The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: Cams Mum on April 13, 2010, 11:12:51 pm
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Hi there. Myself and my other half currently have various ducks and chickens, but I would really love a few goats. We have an agreement that any animal has to be useful, so this is a really daft question, but how useful are goats? I thought the obvious grass cutting help, but then there is the question of milk and meat. I have no intention of getting any goats until we know more about them, just thought I'd start by asking this basic question to some people who already keep them. :)
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A lot of people do have goats just to keep the grass down in a field. You obviously do not want a field ornament, it must be useful as you say. So, the obvious choice is milk or meat. If for meat, then castrated billies would be the choice. If you want them for milking, then you need to make sure you are shown by an experienced goat keeper how to milk. I am sure you realise that milking needs to be done properly to prevent the goat being uncomfortable, or getting the dreaded mastitis.
As to the usefulness - well if you intend to eat the meat yourself, one of the bigger breed of goats will give you a fair amount of meat. The female milker, is expensive to buy, then there is the stud fee to the billy, plus all the feeding costs of keeping a nanny goat. You really need two goats at least, as they are herd animals and prefer company. If you want the milk, the kids need removing from their mum and bottle feeding, which is time consuming, and you need to decide what to do with the kids ie. selling them on. Nanny kids will be no problem, but the odds are you will end up with a male kid. They are harder to rehome, unless they are well bred.
You also have to think about things like who would milk the goat if you were ill, on holiday etc. Other people can look after hens, dogs, cats etc, but you cannot expect a next door neighbour to come and milk a goat!!
There is the cost too, not just buying the goats, but feeding - they can eat a massive amount of hay during the winter months. Then there is worming, innoculations, CAE tests etc. to be taken into account.
If possible find a local breeder, and ask if you can visit to have a chat, look at their goats, and ask as many questions as you want. Most people would be happy to help in this way. Better you know exactly whats involved before getting the goats than after, and then finding it was not for you.
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I have got my goats for meat production. I bought 3 in-kid goats in March and now have 2 sets of twins (females, so will increase my breeding stock). Hoping for a couple of boys from the last one which we will rear for meat as you would lambs.
The only problem I have had so far is they are the biggest time-wasters of all - I could happily spend an hour watching the kids jumping around!
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Yes, I keep being late for work as Primrose one of the kids wants to be fussed every morning ......and I cannot resist stopping for a chat and to stroke her. And I stand at the gate watching the kids playing, and forget I am meant to be mucking out. Still, its an enjoyable way to pass the time isn't it!!
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Goats are addictive, I started off with 2 and now have 12!!! Enjoy.
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And over 35 years ago I had my first goat ......and now we have twenty something goats ....22 off the top of my head :D
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Thanks for replying people ;D . I am going to do lots of research, and get organised before I even start looking for some goats. I have just been approved as a Foster Carer and am awaiting that first important call from the Social Workers so have loads to keep me busy, but those goats will definately happen.
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I love our 3 goats, they provide us with enough milk for the pig, ourselves and a bought in Billy kid. We kill the male goats out at five months and they are delicious and the female kids we sell. In Bulgaria most goat keepers meet in the village square with their goats for what we call goat school where a goatherder takes all the goats off for the day. It's fun to see them returning in the evening and being sent off on route to their homes but I don't send my to goat school preferring to home ed them instead. Actually I don't like the ticks and fleas they bring back. We have a small completely fenced paddock where they live quite happily but they are great destroyers of trees and any overhanging branch will soon disappear. We are lucky here as a remnant of the once prosperous silk industry in this area is that outside every house are half a dozen mulberry trees and the goats love them so we cut a load every day for them.
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:goat:hi :wave:
if you want any goat advise i could point you in the right direction you are just a few miles from me and my parents have breed and shown goats for 40 ish years they could give you any advise you need or put you in touch with other local breeders.