When is the best time to castrate and dehorn kids? You do not want a doe to be in poor condition when her next kids are born because her milk production will be reduced and there is a possibility of kids being born weak. This will allow the doe to gain weight before her next kidding.
Wean kids when they are three months old. A good rule is to breed does when they reach 60-75% of their mature weight. Breeding her earlier will stunt her growth and could lead to birthing difficulties. It is best to breed a young doe when she is one year old. How long is pregnancy (gestation) in goats? For a dairy, you will need a building to use as a milking parlor and a place to keep the baby goats (kids) away from their mothers and out of the elements. This can range from a natural wind break or rock outcropping, to a traditional barn. For meat, fiber or brush control goats, some type of structure to protect the goats from cold, wind, rain and wet ground is recommended. Housing needs will depend on the production system you choose. What type of housing do I need for goats? High tensile electric fencing (5 strands) will also work well and is less expensive to build and maintain. Goats with horns can get their heads caught in this type of fence, so dehorn them. Woven wire fences do a good job of containing goats. What type of fence will keep a goat in the pasture? Seven or eight goats will eat about as much as one cow. Again, this number depends on the quality and quantity of forage and browse available. You can run one to three goats for each cow. The result is more desirable forage (grass and clover) for the other livestock. Goats will prefer browse and weeds over grass and clover. This is true because goats prefer plants that are undesirable to other livestock. Fresh water and a loose mineral supplement should be available at all times. This is usually given in the form of hay or grain. If forage and browse are not available, such as in winter or during severe drought, supplemental feed is required. Matching forage quality to the animal's nutrient requirement can reduce the need for supplemental grain, saving you money. Graze grass when it is 6 to 8 inches tall and remove the goats when grass is 3 to 4 inches. Understanding the stages of maturity and how this affects forage quality is important. Goats will consume 4.5 pounds of dry matter per 100 pounds of body weight per day. With the exception of milkers, high quality browse and forage will meet most goat's requirements. This requirement varies with stage of production, stage of growth and the type of production system. Goats have a high nutritional requirement. Browse includes shrubs, woody plants, weeds and briars. This rate will vary with the quantity and quality of forage and browse available. How many goats can I place on my property?Ī general recommendation is 6 to 10 goats per acre for stocking year-round. If you are considering fiber production, the Angora and Cashmere breeds would be good choices. For meat production the Boer and Native are all common. The Nubian is considered a dual purpose breed, suitable for milk and meat production. For milk production the Alpine, LaMancha, Toggenburg, Saanen and Oberhasli are popular breeds. Some goats are better suited for certain production systems than others.
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