[Min]

Hello, I have a few questions about goats - preliminary ones to know whether it is worth reading up about them properly! 

1. How do you go about getting your nanny in kid?
2. Can you "ring" a billy kid like you do with tup lambs?
3. Is such a billy kid good for eating and when?
4. Should the companion goat be another nanny or can it be a castrated male?
5. Can you feed the milk to other animals eg. pigs?

Thanks in advance. 

[jinglejoys]

 1 I just stick the billy in but you can AI
2 Yes
3 Yes..whenever you like (the Italians like them a few weeks old)most slaughter after 6months
4 A castrate will do
5 Of coarse!They're the universal foster mother were used before cows
 
 
of coarse you missed out the all important question...what fencing do they need? 
 

[ballingall]

1. How do you go about getting your nanny in kid? Find a stud male- ideally a local goatkeeper. Remember some goatkeepers CAE test their animals, and will insist on yours being tested in order to use the billy.
2. Can you "ring" a billy kid like you do with tup lambs? Yes
3. Is such a billy kid good for eating and when? Yes, though it gives a little less meat than a lamb.
4. Should the companion goat be another nanny or can it be a castrated male? Can be either!
5. Can you feed the milk to other animals eg pigs? Yes, but there are rules around feeding to pigs, so check it out. We fed our weaners on goats milk, as long as it is produced on your holding, and as long as the milk hasn't been through the kitchen.



Beth

[Min]

Okay so if you find stud male you can take your goat to him? Or have him come to you? Do you need any sort of movement licence for this? Sorry if this is a stupid question (see thread title)! AI could be a good option though.

of coarse you missed out the all important question...what fencing do they need? 

Well I was trying to break myself in gently but okay.    Do I have a snowflakes chance in hell of keeping them in without electric fencing?

Thanks for the answers so far. I was mainly concerned about ending up with "waste" goats or milk. I wouldn't want to keep them if so.

[Daisys Mum]

Yes you will need to complete a movement form to take your goat to stud. I only have pygmys so can't help with the fencing but I do know they are great escaplogists so probably do need elec fencing. My girls go under things rather than over.

[Min]

Limbo dancers eh? I never considered that!

Okay, a movement form doesn't sound too prohibitive. I suppose it is more about recording movements rather than trying to discourage people moving animals!

All sounds good so far! 

[Lesley Silvester]

My billy went off for slaughter in February, aged 20 months and that was a bit late. there was loads on meat on him and it's delicious but it does need to be cooked very slowly.

I don't use electric fencing but as my goats are yarded rather than having a field, it wasn't too prohibative to have high wooden fencing. I also have Sanaans which don't seem to keen on escaping as others. British Alpines, on the other hand, make escaping their life work from my experience. 

Remember you can always make cheese and yogurt from excess milk. I have yoghurt in the fridge right now and the first lot of curds is straining now ready for cheese.    Both are very easy to make.

Never having ringed anything, I got my vet to ring Curry when he was being disbudded. It only took him seconds and didn't add anything to the bill.

You presumably have holding number for your land?

Being a bit lot of a goat addict, I'd say go for it. 

[plumseverywhere]

Hi Min,

Reading your post reminds me of me a few years ago!! I joined TAS in 2009 and asked similar questions about goats...then went and got 4 escapologists   
Whereabouts are you? There's a good chance that one of us is located near you and you could pay a visit?

Mine have stock fencing with a top electric wire and one shoulder height to the goats (as they have a habit of rubbing on the fencing and before you know it said fencing is leaning over and poles are coming out of the ground!!)

Lisa

[Min]

Plumseverywhere - Escapologists? Goat-shaped straight jackets for all then.    At the moment we are in Edinburgh and are not particularly close to moving just yet. Planning in advance helps me to know how much land we might need though. If I could find someone to visit at some point though, that would be really great.

Mad Goatwoman (great name!) - I thought of making cheese, butter and soap with the milk. My next step is probably to attempt these with bought in milk! Holders number - okay. I think I have vaguely read about this but am hoping that by the time I come to it I should know all that stuff. Phew, this simple life seems a bit complicated.. 

(I plan to start with chickens and some of the easier vegetables and work my way up. )

[plumseverywhere]

Ah, we are in Worcestershire so a little far for a visit  shame.

I've made cheese and the occasional bit of soap - its all good fun and so nice to see an end product.

[ballingall]

Hey Min, we are outside Falkirk, so perhaps close enough for a visit sometime. Or you pop into the Royal Highland Show and see us there!


Beth

[Lesley Silvester]

Mad Goatwoman (great name!) - I thought of making cheese, butter and soap with the milk. My next step is probably to attempt these with bought in milk!

Thank you. Those who have met me will no doubt tell you the name suits me. 

Goats' milk doesn't separate very well unless you use a separator which costs a fortune, so making butter is not so easy. Cheese is very easy, as it yogurt. Plums is the one to ask for soap making advice. She has been known to make a few (hundred) bars of the stuff. I'm not sure how easy it would be to make cheese with pasteurised milk, which is all you can buy these days.

Exciting days if you are planning to get a smallholding and you are wise to be prepared and to start off on a small scale. I'm in Shropshire which is a bit far for you to visit, although you would be very welcome.

[Min]

Goats' milk doesn't separate very well unless you use a separator which costs a fortune, so making butter is not so easy.

Ah, I did wonder about that. I knew it must be possible as I have seen goats butter in the shops but it didn't occur to me that specialist equipment mighty be responsible.

Exciting days if you are planning to get a smallholding and you are wise to be prepared and to start off on a small scale. I'm in Shropshire which is a bit far for you to visit, although you would be very welcome.

A wee bit but thanks for the offer anyway! 

Ballingall;-

Hey Min, we are outside Falkirk, so perhaps close enough for a visit sometime. Or you pop into the Royal Highland Show and see us there!

Oh, the Royal Highland Show would be excellent! If you don't mind, I will PM you closer to the time and arrange a good time to say hello. Thanks very much.

[Bumblebear]

We got our seperator on Ebay from Croatia or somewhere.  I did think it might be dodgy bit it is BRILLIANT and at £80 in comparison to the £1000 I saw others at, it is brilliant.  I make cheese (soft and hard) and ice cream, not enough cream left for butter I'm afraid, and ice cream wins everytime 

Flipping lambs are drinking some too at the moment, so I'm on ice-cream withdrawl....

We have BAs and (touch wood) they are not escapologists but they are very cheeky.

[Lesley Silvester]

Just looked and there are a lot from the Ukraine. Could that be where yours is from? I like the idea of making proper ice cream. 

If you get five minutes could you perhaps look at them and see if your one is among them, please.