When goats can’t browse, they need hay (3% to 4% of their body weight, per day) for their rumens to function properly. This can be fed free-choice or twice a day.

Typical goat hoof trimming should be completed every two to three months. Spring and fall are especially important, as folds in overgrown hooves can trap mud and moisture, creating the perfect environment for bacteria to invite rot and scald.

Foot rot and related foot scald cause soreness and limping. In severe cases, goats will try to walk on their knees. When you see goats limping, examine the hoof.

Deciduous incisors generally erupt one pair per week from birth, so you can reckon a kid’s age. The first two middle permanent incisors emerge as a yearling approaches 18 months old.

During labor, the doe progresses through three stages.

A normal live birth in goats occurs at 145-155 days. Day 147 is 21 weeks’ gestation, or approximately five months. Lemgth of fetus at 30 days: 1.4 cm; Length of fetus at 145 days: 43.0 cm.

When selecting a mineral supplement for your herd, choose one made specifically for goats. Supplements made for other species will not provide optimum levels and may even be harmful.

Whether you are planning to build a herd or building a goat shelter, what goat predators do you need to think about? Here are the nine most serious goat predators from the least number of kills to the most with details on how to determine what predator you may be dealing with.

Kefir is a probiotic-rich milk drink similar to thin yogurt. Traditional kefir is made from cow, goat, or sheep milk, cultured by kefir grains composed of polysaccharides, bacteria, and yeast living in symbiosis. It is not possible to harness these in nature like with sourdough yeast; they must be acquired from someone who already has them.

Edit this schedule with your specific dates and goals. Once you have a calendar that works for you, it will help keep you on track when things get hectic.