INFO ON GOATS? I NEED HELP WITH THIS PROJECT...

[LydiaB]

Nubian goats can be any color. I have many different colors, and all are accepted by the ADGA. Spotted, black, brown, striped, or any combination. A good website to visit that has information on natural goat care is landofhavilahfarm.com.
I also would not reccomend a buck, they are not cost effective unless you have 6 or more does to breed and they do smell. plus they need a seperate shelter with a friend. We got two bucks this year, 1 Nubian and 1 Boer. The Boer is only for 3 does this year, but there is not a Boer buck in our area. Check out bucks in your area before you get your goats. make sure there is a good one. Conformation and his Dam's milk record are important. When you look at your goats from behind they should have a nice U between their legs. Bucks will have less of a U, but it should still be a U. That will affect how much room they have for an udder and the bigger udder means more milk. I would start with 2 really good Nubians, that would give you 2 gallons of milk per day or more. We got a buck whose dam milks 2 gallons a day at peak and doesn't go below 1 gallon until she is dried off.
Hope this helps!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Thank you LydiaB. I will try that website!

 

[LydiaB]

Your welcome. Here is some more info I didn't have time to share yesterday. You will need 36 small square bales of hay per goat per year. That is the most you will need, depends on how much pasture they have. I have 5 goats on 1 acre right now. I don't have more pasture to fence, so I just feed hay most of the time. If you have an acre, I would reccomend an acre for 2-3 goats, but if you plan to keep more, than you should fence off more if you have it. I would love to have more room for my goats, but we only own 5 acres and not all of it is able to be used for the goats. I also have about 1/3 of an acre for the bucks.
The ADGA website has a listing of breeders on their website. It only list the ones with websites, but it may help you find someone in your area.
Make sure you get tested goats. CAE, Johnes, CL and Brucellosis. Johnes can transmit to humans, even in some pasteurized milk. Brucellosis and CL can also transmit to humans. CAE affects their production and transmits to their kids through the milk.
I let the dam's raise their kids. My goats are disease free, so it is safe to do so. It also saves a lot of work, nightime feedings, extra milking, etc. At two weeks the kids are put in a seperate pen at night and the Doe is milked in the morning. If you get good Nubians, you should still get about 1/2 gallon each per day on one milking. First Fresheners will give half that.
When you buy goats look at milk records. It should be in pounds, 8# is one gallon. If the dam gives more and the Sires Dam gives more than 8#, you should have a really good milker. Ideally it should be over 10# in a second freshener or older. Expect to pay $250 for a doeling, and expect to pick her up at 3 months, sometimes earlier. I got a First freshener that gave 8# per day, which is really good for a Nubian. Nubians are a butterfat breed, they don't give as much milk as other breeds but it has more fat.
If you get an older doe she will probably be more that $250. Goats that are registered are more expensive than non registered. You could get a non registered goat for $75-$150. But you also sell them for less.
Stud fees are somewhere between $25-$75. It may or may not depend on the quality. I went with someone in our area with really good bucks and it was $25.
I have a goat shed that has 4 walls, WI winters are too cold for anything less. I have one big pen that they use all the time, and a smaller pen for them to kid in. I need to add another pen now that I have more, but 2 pens is fine for 2-4 goats depending on how you stagger breeding.
They will also need grain, I feed sprouted grain which gives them more nutrients with less grain. Information on how to do that is on the Land of Havilah website. figure about 3# per day per goat after they kid, less before that. Start with 1 cup when they are bred and the two months before they kid work up the 3#.
I also feed kelp, it is $50 for 50 pounds of Thorvin kelp, which is the best kind. You probably won't need more than 2 bags per year for 2 goats.
Hope that covers most of your questions!

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Thank you. It does cover some more questions that I would have. How can I prevent CAE, Johnes, CL, and Brucellosis? That sounds like a difficult problem. Is it life threatening to humans and goats?

 

[sodamancer]

I suggest joining a 4-h club or ADGA and find other local goaties.

 

[Chickenfan4life]

I suggest joining a 4-h club or ADGA and find other local goaties.

I am homeschooled. Do you have to be public schooled to become a part of 4-h? I live in a cul-de-sac where no one else owns goats... and I don't get out much. My mom isn't too interested in getting into 4-h and other stuff like that.

 

[Nathan Sampson]

no most 4-h programs have a home school program also

 

[Chickenfan4life]

Oh, well, that's good. Now if only I could convince my mom. She is sorta against the 4-h programs, and all that. (I have no idea why)

 

[sodamancer]

My oldest is joining 4-h and we home school. Some of the kids are home schooled some public. 4-h has nothing to do with the schools but the AGG. teachers will usually run a club for interested kids. just look up online. if you can get there yourself your mom just has to sign that its alright for you to participate.

 

[sodamancer]

Another thing is...........its your education. if she doesnt want to be involved fine but if it is where your interests lay then why not join. I would do most anything for my childrens interests and education. but thats me