Goats

[Dani]

Buster, my 7 month old goat is now staying in my hallway. He got the scours again a few days ago and the vet prescribed a red liquid that wasn't helping so called him back and now I have some pills that may or may not be working. We just started them so we will see. I told Pat this afternoon that we needed to bring him in since he has lost some weight and with this cold front, he can not keep warm even after giving him a sweater blanket. Laid down a tarp and feeding him some medicated feed with some probiotics and his pills. Just don't think Buster is liking the fact he I inside, but with temps deeping down below freezing with rain, he will just have to deal with it.

 

[jimLE]

i hope he gets better soon..

 

[Kenprep1979]

just remember it is better to eat a killed goat then a goat that has died !

 

[Brent S]

Buster, my 7 month old goat is now staying in my hallway. He got the scours again a few days ago and the vet prescribed a red liquid that wasn't helping so called him back and now I have some pills that may or may not be working. We just started them so we will see. I told Pat this afternoon that we needed to bring him in since he has lost some weight and with this cold front, he can not keep warm even after giving him a sweater blanket. Laid down a tarp and feeding him some medicated feed with some probiotics and his pills. Just don't think Buster is liking the fact he I inside, but with temps deeping down below freezing with rain, he will just have to deal with it.

I wish I knew more about animals to be able to help you. I remember some schmuck in fla. Had about a hundred heavily wooded acres and decided to get goats to clear it. He fenced it and dropped about twenty goats on it and left. Needless to say they all died and I think he caught some heat from the humane society. Most animals take some care to be healthy and productive. I haven't researched anything on goats yet but. Am considering getting a female for milk to try my hand at cheese. My biggest problem is I've planted a lot of edibles on my property, and from what I hear goats are masters at escaping their area to eat your plants. I wish you well with treating him, let us know how it goes.

 

[Dani]

I wish I knew more about animals to be able to help you. I remember some schmuck in fla. Had about a hundred heavily wooded acres and decided to get goats to clear it. He fenced it and dropped about twenty goats on it and left. Needless to say they all died and I think he caught some heat from the humane society. Most animals take some care to be healthy and productive. I haven't researched anything on goats yet but. Am considering getting a female for milk to try my hand at cheese. My biggest problem is I've planted a lot of edibles on my property, and from what I hear goats are masters at escaping their area to eat your plants. I wish you well with treating him, let us know how it goes.

Honestly. I have a lot of edibles on my property too, but as of yet, I have never had any of my goats try to get out of the fence. . . unless they are trying to follow me out. Goats are great if you tend them and make sure that they have everything they need as in food, water, minerals, etc.. I have an acre of land right now for 12 goats. Hunny said the other day that he wished we had our goats when we first started clearing our land, cause we did it by hand. They will strip everything they can reach standing on their hind legs.
One of the reasons I have goats is for their milk. It is good to drink and also if you need to supplement another critter, goats milk is the best to give. I had to bottle feed some piglets with it, since mom turned out to just lay on the babies and they all survived and getting BIG. Actually 2 have already been sold.

 

[Dani]

just remember it is better to eat a killed goat then a goat that has died !

If it is a sick goat with scours, maybe an intestinal parasite, you do not want to eat it. .

 

[Dani]

just remember it is better to eat a killed goat then a goat that has died !

He did get to feeling better. . and he now thinks I am his momma. . . I have been run ragged today. He seemed to get into everything, knocked over my glass on the nightstand, followed me in for a shower, head butts the door if I close him out for a moment, etc.

 

[Brent S]

Honestly. I have a lot of edibles on my property too, but as of yet, I have never had any of my goats try to get out of the fence. . . unless they are trying to follow me out. Goats are great if you tend them and make sure that they have everything they need as in food, water, minerals, etc.. I have an acre of land right now for 12 goats. Hunny said the other day that he wished we had our goats when we first started clearing our land, cause we did it by hand. They will strip everything they can reach standing on their hind legs.
One of the reasons I have goats is for their milk. It is good to drink and also if you need to supplement another critter, goats milk is the best to give. I had to bottle feed some piglets with it, since mom turned out to just lay on the babies and they all survived and getting BIG. Actually 2 have already been sold.

I'm encouraged by your info. I have 2.5acres and just like you I've cleared almost all of it by hand. I've wore out two chainsaws and am on my third now, and I won't even go into how much poision Ivey I got into! I hear goats make short work of most vegetation. I have about 3/4 acre of cleared grass area for some sort of animals set aside and am almost done fencing it. I think a cow would produce too much milk for me to handle, but goats just might do the trick. How much does an average goat produce in a day?

 

[Dani]

I'm encouraged by your info. I have 2.5acres and just like you I've cleared almost all of it by hand. I've wore out two chainsaws and am on my third now, and I won't even go into how much poision Ivey I got into! I hear goats make short work of most vegetation. I have about 3/4 acre of cleared grass area for some sort of animals set aside and am almost done fencing it. I think a cow would produce too much milk for me to handle, but goats just might do the trick. How much does an average goat produce in a day?[/quote
I would say that it really depends on what kind of goat you have and what size they are. It really depends. I have a full sized Nubian who will give almost a gallon a day, but I have a smaller Nubian who gives about a quart and a half. Most full sized milk producing goats should give you about a gallon a day - - 2 quarts at each milking, but I have a friend who's goat will give almost a gallon at each milking. . . yeah if she ever gets rid of that one, I will be jumping on the opportunity even though it is a 4 hour trip one way. I do have a Jersey cow and you are looking at about 6 gallons a day. I do sell my milk and around her I sell goat milk for $2 a quart and cow's milk $3 a gallon, but recently found out that another person was selling cow milk at $9 and then went up to $10. Some of his customers started coming to me.

 

[Dani]

It depends on your goat really. Do you have a meat type goat or a dairy goat? And how many times has she had kids? Milk capacity will increase after each freshening.

 

[Dani]

I now have a very sweet baby boy that has been living inside with us since Dec 12th when he was born. His momma was in a panic a few hours after he was born to alarm me. I went out to find him and he was just not right. His right side ear was closed up and he was not able to stand due to his right elbow was locked up. I immediately brought him in cause I knew he would not be able to nurse and have been bottle feeding and doing physical therapy with him since. At 2 months, he is up and running around following me wherever I go. He does very well with my dogs and loves to chase the chickens with my dog, Ike. The geese tends to pick on him when he first goes out, but then leaves him alone. I have taken him out with the other goats, but do bring him I with me after awhile. We tend to just walk to all the different pastures visiting the critters. When we walk down by the cows, Charlie just runs the fence line with us. His front elbow is still not 100 % and if he gets down on his side, can not get up on his own yet. I am hopeful that one day he will, but that will be a have to wait and see. Have noticed that his right side horn is now deforming as it is growing in and trying to grow into the skull eventually so he will need to be dehorned ASAP. I hate that since the horn is about an inch long now. I got tired of saying Come here Baby so he is now called Fred (I was reading a book at the time with a set of twins) and his brother is Ted. At night he goes into a playpen (with a board) in my bedroom and I am just happy that he is sleeping thru the night now instead of getting up 3 - 4 times.

 

[Brent S]

I now have a very sweet baby boy that has been living inside with us since Dec 12th when he was born. His momma was in a panic a few hours after he was born to alarm me. I went out to find him and he was just not right. His right side ear was closed up and he was not able to stand due to his right elbow was locked up. I immediately brought him in cause I knew he would not be able to nurse and have been bottle feeding and doing physical therapy with him since. At 2 months, he is up and running around following me wherever I go. He does very well with my dogs and loves to chase the chickens with my dog, Ike. The geese tends to pick on him when he first goes out, but then leaves him alone. I have taken him out with the other goats, but do bring him I with me after awhile. We tend to just walk to all the different pastures visiting the critters. When we walk down by the cows, Charlie just runs the fence line with us. His front elbow is still not 100 % and if he gets down on his side, can not get up on his own yet. I am hopeful that one day he will, but that will be a have to wait and see. Have noticed that his right side horn is now deforming as it is growing in and trying to grow into the skull eventually so he will need to be dehorned ASAP. I hate that since the horn is about an inch long now. I got tired of saying Come here Baby so he is now called Fred (I was reading a book at the time with a set of twins) and his brother is Ted. At night he goes into a playpen (with a board) in my bedroom and I am just happy that he is sleeping thru the night now instead of getting up 3 - 4 times.

If I die soon, I want to come back as one of your pets! My pets are less pampered, but really good with gravy . JK! (sort of) I wish I lived closer to you, Id love to learn more about goats, and yes that includes taking care of the special ones too.

 

[Dani]

I love my Freddy. but some days me drives me crazy. Tonight he is trying to eat some of the book in my bedroom. OK there are a few that mom gave me that I could care less of BUT the new ones that were given for Christmas. . . I have to put a weight in front of my door to keep it closed because he likes to nibble on the whole that my moms dog put there while I was dog sitting, Yep that is my life ! I am watching him now and he has pulled 5 books off and pushing them across the floor and now as I am writing this he has come over to the towel I dropped down by my chair. Such a sweet baby

 

[Brent S]

I love my Freddy. but some days me drives me crazy. Tonight he is trying to eat some of the book in my bedroom. OK there are a few that mom gave me that I could care less of BUT the new ones that were given for Christmas. . . I have to put a weight in front of my door to keep it closed because he likes to nibble on the whole that my moms dog put there while I was dog sitting, Yep that is my life ! I am watching him now and he has pulled 5 books off and pushing them across the floor and now as I am writing this he has come over to the towel I dropped down by my chair. Such a sweet baby

Hey, we were talking about watching animals and it usually being safe to eat what they eat. I would probably not adivise this with goats!

 

[Dani]

Hey, we were talking about watching animals and it usually being safe to eat what they eat. I would probably not adivise this with goats!

or pigs for that matter. . .

 

[Dani]

I have had some major goat problems this month. We have had a very rainy fall with 3 goats who had foot rot so brought them to higher ground in the back yard and treated with wound spray, LA 200 and hoof meds. All doing better. Then Polly Anna got a bladder infection, blood in her urine. Treated with LA-200 and Sulfa pills and doing good now. Then Billy. . . with ones who remember, he is the one that was in a pic of him opening the feed box for me at feeding time, he developed arthritis. I have had him since 2 months old and he will always be my baby boy even though he is almost 7 years old. Hunny told me that he fell over last Friday while I was at work and he had to go out to pick him back up. That day I brought him into the backyard to observe. His knees were swollen so have been giving him extra vitamins along with anti-inflammatory meds (aspirin). When giving goats over the counter meds. keep in mind that they have 2 stomachs, so double whatever a human's dosage is

 

[jimLE]

good luck with the goats

 

[Dani]

And I forgot to post yesterday, . . . When going out to feed after work, I saw Dexter, a Nubian Spanish mix, had a swollen jaw. I mean baseball sized. Pour baby had an abscess that had to get lanced. He got tied down, shaven, cleaned, opened up, squeezed on, flushed out, stitched up but left room to drain and given a penicillin shot and he only let out a couple whimpers. . . OMGoodness he was such a good boy! Today when checking he is looking good and reapplied some wound spray, trying to keep any infections away. Initially I thought a tooth, but he didn't have bad breath. Trust me if it was, you would smell it! So he may have gotten punctured or stung by whatever and got infected. Can't believe I didn't notice the day before, even if it was getting dark at feeding. . . some days you just want to kick yourself. If noticed at beginning of swelling, he would have just gotten a shot.