Should I get goats on our farm? Please help!!!

[cassie]

Since we go up Saturday-Monday and Only have the ranch hand up there Wednesdays and sometimes Thursdays how do we make sure they don't overeat and bloat on the grains?

If they are not milking they probably don't need grain.

 

[chickieluver26]

If they are not milking they probably don't need grain.

Ok thanks!!!

 

[crazypoultrychx]

you cant give them free choice grain......they have to be fed 1-2 times a day and given a ration....no free choice except for with hay....which they have to have too.....also....goats get into a lot of trouble if they are not tended to plus you have to trim their feet monthly and give the a supplemental salt lick.....also goats HATE WATER....in any form......falling or rising......so you have to make sure they have a high dry place to get out of the rain....

 

[clport]

chickieluver, I'm originally from Ft. Worth and have lived in Oregon for about 8 years. Where is your ranch? I'd think Boers are best suited for what you're looking for in the South Texas climate. BUT, goats require a major learning curve. I just got my Nigerian Dwarf bucks about three months ago after researching, planning and talking to other goat owners over the past several years. I couldn't believe all the stuff I didn't know and hadn't thought about. I would really urge you to think a long time about putting goats anywhere that they don't have a person living or working on premises every day to keep them safe. The number one threat to them is predation. Coyotes, hogs, bobcats, etc., down there are going to make a quick dinner of your unprotected goats. If no one is around to put the goats away at night and let them out in the morning, your goats won't last very long. You also need to know about these goat diseases: CAE, CL, Johnes. Most goat owners have their goats tested annually for these. Also, coccidia is very common in goats and can infect cattle, too. I'm sure there are other common diseases between the two species.

I don't want to rain on your goat parade, but goats are a lot more work than most people think they are until they do some research. And, they are crazy expensive when taken care of responsibly, as I'm sure you would do. From one TX girl to another, wait til you move to the ranch to start your herd there. Or, get a couple of cute pygmy goats to keep in your backyard now to help you learn about them so you'll have more experience when you get a bigger herd later.

 

[chickieluver26]

My farm is in Fredericksburg Texas and if we do get goats we will look into having the farm hand come every day when were not there. I have been researching and debating getting goats there and possibly even 2-3 Nigerian dwarfs here in my backyard. The breeders
I found and liked either breed Nubian boer cross goats, Nubians, boers, or Nigerian dwarf goats.

 

[crazypoultrychx]

chickieluver, I'm originally from Ft. Worth and have lived in Oregon for about 8 years. Where is your ranch? I'd think Boers are best suited for what you're looking for in the South Texas climate. BUT, goats require a major learning curve. I just got my Nigerian Dwarf bucks about three months ago after researching, planning and talking to other goat owners over the past several years. I couldn't believe all the stuff I didn't know and hadn't thought about. I would really urge you to think a long time about putting goats anywhere that they don't have a person living or working on premises every day to keep them safe. The number one threat to them is predation. Coyotes, hogs, bobcats, etc., down there are going to make a quick dinner of your unprotected goats. If no one is around to put the goats away at night and let them out in the morning, your goats won't last very long. You also need to know about these goat diseases: CAE, CL, Johnes. Most goat owners have their goats tested annually for these. Also, coccidia is very common in goats and can infect cattle, too. I'm sure there are other common diseases between the two species.

I don't want to rain on your goat parade, but goats are a lot more work than most people think they are until they do some research. And, they are crazy expensive when taken care of responsibly, as I'm sure you would do. From one TX girl to another, wait til you move to the ranch to start your herd there. Or, get a couple of cute pygmy goats to keep in your backyard now to help you learn about them so you'll have more experience when you get a bigger herd later.

clport is absolutely right.....goats are not like cattle.....they can not be left to their own devises if they are you are in for a lot of vet bills or a loss of a herd....if the stigma they were given was right then we would all be better off.....however....they are a high maintenance animal.....and if your going to do goat IMO do dairy goats or meat goats.....then your not just throwing money into something that doesn't produce anything for you.....milking is awesome and there are so many benefits to goat milk....cheese...yogart.....and its really easy to do! I just made my 2nd batch of goat cheese to free up some of the room in my fridge from the 3 gal of milk I have from my one milking doe!!

 

[waddles99]

Be careful of what plant species you have in your woods becomes some of them can be very poisonous and possibly fatal to goats, especially if you aren't around to care for them. Sometimes goats will sense if they think something is poisonous but most of the time they will go ahead and eat EVERYTHING. This does include poisonous plants. This is no reason for not getting goats, I would just walk around the pasture and see if I could see any poisonous plants. Most often then not, there are none. As far as numbers, you will need a decent amount to keep 20 acres cleared. Especially if they keep growing back. I would do Boer. Smaller goats wouldn't do the job.