Goat Facts

• • Goats are referred to as small ruminants, meaning they have a four-chambered stomach like sheep and cattle.
• • Labor requirement for goats (five hours per doe per year) is higher than for beef cattle.
• • Goats do not like to get wet and will seek shelter in the rain.
• • Goats like to climb and jump.
• • Goats can be contained in properly constructed fences. More strands of electric wire will be needed to control goats than are needed for cattle. The fence should have two or three strands for division fences and at least five strands for the perimeter. If barbed wire or woven wire fencing is already in place, it might be necessary to add a strand or two of electric wire offset from the existing fence.
• • Goats do not flow through handling equipment as well as cattle.
• • Goats prefer to browse brush and trees. They will get on their hind legs to eat.
• • Male goats have an offensive odor, especially during the mating season.
• • Male goats are aggressive and can be difficult to manage. Children should stay out of pens with male goats, and adults should proceed with caution when entering those pens.
• • Goats are seasonal breeders, but some breeds will breed out of season.
• • Goats seem to be more susceptible to parasites in grazing situations than cattle.
• • The demand for goat meat is almost entirely ethnically or religiously based.
• • Goats are just as susceptible to predators as other livestock.
• • Both sexes are naturally horned in most goat breeds.

Novice goat producers need to learn about the physiology and reproductive system of goats to successfully manage them (Table 1).

Table 1. Physiological data and reproductive aspects of goats.

Breeds and Types

Goat breeds are generally divided into three primary types: dairy, meat, and fiber.

Common meat goat breeds are the Boer, Kiko, Savanah, and Spanish. Crosses between these breeds have resulted in very good performance and hardy kids with a desire to survive. Table 2 lists some of the breeds, their breed type, and important traits to consider.

Table 2. Goat breeds, types, and important traits.

Nutritional Requirements

The nutritional requirements for goats can often be met with forages. However, feed supplementation may be needed, depending on forage quality and desired animal performance (e.g., lactation, growth, or maintenance). On average, dry matter intake for a mature doe is 2 to 5 percent of her body weight per day (Table 3).

Table 3. Nutrient requirements for meat and fiber producing goats.

Derived from: Nutrient Requirements of Goats. 1981 National Research Council and Pinkerton, F. 1989. Feeding Programs for Angora Goats. Bulletin 605. Langston University, OK

¹Expected weight gain >.44 lb / day

Forages

The most common forage species for grazing goats in Nebraska are listed in Table 4. Goats will also graze a large number of weeds and understory plants found in Nebraska. The productivity, persistence, and nutritive quality of these species will vary, based on the stage of plant maturity and grazing pressure.

Goats prefer to graze above their shoulder height. When given a choice, goats prefer shrubs, saplings, and brambles over common pasture grasses and legumes.

Table 4. Common grass and legume species for grazing goats.

Mineral Supplementation

Many minerals and vitamins are not available in forages at the levels needed to support optimum growth, reproduction, lactation, and the health of the kids, mature does, and bucks. Minerals are divided into two categories, macro and micro, depending on the amount required in the diet. The major macro minerals are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, and sulfur. The micro minerals, which are required in smaller quantities, include copper, zinc, iron, iodine, manganese, and selenium.

Both the macro and micro minerals must be provided in the proper amounts. Providing either too much or not enough of these minerals and vitamins can cause problems. The most important thing to remember when considering mineral supplementation is that goats have a higher copper requirement than sheep. Use a good-quality trace mineralized salt to meet the goats’ needs. Do not feed both a complete feed with minerals added and free choice minerals at the same time. This wastes money and can potentially cause toxicity. Most common feeds do not contain a complete package, so read the feed label. The local extension office should be able to provide information about recommended minerals for the operation.

Stocking Rate

Stocking rate refers to the total number of goats per unit area over a given time period. To figure stocking rates, two terms must be understood:

• • Animal Unit (AU) equals a 1,000 pound mature cow.
• • Animal Unit Month (AUM) equals the forage or feed necessary to carry an animal unit for one month (about 780 pounds of air dry forage or 680 pounds of dry matter).

If a goat weighs 150 pounds: 150/1,000 = .15 AU or six to seven goats per AU.

The stocking rate will depend on the vegetative zone and condition of the range. Check with the local extension office for stocking rate guidelines for the pasture type and location. Most producers have been able to add one goat per cow to their existing operation without having to change their stocking rate for cattle.

Fencing

Options for Renovating Old Fences

Existing fences can be “goat proofed” by adding barbed or electric wire. Plank-type wooden fences can be upgraded by adding electrified wires between the planks. Any fence that is too high off the ground may be fortified by using either barbed wire or electric wire. Remember that goats are excellent climbers and will climb out of even the best constructed fence if objects (e.g., stumps, logs, rocks) are too close to the fence. Also, gates should be constructed with goat-proof latches. Corner braces should not be positioned so that goats can walk up them to escape.

Table 5. Specifications, approximate costs, and recommendations for fences for goats.

Health Issues

The No. 1 cause of death in goats in the United States is the blood-sucking gastrointestinal parasite Haemonchus contortus, or barber pole worm. The reproductive capacity of this parasite and its resistance to many dewormers make parasite control one of the limiting factors in goat production. Internal parasite management includes:

• • Proper and rotational grazing allowing at least five weeks between each grazing.
• • Frequent and timely animal inspection using the FAMACHA© system to aid in diagnosing anemia resulting from the internal blood-sucking parasite Haemonchus contortus and to determine the need for deworming, http://www.wormx.info/. FAMACHA—developed in South Africa by Dr. Fafa Malan—involves examination of the level of redness of the mucus membranes of a goat’s eyes, correlating the shade of red on a scale of 1 to 5 with the level of anemia.
• • Selective deworming products and correct dosages.
• • Eliminating animals from the goat herd that need frequent deworming treatment.

Table 6. Commonly used dewormers in goats (oral route of administration only).

Use of anthelmintics as “Extra Label” is legal only if prescribed by your veterinarian in the context of a valid client relationship (Meat Goat Production Handbook, page 131).

Foot scald/foot rot is another common health issue that results in lameness and often develops into a major economically significant disease. Frequent foot trimming helps reduce the incidence of foot scald by keeping mud from packing into foot crevices. Spot treatment with antibiotic sprays has limited benefits. Foot baths using zinc sulfate are the most effective treatment of foot scald. Special facilities must be constructed to hold goats for the 15-minute treatment. Goats with chronic foot scald/foot rot should be eliminated from the herd.

Abortion occurs when a female loses her offspring during pregnancy or gives birth to weak or deformed babies. There are vaccines (individual and combination) for several of the agents that cause abortion in sheep, including enzootic (EAE, Chlamydia sp.) and vibriosis (Campylobacter fetus). Abortion vaccines should be administered prior to breeding.

Risk factors for abortion include an open flock and a history of abortions in the flock. Unfortunately, no vaccine is available in the United States for toxoplasmosis, another common cause of abortion in sheep and goats. Since the disease-causing organism is carried by domestic cats, the best protection is to control the farm’s cat population by spaying or neutering and keeping cats from contaminating feed sources.

Vaccinations

A good health plan centers on a solid vaccination program that protects the goats from the common diseases Clostridium perfringens types C and D (overeating disease) and tetanus. Animals are vaccinated for two main reasons: to prevent disease and to reduce the recovery period if an animal is exposed to and contracts the disease. A basic vaccination program should include vaccinating kids at 1 month of age, booster vaccinations three to four weeks later, followed by booster buck and pregnant doe vaccinations 30 days prior to the start of kidding (Table 7).

Predator and Predator Control

The control of predators often requires a combination of methods, e.g., a guardian animal and a good fence. Dogs (e.g., Great Pyrenees, Komondor, Akbash, Anatolian, and Maremma), donkeys, and llamas are commonly used. The choice of a guard animal is a personal decision.

Table 7. Suggested health practices for bucks, does, and kids.

Vaccinate for Chlamydia, Campylobacter, and Leptospirosis if abortions are a problem.

Clostridium perfringens types C and D, plus Tetanus Toxoid; Chlamydia, Campylobacter, and Leptospirosis, if necessary.

Check Body Condition Score, and adjust management accordingly.

Deworm based on fecal egg counts or FAMACHA score.

Trim feet.

Markets

In general, the demand for goat meat in the United States is greater than the domestic supply so the market for meat goats continues to improve. Table 8 provides an annual basic goat budget per breeding doe.

In Nebraska, most meat goats are sold at livestock auction markets or by private treaty. The livestock markets that sell goats are limited in Nebraska so plan the marketing of them accordingly.

Websites of livestock auctions that sell goats include:

• • http://www.palmyralivestockmarket.com/
• • http://www.norfolklivestock.com/
• • http://colbylivestock.com/
• • http://www.loupcitycommissionco.com/
• • https://www.verdigrelivestock.com/
• • http://www.belleville81.com/
• • http://cla.casauction.com/
• • http://columbussalespavilion.com/

Table 8. Annual basic goat budget per breeding doe.

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