Raising goats 101: What you need to know before getting goats for your homestead or for backyard pets.
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In this raising goat for beginners' primer, we will cover all the things you need to know about keeping goats when you are first starting out.
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Table of Contents Introduction – How to Raise Dairy Goats for MilkHealth Benefits of Goat MilkGoat TerminologyGoat CharacteristicsWhere to Buy a GoatHow Much Does a Goat Cost?Is Dairy Goat Farming Profitable?Dairy Goat BreedsGOAT VIDEO: Raising and Caring for Dairy GoatsHow Much Space Does a Goat Need?Goat ShelterFencingDairy Goats Feeding and NutritionGoat CareHow to Breed GoatsHow to Milk a GoatGOAT VIDEO – How to Milk a Goat 101Goat Milk CheeseGoat Milk SoapOther Goat Milk ProductsConclusion – How to Raise Dairy Goats for Milk Introduction – How to Raise Dairy Goats for Milk By Sereena Liess Dairy goats are raised on farms and homesteads around the world for their rich, sweet milk and friendly personality. It’s on the homestead that most of us learned how to raise dairy goats for milk. Years ago, when my family had a mini-farm of our own, the goats were definitely a favorite, for several reasons. For one thing, they were just so fun! Watching those kids play was almost as fun as playing with them yourself! Another big plus was the milk: nutrient-rich, creamy, and pure white. Let’s explore the basics about how to raise dairy goats for milk and all the benefits that come with it. Health Benefits of Goat Milk Goat milk is actually the most commonly consumed milk in the world. Chock full of vitamins and minerals, it is a nourishing and rich food source. Producing your own goat milk for you and your family to use is one of the greatest benefits when you’re learning how to raise dairy goats for milk. Let take a look at some of the primary health benefits of goat’s milk. Goat Milk for Skin For centuries, goat milk has been known to improve overall skin health. In fact, it is said that Queen Cleopatra bathed in pure goat milk– quite expensive, I’m sure! Goat milk is rich in vitamin A, which can improve your complexion, fight acne, and make your skin glow. It also contains high levels of lactic acid, which strengthens your skin while removing dead skin cells. The pH level of goat milk is similar to that of humans, which means our bodies can absorb it easily, with less irritation than “regular” (cow) milk. It also helps keep bacteria at bay. Perhaps the most obvious benefit from drinking goat milk is moist skin. Goat milk lotions and creams are becoming more popular because the fatty acids and triglycerides in goat milk are a deep moisturizing agent, excellent for dry, sensitive skin. Goat Milk for Babies Goat milk has been used as a substitute formula for orphaned puppies or other animals for years because it is packed full of nutrients, probiotics, prebiotics, minerals, and vitamins, and it is so easily digested. But could it be beneficial to your baby as well? Many baby formulas today are made from cow milk, which is actually acidic, whereas goat milk is alkaline, just like breast milk. The pH levels of goat milk and breast milk are similar, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal infections in your baby. Goat milk is also rich in iron, similar to cows milk. The difference here is that the iron from goat milk is much more easily absorbed. Over 50% of the iron content of goat milk is absorbed by the human body, in contrast to 13% from cow milk. Big difference! Goat milk also contains more calcium than cow milk (33% of the suggested daily amount in one cup compared to 28% in cow milk) Because of this, goat milk improves bone strength and can prove helpful for anemic babies. Goat milk has anti-inflammatory properties which promote good bacteria growth, soothing colitis and other gastrointestinal infections. It is comprised of short-chain fatty acids (1/5 the size of cow milk) which break easily, and its protein is less dense than that of cow milk. This makes it more easily digested. In fact , your body can digest goat milk and begin distributing those necessary vitamins and minerals in 20 minutes! Goats Milk for Dogs I mentioned orphaned puppies earlier, but recent studies have shown that goat milk is highly beneficial for adult dogs as well. It’s actually becoming quite a fad. It’s another side benefit goat raisers discover when they get started learning how to raise dairy goats for milk. Because of the many probiotics that exist in goat milk (raw being the best) it can help prevent and heal common dog ailments, such as the ones listed below: Liver disease Heavy metal poisoning Malnutrition (use that goat milk to put some meat back on their bones!) Kidney disease/stones Diabetes (more on this below) GI disease Indigestion Diarrhea Goat milk contains less lactose (a kind of sugar) than cow milk, making it much easier to handle for those that are lactose intolerant or diabetic. Using it raw is important though, because pasteurizing milk removes the naturally occurring lactates that break down and help you digest lactose. Goat Milk Bath So, do you remember Queen Cleopatra and her milk-baths? It’s actually a thing. Dermatologist Libby Rhee says that you should take a goat milk bath once a week. Now, pure goat milk for bathing is a little too extravagant for most of us, but just adding two cups of this rich substance to warm bath water has been proven to have many benefits. The lactic acid in goat milk exfoliates your skin by breaking down the bonds that cause dead skin cells to stick together. It also adds a moisture barrier to soothe dry skin, and soften rough skin. Simply add 2 cups of goat milk, a few drops of lavender essential oil, and 1/2 a cup of honey to warm bath water and soak for 20 minutes. Rinse well and moisturize ( so you don’t end up smelling like soured milk a few hours later). 🙂 Goat milk works wonders for your hair, too. Some people like to add goat milk to their shampoo or conditioner for soft, manageable hair that is......
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Raising goats? Here are essential steps, topics and knowledge you need to know about. This is your guide to raising goats for beginners.
Learn how to raise goats with our Beginners Guide to Raising Goats Naturally, complete with a free comprehensive care checklist!
The best goats for beginners for a hobby farm, homesteading, or pets.
Not only is it easy to train your goats but necessary if you want chore time to be a breeze!
Step 1 - Choosing the Right Goats There is no single goat that can do it all. There are goats that are best for milk, others for meat and others for different purposes. Let’s look at the key things you need to know to pick the right goat for your goals. Then, later on in this Beginners Guide to Raising Goats we will talk about getting ready for your goats and how to take care of them. Dairy Goats If you want to make milk, cheese and other dairy products you will want to pick a dairy goat breed based on several factors. Each breed has a slightly different milk taste, so that’s one thing to think about. You may want to try milk from several different milk goat breeds before you can choose which one you like best. Their milk is all different, as well as their personality. Dairy Goat Breeds One popular choice is Nubian goat milk. Nubians are one of the most charming goat breeds out there, but they can be quite loud and annoying. Another good goat breed is the Oberhasli. Some farmers are very passionate about their love for Oberhaslis. In general, they’re a very friendly breed of goat with a unique look. They even make good pack goats. Some other dairy goats include the Alpines, LaManchas, Nigerian Dwarfs, Saanens and Toggenburgs. “each breed has a slightly different milk taste” LaManchas are from Spain and make very nice milk goats. They make a rich milk. One of their most noticeable features is their small elf ears. Nigerian Dwarf goats are from Africa and are fairly small, so they are easier to handle. That’s important if you have kids and want them to have fun with goats. Nigerians can make up to 3-4 pounds of milk a day. That milk is higher in butterfat and creamier than the milk of some other goat breeds. Yes, Nigerians are also cute. However, something you should think about when buying a smaller dairy goat is that you may get creamier, better-tasting milk, but you will get less amount than you would get with bigger goats. As for the Saanens and Toggenburgs, both of these breeds are proud goats with heavy milk production. However, the Saanens make a very thin milk while the Toggenburgs will make a fattier milk, great for cheeses. Nigerian Dwarf Goats Meat Goats Although any goat could be used for its meat, the two most common meat goats you will see are Boer goats and Kiko goats. Boer goats are probably the least smart of all goats but are one of the biggest (ie, make the most meat per goat). They are a strong breed with a white body, brown head, and backward curved horns. Some people say Boer goats are the toughest and easiest meat goats to raise while other people like other meat goat breeds. If you raise Boer goats, make sure they have plenty of food and browse (trees and plants) to eat as they tend to eat too close to the ground when grazing down low, leading to worms and parasite problems. Kikos are slightly smaller than Boer goats, but are also great meat producers. They can take care of themselves better in harsh conditions with very little help from goat owners. There are many other breeds and mixed-breeds that also make good meat goats. Fiber Goats If you’re looking for that soft goat fleece that goes into cashmere and angora, then you should be looking for Angora, Pygora, and Cashmere goats. These goats have a thick under-coat, perfect for yarn. These are all great goats for making fiber, and it really depends on your preference in choosing one. Making goat fiber is a popular hobby and a booming business for many people. Pet Goats Many kinds of goat can be wonderful pets. One example is a Pygmy goat. Pygmys are mainly for fun/pet goats. Sure, you can use them for meat or milk, but many goat owners have one or two pygmy goats just for the sake of having them. There’s nothing like going out to the barn and having your little Pygmy goat follow you around, keeping you company on your morning rounds. These goats come in different colors and are usually short in stature with round bellies and pointed ears. Once you’ve decided on a breed choice, you’ll want to take some important steps to get ready before you bring home your first goats. Step 2 - How to Get Ready for Goats No Beginners Guide to Raising Goats would be complete without covering what you need to do first to get ready for your new goats. Before you start raising goats, you will need to make sure you have the right equipment. You probably won’t know exactly 100% what you need for your goats until you get a few. For example, you can have a top-notch fence, and your little Kiko kid somehow magically finds his way out of it. With a walk around the fence you might find that your top-notch fence was not as good as you initially thought. Goats are known as expert escape artists. So some people start with temporary fencing until they see the weaknesses that are found by new goats. Then, they decide what permanent fencing they want. The same thing applies to food supplies. You may find that a tiny goat can eat A LOT when the feed you bought runs out faster than you thought. Don’t worry. As you spend time getting to know the habits of your own goats, you will eventually figure out any extra equipment and supplies you may need to buy. Until then, here are some basic preparations you will definitely want to take care of before you buy goats for the first time. Goat Feeding and Water Equipment The amount of food and the kind of feeding equipment is mostly dependent on your terrain, housing and fencing. If you go for a traditional wooden or wire fence, you can attach feed buckets or troughs to your fence. If you have an electric fence, you’ll likely have some kind of housing within the fenced space where you can put a feeder. You don’t want to arrange feeders so they are inconvenient for you to fill at feeding time. When it’s 110 degrees outside or 20 below, you don’t want to have to take a quarter-mile walk into the pasture to feed your goats. Other important considerations are water and hay feeders. If your area faces harsh winters, consider heated watering buckets. This will make things easier for you, so you don’t have to keep changing the water all day in the freezing cold. In regard to hay feeders, goats (especially pregnant goats) should NEVER be exposed to moldy hay. This will lead to serious health problems like bloat and miscarriage. Basically, you want to make sure the hay stays dry and off the ground. For this, build or buy covered hay feeders that keep the hay a good distance from the ground. Goat Housing and Fencing Next in our Beginners Guide to Raising Goats we need to talk about how you should house and secure your new goats. There are many housing and fencing options for your goats. But, when you’re setting up your place, there are a few basic rules. First, you’ll want some kind of shelter, whether you’re in a cold area where your goats will want to avoid the wind and stay warm, or whether you’re in a warmer area where your goats will want to avoid the sun. Also, think about terrain. Goats love to climb, and a bored goat is a goat that will want to escape. If their shelter is pretty plain, consider adding something your goats can climb on in the middle of the shelter. Just don’t put it close to the fencing where they may be able to jump over and get out. Types of Fencing As for fencing, woven wire and electric fences are some good options. Make sure the fence is tight with limited space between the wires. One-strand wire fences may work with bigger livestock, but won’t work with goats. You can also try a wooden fence. That can work for smaller farms with one or two goats in the backyard. Again, make sure the boards are close together and high enough to not let your goat squeeze through or hop over it. Milking Equipment: If you’re going to keep dairy goats, you will also need some special equipment for dairy needs. One key item is a milking stand where you can milk your goats. A milking stand is usually pretty simple, something you can even make yourself. It usually has a small feeder at one end with a place to tie-up your goat so she can’t jump off of the stand while you’re milking her. The floor of the stand usually stands about 1-2 feet off of the ground, whatever is comfortable for you while you are sitting on a stool next to the stand doing the milking. The purpose of this stand is to lift your goat off the ground so that you can milk your goat while you’re sitting comfortably, and while she enjoys a sweet treat or goat feed. This keeps your goat busy while saving your knees and back from discomfort. The hardest part is training your goat to hop up on the milking stand. Luckily, that’s usually not a problem if you have feed ready on the stand. After awhile, when your doe has learned to link the milking stand with eating something yummy, she will happily jump up into place when it’s milking time. Once you have your basic equipment ready, you’re ready to bring home your first goats. When you buy goats for the first time, keep the following important tips in mind.
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Make bucks (and plenty of kids) by raising goatsWhether you're looking to be self-sufficient, or you want to make some money on the side, goats are perfect for milk and cheese, meat, and fiber.The Beginner's Guide to Raising Goats can help you get the most out of these hearty herd animals with step-by-step instructions and easy-to-follow tips for newcomers.From Angoras to Nigerian Dwarfs, this beginner's guide to raising goats will break down the dos and don'ts to starting your herd.Learn how to pick the right kind of goat for your homestead's needs, build fences and shelters, feed and breed them, and more.There's even a recipe section in the back that shows you how to use their fresh meat and milk to make tasty home-cooked meals like Goat Chili and Goat Mac N' Cheese.The Beginner's Guide to Raising Goats features: Goats 101 - Discover an in-depth overview that gives you everything you need to know about raising goats. Share your bounty - Explore practical tips that show you how to start a side business selling goat milk, cheese, and meat. Dollars & sense - Get a cost estimate and approximate timelines for raising animals, making dairy products, and selling them for profit.Learn how goats can help create a more sustainable life with this essential beginner's guide.
