Goats output the greatest amount of energy for any agricultural animal for their relative size

N.S.W. Branch Dairy Goat Society of Australia inc.

Feeding

Provide a combination of hay, browsing (leaves and bark) and grazing (pasture)

Milk production can be maximized in a good dairy breed  by feeding  a concentrated diet of oats, barley and bran. A typical diet of a hand fed milker.

Milk for kids should be available up until 6 weeks of age.

Water should be available at all times.

Shelter

Dairy goats lack the properties in their hair to facilitate water rejection. They need shelter to protect them from the rain. They may also require this to sleep in at night or as shelter on hot days. It will get smelly and dirty if not cleaned out on a regular basis. Options to reduce cleaning may include transportable shelters or elevated timber planks to allow excrement to fall through.  

 

Goat Care Resourses

Kidding

Does need to be more than 8 months of age and around 35kgs before being put into kid. This ensures that their muscles are developed enough to push the kid out and they have enough weight and size to remain healthy during and after the process.

Does cycle every 18-21 days for 36 hours between March and August. This may vary depending on location and individual goats.

The gestation period of goats is 5 months.

Kidding may be within 24 hours when the does:             -                udder fills, becoming shiny,

        -                isolate themselves from the herd,

        -                sit down and get up regularly and/or

        -                the thy bone becomes more pronounced as she loosens her muscles               around the unborn kid

Seek breeders advice or veterinary assistance if the doe is straining hard and not making any progress.

One offspring is normal for first time kidder. Two offspring is average. Three kids is also quite common.

Health Care

·  Trim hooves every two months. Information on trimming hooves.

· Worm the goats every six weeks to three months, depending on the situation. Information on worming.

· Vaccinate twice a year for kids and once a year thereafter. Get a product that protects against pulpy kidney disease, tetanus and CLA or cheesy gland. Avoid a 5 in 1 product for white goats as it may cause problems.

· Disbud kids at 4 to 10 days. Seek expert assistance when undertaking this task.

Health Problems

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis - ensure that you purchase CAE tested animals

It is a virus spread through the exchange of bodily fluids, including milk.

Blood samples taken from the vet and examined in a laboratory is the only way of confirming CAE in animals. Well managed goats may show no clinical signs. It causes arthritis (swollen knees), pneumonia, mastitis, ill - thrift, ascending paralysis in affected does and all these and encephalitis in kids. 

Johnne’s Disease— A bacterial infection in the intestine of the goat

Prevents the absorption of food causing diarrhea, loss of weight and eventual death.

Have new purchased goats tested for JD disease