Goats: What to have before you get your first goats
When we decided we wanted to get a few small goats for the farm, we spent weeks researching what we should have on hand before we even started looking at goat breeds and adoptable goats. We talked to friends who’ve had goats for years, and discussed with our equine vets about how the horses would respond to having such a small animal near them 24/7. We quickly learned that horses and goats actually do fantastic together so long as they have separate areas. Please note that you should never put a larger animal in with your goats. Goats are small and easily stepped on or picked up by a larger animals. There is no such thing as guard llamas and or donkeys or alpacas. Our goats and horses are never in the same pasture at the same time because of the sheer size difference. While horses truly love having goats around them to see over a fence, it is just too dangerous to have them in the same direct area.
BEFORE YOU GET A NEW ANIMAL: Locate a vet that treats that animal, especially farm animals. Not all farm vets treat all farm animals. Immediately after getting a new animal, have your vet do a wellness visit ASAP. Make sure you have a client relationship established BEFORE anything goes wrong—because something WILL go wrong at some point. Having an established relationship with your vet will make it significantly easier to get treatment in a timely manner in the case of an emergency, as priority is usually given to established clients.
Here’s a list of items you definitely want to have in your medicine pantry before you get your goats. In another post we will go over the most common diseases and ailments for your goats and sheep, but for now, this is a pretty conclusive list of the must have items.
Vitamin B complex
Iron pellets ——Ultracruz iron guard plus
Horse Red Cell or Chlorophyll (we prefer chlorophyll)
Selenium Paste
Charcoal Paste
Ivermectin liquid dewormer for sheep (can be used for goats)
Fenbendazone liquid dewormer for goats (Safeguard/Pancur but must be paired with another class of dewormer to work properly)
Cyndectin Oral Sheep dewormer
Drench gun for administering meds (1-10mL size is usually fine)
Hoof shears (a farrier can teach you how to trim your goat’s hooves on your own)
Loose mineral delivery system—I will share a link to our favorite system. Please note that goats CANNOT use the salt block systems that horses and cows can. They need to have loose minerals. Ideally, a feeding mineral system that allows for them to choose which mineral they need specifically and not a mix)
Horse quality hay (1st or 2nd cut but a mix is great)
Pine bedding for enclosures
Solid, tall, fences (Minimum of 5 feet high with sheep/goat panels in between any gaps so they can’t squeeze through). Goats and sheep can also go UNDER fences so be cognizant of this. Know the predators in your area and take the time to make your fencing system as secure as possible.
A minimum of a three sided enclosed structure that allows for goats to get out of the weather and have a safe sleeping space. You should estimate roughly 10 square feet per goat for an enclosure.
*Note that all dewormers will likely need to be purchased through your farm vet. You can also just have a vet administer them when needed, but it is much easier and nicer to have in your own animal medicine cabinet because sheep and goats do not exhibit signs of a worm overload until they are very sick and waiting on a farm vet can be costly in both time and money. However, if you are not medically knowledgeable and do not understand dosing or which dewormer to use, please rely on your veterinarian to do this for you until you have more experience and knowledge. *
This is not a full list, but these are the must haves to avoid common early pitfalls. When it comes to fencing and enclosures, if it can’t hold water, it can’t hold a goat. Check daily for any signs of leaning or broken fences, and never put something a goat could climb or jump onto next to a fence where they could escape.
Our next post will talk about nutritional need differences between bucks, wethers, and does. As a reminder, all goats need 24/7 access to fresh, clean water and good quality hay. Grain is almost never necessary unless a doe is pregnant/lactating or a goat is failing to gain or maintain weight (teeth issues and geriatric goats/sheep will need daily but well balanced grain). While you can give grain as a treat, it must be a very small portion of the overall diet to avoid toxemia and overeating disease.
Link to favorite mineral system: https://goatcare.com/products/the-complete-goat-mineral-buffet-starter-kit-20-minerals-salt?srsltid=AfmBOoqYxB-1JUFq_wERrZXHBPDc4sV2cBGNHYdJVTo4sCAz7LizE9b0
