters there are comparable to yours. (close to the same parallel), but around here, kidding is usually March to May. (March is still cold though).

And about feed--what DO you feed them? I've heard so many different things. I would imagine that feeding a milking goat would vary from feeding a meat goat, yes? Could you feed them alfalfa pellets, along with other things and then grass hay for roughage? I do know they waste alot of hay.
Thanks, and hope you are feeling well.

 

[freemotion]

And I would not let them out into an area confined by electric netting unless you can be there to keep an eye on them. I have not used this type of fencing but a friend of mine has lost several kids who got tangled up in the netting and got zapped to death.

I've read such wonderful things about this type of fencing, I never imagined kids in it. Yikes. I was planning on dividing my pasture with it. Were the kids very young, (could I keep them in regular pens until a certain age...) or older? With mama, or with other kids only?

Eeek.

 

[miss_thenorth]

We have the electric poultry netting, and we currently use it for our meat birds. We have it hooked up to our exisitng horsefence, and it sends out a pulsating electric current. If the goats have horns, it is conceivable that they could get caught in it. The voltage would vary on how much of a shock they would get, (depending on the electric source)but it is perceivable something like this could happen. I think if goats are "trained", as in "introduced" to the fence, they will learn quick to respect it. But then we're talking about goats-who like to escape. Also, if the fence were to touch the ground, it would short out. So not sure whether this could happen or not. I guess it;s better to be safe than sorry. Teach your goats to respect the fence, I guess.

 

[Iceblink]

Nigerian Dwarf goats cycle through the year, I plan on getting two and staggering their breeding so I can have milk year round.

I just finished David MacKenzie's goat book, and 'the Modern Goat Handbook' (published in the 60's) as they were the only ones my library has. I didn't find either of them terribly useful, they were both really out of date and the focus was really all about highest possible production or establishing show breeding lines. Sorry I can't actually recommend a good goat book.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Nigerian Dwarf goats cycle through the year, I plan on getting two and staggering their breeding so I can have milk year round.

I just finished David MacKenzie's goat book, and 'the Modern Goat Handbook' (published in the 60's) as they were the only ones my library has. I didn't find either of them terribly useful, they were both really out of date and the focus was really all about highest possible production or establishing show breeding lines. Sorry I can't actually recommend a good goat book.

I am thinking about nigis too,-- are you going to get your own buck, or look for a stud come breeding season? nigis are not that common around here,so that poses a dilemma. There;s AI, or I cuould get a large breed and then I wouldn't hav to worry about finding a buck to breed with. I'm not too sure about keeping a buck though, and it;s not b/c of the smell. It's their temperaments when the does are in heat.

 

[Blackbird]

Yes, goat kids can be 'introduced' to the fencing so that they will not go near, but theres always possibilities..

Miss north, I wouldn't recommending breeding a large breed buck to a Nigerian doe, theres quite the size difference.
AI can get spendy, if you plan on storing semen for a longer period of time you'll need a nitrogen tank, and need to know how to keep it the correct temp and upkeep on matinence.. etc. and then theres inserting it, which can get pretty complicated.
But.. not to burst your bubble.. some bucks can be very gentle with the does in breeding season.. you might be able to might an expirienced buck that's a gentleman with them, you might have to ask around and contact any breeders.. Hope that helps some..

 

[SheriM]

Hi, MTN. As for feeding, yes, the requirements for a dairy goat are different than a meat goat...at least, when they're milking anyway. For a dairy goat, you want good quality hay and a grain ration that's formulated for dairy animals. Most feed stores would carry a dairy ration for cattle and I've used that for goats with good results. Grass hay may not have enough calcium in it for dairy animals, but alfalfa pellets can help boost the calcium level of the overall feed ration.

A good quality loose mineral is also critical. Do NOT get a sheep mineral, there's not enough copper in it for goats. Loose minerals (as in powdered) are far better than a block. The blocks are made for those rough cow tongues and goats have trouble getting enough off it.

About the buck. I have had my buck in with the does since early December and I wouldn't hesitate to walk in the pen, turn my back on him, etc. He is a perfect gentleman and would never think of hurting me. ALL my bucks have been that way and I wouldn't have one that wasn't. I've heard about miserable bucks, but I think it depends on how they're raised. If they're taught as youngsters to respect humans, there won't be a problem at any time of the year.

Having said that, since you want to regulate your breeding times, you'll need a separate pen for the buck and one that is a heck of a lot stronger than electric netting. When the buck decides it's breeding season he can be VERY motivated.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Amos, I guess I wasn't clear on what I was trying to say.... I meant get a larger breed doe, so then I wouldn't have to worry about what type buck to breed her to. Which might not be a bad idea, since I could breed with boer and use the kid for meat. Although I would really prefer having two minis. Yeah--I would never breed a large breed buck to a mini doe.