A female goat is a doe. Uncastrated males are called bucks (Billy is a term that only refers to some fiber goats, most goat breeders do not use the term). Castrated males are called wethers. The life span of a well cared for goat is approximately eight to twelve years, although it is not uncommon for a doe to die while kidding.
Goat is thought to have been the earliest animal domesticated besides sheep and dogs. Cave art 10,000 to 20,000 years ago indicates that goats were common and important then. At the present time, goats provide the principle source of animal protein in many North African and Middle Eastern nations. Goat is also important in the Caribbean, in Southeast Asia, and developing tropical countries. Three-fourths of all the goats in the world are located in the developing regions of the world.
The history of goats in North America began with the arrival of Spanishexplorers and settlers in the 1500s. English settlers brought a fewgoats to New England beginning in the 1600s. These two types accountedfor most of the goats found in North America until the time of theCivil War. These goats had little market value and were neverrecognized as distinct breeds.
In the mid-1800s, goat production in the United States began tochange. The importation of several goat breeds from Europe increasedthe breadth of genetic resources available. Angora goats were importedto the United States beginning in the 1850s, and Texas became thecenter of mohair production. Importation of improved European dairybreeds, including the Toggenburg, Saanen, French Alpine, and Nubian,began about 1900. Diary production from these breeds far exceeded thatof the Spanish and English goats, and these historic types were rapidlycrossbred or replaced. The Old English goat became extinct in NorthAmerica, and it was only in the southeastern and southwestern UnitedStates that pure Spanish goats survived.
Recently imported cashmere goats have been crossed with Spanishgoats to increase the production of fiber. Boer goats from south Africahave been imported and crossed with Spanish, Tennessee Fainting, andother breeds to improve meat production. The resulting offspringdemonstrate the commercial and biological value of hybrid vigor fromthe use of two unrelated breeds. At the same time, crossbreeding posesa threat to the survival of Spanish and Tennessee goat breeds, both ofwhich are unique to the United States. (wikapedia)Dairy goats can be kept in all climates. Fancy housing is not required but a clean, dry, well ventilated but draft free area is a necessity. Goats can be easily chilled if wet so a dry area is vital therefore dirt floors are recommended since they drain more easily. Fifteen square feet per goat is desired for sleeping. The goats should also have an exercise area of at least twenty-five square feet per goat. The outside area should also be well fenced. Goats are known to be escape artists. Many people use heavy welded wire panels for fencing but several have also used wire mesh/electric combinations or electric fence. Dairy goats are very herd oreinted and will produce better and be happier if they have at least one companion animal with them, another goat is preferred. Bucks should be kept in seperate quarters from the milking does for several reasons. The first is that bucks are extremely smelly and their smell can transfer to the does and taint the milk. The second is that you should always know when your does are due so that you can be on hand if there are any problems and their due dates are easier to keep track of if you know their breeding date.
Some breeds of dairy goats are seasonal breeders others can be bred all year. Most of the breeding takes place in early to late fall. Gestation is five months long and this places the kids born in spring or early summer. The goat has an 18-21 day estruscycle or "season." The doe's "season" can last from a few hours to a few days. Twins are common, butsingle or triplet births are not rare, occasionally depending on the breed, such as Nigerian Dwarves, it may be common for four or five kids. . A doe milks approximately tenmonths following kidding, some does naturally will dry up sooner and some does can be "milked through". Milking through is when a doe is milked all the way through the year and not "freshened" by a kid. Some does can be milked as long as three years.
Most small herds used for family purposes are small enough that keeping a buck is not warrented. There are typically bucks available in the community surrouding the herd for stud. The owners of these bucks may charge a small stud fee for the bucks services but for just a few does this stud fee is typically less than feeding and housing a buck of your own. If there are no suitable bucks in your vicinity there is also the option of artificial insemination. There are companies that will give demonstrations on how to do this in some areas as well as veterinarians that should be able to perform this service for you. If you don't plan on doing a lot of AI it may be more beneficial to allow the vet to do the procedure rather than purchasing a nitrogen tank for yourself. There may also be someone in your community that would rent space in their nitrogen tank to you for your semen. Only bucks that are high quality should be kept or used for stud.
The kids may be bred as early as seven months old. The does will need to be in good condition and of a good size, typically about eighty lbs. The weight that they should be depends on their breed and what they will be bred to. The smaller breeds may not reach that weight but still may be ready for breeding. Bucks (called Bucklings at this age) may be ready for breeding at five months of age, however you should not leave them in until that age with the does as there is a possibility of them breeding before that. A doe kid that is allowed to reproduce sooner may be permanently stunted in her growth. If does are to be bred it is suggested that they be bred before 10 months of age as they may have a lower productivity over their lifespan and not be as easily settled if not bred.
Goats can be made to breed non seasonally by artificially decreasing their daylight hours.
Goats should be dehorned very early in their lives if they are going to be. Some people suggest doing it at only a couple days old to avoid "scurs". Scurs are parts of horn that grow back because they are missed in the dehorning process. Other people suggest waiting until one or two weeks of age. The kid should be in good health and flesh. Moveable skin indicates that the kid is "polled" or naturally hornless. Most kids will have discolored skin that is fixed to the skull with rosettes of hair directly over them.
Bucks should be castrated within a few weeks of birth as well if they are going to be "wethered". There are several methods for doing this. An elastrator and rubber band can be used but it should be ensured that the band is placed close to the body but not close enough to cut off any circulation within the body itself. You should also make sure that both testes are on the correct side of the rubberband. The wether can also be castrated by knife or by a vet. When castrating by knife most people require a helper to hold the kid.
Hooves should be trimmed as frequently as needed so that they develop properly. The frequency will depend on the animal, the diet, and the environment. Some animals may need to be trimmed more often than others. When trimming cut off the excess growth and be sure not to cut into the sole of the hoof.
Carefully monitoring of the animal should be adhered to and when the animal appears to be slightly ill there are several things that should be checked. Their pulse should be about 83 beats per minute but can range from 50-115. Smaller animals typically have higher heart beats. For example: a kid may run closer to 120 bpm. The number of breaths per minute should also be checked and should be around 29 with a range of about 15-50. Again the smaller the animal the faster the breaths. Temperature of the goat can be taken with a thermometer rectally and should be about 103.6 degrees Fahrenheit. You should also listen on their left side with a stethoscope, if you have one, for gut sounds. A ruminants guts should always be making some kind of noise. Occasionally you may not need a stethoscope to be able to hear these sounds.
In order to properly feed and dose medication you will also need to know the weight of your goat. There are tapes available, like the weight tapes in horses, for goats. These can estimate the weight of the goat by being placed around the heart girth, behind the frontlegs. These weights should be checked against normal weight curves for that animal. For example: a male goat of large breed should weigh approximately 25 lbs at one month of age, 55 at 3 months, 85 at 6 months, 110 lbs at 9 months, 130 at one year of age, 155 lbs at 18 months, 170 at two years, and 205 lbs at three years of age. For smaller breeds or does these standards are considerably less and an appropriate chart should be found.
Goats need a supply of what is known as "roughage" year-round. Roughage can be pasture, browse, or well-cured hay. In the winter the pastures or browse may be scarce and the animal should be supplemented with hay. For stock that need a better source of nutrition such as a milking goat, a goat that is bred, or kids, alfalfa hay or another legume hay should be available. Breeding bucks and kids should be given a balanced grain ration. Milking does will need a standard grain ration every day as well to keep milk production and their body condition up.
Kids are weaned between two and three months of age but should be consuming some hay and grain before that. They normally start eating hay at about two weeks and grain by four.
Goats will graze on grass, but prefer to browsebrushlands or forested areas and will gladly eat non-noxious weeds. There has been some debate about wether the milk will be flavored by eating weeds.
In temperate climates, one-half acre of land per milking goat should beplenty. You will also have to watch to not overcrowd the animals either as this can lead to more internal parasites in the animals. In arid climates overgrazing is a possibility that must be watched for and more available productive land will be needed per animal. Rotational pasturing is one of the best controls to avoid overgrazing or reinfestation of parasites.
All goats should have fresh water available at all times that is cleaned on a regular basis. They should also have salt and minerals available. The availability of these differs in opinion somewhat. Many breeders prefer solid blocks of salt and minerals, others prefer loose minerals. Most agree that the goats should have access to baking soda as well. The types of minerals vary as well. Some breeders are in a selenium high area and obtain minerals without selenium, others in a low selenium area would obtain mineral with it. People also disagree about wether goats need a copper supplement or not and how high of a supplement that should be.
Goats prefer very clean items and may quickly refuse food, water, or minerals that are distasteful. They also have a natural curiosity and may sniff, rub, nibble on any items within their reach
Milking
Goats milk is more popular worldwide than any other milk from any other animal. Milk goats require good hygeine wether milked by machine or by hand. The milk will also be the best and have the best taste when cooled rapidly directly after milking. The animal should receive a "dairy" clip before birthing to help prevent bacteria and blood contamination of the udder and milk. The animal should be shaved around the udder and the interior side of the hind legs as well as the vaginal and anus areas. The animal should have their udder area washed with an bacteriacidal agent before milking and should have their teats dipped in one after milking to help prevent mastitis. Always strip out the first stream of each teat into a "strip cup" where it can be veiwed. Look for any lumps or discoloration in the strip cup that may indicate a problem.
Goat's milk is highly prized for it's easily digestible nature and is often used in infant diets (both human and animal) as well as invalids and convalescent. Furthermore, glycerol ethers are much higher in goat than in cowmilk which appears to be important for the nutrition of the nursingnewborn. Goat milk also tends to have a better buffering quality, which is good for the treatment of ulcers. Goat's milk can also be used to successfully replace cow's milk in diets of those who are allergic to cow milk due to goats milk containing less lactose.
The natural homogenization of goat milk is, from a human healthstandpoint, much better than the mechanically homogenized cow milkproduct. It appears that when fat globules are forcibly broken up bymechanical means, it allows an enzyme associated with milk fat, knownas xanthine oxidase to become free and penetrate the intestinal wall.Once xanthine oxidase gets through the intestinal wall and into thebloodstream, it is capable of creating scar damage to the heart andarteries, which in turn may stimulate the body to release cholesterolinto the blood in an attempt to lay a protective fatty material on thescarred areas. This can lead to arteriosclerosis.
There are a lot of dairy goats that will average six to eight pounds of milk daily when in top condition for about a ten month period. This translates to approximately three to four quarts a day. They are then dried off to recuperate and prepare for the arrival of the new kids. The milk of the goat generally averages about 3.5 percent butterfat with some breeds giving more and some breeds less. There will also be variance with the individual animals as well. Does will generally produce the heaviest during their third and fourth lactations.
Goat milk is used for drinking, cooking and baking. It is used tomake cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, candy, soap and other bodyproducts. Butter and cheesemade from goat milk are typically white, but can certainly be colored during processing using natural or artificial colors. Due to its small fat globules and soft small curd, products made withgoat milk are smooth and cream-like. Goat milk is also naturallyemulsified. Chevre is the French word for goat. Domestically, it is ageneric term that applies to all goat cheeses, and more specificallythe mild fresh cheeses.The three fatty acids which give goat products their distinctive flavor are capric, caprylic and caproic.
Coming from the same french word is also the word for goat meat Chevon. Many people in different countries as well as the United States use Chevon for cooking. Kids can be slaughtered at several different times but most are slaughtered within their first year. If feed is not a problem and you'd like more meat you may wait until the animal is almost a year. If overcrowding or lack of grain or hay is a problem you may want to consider butchering the kids at birth or at 3-5 months. Older animals that have outlived their usefullness in other ways can also be slaughtered.
