How we feed (aside from also pasture grazing)
Kent Home Fresh 16% Grow & Finish Pellets
Alfalfa Pellets
Kent Home Fresh 18% Developer (medicated)
Treats- Animal Crackers, Fig Newtons, Bananas mostly- Other random veggies, fruits, and leafy greens
Our goats have free choice alfalfa/ grass hay mix out 24 hours a day.
We feed our all of our goats pellets twice a day (yes the boys too). They are mixed about 50/50 with alfalfa pellets. The goats in the adult pens are getting 16% non-medicated goat pellets. They get 2-3 of 4-quart scoops divided between 25+ goats- so not ALOT per goat.
Pregnant goats get very little (if any) pellets after they are bred and then it is slowing increased the last 3-4 weeks of pregnancy- depends on how they keep weight without pellets. don't want a fat goat- but also want them to not lose condition or have ketosis with pregnancy.
The baby goats have 18% medicated feed until they are put in with the adult girls and then they are switched to the adult diet (when varies- pregnant under 1 1/2 years old needs to be kept separate from the mature girls as they require more feed for growing them and the babies.
On the milk stand our goats get a mix of Alfalfa pellets, Black Oil Sunflower seeds, Whole Oats, and Triple Crown Senior Horse feed (beet pulp based feed). They are allowed as much as they can eat while on the stand.
Health up keep we do
You need a veterinarian for your goats.
Maybe they only see you once a year or maybe they are more involved and out several times a year as my vet is. but find a vet and have a farm call done as soon as you can so that when you REALLY need a vet- they will come out.
You do not want to be hunting for a vet while you are having an emergency.
Hoof care- goats need their hooves trimmed about every 8-12 weeks here due to wet areas and soft ground.
I use hoof trimmers and an angle grinder similar to Hoof Boss on mine.
This FB Group is an amazing resource for hoof care:
We give copper boluses 2- 3 times a year.
I just give it as the bolus size and do not give by weight.
Coccidiosis- all babies should be on a
coccidia treatment regiment.
We use toltrazuril every 3 weeks here through 16 weeks; along with medicated feed. There are other options out there, but this our protocol.
Minerals
We keep a locally available loose mineral out for all of our goats at all times.
We are in a selenium deficient area so we make sure that, as well as, copper, cobalt, and zinc are present well too.
Vaccines
Our kids get 2 CDT shots - preferably before they leave to new homes, but bottle babies may not. New owners will be told what shots they have received.
Our adults get 1- 2 CDT boosters yearly before breeding and pregnant does get another one about a month before kidding.
Adults also get BO-SE injections before breeding and pregnant girls get another one about a month before kidding.
Worming
Worming by FAMACHA score and fecals is highly recommended verses scheduled worming if they need it or not.
A great resource for worming info:
I do worm does after kidding regardless of FAMACHA or getting a fecal just as a precaution.
WE also used Bioworma in May & June in 2023- will see about continuing with that each year.
Fecals are easy to have done by working with this company:
Where my goats live
You need to have separate areas for your does and intact bucks to live. Wethers can live with either sexes.
We go for walks in the woods
(which we plan to fence in for them)
My does live in a large fully enclosed run-in on the back of my barn. The kid barn (8x12) and the buck barn (10x12) are wooden sheds.
We set up kidding pens in the main barn when they are needed otherwise it is just for storage since the rabbits have left.
My folks raise beef cattle on a large farm- so the pasture rotation philosophy is ingrained in me verses raising animals on dry lots.
My doe area and my buck areas both have a barnyard area (the dry lot) that attaches to 3 pastures for rotating grazing. If I had less goats this would work better than it currently does- which is why the plan is to expand fencing into the woods.
