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1 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide GOAT GUIDE DAIRY 2 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide

1 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide GOAT GUIDE DAIRY 2 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide Index Dairy Goat Journal Subscription Offer. ......................................................3 A Basic Guide To Raising Dairy Goats....................................................4 Toys For Goats.......................................................................................18 Countryside Subscription Offer. ...............................................................20 Countryside Bookstore Resources. ..........................................................21 Make Your Own Cheese. .......................................................................22 Got Milk?............................................................................................................36 3 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide 1 Dairy Goat Journal, January/February, 2008 1 Vol. 86 No. 1, January/February, 2008 $4.95 U.S. Dairy Goat Journal Plus: • Visit Jekuthiel Dairy • Start Kids Out Right • Parasite Priority And much more inside! 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I enclosed payment and understand that I can get a full refund if I’m not completely satisfied. 3 Start or renew your subscription today! 1 Dairy Goat Journal, May/June 2015 • www.DairyGoatJournal.com Dairy Goat Journal Vol. 93 No. 3 • May/June 2015 Goat Milk Sustains Life Indian Researchers Share Management Tips Wormwood: More Wonder Than Worry Plus: • Organic Dairy Retains Flexibility • All-American Awards And much more inside! $4.99 U.S. • WWW.DAIRYGOATJOURNAL.COM 1 Dairy Goat Journal, July/August 2015 • www.DairyGoatJournal.com Dairy Goat Journal Vol. 93 No. 4 • July/August 2015 Plus: • Toggenburg Judging • Marketing Advice • Dutch White Goat Cheese And much more inside! $4.99 U.S. • WWW.DAIRYGOATJOURNAL.COM Find Profit with Dairy Goats Tanning Hides Equals Added Value Select the Best Fence Charger Cheesemaker Looks Long-Term 4 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide A Basic Guide To Raising DAIRY GOATS Introduction Goats are sometimes called “the poor man’s cow” for good reason. For homesteaders who want to raise their own dairy products, a goat can be a more manageable and practical choice than a cow. The initial cost of a goat or even several goats is much lower than a cow. Feed and equipment costs are also more affordable. Something the size of a cow can be intimidating for the first-time livestock owner, but a typical goat is more like a large friendly dog. In her book A Practical Guide to Small-Scale Goatkeeping, Billie Luisi eloquently describes why goats fit so well into the homesteading life and philosophy. “The dairy goat should be both the mascot and figurehead for the soft or appropriate-technology lifestyle. She has always been the protein re- source of cultures living on marginal land and of lower-class rural populations in times of depression, war or other periods of transition and unrest…Goat technology is small-scale technology.” So a goat makes sense…but is it the right choice for you? To find out, let’s answer some of the most common questions prospective goat owners ask. How much milk does a goat give? An average goat produces 1,500 pounds (750 quarts) of milk a year. Naturally, this figure varies widely depending on the animal, but this means a gallon of milk a day from a pair of average goats. That’s more than enough for most families. Even a marginal dairy cow pro- duces several gallons of milk a day, and the surplus is often fed to the pigs or given away. Goats are often the better choice for the properly managed homestead. Keep in mind that goats typically milk for only 10 months a year and are “dried off” for two months of rest before kidding (giving birth) again. Milk production tends to rise quickly after kidding before taper- ing downward. With just one or two goats, you won’t have a consis- tent, year-round milk supply. What does goat milk taste like? Is it richer than cow milk? Goat milk tastes almost like raw cow milk. In most cases, few people can tell the difference. Goat milk is whiter, however. In com- position, there is very little difference between the two. Some people think goat milk tastes richer, but that’s because they’re used to drink- ing “standardized” cow milk from the store. Standardized milk gen- erally contains three percent butterfat, and today two percent, and even one percent milk is popular. Most cows, notably Jerseys, have far higher butterfat averages, which makes the milk taste richer. 5 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide Goats vary by breed too, with Nubians generally producing the highest butterfat and Saanens usu- ally producing the lowest…quite akin to the Jerseys and Holsteins of the cow world. However, many other factors influence butterfat content, including the stage of lactation and the feed. How much does it cost to keep a goat? This will vary from year to year and place to place, depending on feed prices and, of course, on what you feed. A general estimate for feed costs would be $125 to $250 a year. Goats will need anywhere from a half-ton to two tons of hay a year, depending on the kind, quality, waste, and on what browse is available. A goat also needs a pound of grain a day. A mixture of corn and oats is a common ration, although barley, wheat bran, sorghum and other grains are also used. The choice depends largely on what is grown or available in your area, and the cost. A doe (female goat) will need an extra pound of grain for every two quarts of milk she produces. These rough figures along with local feed prices will determine your annual feed costs. Bedding and health care costs will also vary. Some people spend a great deal on these, while others spend little or nothing. Other costs to consider are one-time investments, such as housing, fencing, feed and water containers, hay storage, and milking equipment. Here again, you can spend a lot of money, or you can make do with facilities and equipment already on hand or available at little cost. There is one other cost consideration. Unless a neighbor provides free buck service, there will be breeding fees, or you’ll have the expense of buying and caring for your own herd sire. I don’t have a lot of room, can I still keep a few goats? These animals are ideal for the small homestead. Goats require from 12 to 20 square feet per animal for housing (less in warm climates where they spend more time outdoors) and a modest outdoor exer- cise pen. Housing should be dry and draft-free, but it doesn’t have to be heated. Do goats make good pets? They certainly do. They are extremely intelligent and very friendly and personable. The occasional mean goat was either mistreated, or simply wasn’t handled enough. However, goats are livestock, not dogs. They shouldn’t be chained up or allowed to run loose. They can and will eat rose bushes, fruit trees and pine trees and will make nuisances of themselves if al- lowed. To the person who asks, “How can I keep my goats from jumping on the car?” the answer is, “Don’t park your car in the goat pen.” What about health problems? Goats tend to be extremely hardy and have few problems when properly cared for. They are liable to have some internal parasites (and prob- ably couldn’t live without some of them), but a vet- erinarian can help you develop a deworming program. Mastitis (udder inflammation) is fairly common, but that falls under the category of milking management. In general, unless you plan to raise a large number of goats or have a commercial operation, you’ll prob- ably rely on the vet rather than trying to become a goat health specialist. 6 Countryside Dairy Goat Guide What about chores? Goats have to be fed and watered every day. If they’re in milk, you’ll have to milk them every 12 hours—but that doesn’t mean on the minute, and it can be at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. or noon and midnight. There will be pens to clean and fresh bedding to spread. Goats need to have their hooves checked and trimmed occasionally, depending on a number of fac- tors. Hooves of goats confined to bedded pens will grow faster than those of goats scampering around on rocks. Once a month is a typical average. I’ve heard goat meat is quite tasty, is that true? Goat meat (it’s called chevon, or cabrito) is very much like lamb, and uploads/Geographie/ goat-guide 1 .pdf