So you want to own a goat? Or maybe you have just recently acquired a goat or two. In either case, there are a few basics that you need to know in order to provide sufficient care to keep your goat healthy and happy, and to make your goat-owning experience a positive one.

•   One is the Loneliest Number
•   Choosey Eaters Choose G.I.F.
•   Cool, Clean Water
•   Shelter from the Storm
•   Lions and Tigers and Bears...and Stray Dogs! Oh My!
•   Cleanliness is Next to Goatliness
•   Put the Best Foot Forward
•   What's Up Doc?

One is the Loneliest Number

Goats require companionship. Preferably, this would be one or more goats. But if you are limited in either access to purchase another goat or in space, you might choose to keep a sheep, goose or a duck with your goat. Some horses and donkeys will make suitable companions, others will not - it depends on the individual animal. Dogs, as a rule, do not make good companions unless they are of a livestock guarding breed such as the Great Pyrennes. Goats are by nature social animals - in the wild they live in herds. Lack of regular companionship will create anxiety in your goat and it will be extremely unhappy when you are not around.

Choosey Eaters Choose G.I.F. (Grain, Integrated supplements, and Forages)

Contrary to the classic joking stereotype, goats will not eat everything - especially not tin cans! Actually they are fairly picky eaters and will resist eating soiled food unless starved. Dietary needs of your goat can be easily met through a balanced combination of forages (hay and browse), feed based on grain and grain by-products (corn, wheat, sorghum and even sunflower and cotton seed), and the integrated use of nutritional supplements (minerals, salt) in the feeding program. Feeders should allow easy access for all goats within their pen or yard, and need to be kept clean and free from sharp edges or exposed nails that might inadvertently cause injury to the goat.

Goats, like other animals, are sensitive to abrupt diet changes - whether in feed amounts given, feed types, and even time of feedings. Introduce any desired changes gradually over a couple weeks' time and monitor the goat's behavior for potential problems. And a goat that exhibits behavioral changes in its own usual feeding or drinking routine should immediately alert you that there is a problem, possibly medical, with the animal that you will need to quickly assess and address.

Grain:  A good rule of thumb is to use a quality balanced, non-medicated feed (dairy ration, goat or sheep/goat mix) with 16%-18% protein for lactating does and kids; 12%-14% protein balanced, non-medicated feed (goat or sheep/goat mix) for non-milking does and bucks; and to consider using a feed with a coccidiostat added for kids during the first few months. Bags of feed have nutritional labels that describe the nutrient values and mineral percentages so make sure you read them thoroughly. If using a sheep/goat mix, you will need to supplement for copper as goats require it and it is often not at high enough levels in feed meant for sheep. Feed in unopened bags should be stored off the floor if possible on pallets or shelves. Once opened, the feed needs to be stored in rodent-proof containers. Good choices can be found among in heavy plastic garbage bins with locking lids, metal garbage cans with tight fitting lids, or even in clean metal drums that are often for sale at farm suppliers. In both cases, make certain the feed is kept protected from the goat's independent access - some goats will overeat grain if given the chance, and that can kill it through bloat, acidosis or toxemia reactions to grain excess. Lastly never, NEVER store toxic compounds such as pour-on insecticides, paint, gasoline or antifreeze, in feed storage areas - accidents can happen and you would not want to accidentally poison your goat.

Integrated supplements: salt, minerals, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)  Goats should have free-choice access to mineral, salt and bicarbonate of soda supplements at all times. Minerals should be offered in loose form rather than in a block. Mineral feeders can help keep the minerals clean and dry. Use a goat specific or dairy specific mineral formula - sheep minerals do not contain enough copper for goats. To determine the best mineral for your goat's use, consult your feed's nutrient labeling first to see possible suggestions for additional supplementation. Additional nutrients to consider are brewer's yeast and kelp meal - both which can provide benefits when used in conjunction with a balanced base feed.

Forages: hay and browse  Goats are by nature browsers not grazers - this means that they prefer eating leafy plants, weeds, and woody plants. Pasture grasses and hay choices should reflect this. Goats do not easily eat Bermuda hay since it is a fine grass forage more suitable for horses. Rather, a hay that offers a wide blade, such as Sudan, will be readily consumed. Oat hay is a good choice when available. Legume hays such as alfalfa, clover, or peanut work will be readily consumed, but goats can bloat if fed too much at one time. Mixed-grass or mixed-grass-and-legume hays often provide a ready variety more to the like of the goat palette. NEVER feed moldy hay and avoid feeding hays that are from pastures that use lots of pesticides and herbicides, especially with dairy goats. Hay should be provided in a manger or hayrack that keeps the hay off the ground and prevents the goats from climbing into it to eat and soiling it. Unless using large round bales for feeding, hay needs to be stored in dry areas where the bales are not in direct contact with the ground to help keep it from getting moldy. Hay barns offering wooden flooring, or sheds using wooden pallets, treated lumber garden slats, or even plastic tarp that is free from holes can be used to keep hay from direct contact with the earth.

Cool, Clean Water

Clean water is a must. Clean water offered in a clean container is highly recommended. Goats are finicky, and will not drink dirty water unless forced to do so through excess thirst. If you want your goat to stay healthy and active, offer free choice clean water in a water trough that is regularly cleaned or even in buckets. Just make sure that you have enough buckets - a goat will consume 2 to 5 gallons a day on average, more in warmer weather, and depending on the breed and size of the goat. During colder weather, you may want to offer warm water to your goat to encourage adequate daily intake.

Shelter from the Storm

Goats require a sheltered space, free from drafts and damp, yet with adequate ventilation to keep the air fresh inside. Goats do not like rain, or water other than for drinking purposes. In fact, unlike sheep and even cattle, goats can develop hypothermia if drenched to the skin in a rainstorm. The shelter can be built out of many different materials, and can even be three-sided with a roof as long as it is deep enough to prevent drafts from reaching far into the back. If you choose wood for your structure, paint it with a non-toxic outdoor paint to discourage your goat from "cribbing" or chewing the wood when bored. Bedding materials should be dry and capable of being raked - wheat straw makes an excellent choice, as do kiln-dried wood shavings and crushed corn cobs when available.

Lions and Tigers and Bears...and Stray Dogs! Oh My!

Protect your goat from predators. Coyotes will abscond with young kids if given a chance, and can kill an adult goat under certain circumstances. More problematic in many areas are domestic dogs that roam freely, either solitary or in packs. Many times a domestic dog attack is much more devastating to a goat herd than an attack by a solitary coyote, as dogs will randomly attack multiple goats inflicting injuries not immediately lethal but will cause the goat to suffer unduly before it dies, whereas a coyote selects only one at a time and the kill is swift and quickly dispatched. Good fencing on solid posts, at a 4 ft minimum height, not only will help you protect your goats, but can keep you on good terms with your neighbors by preventing your goat from wandering onto another's property and doing damage to their trees and plants. Electric fencing as a back-up will help assure that your goats stay on your property and predators remain outside.

Cleanliness is Next to Goatliness

Goat manure is normally a dry manure. But still, excess accumulations during warm months will promote the breeding of flies. Flies are not only nuisances, but can be disease carriers of illnesses such as pinkeye. Regular raking of the goat yard and shelter, and removal of manure and soiled bedding, is necessary to keep it a clean and healthy place for your goat. Non-toxic flytraps and flystrips can aid in eliminating excess flies in addition to regular cleanings. A normal-sized dairy goat can produce up to 10 pounds of waste material in a day, depending on its feed and type of bedding material used. As an aside, composted goat waste makes incredible fertilizer for home gardens.

Put the Best Foot Forward

Goats living under managed situations need their hoofs trimmed regularly every 3 months - some may require more frequent trimming. In the wild, goats wear their hooves down by scrambling up and down rugged and rocky terrain not usually available in farming situations. You can use a hoof trimmer in combination with a hoof file or carpenter's rough sanding plane to do this. If you trust yourself enough, a hoof knife can also be used with caution. Keeping the hooves trimmed prevents foot rot and keeps the goat walking with a natural stance.

What's Up Doc?

Goats, like other domestic animals, occasionally need medical attention. You will need to locate a Veterinarian who is both willing and knowledgeable in treating goats or sheep. These vets will often identify their practices as "Large Animal" clinics. Talk with other goat owners to get recommended names if possible, or you can try calling your Agricultural Extension office for suggestions. You will find, however, that most of the routine medical procedures must be handled by yourself. These include yearly vaccinations for tetanus and enterotoxemia (CDT), although in certain areas your vet may advise additional vaccines and boosters. Goats also need to be monitored for various parasites - primarily worms and occasionally lice. A regular worming program, using wormers best suited for your area and type of worm present and recommended by other goat owners or your vet, should be maintained to keep your goat thrifty and in peak health.

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