What can't goats eat?

[Gobbler]

I have raised goats for several years and had about 75-80 head until a farm where I pastured some of them stole most of them (50 breeding nannies).

Goats love to eat brush, grass etc... but mine won't eat thistle. Don't let them eat potato or tomato vines, pine needles, I have been told can poison them too. We have red cedar here in Kansas and they love it at certain times of year. Choke cherry leaves are supposed to be bad too. My goats are picky, don't like moldy hay or such. If a horse will eat it, they will eat it. I aways save our fruit and vegetable scraps, corn husks (and the whole stalks) even banana peels (one goat loves these above all else). I have even picked up the bags of leaves my neighbors have raked up (oak, elm etc...) and they tear them up.

When I bought mine, I was told 5-6 an acre, but that many will not sustain them year round without winter feeding.

Give a good mineral block, Vaccinate with a CD/T and worm them on a regular schedule. I supplement with a protein tub. A little grain (corn) is ok but you don't want to give too much or they will get scours. Also a good set of hoof trimmers.

Good luck

Gobbler

 

[FrauFrost]

Quote:

*WARNING SOAPBOX MESSAGE*

If this is true, I would advise you to get two wethers instead of two does. Wethers make the best pets, cost less to buy than does, and do not have hormonal issues! A doe, whether you breed her or not will have "goat pms" and also heat cycles. Again I repeat, wethers (castrated males) produce no sexual hormones, do not have "off" days and generally make better pets. We do not have any wethers because they are worthless to us (don't produce anything), but I wish there were more people getting wethers as pets since most of mine end up on someone's dinnertable. Seems like everyone getting a pet wants a female or two, when truth be told males of most species make better pets.
Our male bunnies are friendlier and nicer than our females, our male cat is friendlier than any female cat I've ever had, geldings make more even tempered horses than mares, our wethers (we keep them for a few months) are always friendlier than the does. It always amazes me how all people, and no matter the specie, always think females are going to be better pets. It's just not the way nature works.

I just love my wethers. My doe had a uterine infection a few years ago and it cost us thousands of dollars. I watch my wethers for stones but they're easily prevented - so I'm with you !! Wether's all the way!!

 

[cassie]

Their hooves will probably need to be trimmed about every six weeks. You have gotten conflicting information about property clearing. Sheep and goats eat different things and complement each other when it comes to clearing property. Sheep are grazers, which means they prefer grass and weeds. Goats are browsers which means they prefer brush, small trees, berry bushes, and your prize roses. They will need a salt block and some loose minerals.