Smallholders Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please  (Read 7250 times)

Burrwoodfm

  • Joined Apr 2012
Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« on: July 04, 2012, 12:32:37 pm »
Hi everyone, you will see from my earlier post that an animal sanctuary have contacted us to see if we can take in 2 goats.  I have no experience with goats at all, but I know you need blooming good fencing, and scrub for them to eat (and trees  ::) ), and good shelter as they don't like to be wet.  However, I have just got off the phone with the Inspector, and what I didn't realise is that there is a court injunction out on these goats to have them destroyed by the end of this week if a home cannot be found for them this week, as they are repeated offenders of being loose on a busy pubic highway (not their fault but the owners inadequate fencing.)  The animal sanctuary are full to the brim and can't take them on, so if we don't act soon, they will be destroyed, but I need to make sure we are making a fully educated informed decision on this and not jumping in heart first!  Is there anything I need to consider medically about keeping goats, vaccinations, and any dietary info?  I am hoping the books I ordered turn up in the post this morning, but knowing my luck they won't. 
Any quick help appreciated so I can make as fast a decision as possible.  I know they are horned, and large (no breed named), and quite shy, as they are not used to being around people, as have just been left to their own devices.  Do they tame up fairly readily generally?
Thanks, sorry about the rushed message!!  ;D

jinglejoys

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #1 on: July 04, 2012, 12:41:10 pm »
I think you are going to have problems.Unhandled goats and fencing to be sorted?Need more info but if you have a big enough stable/barn it might be better to put them in that and zero graze(bring the food to them)untill they are handlerable which might take a while.
I presume you have a holding number?

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2012, 12:45:05 pm »
I'd second that if you are going to take them in, you need a big barn to keep them in and lots of hay to feed them while they're in, you're taming them and sorting out your fencing.

I have double height stock fencing for the goat paddocks where I want them to stay in sometimes  :D and you already know these are escape artists.

They will tame but it could take a while and with them being horned and you not experienced, that's a potentially dangerous situation. 

Sad though it sounds, goats and sheep are killed every day as they are farm animals and people eat them.

Not a good way to get into goat keeping, you'd be better off starting with 6 month old kids once you're properly ready for them.
« Last Edit: July 04, 2012, 12:47:21 pm by jaykay »

Burrwoodfm

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2012, 12:51:05 pm »
Oh no, our fencing is fine - its an acre of scrub electrified.  Is electric ok for goats?
We have 4 brooding boxes in that part of the farm, so they would be fine in there for a while, and I can temporarily fence a small part off for them if needed of the grazing.
This time of the year, if they were out, would they need supplementary feeding?

Burrwoodfm

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2012, 12:52:55 pm »
sorry - forgot to add, yes, we have a holding number - we have sheep, pigs and Llamas too.

jinglejoys

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #5 on: July 04, 2012, 01:10:29 pm »
Depends about how your electric fencing is set up...need more info ;D

Burrwoodfm

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #6 on: July 04, 2012, 01:24:06 pm »
It's mains operated - 3 strands and the mo, but could be higher if needed.  I think the top strand is about 4 foot - my sheep can jump it from standstill, so no contest for leapy goats !!

jinglejoys

  • Joined Jul 2009
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #7 on: July 04, 2012, 01:29:18 pm »
JUST electric wire?
My elecric fencing is only 2+ feet but it is off set from 5' high stock fence
Mains electric fencing is good ;)

Burrwoodfm

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #8 on: July 04, 2012, 01:31:05 pm »
yes, just the wire - I am guessing no good then !!!! :goat:

plumseverywhere

  • Joined Apr 2013
  • Worcestershire
    • Its Baaath Time
    • Facebook
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #9 on: July 04, 2012, 05:43:00 pm »
we have electric horse tape at 2 levels - 5ft height and at chest level to the goats. We deliberately pinged them on day 1 - they've not risked it really since!
Smallholding in Worcestershire, making goats milk soap for www.itsbaaathtime.com and mum to 4 girls,  goats, sheep, chickens, dog, cat and garden snails...

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2012, 06:02:03 pm »
If these goats know they can get out they will, again and again, and again for good measure.
 
I am sorry but you may take on some serious problems with them - remember if they do cause an accident you as the owner will be the fall guy! I jave just heard that a shetland sheep breeder, a lady of 35 years of age, has been killed in a car crash caused by cattle on the road!
 
Have a real hard think about it, make sure you have public liability insurance and you tell them about taking on these goats - chances are you insurance company will not insure you anymore...
 
Maybe there are cases where PTS repeat offenders is the most sensible, if difficult choice.

tizaala

  • Joined Mar 2011
  • Dolau, Llandrindod Wells,Powys
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2012, 06:25:13 pm »
I'm with you on this Anke, once a goat has learned to mis-behave  you will have repeat performances at every opportunity, If these are big goats with horns and not socialised then you could be asking for trouble, :fc:

Burrwoodfm

  • Joined Apr 2012
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2012, 07:13:54 pm »
I completely understand where you are coming from. I think we must also remember also that these are not some healthy well looked after goats.  They have been very badly malnourished and kept in a hard yard where their previous owner failed to water and feed them, so in fairness to any animal, their natural instinct is to escape.  I don't think it was a case of just being naughty.  They have been under RSPCA surveillance for the last year, when they found them in terrible condition but the owners managed to pull their socks up and house them in a reasonable manner.  Now those owners have abandoned them, and the new people who took on the house inherited them I believe, and know nothing about goats, and are trying their best, but really don't want them.
Our North Ronaldsay Ram was an constant escapee too until he came to us, and never looked past his fence after that.  I think if we had proper fencing for goats then it wouldn't be something I would think twice on, but I don't really want to re-fence a significant area again when it was only done last year.  Another option is to house them with our Llama's, whose fence is significantly higher.  Anyone ever kept goats with Camelids?


Brucklay

  • Joined Apr 2010
  • Perthshire
    • Brucklay Pygmy Goats
    • Facebook
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2012, 09:22:46 am »
I don't have Llama's but a lady I know with pygmy does and I've seen them in together - and they seem to get on fine - and the pygmy's are horned - but I don't know the in's and out's of her system
Pygmy Goats, Shetland Sheep, Zip & Indie the Border Collies, BeeBee the cat and a wreak of a building to renovate!!

smudger

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • North Devon/ West Exmoor
Re: Quick pointers on Goat keeping please
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2012, 12:10:51 pm »
If YOU want them I'd say go for it, if there are no more experienced owners as an option. What is there to lose? They will be put to sleep otherwise and if a bit of TLC / good ownership doesn't turn them round and realise that life is better on the inside, then there is still that option to PTS, but you will have at least tried. I'd use the Llama paddock to begin with until mutual trust is established which could take weeks, if not months. I presume the sanctuary is going to give you support/ advice and not abandon you with them?


You will need a shelter and I bought alpaca hurdles as a temporary pen which could be another option if you can afford it.
Traditional and Rare breed livestock -  Golden Guernsey Goats, Blackmoor Flock Shetland and Lleyn Sheep, Pilgrim Geese and Norfolk Black Turkeys. Capallisky Irish Sport Horse Stud.

 

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