cost per goat

[hsm5grls]

I'm sure some here know it is my dream to have a small hobby farm. I am planning it all out before I purchase anymore animals. I was wondering if anyone could estimate for me what they pay per month to feed two dwarf goats. I know cost will very depending on location etc. But I am just looking for ball park figures. I want to have a good plan and estimate costs, etc. before I dive in. Also What are your winter cost vs. summer costs.
Another question I have is how big of an area do your goats have. I am very curious about everyone's set up.
I know I could ask this on a goat forum and might latter but to be honest I feel more comfortable posting here.
Thanks to all

 

[helmstead]

Umm...hmm, I haven't costed out our goats in a LOOONG time.

Let's see:
1 bag cracked corn per week $8
1 bag alfalfa pellets/week $13
1 bale fescue/orchard/week $7
$28
Divided by 10 comes to $2.80 per goat per week (plus dewormer quarterly, ProBios as needed, tools to trim feet and loose minerals).

Man, too bad ya can't ride goats! LOL Makes my horses really seem like a money pit.

Far as space goes, goats can get by on barely anything but enjoy room to run and play. Our barnyard is like 80x30 plus a barn and a few small houses (like dog houses).

 

[hsm5grls]

I was told to feed goat pellets? Good idea/bad idea. Your thoughts.

 

[helmstead]

Where I am, you can't find goat pellets with an acidifier in them. (they need this to avoid water belly - basically bladder stones - which are usually fatal). These acidified pellets are readily available in the midwest where goat showing is popular, but on the east coast we'd have to import them. No feed store here has enough goat clients to justify the cost...I've tried!

Our first herdsire, Herbie, died of water belly. So, we did a lot of research to figure out how to avoid this again. The cracked corn is more like a treat and serves as scratch for my chickens. The alfalfa pellets are their actual nutrition (we use these only because they waste the actual hay badly) and the grass hay is their roughage to have good gut motility and give them something to do all day.

So? My answer? IF you can find goat pellets with acidifier added...great! Go for it! Otherwise, choose your goat's diets carefully.

 

[hsm5grls]

Thank you so much. I think I'll go with your recommendations and feed the cracked corn, alfalfa pellets and fescue or orchard hay. Best answer I have gotten so far. I am getting closer to understanding all this everyday. I have been asking so many questions I'm sure it's getting annoying to some but I want to do this right.

 

[tiffanyh]

I feed hay and sweet feed to my mini goats girls. I have only four.
So I buy 1 bag of feed at about $10 every two weeks. I get hay for free but I go through a bale every two weeks also at about $4 a bale depending on where you are. So about $30 a months???

I worm every 6 months with different wormers from the feed store. I have had tehm years and only a couple medical problems. But fortunately my first career was as a CVT- which I still moonlight in so I can run them to work if something is wrong.

They are worth every penny!

 

[greyfields]

I use hay and alfalfa pelets myself. Be sure in their first year to deworm monthly rather than quarterly...unless you live in some goat heaven I've never heard of. And never let them get rained on. Goats can be very difficult to keep from dropping dead compared with other animals. Not that I don't love 'em to bits.

 

[hsm5grls]

great, I have been writing this all down. I'm glad you told me about the rain. In summer we get major rain storms so that is useful advice. Thank you What de-wormer do you all use?

 

[greyfields]

I alternate between Safeguard (Fenbendazole) and Ivermectin Plus. You'll learn very quickly that you'll have to go to off-label use on a lot of dewormers. There are very few out there designed for goats with accurate dosing information. You'll learn that google is also your friend in safely using off-label mediciatons.

 

[helmstead]

Sweet feed should never ever be fed to goats.

Why do they MAKE sweet feed for goats? Got me...

The calcium to phosphorus ratio is terrible and the molasses makes them overeat on top of that.

If you have all does, you might get away with it...but with bucks or especially wethers the sweet feed will kill eventually unless it's chock FULL of acidifiers.

I use a topical ivermec intended for cows on my goats off label. It's great because you do it just like flea treatments for pets - a measured spot on the shoulders and you're done.