# Raising Goat Questions for a newby



## flyboy718 (Jan 31, 2012)

Thinking of putting some goats on five acres...I really like the Kinder breed.  Our goal is to provide milk and meat for our family, more so milk that meat but would like to put a few in the freezer each year.  We will also have chickens that will provide some meat for us.    All that being said, we have quite a few questions...main one is cost of the animals? 
 How many would we need to start a small sustainable herd to fit our needs?  
What type and how much fencing would we need?  
How big of an area would we need?  What type of shelter?  
What type(s) of feed and what would be the cost per month for the feed?  
Sorry for all the questions!  Thanks for your time.


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## Queen Mum (Jan 31, 2012)

How many people are there in your family?  How much meat do you think you will need?  How much milk do you plan to need?  Do you plan to make butter and cheese?  What is the property like?  Is there a lot of browse (weeds and trees, grass, etcetera)?

You will need very good fencing.  Goats are incredible escape artists.   A simple three sided barn is OK, unless your winters are very harsh.  Feed consists of hay and minerals and grain ( especially during milking season).  You will also need basic supplies of medications, and immunizations, a good first aid kit, a milking stand, hoof trimming supplies, buckets, a milk pail, grain storage bins, fence repair supplies, a means to transport your goats (if you don't plan on doing your own animal medical care and don't plan to have your own buck).   

Cost of goats depends on how well you take care of your animals and whether or not you buy purebred animals and of course the cost of hay and grain in your area.  Fencing is one of your biggest short term expenses but your best investment is GOOD FENCING. 

Housing for your animals can be done on the cheap but should be done carefully and well.  

Welcome to BYH!


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## jerebear7 (Jan 31, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> How many people are there in your family?  How much meat do you think you will need?  How much milk do you plan to need?  Do you plan to make butter and cheese?  What is the property like?  Is there a lot of browse (weeds and trees, grass, etcetera)?
> 
> You will need very good fencing.  Goats are incredible escape artists.   A simple three sided barn is OK, unless your winters are very harsh.  Feed consists of hay and minerals and grain ( especially during milking season).  You will also need basic supplies of medications, and immunizations, a good first aid kit, a milking stand, hoof trimming supplies, buckets, a milk pail, grain storage bins, fence repair supplies, a means to transport your goats (if you don't plan on doing your own animal medical care and don't plan to have your own buck).
> 
> ...


I don't think it could have been said any better! You really know your goat info! Thanks for all your info you post on these topics, always enjoy learning new things from your posts!


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## terrilhb (Jan 31, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> How many people are there in your family?  How much meat do you think you will need?  How much milk do you plan to need?  Do you plan to make butter and cheese?  What is the property like?  Is there a lot of browse (weeds and trees, grass, etcetera)?
> 
> You will need very good fencing.  Goats are incredible escape artists.   A simple three sided barn is OK, unless your winters are very harsh.  Feed consists of hay and minerals and grain ( especially during milking season).  You will also need basic supplies of medications, and immunizations, a good first aid kit, a milking stand, hoof trimming supplies, buckets, a milk pail, grain storage bins, fence repair supplies, a means to transport your goats (if you don't plan on doing your own animal medical care and don't plan to have your own buck).
> 
> ...


X2


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## flyboy718 (Jan 31, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> How many people are there in your family?  How much meat do you think you will need?  How much milk do you plan to need?  Do you plan to make butter and cheese?  What is the property like?  Is there a lot of browse (weeds and trees, grass, etcetera)?
> 
> You will need very good fencing.  Goats are incredible escape artists.   A simple three sided barn is OK, unless your winters are very harsh.  Feed consists of hay and minerals and grain ( especially during milking season).  You will also need basic supplies of medications, and immunizations, a good first aid kit, a milking stand, hoof trimming supplies, buckets, a milk pail, grain storage bins, fence repair supplies, a means to transport your goats (if you don't plan on doing your own animal medical care and don't plan to have your own buck).
> 
> ...


1.  5 people
2.  75 - 100 lbs
3.  2 gallons a week
4.  Yes, soap also
5.  (3) acres of pecan orchard and (2) acres of maintained yard area 

We live in North Louisiana, winters are generally mild, summers are unbearable.  Again, we are looking at the Kinder breed of goat.  I would like a ball park figure of feed costs for one kinder goat for one month.  What type/brand fencing is sufficent for goats?


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## flyboy718 (Feb 1, 2012)

Anybody out there that can advise and give the info I am looking for?


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## SmallFarmGirl (Feb 1, 2012)

Nigerian/pygmy cross is great for meat and milk! Nigerians are GREAT for milk.


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## carolinagirl (Feb 1, 2012)

Is that 75 to 100 pounds per year?  per month?  

how do you plan to protect the pecan trees?  Goats LOVE to strip bark.  Once the bark is stripped, the tree dies.  For fence...you need the kind that has 4" x4" holes at a minumum ($289 for 330' roll at Tractor Supply) or the 2" x 4" holes is even better.  Get the Red Brand fence...its much higher quality and is made in the USA and not China. You also need electric wire on top (to keep them from jumping out and predators from jumping in), elecric wire on the inside about 15" up from the ground to keep the goats from destroying the fence.  You probably should put another electric wire on the outside about 15" up to help with predators.  So as you can see, fencing requirments for goats are pretty intense....and expensive.


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## flyboy718 (Feb 1, 2012)

carolinagirl said:
			
		

> Is that 75 to 100 pounds per year?  per month?
> 
> how do you plan to protect the pecan trees?  Goats LOVE to strip bark.  Once the bark is stripped, the tree dies.  For fence...you need the kind that has 4" x4" holes at a minumum ($289 for 330' roll at Tractor Supply) or the 2" x 4" holes is even better.  Get the Red Brand fence...its much higher quality and is made in the USA and not China. You also need electric wire on top (to keep them from jumping out and predators from jumping in), elecric wire on the inside about 15" up from the ground to keep the goats from destroying the fence.  You probably should put another electric wire on the outside about 15" up to help with predators.  So as you can see, fencing requirments for goats are pretty intense....and expensive.


75 - 100 lbs per year in meat is what we would like.  Pecan trees are not an issue, they are old and we don't worry with them anymore.  I can get the 2X4 welded wire fencing at Lowe's for a pretty good price...how high does it need to be?  So, let me get his straight.  I need three strands of electric wire...one on inside at 15" one on outside at 15" and one at top?  What is the best support for the 2X4 welded wire fencing...T-post?  How far apart?  

Ok, with the info I have given
 75 - 100 lbs of meat per year and enough milk to supply a couple gallons to drink each week and also make some cheese and soap with on a monthly basis...how many goats do I need and how much area would be required to pasture them?

I need a ballpark figure on what it would cost to feed these goats on a monthly basis.


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## Queen Mum (Feb 1, 2012)

The t posts need to be no more than 8 feet apart, but I would put them closer than that.  You will have to figure more t-posts for the corners.   There is a real good article somewhere on here by greybeard about doing corners.  If you follow his advice about doing the corners your fence will be awesome and stay strong.   Stretch your fence TIGHT.   It needs to be 5 feet high to keep them from climbing over, jumping over and crawling under.   And it needs to be right smack dab on the ground to keep them from going under it.

Cost for feed.  Someone else will have to answer that for you.  I have big dairy goats and my feed costs for one goat were about $25 - $35 per month during the winter months because the cost of hay, grain and minerals was very high where I was living.  IE, I was paying 20 a bale for orchard grass, 18 a bale for alfalfa, 18 a bag for grain and 14 a bag for alfalfa pellets


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## MrsDieselEngineer (Feb 1, 2012)

As far as meat goes, you can typically use 65-75% off a hanging weight carcass.  A 50lb goat should give you around 30-35lbs of meat.  I only have full size dairy does for milk so can't help you there!


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## flyboy718 (Feb 1, 2012)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> The t posts need to be no more than 8 feet apart, but I would put them closer than that.  You will have to figure more t-posts for the corners.   There is a real good article somewhere on here by greybeard about doing corners.  If you follow his advice about doing the corners your fence will be awesome and stay strong.   Stretch your fence TIGHT.   It needs to be 5 feet high to keep them from climbing over, jumping over and crawling under.   And it needs to be right smack dab on the ground to keep them from going under it.
> 
> Cost for feed.  Someone else will have to answer that for you.  I have big dairy goats and my feed costs for one goat were about $25 - $35 per month during the winter months because the cost of hay, grain and minerals was very high where I was living.  IE, I was paying 20 a bale for orchard grass, 18 a bale for alfalfa, 18 a bag for grain and 14 a bag for alfalfa pellets


Ok, how many goats do I need and how much space for them?


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## MrsDieselEngineer (Feb 1, 2012)

Well if you've decided on Kinder's you'll need 4 each year for meat and say each milker produces 2 quarts a day, you would need 4 milking does.  So if you started with 4 pregnant does, you could have the milk you need and the kids would provide you with the meat you need each year.  And for 8-10 kinders (depending on how many kids the 4 does produce) you really would only need 2 acres or so.  But it also depends on if you are going to graze them on pasture or feed them hay year round.  You need a little more if you're feeding just pasture but with hay you could get away with just an acre.

Oh, and don't forget a buck - that way you don't have to rent one each year


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## flyboy718 (Feb 1, 2012)

MrsDieselEngineer said:
			
		

> Well if you've decided on Kinder's you'll need 4 each year for meat and say each milker produces 2 quarts a day, you would need 4 milking does.  So if you started with 4 pregnant does, you could have the milk you need and the kids would provide you with the meat you need each year.  And for 8-10 kinders (depending on how many kids the 4 does produce) you really would only need 2 acres or so.  But it also depends on if you are going to graze them on pasture or feed them hay year round.  You need a little more if you're feeding just pasture but with hay you could get away with just an acre.
> 
> Oh, and don't forget a buck - that way you don't have to rent one each year


Hmmm...goats may be a little too much right now...might look into doing a pig or two a year first.


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## crazyland (Feb 1, 2012)

The cost of feed for me is roughly $30 a month for 11 goats. The bag of minerals lasts a while so that I don't buy but every 3 months. A bag of grain lasts about a month. Square bales of coastal hay is $4.50 and Timothy/alfalfa is $11.80. I also feed boss and shredded plain beet pulp. They forage on 2 acres of mixed pasture and woods plus a little marshland. 
Medications are not bought every month so I don't think about their costs. But cdt is $8 and ivermectin is $31.


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## MrsDieselEngineer (Feb 3, 2012)

Of course you could always get large sized goats, you wouldn't need as many.  You would only need two does to milk and 2 to raise for meat.


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## Ariel72 (Feb 3, 2012)

Something I've learned about starting out in a farming adventure is to start small.  Starting small could be two does.  It wouldn't give you all you need at first but it would allow you more room to learn, and mistakes won't be as overwhelming, expensive and devistatating.  You also wouldn't need to fence as large an area, at first  Maybe could figure out how to have a smaller yard connected to a 3 sided shed.  They could be put the goats into a moveable pen in the daytime, or at times you can be available to check on them.  I understand wanting to jump in with both feet but caring for livestock is relentless and its easier to get used to in smaller doses.  Emotionally and money wise.

I didn't remember if you said you have any livestock experience yet or not.  If not it would be a good idea to start with a few chickens or a couple of rabbits.  IMO rabbits are better for meat than chickens.  In the old days chickens were for eggs with only spent hens and extra roosters used for meat.  Not a real reliable source of meat.  The meat chickens eat huge amounts of expensive feed and poop huge amounts of poop, which they sit in.  I have raised and butchered these and think they are very gross.  Again just my opinion.  I have started small with one pair of rabbits and a few laying hens and have learned so much.  I've enjoyed it without being stressed about them.  I find I can supplement much of their feed with feed I gather myself (I learn what a plant is before I feed it, and always feed a large variety, sometimes as much as 6 different kinds of greens at a time).  I'm just now starting with goats and am enjoying my novice farming experience very much.  This is my plan: goats for milk, chickens for eggs, rabbits for meat.  Of course culls from any category could fall into the meat group, but they are an extra.  Maybe more info than you wanted, but I'd hate to see you not get started cause it seems like too much.  Just start small and read everything you can about each species before you get it (books, old posts).


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## Queen Mum (Feb 3, 2012)

Ariel72 said:
			
		

> Something I've learned about starting out in a farming adventure is to start small.  Starting small could be two does.  It wouldn't give you all you need at first but it would allow you more room to learn, and mistakes won't be as overwhelming, expensive and devistatating.  You also wouldn't need to fence as large an area, at first  Maybe could figure out how to have a smaller yard connected to a 3 sided shed.  They could be put the goats into a moveable pen in the daytime, or at times you can be available to check on them.  I understand wanting to jump in with both feet but caring for livestock is relentless and its easier to get used to in smaller doses.  Emotionally and money wise.
> 
> I didn't remember if you said you have any livestock experience yet or not.  If not it would be a good idea to start with a few chickens or a couple of rabbits.  IMO rabbits are better for meat than chickens.  In the old days chickens were for eggs with only spent hens and extra roosters used for meat.  Not a real reliable source of meat.  The meat chickens eat huge amounts of expensive feed and poop huge amounts of poop, which they sit in.  I have raised and butchered these and think they are very gross.  Again just my opinion.  I have started small with one pair of rabbits and a few laying hens and have learned so much.  I've enjoyed it without being stressed about them.  I find I can supplement much of their feed with feed I gather myself (I learn what a plant is before I feed it, and always feed a large variety, sometimes as much as 6 different kinds of greens at a time).  I'm just now starting with goats and am enjoying my novice farming experience very much.  This is my plan: goats for milk, chickens for eggs, rabbits for meat.  Of course culls from any category could fall into the meat group, but they are an extra.  Maybe more info than you wanted, but I'd hate to see you not get started cause it seems like too much.  Just start small and read everything you can about each species before you get it (books, old posts).


Really smart advice, this.  Start small.  Also some diversification with chickens and rabbits would be good.  You will get a good variety of meat and be able to turn over the meat much faster with the rabbits and the chickens, plus you will get eggs from the chickens.  Then you can work your way into the higher numbers with goats.


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