Feeding:

Our goats are fed once daily, because they have access to browse, and usually in the evening. Each goat is generally given a ration of Purina Goat Chow, but not every day. Too much grain can lead to bloating and discomfort. You'll learn with time, through trial and error, how much grain you should be giving your goats. If your goats have access to browse throughout the day, like ours do, a fair amount of grain to start with is about 2 cups. During the warmer months, our goats rely heavily upon browse to complete their daily diet. During the colder months, we make hay readily available and provide a little extra grain. Free choice baking soda and minerals are provided as needed. How you feed your goat will depend a lot on your own environment. Use your best judgement and keep a good eye on your herd when making diet changes.

Hoof Trimming:

We check each goat about every 3 months to determine if trimming is necessary. We have a concreate structure behind our barn that our goats love to play on. Often, their hooves will be worn down well enough that trimming isn't necessary. When trimming is required, hooves should be trimmed level with the coranary band and flush with the frog (soft part of the underside of hoof). Hoof trimming takes a little practice, but it can easily be accomplished by an ammature with a sharp knife, rasp, plane, or shears, and a little patience. I personally prefer a sharp fixed blade knife, but my father on the other hand, does quite well with a pair of hoof trimming shears. The key to sucessful trimming when you're doing it for the first time is to do a little at a time over a period of time, rather than trying to do it all at once. When you purchase a goat from us, we can provide a hoof trimming guide that we found on the Internet to help get you started. Also, we are more that happy to demonstate hoof trimming, in person, to first time goat owners. Don't let hoof trimming scare you. You can do it!

Protection:

We've had our fair share of problems keeping poultry due to fox, raccoon, and other predators, but thankfully we've had good luck with our goat herd. Our goats are free range, which means that the barn is open to them for shelter, but they can come and go as they please. We do not lock our goats up night. The area where we keep the majority of our herd is about 2 acres and it is surrounded by standard red-wire field fencing. The fence is protected on one side by our home and two dogs (one Rottweiler and one crazy German Shepard/Rottweiler mix). These dogs aren't known for making good LGDs, but they definately help keep predators and uninvited visitors at bay. In 2008 we invested in Dudley. Dudley is a full blood Great Pyreneese that lives with the the goats full time. He's still a puppy, but so far, he's been a great asset to the farm. Just knowing that he's out there helps us sleep a little better at night.

Shelter:

Goats should have access to a warm, draft-free environment. Our goats spend their nights in a barn that is well over 100 years old, so a completely draft-free environment is out of the question. During the colder months, we provide extra straw bedding and hang thick plastic barriers over exposed windows and doors. Extra precautions should be taken in colder climates and with newborn kids. Insulating your goats from the ground is important. Some goat owners have had good success using a combination of raised platforms, such as wooden pallets, and straw bedding.

Vaccinations:

We beleive that the less vaccinations and shots you have to administer, the better. We strive to acheive a naturally disease resistant herd through selective breeding. Each of our goats are given a mandatory 2cc SQ C&D/T (3-way) shot annually, in addition to any required worming medications. Our newborn kids are usually given their first C&D/T shot at 2 months, with a follow-up shot 2 weeks later. From that time on they're on schedule with the rest of the herd and will recieve their annual booster the following year.

Water:

Goats require a constant supply of fresh water. We do not have running water near our barn, so fresh water is carried to the barn every day. If you have a creek or a clean pond, this is usually sufficient during the warmer months. Your goat's water should always be free of fecal matter and other contaminants.

Worming:

All goats have worms. We use the FAMACHA test, which was developed for use with sheep, to help determine when it's time to worm our goats, but even if our goats are showing no signs of worms, we still worm them at least twice a year. Internal parasites can become resistant to chemical wormers, so we try to use a different wormer each year. Most of the time it's better to give your goats too much wormer, rather that too little. By giving too little, some of the parasites may survive and begin building a resistance to the wormer. You have to be careful about what you're doing though. Remember, wormers are poisons, so you don't want to give too much either.

Juvenile and adult goats can be given Ivermectin (an injectable for cattle/swine 1% sterile) at 1cc per 50 lbs. orally. If you use the Ivomec brand, I have been told NOT use Ivomec Plus. You can also use a fenbendazole (horse/cattle) paste at 3cc per 50 lbs. orally. Our newborn kids are firsted wormed at 2 months of age using a pea sized amount of fenbendazole paste. We follow this up with a secondary treatment, using the same medication and dosage, 2 weeks later. We encourage you to research worming medications and proper dosages on your own. Opinions about wormers will vary and the effectiveness a particular wormer will have on your goats may be different than someone else's experience. A good place to begin your research is at Fias Co Farm.