You've GOAT to be KIDding me

[Ninjasquirrel]

My SO and I are trying to make the slow transition into a self sufficient homestead. Ive noticed that of our groceries we eat a lot of cheese. So Im toying around with possibly rearing goats in the future as our land is too small for a cow. However im completely ignorant as to anything about goats. Do you need to keep them pregnant like cows to produce milk? Do they poop as much as my chickens do? What sort of enclosure do they need? What should i provide them for feed? Are they edible?
Needless to say I have a lot more research to do before we even consider getting them. If anyone has any links to information on how to successfully rear goats i would really appreciate it. Also if you can answer the few questions i asked above that would be very helpful.

 

[Perris]

before you go much further, can I ask is the cheese you like and eat so much of goat's?

 

[Rammy]

My SO and I are trying to make the slow transition into a self sufficient homestead. Ive noticed that of our groceries we eat a lot of cheese. So Im toying around with possibly rearing goats in the future as our land is too small for a cow. However im completely ignorant as to anything about goats. Do you need to keep them pregnant like cows to produce milk? Do they poop as much as my chickens do? What sort of enclosure do they need? What should i provide them for feed? Are they edible?
Needless to say I have a lot more research to do before we even consider getting them. If anyone has any links to information on how to successfully rear goats i would really appreciate it. Also if you can answer the few questions i asked above that would be very helpful.

There are alot of knowledgeable goat owners on Backyardherds.com. Id go there for advice and information. I think you will find alot of good articles to read on goat care, too.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

before you go much further, can I ask is the cheese you like and eat so much of goat's?

No not really. Its mostly cow cheese we have bought. I do like goat cheese though and i feel that we can make the transition into eating and making our own cheese. I know how to make cheese ive just never done it.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

There are alot of knowledgeable goat owners on Backyardherds.com. Id go there for advice and information. I think you will find alot of good articles to read on goat care, too.

Thanks ill have to check it out. Raising sheep might be a possibility as well but I think sheep require more land to graze so im unsure. I like the idea of sheep because of wool, food and milk. Just not sure if we could sustain them on our plot.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

There is quite a bit of knowledge to be gained from that site! Ive already learned a lot. Still havent figured out if you need to keep them pregnant like cows though...maybe its a dumb question. I didnt know you had to keep cows pregnant until we went to Fair Oaks Farms and toured their facility. I always thought they just...made milk. Ignorant...i know (irony?) But we all have to learn some way. Our society doesnt let this type of information come easily since everything can simply be purchased.

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm following your post as I am interested in goats as well. I've done some research, but I'm no means an expert. What I will offer up is this... Sheep ruin the land because they rip plants up by the roots so it takes much more for the pasture to recover and/or much more land to raise a flock of sheep. Wool won't pay the bills, but meat might. Cattle eat grasses, goats eat the other stuff, so they can be grazed together without competing for food. (also goats eat the tops of the plants and leave the roots in tact) Like cattle, there are meat goat breeds and there are dairy goats, yes you could eat a dairy goat and could milk a meat goat but it wouldn't be efficient or economical, a dairy goat won't produce much quality meat and a meat goat won't produce as much milk, decide which direction you want to go or have a mixed herd Depending on your land and the quality of your pasture will impact what and how much you need to feed them, depending on what your purpose is (meat or milk) may impact their dietary needs as well (like meat vs. egg layers in chickens). That's about as far as I got with my research, I did start looking at different breeds and how much milk a day they produce and what that sells for and how much meat a goat would produce and what it sells for per pound, but that all changes with the market and your geographic location etc.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I'm following your post as I am interested in goats as well. I've done some research, but I'm no means an expert. What I will offer up is this... Sheep ruin the land because they rip plants up by the roots so it takes much more for the pasture to recover and/or much more land to raise a flock of sheep. Wool won't pay the bills, but meat might. Cattle eat grasses, goats eat the other stuff, so they can be grazed together without competing for food. (also goats eat the tops of the plants and leave the roots in tact) Like cattle, there are meat goat breeds and there are dairy goats, yes you could eat a dairy goat and could milk a meat goat but it wouldn't be efficient or economical, a dairy goat won't produce much quality meat and a meat goat won't produce as much milk, decide which direction you want to go or have a mixed herd Depending on your land and the quality of your pasture will impact what and how much you need to feed them, depending on what your purpose is (meat or milk) may impact their dietary needs as well (like meat vs. egg layers in chickens). That's about as far as I got with my research, I did start looking at different breeds and how much milk a day they produce and what that sells for and how much meat a goat would produce and what it sells for per pound, but that all changes with the market and your geographic location etc.

Good to know! I think we would be leaning more to a milk goat versus a meat goat. I wonder though if there are varietys that can be used for both like with chickens. Our birds are a meat/layer breed which is why they appealled to us.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Nubians are a dual purpose breed, though more bone than meat. So are pygmys, to some extent (mostly because of multiplicity).

One thing you can do is raise dairy does and a meat buck. Just sell all of the kids (instead of keeping the doe kids for milk, as you normally would.)

EDT: And yeah, very few mammals are going to produce milk without first having a reason to produce it, aka, babies.

 

[PirateGirl]

I feel like my dual purpose chickens instead of being good for both eggs AND meat, I feel like they are just average for BOTH . There are lots of different goat breeds out there, I'm sure you can find one that will work for you! Do a quick craigslist search and see what's available in your area, there is a reason that these breeds are common and popular and easy to find in your region. I'd start my breed research there.