So you want to get in the goat business?

Are you ready, really really ready?

A. Will it fit your lifestyle and needs of your family, is your family supportive of this change?

B. Are your fences, pens, chutes, & sheds goat proof?

C. Is your grazing land adequate or what feed will you need?

D. Do you have a source for supplemental feed?

E. Is your predator controller in place?

F. In your medicine cabinet do you have

1. dewormer
2. vaccines
3. iodine
4. plastic gloves, syringes, needles
5. thermometer
6. nipples
7. hoof trimmers

G. Have you consulted  with your vet about your new venture and is he a "goat" vet?

H. Have you located a breeder where you can purchase stock and then expect support from them?

I. Budget and financial matters.

GOAT 101
   REPRODUCTIVE ASPECTS
       DOES:
       Age of puberty - 7-10 months of age
       Breeding weight, 60 to 75% of adult weight
       Estrous Cycle
           length - 18-22 days
           duration - 12-36 hours
           signs tail - wagging, mounting, bleating
       Ovulation - 12 to 36 hours from onset
           of standing heat
       Gestation length - 146 to 155 days
       Breeding Season - August through January
             (some individuals will breed anytime)

       BUCKS:
       Age of puberty - 4-8 months
       Breeding age - 8-10 months
       Breeding season - all year
       Breeding ratio - 30 to 80 does
   Until a new breeder's herd of nannies reaches at least 30 head it is advantageous to lease a fullblood registered buck so that all resulting nanny kids can be registered as 50% and be kept for replacement if desired.
  
IMPORTANT PRODUCTION TRAITS
       a. Adaptability
           a. Ability to survive in given environment
           b. Ability to reproduce in given environment
       b. Reproduction
           a. Conception rate
           b. Kidding and number of offspring
           c. Non-seasonality
       c. Growth rate
           a. Pre-weaning gain
           b. Post-weaning gain
       d. Carcass Characteristics

PHYSIOLOGICAL DATA
       Temperature - 101.7 - 104.5 F
       Heart rate - 70 -80 minutes
       Respiration rate - 12-15/minute
       Ruminal movements - 1-1.5 /minute

RULES FOR GOAT HEALTH
       a. Provide proper housing
       b. Practice good sanitation
       c. Provide adequate nutrition
       d. Provide clean water
       e. Observe how much feed they eat
       f.   Observe/know your animals
       g. Observe the feces of your animals
       h. Become familiar with the common diseases
       i. Investigate the source of strange smells
       j. Use your veterinarian for diagnosis

A HEALTHY GOAT
       a. Eats well
       b. Chews it cud
       c. Has a shiny coat
       d. Has strong legs and feet
       e. Is sociable
       f. Has bright and clear eyes.

SIGNS OF ILLNESS
       a. Off feed, water, Diarrhea
       b. No sign of cud chewing, runny eyes
       c. Standing apart from group
       e. Rough hair coat, hair falling out
       f. Abnormal temperature, swelling
           on any part of body
       g. Heavy mucous in nose & mouth,
           Pale mucosa of eyes and mouth

PURCHASED ANIMALS
   Upon arrival on site
       a. Vaccinate
       b. Deworm
       c. Identification tag and records

UPHOFF'S PROGRAM 2007

NANNIES - AFTER KIDDING
COVEXIN 8  2 cc SQ
CYDECTIN 10 cc ORALLY (DOSEAGE IS 5cc TO 50lbs)
BoSe - 1cc 20 lbs (DILUTED SELENIUM)
CLEANSING SHOT - 5cc SQ ID orally 1 cc (this assists in cleaning, infections)

KIDDING KIDS at birth
BoSe -.4cc SQ orally (DILUTED SELENIUM)
TETANUS ANTITOXIN - .4cc SQ
ID, a product to build immunity, orally
SPRAY NAVEL W/TAMED IODINE
WHITE WORMER GIVEN TO KIDS ON A SCHEDULE
(We use Pyrantel Pamoate Suspension from UPCO at 1 cc per 10 lbs every three weeks on all kids on the ground, counting from the earliest born. If you suspect a worm problem you could start two weeks and do it every two weeks)

KIDS BILLYS AT 90 & WEAN -
NANNYS AT 120 DAYS & WEAN
COVEXIN 8 2cc SQ
CYDECTIN 5 cc ORALLY
C.L. - 1cc SQ
SUPER POLY BAC B SOMNUS 1 cc SQ
CHLAMYDIA 1 cc SQ

ADULT NANNIES BEFORE BREEDING
COVEXIN 8 2cc SQ
CYDECTIN 10 cc ORALLY
C.L. 1 cc SQ first shot after 1/2 cc SQ  booster (if having CL problems use 1 cc for both shots until you see results from this vaccine)
SUPER POLYBACK B SOMNUS 1cc SQ First shot, 1/2cc SQ  booster
CHLAMYDIA 1 cc SQ

BILLYS
SAME AS ABOVE - TWICE PER YEAR - MARCH & OCTOBER
2007 we started giving the bucks BoSe appropriate to weight
CYDECTIN orally 15 cc FOR 150 lbs BILLY (5 cc for 50#)

CYDECTIN IS THE PURPLE POUR ON FOR CATTLE
We use CHLAMYDIA as a prevention for abortions and pinkeye.

FLUSHING
Feeding strategy to increase ovulation rate, Starting 3-4 weeks before the breeding season, and throughout the breeding season, increase the plane of nutrition of does to be bred, use feed with Rumensin
       a. Switch them to high quality pasture or
       b. Supplement them with 1/2 lb.
           whole corn/head/day

AFTER BREEDING
   To insure proper embryo development
   During the first month of pregnancy
       a. Keep nutrition similar to that
           of the flushing period

BREEDING TIME CONSIDERATIONS
       a. Facilities, adaptable for cold weather?
       b. Target markets such as Easter,
           Christmas, 4-H
       c. Time available for care
      
KID HEALTH PRACTICE
       1. At Birth
           a. Read vaccination program and follow
           b. Make sure kids get colostrum and
               the teets are open on the nanny
           c. Cold kids, warm and give
               5cc dextrose orally. Milk nanny and keep
                 them on her milk so you can return the
                 kids to her
             d. Start creep feed using rumensin to avoid
                 coccidiosis and increase weight gain
       2. Casteration
           a. Knife
           b. Emasulator
           c. Elastrator
       The question is why castrate if you will sell the buck kids at weaning time as at the present wethers do not bring any more money than the billy kids. If you creep feed your kids, these guys will be ready for the market at three months when you wean them, keep the nannies on their mother for four months to give them the extra growth to sell them or keep them for replacements.

FENCING - PERIMETER FENCE
       1. Smooth electrified wire
           a. At least 42 inches tall
               a. 6 to 8 inches near the ground
               b. 8 to 12 inches at the top strand
               Example 6-14-22-32-42-(52)
       2. Woven wire (6" X 6")
           a. Effective
           b. Cost at least twice as much as 5 strand
               wire electrified fence
           c. Horned goats can get caught
               1. Place an electric wire offset about
                   9" from woven wire fence about
                   18-24" off ground
       3. Woven Wire (6"X12")
           a. Effective
           b. Cheaper
           c. Horned goats usually do not get caught

FENCING - INTERIOR FENCES
       1. Two to three wires with tread-in post
           a. Braided or tape
           b. Electronet

GRAZING MANAGEMENT
In a pasture situation, goats are "top down" grazers. They eat seed heads or the tops and progressively take the forage down. This behavior results in uniform grazing as goats do not like to graze close to the ground. Grazing goats have been observed to

1. Select grass over clover,
2. Prefer browse over graze,
3. Graze along fence lines before center of a pasture,
4. Refuse to graze forage that is trampled or soiled.

It is preferable to give goats a daily allowance of forage and to move the fence according rather than to let them roam freely, thus control grazing. Control grazing results in better animal performance, higher stock rates and increased pasture productivity. They should also be offered mineral with rumensin as this will help control coccidiosis and provide better utilization of the graze.