Pygmy Goats

Where To Buy Goats

2009-03-17T08:37:00.000-07:00

For the beginners, it's a safe idea to buy your goats through a regional breeding association. It will put you iu touch with any goat breeders in your area. Doing this you can talk to them and seek advice that will be great to know later on. Wheather you buy your goat through this or you do so through a local breeder you always want to see the goat in person to see if it is healthy and always ask the seller about the goat's parents history if you want to breed them this will be very informational later on.

Lookin To Get A Pitbull What Do You Think?

2009-01-22T12:53:00.000-08:00

Post comments don't know much about em so post a lot of comments I'd like to know more before I get one in the Summer.

Goat Language

2009-01-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that the goats bleating is its language and it is is not by any chance that it is a concept used in a figurative sence. There isnt anything any more irksome then a goat that bleats contstantly infront of a filled trough and it has decided that it wants something else.

As a goat keeper you will eventually start to recognise what each sound that your goat makes means somthing different. There is that joyfull bleat that the goat will make that says that he/she is happy to see you when you enter the stable. And then there is the bleating that a mother will make to call her baby, and there is another that a doe makes when in which can be heard lound and clear. But, there are other sounds too like the HUHU sound that a buck will do that he trys to woo the doe with, and a rattling noise that is meant to warn the rest of the goat herd that there is danger and a noise to flee away, and there is one more that the goat will complain that it is in pain.

Awsome Book

2009-01-07T18:20:00.000-08:00

This is a great book. im not much of a reader, but it is very interesting.

summery on book:

Many people dream of leaving the workday world for a life of simplicity and freedom, and Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz did just that. Feeling like somthing was missing from thier city lives, the couples began to dream of an existance that was closer the land and became captivated by the idea of themselves as... goat farmers. Realizing that they knew little about goats,and even less about farming, they gave themselves a year to explorethe world of goats and decide if that was were they belonged. in The Year Of The Goat, the reader can jump in "the goat mobile" and follow thier adventures as they ditch thier big-city lifestyle to trek across forty-three states in search of greener pastures and the perfect goat cheese. Along the way, the reader is introduced to a vivid cast of characters- including farmers, breeders, cheese makers, and world-class chiefs-and learns everything there is to know about goats and getting back to the land. From the largest goat auction in Texas to a small Indian dairy, from a Tennessee barbecue cook-off to a tasting

session with New York's premier maitre fromager, the couple pursues all things goat. But readers beware: when it comes to goat cheese, it can be love at first bite.

Typical Daily Feeding Ration

2009-01-07T15:19:00.000-08:00

For a milking goat in the spring and summer:

Pasture/field fodder- 13.2 lb (6.0 kg)
Meadow hay- 1.1 lb (0.5 kg)
Molasses chips (optional)- 2.2 lb (1.0 kg)
Barley straw (optional)- as wanted
Fresh branches (optional)- small supplements
NOTE- grain is not needed in the spring or summer goats have enough other feed in pasture for them grain is usually in place of that and to fatten them for cold weather.

Fall:

Pasture/ feed fodder- 6.6 lb (3.0 kg)
Any garden weeds/greens/any other veg. waste- 7.7 lb
Concentrated feed or grain- 1.1 lb (0.5 kg)
Barley straw (optional)- as wanted
Fresh branches (optional)- small supplements

Winter:

Veg. waste- 6.6 lb (4.5 kg)
Hay- as wanted
Barley straw (optional)- as wanted
Concentrated feed or grain- 1.1 lb (0.5 kg)
Dried leafy branches/
fresh evergreen branches (optional)- small supplements

How To Satisfy A Picky Goat

2009-01-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

If you see that a goat that is eating it isn't always easy to explain why it chooses, now, what it eats. It is generally true that a goat will pick weeds, bushes, leaves, etc. over grass. The goat prefers a mixture of plants and usually rejects grass.

Of coarse you can accustom your goat to an all grass pasture, but you need very good nerve to do that. Despite the goat's hunger it will just stand as stubborn as goats are and bleat in the pasture for the entire day until it gets what it wants.

Figure that the goat will leave about 30% of a satisfactory offering of average green feed or hay. If you don't want to put up with this waste of food you can pressure the goat into being less fussy by diminishing the size of food that you give your goat daily they will eat until they are satisfied and wont ever force themselves. But, it is good to give your goat the required amount so it is best to meet your goat half way and offer it as varied ratio as possible.

Breeding Your Goat

2008-11-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

If you breed your goat make sure that you eather have an experienced goat breader with you or that you do a lot of resurch because breeding goats takes a lot of knowledge to know what to do when the kid is born.

Unlike a lot of animals female does are in season year round, but i prefer to breed around January so the kid is born in the warm months if you live were it is cold part time. This is so that when the kid is born it doesnt freeze to death and doesnt get sick so you have complications.

Goat's cycle usualy lasts for about 18 - 23 days and many times you wont even know that she is fertil unles there is more bleating than usual or if there is just a small amount of clear discharge.

The goats gestation usualy lasts 145 - 153 days. To find out your goats do date there is a post that will have a link to click and that link will show you. A goat will have 1 - 4 kids. Twins and triplets are most common though. A solitary kid usualy is most common in first pregnencys. Most kids will weigh 2 or 3 pounds.

One of the biggest dangers in goat pregnencys is the kis growing to big for the doe. This is what happend to my does first pregnancy is that the kid was very large and she had to have a c-section and the kid had sufecated and died, but its just somthing that you have to expect and to get the doe to the vet as soon as possibe. Somtimes manovering the kid may help if it is just not positioned right. Another thing that may happen during the pregnancy is the the umbelical cord will get wrapped around the kids neck and will sufficate it.

Moving to North Carolina

2008-10-21T14:02:00.000-07:00

I know that a lot of the people that check out my blog have questions. Well im going to be moving in the summer, but I have a lot of work to do to get ready for it so if you have any questions you can e-mail me at simonsays680@gmail.com. It is more likely that I will get back to you faster if you do so.
Thank You, Jen

Labor Preperation

2008-08-15T21:56:00.004-07:00

Step one in the goats labor

On day 145 you are going to want to isolate the doe from the other goats. Make sure that it a clean place with new bedding. A clean environment is important for a goats birth. In the isolated area make sure that there is nothing that the kid can get hurt on like nails in the wall or toys in the pen. Goats normally like to have there kid in the afternoon or early evening.

A Goats Labor

2008-08-15T21:56:00.003-07:00

The expected due date is 150 days after breeding. A few weeks before delivery, the goat's udder will usually become enlarged. A day or two before birth, the udder often fills up and the pelvic ligaments at the base of the tail relax so that the tail feels loose. Frequent urination and low pitched bleating are also signs that labor will begin within a day or two.
The first sign we usually notice that indicates that labor is imminent is the discharge of the mucous plug, followed by small amounts of mucous. In our experience, this usually occurs an hour or two before birth.
In the uterus, the kid is enclosed in an amniotic sac which is surrounded by a water sac. Usually the water sac bursts 30 minutes to 2 hours before the delivery of the first kid. The amniotic sac might burst a few minutes before delivery. Usually, a kid will be born front legs and head first, and no assistance is needed. In multiple births, each kid is usually delivery 5-30 minutes after the previous sibling, and the placenta is expelled a few hours later. If the kids haven't arrived within two hours after the water sac breaks, or if the kid is not positioned properly, an experienced goat breeder or a veterinarian might be required to assist in the delivery by repositioning the kid or "pulling" the kid out.

Pygmy History

2008-08-15T21:56:00.002-07:00

The Pygmy goat originated in Africa and was imported to the US in the 1950s. As its name implies, it's smaller than diary goats, but it produces a respectable amount of milk for its weight and food consumption. Most people in our area raise them for show and fun instead of meat or milk. Pygmy goat wethers may also be shown and they can be purchased relatively inexpensively.
Some kids in 4-H like to raise Pygmy goats because they are easy to raise and handle and they are affectionate, cute, lovable and playful. A full grown doe or whether ranges from 16 to 23 inches at the withers and they usually weigh from 40 to 70 pounds. Pygmy goats are year-round breeders so kids may be available at any time of the year. A litter usually consists of 1-3 goats and the kids weigh from 2-4 pounds.

Some Goat Statistics

2008-08-15T21:56:00.001-07:00

Body temperature 102.5-104 F

Pulse/heart rate 60-80 beats per minuet

Respiration rate 15-30 breaths per minuet

Length of pregnency 150 days

Goats can be bread any time of the year

Adult pygmys weight should be 50-75 lbs, audult dairy goat should be 125- 200 lbs, and adult buck 200-300 lbs

How To Tell If Your Goat Is Healthy

2008-08-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

These are the signs of a healthy goat:
- Clear and bright eyes. If they are cloudy it may result in pink eye
- A smooth and shiny coat. If your goat's coat is fluffed up it may not be
feeling well and if it is dull it may result as having parasites.
- There apatite is good, although a pregnant goat may refuse to eat and that is normal
- They are alert. If there back is dragging and there tail is droopy it may mean that something is wrong

Housing Your Goat

2008-08-10T18:44:00.000-07:00

When you get your goat make sure that you already have set up a shelter for it. Some people when they first get there goats do not have a shelter for there goats and they get them and then think about where they are going to put them. this is definitely starting off on the wrong foot.
Goats can withstand most any climate. In the cold they do not have to be kept worm with a coat or heat. That's what there thick coat is for. Although, they do need to be kept in a place with no draft and there housing must be kept dry.
Some places were people might keep there goats are: garages,sheds,old chicken coops, and barns. They can be wood, concrete, or even stone or dirt is acceptable. Wood isn't the best though because the moisture will soak accumulate. With concrete flooring moisture will not accumulate and it is the easiest to clean also, it keeps cool in the hot whether but sleeping benches should be considered. But, the hard floors may also not be good for goats because there have been reports on rheumatism-like problems. Earthen floors are the easiest to clean because moisture soaks away and much less bedding is needed. Earth is much warmer than concrete and is more comfortable to the animals. It all depends on your situation. The housing should be light and airy, and convenient to work in. This means isles doorways and wide enough for a wheel barrow. Also, it should be facing the south that way there is always sunlight and the wind is never blowing in. It good to store your feed and bedding there too that way it is very convenient, but make sure that it is in a place were your goat wont get to it.
Bedding is something that you should pick wisely. For bedding the best thing to use is chopped oat straw. It absorbs about 375lbs of water per cwt dry bedding and oat straw long only absorbs about 280lbs. Do not use hay because it will get moldy and wont be good for your goat. Most goat owners will mainly use shavings which will absorb between 150-250lbs depending on what type of wood it is.
You should allow 12-20 square ft per goat. If you are considering on getting more goats and having kids make sure that you have extra space for them too and not just figure the space for the goats you already have. Also, don't forget to have space for any milking you might do and space for feed. When you put up the outdoor fencing make sure that your goat cannot jump or find a way to climb out or crawl under.
Inside the pen there should be a spot where they can sleep and an area where they eat. Grain is usually served into a manger or just a pan. I consider using a manger. Using a manger prevents waisting any grain and saving money. Hay should be put up off of the ground. If the hay is fed on the ground it can be waisted and can get worms which isn't good for your goat. Make sure that your goat has plenty of fresh, clean water and you can also offer a mineral or salt block, but that isn't essential. Also, make sure that it is kept clean because if it is not cleaned often it can be bad for your goat and cause pneumonia.
Your shelter should be whitewashed inside. Also, it should be painted with lead-free paint because paint with lead in it is poisons to goats. Your building will be more attractive, it will keep cleaner, and you will have less flies because light colors discourage them. If you have dairy goats it is good to keep there surroundings clean like this and it is good for the well being and health of your herd.

About My Goats

2008-07-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Well, my goats are very well manered and each have their own personality. I have spent a lot of my time with my goats ever since I got them. It is reacquired if you want friendly goats that will go up to and trust anyone that they encounter. They are both very layed back at times and can also get riled up when i play with them. Stormy has always been the one that kind of depends on and follows peanut around. Peanut is the independent one that likes to try new things and explore wile Stormy stays back. They are both very sweet and loving. They are both also good on a lead. It took a wile for them to get used to, after a wile of tugging and pulling they got a hang of it. You have to also have to spend time with them leading them around the farm so that they can explore and find new things. Like for example introducing them to flowing water or machinery. These are both things that goats have to get used to. Giving them baths is a good way for them to get used to the running water or they will freak out when ever they see a hose. Machinery is also a very important thing for goats to get used to. A good way for this is just getting to a machine wile in idol so they can get used to the noise then go up to it and touch it yourself so that they see that it isn't harmful and will not hurt them. This way they will be more willing to cooperative with you when there is a lawnmower or something running. Also, so that if you have to transport them some were they will be more cooperative with that too.

Feeding

2008-03-30T12:02:00.000-07:00

Goats don't take a lot of care. But, you have to feed them either 2 or 3 times daily. it is better for goats to be fed a little at a time more often but, you can just feed them twice a day. Some goats eat until they explode and some just eat a little at a time. It is still very important to feed them the requirement. Most goats get fed about 1 cup of grain twice a day but, you may want to check the grain bag because some are more fattening then others and some fill them up more. If you feed them too much or they eat too much in the field they may get bloat. A way to prevent bloat is to put baking soda in there grain. The recommended amount would be about 2 tablespoons full. In the winter when it is cold they look forward to some nice and hot water they also like a little flavor so I give them tea and they love it and it is good for them. Goats also love getting treats. They like any fruits, veggies, or bread like I feed my goats Peta pockets some times and they suck them down like no tomorrow looking for more. This site is good for curing setain sicknesses i've never tried it so if you do please tell me how good they work. CLICK HERE http://www.motesclearcreekfarms.com/ASP/articles/Homemade-Cures-Recipes.asp

The Goat Kid's Journey

2008-03-29T12:39:00.000-07:00

After the birth the mother will step in and start licking the kid to get all of the mucus off and to stimulate its breathing. You have to make sure though that the kid is freed from the sack and its mouth and its nose is clear from any mucus so that it can breath. There is really no need to cut off the umbilical cord. This is only necessary if there is any major bleeding from it then you may have to tie it off with something like dental floss. After about an hour you should dip the cord into 7 % iodine to prevent any infection. Within a half an hour the kid will atemp to stand and nerse. It is very important that you make sure that the kid nurses because it needs colostrum from the milk from its mother. The colostrum provides immunoglobulins that the kid cant live without. Before the kid turns ten days old it is your chance to get them dehorned. They dont have to be dehorned. But, you will want to get them dehorned if you are thinking of showing them. Before getting them dehorned you will have to give them their tetanus shot to provide a temporary prevention from tetanus. Also at the time that you are dehorning the kids any male kids should be castrated at this time. The tetanus shot is repeted every month for newborns. Also BoSe is given and repeated every six months.

Check Up

2008-03-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Make sure that you do a thorough check up on your goats weekly. You want to check if they need their hooves trimmed, to be wormed, or if their behavior is off you may want to check their temp. Their temp should be about 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, after winter they will shed thier winter coat and you should comb it out.

Goat Toys

2008-03-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

Goats love to climb. Put anything that has height in their pen to climb on. If you can find them, they like wooden cable reels like in the picture of Stormy and Peanut in the background. They can chew on the wood and climb on top of them. They also like to climb on tall boulders and logs. This is also good for wearing down their hooves and keeping their hooves short and healthy.

See When Your Goat Is Due

2008-03-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

http://www.goats4h.com/Goats.html

A Goat's Labor

2008-03-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

A goats gestation time is about 150 days. A few weeks before the due date the goats utters will get bigger. You will notice that just a few days before the goat has its baby there teats will be waxy and check the goat daily to see if there is any milk that comes out of the teat. Make sure that you check the mother daily for any unusual behavior or if she is laying down a lot. This usually indicates that she is getting ready to go into labor. Also make sure that you check for if she is wet by her tail and this will mean that her water broke. You have to spend a lot of time checking in because if you do and something goes wrong and your not there you may end up loosing not just the baby, but the mother too.

How To Tell If Your Goats Have Worms

2008-01-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

You can tell if your goats hove worms if they are loosing weight or if your goat's coat is rough looking. You can also tell by looking at their gums or eyelids. If the gums and eye lids are nice and pink they don't have worms. If their eye lids and gums are pale your goats might have worms and may need to be medically evaluated. If you see white your goat needs to be looked at immediately by a vet. Vet experts say that many goat sudden deaths are caused by worms. Again I recommend that you talk to your vet about how to worm your goat and what medications to use because it varies in different parts of the country.

Avoiding Infestations

2008-01-14T16:29:00.000-08:00

It is very important that you keep your barn clean. This is the key in avoiding infestations. Parasites are passed from animal to animal through their stool. You should clean and put down new bedding weekly in your goats shelter in order to keep then healthy and worm free.

worming

2008-01-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

Worming is necessary to keep healthy goats. How many times a year you have to worm your goats depends on how big your herd is. If you have one or two goats I recommend that you should worm them twice a year. If you have a big herd you should worm them more often. Ask your vet how many times you should worm your goats. Infestations may occur when you have a big hers so I still recommend on asking your vet to be safe.

grooming

2007-12-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Goats love being groomed. It also gives you a chance to check your goats for problems like lice in large herds especially in the winter when they spend most of their time in the barn, or even trimming their hooves. When you are grooming your goat and you detect lice be sure to call your vet. Ask your vet or breeder about effective lice treatment.