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GOATS: SUSTAINABLE
                                                              PRODUCTION OVERVIEW
                                                                     LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION GUIDE
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
 www.attra.ncat.org

 Abstract: Goats: Sustainable Production Overview provides fundamental information relevant to all goats, espe-
 cially about feeding, reproduction, and health. An extensive resource list is included. Read ATTRA’s Dairy Goats:
 Sustainable Production and Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats for more complete information, includ-
 ing sections on marketing and profitability.

By Linda Coffey, Margo Hale, and Ann Wells
NCAT Agriculture Specialists
August 2004
© NCAT 2004
                                                                         The goat was one of the first animals to be domes-
                                                                     ticated by humans, about 9,000 years ago. Today, there
                                                                     are some 200 different breeds of goats that produce a
                                                                     variety of products, including milk, meat, and fiber
                                                                     (mohair and cashmere). Worldwide, goat meat pro-
                                                                     duction is higher than meat production from cattle or
                                                                     hogs.(Holcomb, 1994)
                                                                         Raising goats can be a valuable part of a sustain-
                                                                     able farm. Integrating livestock into a farm system
                                                                     can increase its economic and environmental health
                                                                     and diversity, thereby making important contribu-
                                                                     tions to the farm’s sustainability. Goats often fit well
                                                                     into the biological and economic niches on a farm that
                                                                     otherwise go untapped. Goats can be incorporated
                                                                     into existing grazing operations with sheep and cattle,
        Table of Contents                                            and they can also be used to control weeds and brush
                                                                     to help make use of a pasture’s diversity.
                                                                         Erosion on land used for row crops declines when
                                                                     the land is converted to pasture. Rotating row crops
    Selection....................................................2   and pasture every year or two offers both fertility and
    Feeding Ruminants........................3                       pest control advantages. Goats eat the forages, the
                                                                     goats’ manure replaces some purchased fertilizers,
    Raising Goats on Pasture .........3                              and the life cycles of various crop and animal pests
    Marketing ..............................................15       are interrupted. Like other ruminant animals, goats
                                                                     convert plant material that is unsuitable for human
    Profitability ........................................ 16        consumption into high-quality animal products.

    Resources ............................................... 16
                                                                              Related ATTRA publications:
    References ...........................................23                  Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats
                                                                              Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production


ATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information service operated by the National
Center for Appropriate Technology, through a grant from the Rural Business-Cooperative Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture. These organizations do not recommend or endorse products,
companies, or individuals. NCAT has offices in Fayetteville, Arkansas (P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville,
AR 72702), Butte, Montana, and Davis, California.
Selection                                                           • No abscesses
                                                                    • Proper conditioning (not fat or excessively
                                                                      thin)
                                                                    • Firm, pelleted manure
     When selecting animals for your herd you                       • Well-shaped udder and teats
must first decide what traits are important to
you and what the animals will be used for. Find                    Also, ask the producer questions such as what
a producer with the type of animals that you                  diseases have been problems in the herd, what
are interested in. You may locate producers by                is the vaccination/worming protocol, and what
contacting your local Extension agent, searching              criteria are used for selection and culling. You
classified ads in goat publications, contacting goat           should also ask your veterinarian about diseases
clubs or associations, or by attending meetings               that are possible problems in your area. When se-
or seminars for goat producers. Once you have                 lecting your animals, also observe their conforma-
found a producer with goats for sale, visit the               tion. Drawings 1 and 2 illustrate some of the char-
farm to observe the herd and the management.                  acteristics of good and bad conformation in goats.
The animals will adapt more easily to your farm               Dr. Steve Hart of Langston University points
if their prior management and environment are                 out that for most operations, conformation is a
similar to yours.                                             relatively minor concern; health and soundness
     To develop a productive herd it is imperative            are much more important. He advises checking to
that you select healthy animals. Never build your             see that the bite is correct (not over-shot or under-
herd with animals from the sale barn. These are               shot) and that the legs and feet are sound.
often animals that have been culled by another                     For more details on selection of goats, see the
producer. There is a reason they were culled,                 pertinent ATTRA publication for the goats you
and you do not want to bring those problems to                intend to raise (Dairy Goat, Meat Goat).
your herd.                                                         To run an efficient operation, it is necessary
      Listed below are some of the signs of a                 to identify animals (by tattoos or eartags) and
healthy animal.                                               keep records. Breeding, reproduction, and pro-
                                                              duction records are helpful in identifying which
     • Shiny coat                                             animals are most productive and which should
     • Lively manner                                          be culled.
     • Easy movement (no limping, no swollen
       joints or misshapen udders)




               Good
                               Bad
                                                                                  Dairy        Meat
                                                                                  Goat         Goat




     Drawing 1: Example of poor conformation
                                                                       Drawing 2: Good conformation for
                                                                       Dairy and Meat goats


                   Drawings from Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H Club Goat Guide.
                   (http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2264.htm)


PAGE 2                                                      //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
Feeding Ruminants                                      year-round. Therefore, supplementation with
                                                       concentrates may sometimes be necessary (see
                                                       Supplemental Feeding section of this publica-
                                                       tion).
     Goats are ruminants; that is, they have a four-
compartment stomach designed to digest large
quantities of forages. Ruminants eat quickly and
swallow their food at first without much chewing.       Raising Goats on
Later, they regurgitate their food and thoroughly
chew it and swallow. This regurgitated food is
called the cud, and healthy ruminants will spend
                                                       Pasture
as much time chewing their cud as they do graz-             Contrary to the popular image of goats thriv-
ing or eating hay. This is thought to be a predator    ing on tin cans, goats actually require a more
avoidance adaptation, as the ruminant can find          nutritious diet than do other ruminants. Their
a sheltered place to peacefully chew its cud and       shorter digestive system does not retain food for
be less vulnerable to predator attack than while       as long, and thus does not digest nutrients fully.
grazing.                                               This quicker digestion allows them to eat larger
     The ruminants get their name from the rumen,      quantities of food to make up for their reduced
which is the largest compartment of the stomach        absorption of nutrients, but it is goats’ unique
and serves as a fermentation vat. The health and       grazing behavior that really enables them to
productivity of the goat (as with all ruminants)       thrive on pasture. With their small mouths and
depends on the rumen function; microorganisms          flexible lips, grazing goats are able to select the
in the rumen digest fiber and carbohydrates and         highly nutritious parts of plants and leave parts
protein to supply the animal with nutrients.           that are less nutritious. This gives them an advan-
Without those microorganisms, the goat will            tage over cattle that graze by taking large mouth-
become very sick and may die. Therefore, it is         fuls; within that large mouthful there might be a
of paramount importance that the animal be fed         great quantity of poor-quality forage, including
appropriately so that the ruminal organisms stay       some that is dead or overly mature.
healthy.                                                    Each goat is able to consume up to 3 to 5% of
     These rumen organisms require fiber, ni-          its body weight in dry matter daily (perhaps more
trogen (protein), and energy (carbohydrates).          if the forage is highly digestible). To consume
Roughages (forages—pasture, hay, browse) have          that amount, however, goats must be pastured
higher fiber content than grains. More mature           in an area with a large quantity of available veg-
forages contain more fiber and are less digestible.     etative forage. Goats will eat less when they are
Energy is provided by good–quality (digestible)        moved to poor pastures. Listed below are some
roughages and by concentrates (grains).                of the factors that influence intake.
     The rumen microorganisms have preferred
pH ranges; those that digest fiber best thrive in          •   Age, size, stage, and level of production
a range of 6.0 to 6.8. Rumination (chewing the                of the animal
cud—required to digest roughage) increases                •   Animal’s health
the amount of saliva, which buffers the rumen             •   Animal’s forage preferences (which are
fluid and maintains the favorable pH. However,                 influenced by its mother and peers)
grain (especially finely ground grains) decreases          •   Weather
rumination; which means less saliva reaches the           •   Palatability of food
rumen, and the pH decreases. Also, in the process         •   Digestibility (fiber content)
of digesting grain, lactic acid is produced, which        •   Maturity of forage
can further lower the pH. When a goat eats too
much grain, the rumen pH can drop below 5.5,               Goats prefer browsing (eating woody plants)
killing the normal rumen microorganisms and            but will also graze on grasses and weeds. Goats
resulting in a very sick animal.                       are known to stand on their hind legs to reach
     The rumen microorganisms are “healthiest”         leaves and brush. Since goats, cattle, and sheep
when goats are eating good-quality forages, such       prefer different forages, in many pasture situa-
as vegetative pasture. However, it is difficult (if     tions these species do not compete for the same
not impossible) to provide good-quality forages        food. Therefore, they can be managed quite suc-
           //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                             PAGE 3
PHOTO BY CHARLIE RAHM ©NRCS 2004
cessfully in a multispecies grazing system, allow-   htm#goats>.
ing the land to be used more fully and generate          When grazing goats, farmers must protect
more income. Land grazed by both goats and           their pastures from being overgrazed. There
cattle returns 25% more than land grazed only        are several reasons for this. Overgrazing for-
by cattle.(Holcomb, 1994)                            ages
    Adding goats to a grazing system will have
weed control benefits. Goats will eat such weeds           • eventually kills the plants
as leafy spurge, multiflora rose, and brambles,            • reduces the longevity of the stand
decreasing the need for commercial herbicides               and exposes more soil to erosion
or mowing. Meat and fiber goats are particularly           • means the animals don’t get enough
useful for brush control. For a report on work              food
done in North Carolina using goats alone or with          • increases the chance of goats ingesting
cattle, see “Use of Goats as Biological Agents for          internal parasite larvae
the Control of Unwanted Vegetation” (Luginbuhl            • creates bare spots, creating opportu -
et al., 1996a), at <www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/               nities for undesirable weeds and ero-
extension/animal/meatgoat/MGVeget.htm>.                     sion
For a concise article that explains some of the
management issues pertaining to grazing goats to         The end result of overgrazing is reduced
eradicate multiflora rose, see the Ohio State Uni-    performance of both the pasture and the animals,
versity Bulletin 857, “Multiflora Rose Control,” at   and health problems for the animals. To prevent
<http://ohioline.osu.edu/b857/pdf/b857.pdf>.         overgrazing, farmers should be careful to un-
One use of grazing goats in the West is to control   derstock rather than overstock land and always
leafy spurge; see “Controlling Leafy Spurge using    remove animals from a pasture when the pasture
Goats and Sheep” (Sedivic et al., 1995), at <www.    is grazed down to about 3 to 4 inches. Browse
ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hay/r1093w.htm.            must be managed so that it is maintained and

PAGE 4                                               //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
not killed. If you want long-term production of        grazing system, also known as management
browse, you must rotate the animals and not al-        intensive grazing (MIG, commonly pronounced
low the area to become over-browsed.                   “mig”). The MIG systems have been used more
    Fencing is the most critical factor in raising     extensively with cattle than with sheep or goats.
goats on pasture. There is nothing more frustrat-      Much work has been done recently with goats
ing than having to constantly chase goats back         using MIG, although it is not yet widely pub-
into the pasture. Fencing will also be the greatest    lished. However, for a review of studies of goats
expense, other than the initial cost of the animals.   and grazing, see “Meat Goats in Land and Forage
The best permanent fencing is 4-foot woven wire        Management” (Luginbuhl, 1996b), at <www.
with barbed wire along the top. Some graziers          cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/meat-
are also successfully using four or five strands        goat/MGLand.htm>.
of high-tensile electric wire. Goats may have to           The basic principle of MIG is to allow ani-
be trained to electric fences by placing them in a     mals to graze for a limited time and then move
small paddock to "test" the wire. Once they have       them to another pasture or paddock (a subdivi-
been trained to an electric fence, goats can usu-      sion of a pasture). The pasture forage plants
ally be controlled with two strands of wire in a       can then grow back without using up all of their
cross-fence. Electric netting is also an option for    root reserves. Even brush will need a recovery
temporary or permanent fencing in management           time if it is being used as forage for goats. In
intensive grazing systems; however, several goat       fact, woody plants may need to be rested a full
producers have lost animals that tangled their         year to remain a forage source in the pasture.
horns in the netting. It is very important to keep     Without this rest period, the goats can kill the
electric fences charged at 4,500 volts or more.        brush through continuous browsing. Under
Regular checking and testing are necessary, and        MIG, legumes and native grasses may reappear
any problems must be fixed promptly, or goats           in the pasture, and producers often report that
will escape.                                           the pasture plant community becomes more
    Goats also need shelter. They can tolerate         diverse. Management intensive grazing can be
cold weather, but goats will get chilled by wet,       used to improve the pasture, extend the grazing
cold conditions. The necessary shelter or shelters     season, and enable the producer to provide a
depend on the producer’s operation. A dairy op-        higher quality forage at a lower cost with fewer
eration will usually have extensive barn and pen       purchased inputs. MIG can also be useful in
set-ups, while a large meat goat operation may         reducing internal parasite problems, if farmers
use only trees in the pasture as shelter. Build-       are careful to move the goats to a new pasture
ings used for shelter may be minimal, but they         before the forage plants are grazed too short (too
should be well-ventilated and clean. Barns and         short is less than about 4 inches —see Health
sheds are not the only options for shelter. There      section for more about parasites). While the
are portable shelters, moveable shades, and even       benefits of MIG are substantial, it does require
old hog huts that can be used as shelters for your     increased management skill and adequate fenc-
animals.                                               ing and watering facilities. For more information
    Predators are a problem in most areas where        on pastures and grazing, see the list of ATTRA
goats are produced. For information on how to          publications in the Resources section.
control predators, see the ATTRA publication               The goal of MIG is to have paddocks small
Predator Control for Sustainable & Organic Livestock   enough that they can be grazed in a few days
Production.                                            (usually one to ten). The time will depend on the
                                                       number of goats and the quality and quantity of
                                                       the forage. How long a herd remains in a pad-
Controlled Grazing                                     dock will vary, depending on the intensity of
                                                       management, time of year, and stage of growth
    In the U.S., continuous grazing is a common
                                                       of the forage. When beginning with MIG, make
practice, characterized by giving the animals
                                                       big paddocks and use long rotations. As produc-
unrestricted access to the pasture throughout the
                                                       ers become more familiar with the pasture plants
season. This works well for goats. However, feed-
                                                       and the goats’ grazing habits, they usually sub-
ing goats in a sustainable and economical way is
                                                       divide paddocks with electric fence. Temporary
better accomplished by a controlled, rotational
                                                       subdivisions allow the grazier to define the pad-

           //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                            PAGE 5
docks in response to different growing conditions        supplements.
and the goats’ changing feed requirements.                   In some operations—particularly dairies—
    Fresh, clean water must always be available.         goats are raised in confinement, and all their feed
In a MIG system, the animals either have access          is brought to them. However, allowing goats to
to a central water source available from every           graze can lower costs in the following ways.
subdivision, or water is provided separately to
each of the pasture’s subdivisions. This can be a            • By reducing purchased grain costs
challenge, and it is another capital expense. Feed           • By eliminating forage harvesting costs
intake will decrease more for goats than for cattle          • By eliminating manure removal costs
or sheep if clean water is not readily available.            • By lowering fertilizer costs as manure
    Along with water, minerals need to be avail-               nutrients are returned to the soil
able to your animals at all times. It is best to feed
calcium, phosphorous, and trace minerals in a                Goats have the ability to select the more nutri-
salt mixture to ensure that the animals actually         tious parts of a plant. Therefore, they typically
eat them. Test your forages to determine their           will consume a higher quality diet if they have the
mineral content and adjust mineral supplemen-            opportunity to be selective. With the exception
tation as needed. Your local Extension agent             of lactating dairy goats, goats grazing a high-
can have your forage analyzed. Mineral content           quality pasture can usually meet their protein
of forage is quite variable across the country,          requirements without supplemental feeding. In
and the type, stage, and level of production of          some cases an energy supplement (grain) may be
the animals influence mineral requirements;              necessary. More information on pasturing goats
therefore, no one mineral supplement formula is          is provided in ATTRA’s Dairy Goats: Sustainable
right for all locations or situations. For instance,     Production and Sustainable Goat Production: Meat
a heavy-producing dairy goat will need more              Goats.
calcium and phosphorus then a dry (non-lactat-
ing) meat goat. Consult a livestock nutritionist
for help in identifying a good mineral mix for           Supplemental Feeding
your operation.
    It is very important that you consistently offer          While good quality forages are usually ad-
this mix (preferably in a loose form), monitor its        equate, goats may sometimes need supplemental
consumption, and ensure that all the goats are            feeding, especially during the winter. Goats
in fact eating adequate amounts of the mineral            need a proper balance of energy in the form of
                                                                                      roughage or grain,
TABLE 1. DIETARY PROTEIN AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF GOATS*.                           as well as protein,
                                                                                      vitamins, minerals,
CLASS OF GOAT                     AVG. FEED         % CRUDE            %TDN2
                                                                                      and clean water.
                               INTATKE / DAY, LB1    PROTE IN
                                                                                      Protein and energy
                                                                                      requirements vary,
GROWING DOELING, 45 LB       A
                                      2.4               8.8              56
                                                                                      depending on the
GROW ING M ALE KID , 66LB        B
                                      2.9               9.0              57           type of goat and its
YEARLING DOE , 90 LB C
                                      4.6              10.0              56           stage of production
3 Y R. OLD DOE , 110 LB  D
                                      5.0              11.7              69           (see Table 1).
MATURE B UCK , 220 LB    E
                                      5.3               9.0              55                There is a rule
DAIRY DOE , 150 LB
                 F
                                      7.5              11.6              71           of thumb for all
                                                                                      goats: browse and
*APPROXIMATIONS; BASED ON DRY MATTER IN THE FEEDS EATEN
1
  CALCULATED ON BASIS OF THE DRY MATTER IN THE FEEDS EATEN                            pasture in the sum-
2
  TDN = TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS                                                    mer, hay and grain
A
  GROWING AT THE RATE OF .25 LB/DAY                                                   in the winter, trace-
B
 GROWING AT THE RATE OF .33 LB/DAY                                                    mineralized salt at
C
  YEARLING FEMALE, LAST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY AND GROWING                            all times. (The min-
D
  MILKING 2 QT/DAY - ENOUGH FOR TWINS                                                 eral mixture should
E
 NOT GAINING WEIGHT, MODERATE ACTIVITY                                                be fortified with
F
 NUBIAN, MILKING 1 GALLON/DAY OF 4.0% BUTTERFAT                                       selenium if you live
                                                  (PINKERTON AND PINKERTON, 2000)

PAGE 6                                                  //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
TABLE 2: SUPPLYING PROTEIN NEEDS FOR LACTATING GOATS
           % PROTEIN IN ROUGHAGE, DRY MATTER BASIS          % PROTEIN NEEDED IN CONCENTRATE
        15% AND OVER
          EXCELLENT LEGUME HAY OR EXCELLENT PASTURE
             HIGH PRODUCTION (OVER 4 QUARTS/DAY)                           14
             LOW PRODUCTION                                                12
        12 TO 15%
           LEGUME-GRASS MIXED HAY OR GOOD PASTURE
               HIGH PRODUCTION                                             16
               LOW PRODUCTION                                              14
        10 TO 12%
           GOOD GRASS HAY OR FAIR PASTURE
               HIGH PRODUCTION                                             18
               LOW PRODUCTION                                              16
        BELOW 10%
          FAIR QUALITY GRASS HAY OR POOR PASTURE
             HIGH PRODUCTION                                               20
             LOW PRODUCTION                                                18
                                                                                (PINKERTON, 1993)

in an area of the country with selenium-poor soil.    Sustainable Production. Fiber goats, on the other
Check with your Extension agent or veterinarian.)     hand, may not do well with supplemental grain,
When breeding begins in the fall, producer Sue        because feeding too much protein to angora goats
Drummond feeds her angora goats not only hay,         can make mohair fiber coarser and reduce its
grain, and salt but also vitamins (A, D, and E) and   value, and feeding beyond maintenance require-
di-calcium phosphate.(Drummond, 1995) Kelp, a         ments will not improve the fiber production of
seaweed high in minerals, is sometimes used as        cashmere goats.
a supplement, though it is expensive. Alterna-            Goats can be picky eaters, and they may
tive feeds such as roots and tubers (sugar beets,     not immediately accept new feeds. Any feed
mangels, sweet potatoes, turnips) may be fed for      changes should be made gradually to avoid up-
the energy content of the roots or the nutritious     setting the rumen microflora. Feeding very high
green tops. Various milling by-products are com-      levels of grain can also upset the rumen. Grain
monly fed to goats as well.                           should never be more than 50% of the total diet,
     Grain is the concentrate most often fed to       except for heavily-producing dairy goats. Adult
goats; cereal grains such as oats, corn, barley,      meat goats should be fed a maximum of 1% of
and wheat are high in energy (carbohydrate/fat).      bodyweight in supplemental grain, with lactat-
Less commonplace grains such as amaranth and          ing does reaching a maximum of 1.5%. Feeding
buckwheat are also sometimes used. Soybean            an animal a large amount of concentrate (grain)
meal and cottonseed meal are high-protein sup-        causes acidosis: the rumen pH will drop and ru-
plements. The choice of concentrate is determined     men motility will decrease. Usually the animal
by the composition of the forage. High-quality        will go off feed, have diarrhea, and show signs of
forages usually have adequate or even excess          depression for a couple of days. In severe cases,
protein; animals eating these will need a higher-     acidosis can cause death. If you know an animal
energy concentrate to utilize the protein present     has consumed too much grain, you can treat it
in the forages. Lower-quality pastures or hays        with an antacid (sodium bicarbonate). Call your
will require feeding a higher-protein supplement      veterinarian for help, and offer only forage and
to meet the goats’ protein requirement.               water until the animal recovers.
     Dairy goats need both high-quality forage            Enterotoxemia can also occur if there is a sud-
and supplemental grain to reach their full poten-     den change in diet that stimulates certain rumen
tial, especially during peak lactation or growth.     microbes to overpopulate and produce toxins
More information on supplemental feeding of           that cause symptoms similar to acidosis. Entero-
dairy goats is available in ATTRA’s Dairy Goats:      toxemia usually results in death. To prevent this


           //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                            PAGE 7
disease, all animals should be vaccinated for         balancing rations for any class of goat. See
enterotoxemia (see Health section) and their ac-      Contacts section for Langston University’s Web
cess to grain or lush pasture should be controlled    site. The Ohio Dairy Goat Ration program is
(increase access cautiously).                         available by contacting a local county office of
    There are programs available to help goat         Ohio State University Extension or
producers determine rations for their herd.
Langston University has developed a calcula-                          Ms. Cheryl Hall
tor (available on-line) that will be helpful in                Department of Animal Sciences
                                                                     2027 Coffey Road
                                                                  Columbus, Ohio 43210
                                                                       614-688-3143
   Score 1 Very poor body condition
    - Deep cavity under tail and around tail              Some county Extension offices may have ac-
      head. Skin drawn tight over pelvis with         cess to software that is helpful, or your agent may
      no muscle tissue detectable in between.         refer you to a ruminant nutritionist.
    - No fatty tissue felt at loin. Pins, hooks,
      and short ribs can be seen; edges feel
      sharp.                                                  Body Condition Scoring
   Score 2 Poor body condition
    - Cavity around tail head is evident, but              Your goal in feeding your animals is to meet
      less prominent. No fatty tissue felt be-        their nutritional requirements (economically)
      tween skin and pelvis, but skin is supple.      and to keep them in a productive condition. One
    - Ends of short ribs are sharp to the touch,      way to monitor the animals’ condition is to as-
      but individual ribs can no longer be seen.      sign body condition scores (BCS). Body condition
      While bones are less prominent, they            scoring evaluates the body fat reserves of your
      are still angular and can be easily distin-     goats and is an easy method to evaluate the ef-
      guished by touch.                               fectiveness of your feeding program. Scores range
                                                      from one to five and are determined by looking
   Score 3 Good body condition
                                                      at the tail-head and loin areas. Use the following
    - Slight cavity lined with fatty tissue ap-
      parent at tail head. Area between pins          guidelines to determine each goat’s score.
      has smoothed out.                                    A good source for meat goat body condition
    - Ends of short ribs can be felt with moder-      scoring can be viewed at <http://bedford.exten-
      ate pressure. Slight depression visible in      sion.psu.edu/agriculture/goat/Body%20Condi
      loin area. Hooks and pins can be felt but       tion%20Scoring.htm>.
      have some covering of flesh. Hook, pin,               When scoring your herd, take into consider-
      and back bones appear smooth.                   ation the herd average; every herd has individu-
                                                      als that are too fat or too thin. If the herd average
   Score 4 Fatty body condition                       is under or over optimal condition, usually a
    - Depression between pins and tail head
                                                      score of three, you need to change your feeding
      filling in. Patches of fat apparent under
      the skin. Pelvis felt only with firm pres-       regimen. Body condition will vary depending
      sure.                                           on the time of year. You should try to have your
    - Short ribs cannot be felt even with firm         animals in good body condition before winter, so
      pressure. No depression visible in loin         they can tolerate the cold and still have adequate
      between backbone and hip bones. Back            reserves at kidding season. The animal’s stage
      and area between hooks and pins appear          of production also influences body condition;
      flat.                                            for example, a doe in early lactation will almost
                                                      always lose condition.
   Score 5 Grossly fatty body condition
    - Tail head buried in fatty tissue. Area be-
      tween pins and tailbone rounded, skin
      distended. No part of pelvis felt, even
                                                      Reproduction
      with firm pressure.                                  Female goats (does) reach puberty at seven
                          (Fredricks, 1993)
                                                      to ten months of age, depending on the breed
                                                      and nutrition, and should be at 60 to 75% of their

PAGE 8                                               //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
adult weight at breeding to prevent difficult kid-       bet. At the very least, you should observe both
ding. Does will have higher lifetime production         the herd and the parents of the buck. When se-
and be more profitable if they are bred to kid as        lecting a buck, it is important to perform a breed-
yearlings. Does should kid every year thereafter        ing soundness exam. A general physical exam
until at least the age of seven or eight, if they re-   can check the buck for structural soundness and
main healthy. Most goats are seasonal breeders,         abnormalities in the sex glands and organs. The
reacting to shorter days as a cue for breeding.         scrotal circumference (at the widest point) should
The presence of a buck (uncastrated male goat)          be measured, since this correlates with fertility
stimulates the reproductive cycle (estrous) and         and semen production. As a general rule, dairy
the behaviors of the does that indicate that they       bucks should measure 25 to 28 cm at 100 pounds,
are in the fertile part of their cycle (in heat). The   meat bucks should measure 26 to 29 cm at 100
doe’s estrous cycle normally occurs from Au-            pounds, and larger bucks should measure at least
gust or September until January, with October           34 to 36 cm.(Mobini, 2003) Have a semen sample
to December being the peak time for breeding.           taken and evaluated. A normal concentration is 2
The estrous cycle is normally 18 to 22 days long.       billion sperm per cubic centimeter of semen. Of
Does in heat (estrus) are at the proper stage for       those, 70% should be motile, moving forward.
breeding; at this time, they will be receptive to       The sperms’ morphology should be evaluated to
the buck. Estrus (standing heat) lasts for 12 to 36     determine whether they are mature and whether
hours. Signs of heat include tail wagging, swol-        there are abnormalities. At least 80% of the
len vulva, mounting behavior, decrease in milk          sperm should be normal.(Mobini, 2003) Finally,
yield if lactating, and a general increase in activ-    the buck’s libido should be monitored. A sound
ity and bleating. Kids are born about 150 days          buck is of no use if he will not service does. A
after breeding. Planning breeding so that kids          full-grown, healthy buck should easily service
are born during the height of forage production         up to 50 does. Bucks should not be bred to their
in the spring makes efficient use of the pasture.        daughters; inbreeding tends to expose genetic
Keeping accurate breeding records will allow you        problems and lead to weaker stock.
to know when kids are due and help you prepare               Some goat producers (especially those who
for their arrival.                                      raise dairy goats) use artificial insemination
    Some goat milk markets demand year-round            (A.I.) for breeding. This requires excellent heat
production. Breeding season may be manipu-              detection skills and is more labor-intensive than
lated through the use of lights and hormone             natural service, but A.I. allows the economical
therapy. However, milk production is less for           use of outstanding sires. The American Dairy
a doe that kids in the fall than when she kids in       Goat Association (ADGA) offers a booklet about
the spring.                                             A.I., classes are offered by Langston University
    Male goats (bucks) reach puberty earlier            (Oklahoma) and sometimes by goat associations,
than females and must either be separated from          and A.I. technicians are available in most areas of
them by the age of four months or be castrated          the country. For more information, contact your
to prevent unwanted breedings. Buck kids                local Extension agent, order the booklet from
can be used as herd sires at 8 to 10 months, but        ADGA (see contact information in the Resource
should not be used as heavily as mature bucks.          section), or call ATTRA.
Have your veterinarian test them for fertility
and soundness before the breeding season. This
test is called a breeding soundness exam and is                     Kid Management
described below.
     The most important animal in the herd is the           Kids are raised for replacement stock, sold as
buck. He provides half of the genetics of the herd,     breeding stock, or slaughtered for meat. There-
and using a sound, high-quality buck can make           fore, raising healthy, productive kids is essential
significant improvements to the herd. Spend time         to the profitability of your operation.
and effort to locate a superior buck, one that has          It is crucial that kids receive colostrum (the
the traits you have identified as important. It is       first milk, which contains antibodies to protect
well worth the investment. A buck that has pro-         the kid from disease) soon after birth. However,
duction records (has been on test or has relatives      in some herds Caprine-arthritis encephalitis
that have been on a production test) is the surest      (CAE—see Health section) is a concern, and kids

            //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                             PAGE 9
Health Concerns
                                                           Few diseases afflict goats, and most produc-
                                                       ers find even fewer health problems when they
                                                       use management intensive grazing. Practitioners
                                                       of MIG see their goats at every paddock move.
                                                       Observation is the best way to avoid, or at least
                                                       catch early, any diseases or other problems that
                                                       might occur.


                                                           When people buy goats, they should proceed
                                                           cautiously.
                                                            Check out the seller’s herd.
                                                           • Ask the seller questions.
from those herds must be bottle-fed heat-treated           • Learn as much as they can about goats and
colostrum instead of nursing their mothers. Kids             goat diseases.
                                                           • Decide what diseases or problems they can
raised naturally with their mothers usually grow
                                                             or cannot live with, or which ones they are
better than those that are bottle-fed. However,
                                                             willing to vaccinate for or treat.
for dairy production, it may be more economi-              • Know what can or cannot be treated and
cal to separate the kids from the mothers, feed              the consequences of getting the disease in
kids with a milk replacer, and sell the extra goat           their herd.
milk. It is essential, however, that kids receive
colostrum on the first day of their lives.
    Males should be castrated at an early age              Keeping livestock as stress-free as possible
to reduce stress on the animal. Castration with        keeps their immune systems functioning prop-
elastic bands should be done within a week of          erly. A healthy immune system is the best disease
birth. There is some concern that animals may          preventive. Conversely, periods of stress, such as
contract tetanus if they are castrated with bands.     weaning or transporting, may trigger disease. In-
Male slaughter goats are often castrated, since        tensively managed livestock become calmer and
the meat can have a strong flavor in intact males       tamer, and handling them calmly makes them
more than four months old. Some ethnic groups,         easier to work with when things such as loading,
however, want intact males. It is important for        vaccinating, or other tasks need to be done.
you to know your market, so you can plan for the           Preventive management is fundamental to
management of your herd. Disbudding is often           maintaining health. Proper nutrition, sanitation,
done in goat dairies to prevent problems with          and ventilation, as well as timely treatment or
horns in the milking parlor. Kids are disbudded        culling of problem animals, helps keep the herd
between three and seven days after birth, using        in good health and reduces health care costs.
a specially designed disbudding iron that is very      For example, the teats of milking does are usu-
hot. Equipment and instructions for use are of-        ally dipped in disinfectant after milking, while
fered by goat supply houses (see Resource list).       the teat opening is dilated, because bacteria


       Recommended Vaccination Program
        Enterotoxemia and tetanus— Clostridium perfringens types C, D, + Tetanus Toxoid in one
        vaccine
        Adult Males                                  Once a year
        Breeding Females                             Once a year (4 to 6 weeks before kidding), or
                                                     twice a year: 4 to 6 weeks before breeding,
                                                     then 4 to 6 weeks before kidding
        Kids                                         Week 8, then booster on week 12



PAGE 10                                              //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
COURTESY OF DR. JEAN-MARIE LUGINBUHL, NCSU
entering the teat can cause mastitis. Likewise,      other diseases or deficiencies. Your veterinarian
regular foot-trimming helps prevent footrot and      can help you set up a vaccination protocol that
lameness. Having a good predator control strat-      will protect your herd from some diseases that
egy (such as a guardian animal and an electric       are problems in your area.
perimeter fence) will also help prevent losses in
your herd.
     Check with a local veterinarian to get recom-                     Parasites
mendations for a vaccination and health main-
tenance schedule for your goat herd. Because so          Parasites, especially internal ones, are the
few medications are approved for use in goats,       major health concern for goats. Not only are
it is imperative to work closely with a veterinar-   goats very susceptible to internal parasites, but
ian who can advise you on proper drug use and        the parasites are rapidly becoming resistant to
withdrawal times. It is important to find a vet-      all of the available anthelmintics (dewormers),
erinarian who is compatible with you and with        and no new dewormers are being developed.
your management style, and who knows (or is          Therefore, management MUST be the primary
willing to learn) about small ruminants. With        method for sustainable control of internal para-
time and patience, your veterinarian can become      sites in goats.
competent in the diagnosis and treatment of small        If ample pasture is available and goats are
ruminants. You may locate a small ruminant vet-      not overstocked, a herd may have little difficulty
erinarian by contacting the Association of Small     with internal parasites. However, forcing goats
Ruminant Practitioners at <www.aasrp.org/>.          to graze close to the ground and overcrowding
(See Resources: Organizations.)                      stock will cause an increase in parasite load.
       In many areas, veterinarians recommend        Animals on highly-stocked pastures will usu-
vaccinations for tetanus and enterotoxemia (over-    ally carry a heavier parasite load, due to the
eating disease). Certain selenium-poor regions       increased amount of fecal matter on the pasture.
require the use of a selenium and vitamin injec-     You can reduce parasite problems by having a
tion several times a year. In other areas, addi-     low stock density and by rotating your animals
tional vaccines or injections may be necessary for   to different pastures. An understanding of how

          //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                          PAGE 11
parasite infestations happen will help to avoid        score. The system recommends anthelmintics or
major problems.                                        culling for animals scoring 5 or 4 and sometimes
    All parasite infestations occur when the ani-      3. Keep records and use those individuals with
mal ingests the infective larval stage from con-       fewest parasite problems for breeding, while
taminated pasture, hay, or living quarters. The        those with the most problems should be culled.
larvae develop from eggs that were passed from         This selects for parasite resistant animals. The
an animal through its feces. If there are no adult     FAMACHA© system is only useful in detecting
worms in any goats in your herd, this infestation      those animals infected with barber-pole worms
cannot occur. Even if larvae are present in the        (Haemonchus contortus), which is the primary
pasture, goats are less likely than other ruminants    species that causes problems in goats and sheep.
to consume them, because goats prefer to eat at        The FAMACHA© system is now available in
eye-level, and the larvae do not climb up grass        the United States through the Southern Region
blades to eye level. This is one of several good       USDA-SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research
reasons for managing pastures to prevent grazing       and Education) group, which tested the system in
them too short. Try to maintain a forage height        the United States. Only veterinarians or properly
above 4 inches, at minimum.                            trained sheep and goat producers will be able to
    Symptoms of a parasite problem include             purchase the FAMACHA© charts. Veterinarians
weight loss, rough coat, depression, and anemia        may inquire about FAMACHA© by contacting
(evidenced by pale mucous membranes, espe-             <famacha@vet.uga.edu>. A Web site is being
cially in the lower eyelid or gums). Animals that      developed by the SARE group. In the meantime,
are carrying a heavy parasite load will produce        further information can be found at <http://
less and lag behind their herd mates. It is impor-     scsrpc.org/SCSRPC/FAMACHA/famacha.
tant to realize that heavily infected animals are      htm> .
“seeding” the pastures with parasite larvae, thus           Another way to assess the parasite load in
amplifying the problem over time by contaminat-        your herd is to have a veterinarian check fecal
ing the environment. Also, there is a great deal       samples for parasite eggs and recommend an
of variation in individual animal resistance to        appropriate dewormer, if necessary. Since very
parasites. Culling animals with severe parasite        few anthelmintics are approved for goats, and
problems will decrease the herd’s problems by          since many parasites have developed resistance
reducing pasture contamination and by retain-          to anthelmintics, the help of a veterinarian is
ing and encouraging parasite-resistant genetics        essential to administering effective anthelmin-
in the herd.                                           tics. For milk-producing goats, it is necessary to
    A clinical on-farm system called FAMA-             consider the withdrawal period that a chemical
CHA© was developed in South Africa for clas-           dewormer may require (in order for the goat to
sifying animals into categories based upon level       be free of residues) before the milk can be sold
of anemia. This is done by monitoring the color        for consumption. Be sure to reworm three weeks
of the lower eyelid on a scale of 1 (healthy color,    after the initial treatment to kill any parasites that
no treatment needed) to 5 (very pale, anemic).         were ingested the day of the first worming. (It
A special colored card is used to determine the        takes three weeks for larvae to mature to adult

             The main points to keep in mind about parasite control in goats are that your
             best defense is

             1) good pasture management, including use of browse as a forage source,
             and
             2) selecting parasite-resistant animals (culling those that suffer most from
             parasites).

             No dewormer will compensate for poor management, and many dewormers
             are no longer effective in the United States. New dewormers for goats are
             not being developed, so we must learn to control parasite problems through
             good management and selection of resistant animals.


PAGE 12                                               //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
worms.) Worming and then moving the goats              for Livestock for more information on managing
24 hours later will leave behind the vast majority     parasites.
of contaminated feces. Pastures are considered
“clean” if goats or sheep have not been grazed on         Caprine arthritis-encephalitis
them for 12 months, or if they have been hayed
or rotated with row crops. In the meantime,                 Caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) is the
cattle or horses may be grazed in the infested         most serious disease facing the goat industry.
area, because they do not carry the same species       It is an incurable viral infection that causes ar-
of worms. Goats and sheep, however, do share           thritis, a hardened udder that produces no milk,
the same parasites.                                    and a general wasting away. There is currently
     Researchers have found that plants with           no vaccine for the disease, and the only way to
high tannin levels show anthelmintic proper-           avoid its devastating effects is to prevent animals
ties. The tannin in sericea l1espedeza has been       from becoming infected. To keep your herd free
shown to suppress the egg laying ability of adult      of CAE, cull any animals that have tested positive
worms and inhibits the hatching of eggs that are       for CAE or are showing signs of the disease.
shed.(Min et al, 2004) This reduces the worm load           The most common route of transmission is
on the pasture and in the animals. Other plants,       through the milk, although saliva and possibly
including wormwood, may also have anthelmin-           semen are two other routes. Heat-treating co-
tic properties. Allowing the animals to graze on       lostrum and pasteurizing milk will kill the virus,
a variety of plant species will assist in providing    and these are the only known ways of preventing
better nutrition, and may also help with control-      the infection from passing to uninfected kids.
ling internal parasites. Not all plant species have    Producers who implement a CAE-prevention
been evaluated to determine whether they have          program face a rigorous regimen that includes ob-
anthelmintic properties. In the future, more re-       serving all births, preventing kids from nursing,
search may be done in this area.                       feeding heat-treated colostrum and pasteurized
     The complete eradication of livestock pests       milk, and segregating or culling all CAE-positive
is not feasible or economically necessary—some         animals. This is a very labor-intensive method of
level of pests may be tolerable. Goats, like other     kid rearing. Anyone purchasing a goat should
species of livestock, may develop some immunity        ask how the goat kid was raised and whether it
to worms, making a low-level infestation some-         has had recent CAE blood tests. Because some
times more advantageous than no parasites at all.      goats do not seroconvert to CAE-positive for two
Lack of immunity is very damaging to Angoras,          years, a single negative blood test is not neces-
for example. When they are moved from arid             sarily reliable. When kids are bottle-raised on
range conditions, where there are few internal         non-pasteurized milk, the milk is usually pooled
parasites, to more humid areas, where parasite         for all kids, so that one positive doe can have a
populations are higher, serious problems often         disastrous effect on a goat herd’s CAE status.
develop. Some individual goats have a higher           Goat producers who are really conscientious
natural immunity than others, and those are the        about ridding a herd of CAE will not allow in-
animals that you should select. Young goats            fected goats to have any contact with non-infected
will be most susceptible to parasites and should       goats. It is always easier to purchase non-infected
always be weaned to a clean pasture.                   animals than to rid your herd of CAE once it is
     Coccidiosis, a disease resulting from infection   introduced. (When purchasing goats, it is a good
of the intestinal tract by parasitic protozoa called   idea to look at the entire herd; swollen knees or
coccidia, causes scours (diarrhea) in goats, par-      emaciated animals may be signs of CAE infection
ticularly in kids. There are several coccidiostats     in the herd.)
(anti-coccidia medications) on the market, but              Some CAE-positive goats never show any
again, management is key for control. Coccidiosis      symptoms of CAE; a good kid producer or a
occurs in damp, crowded areas. Keeping kids            heavy-milking doe that is CAE-positive may
away from those areas prevents serious prob-           still have a place within the herd. The producer
lems. Animals gain immunity to this organism           should consider the goals and priorities for his or
by nine months of age, and clinical disease rarely     her enterprise before determining whether a goat
occurs in adult animals.                               should be culled on the basis of its CAE status.
     See ATTRA’s Integrated Parasite Management             At one time, it was thought that only dairy

           //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                             PAGE 13
goats had a high incidence of CAE. However,            the combination of two different bacteria, one of
with so many kids of all breeds being fed infected     which cannot survive outside of the host for more
milk, the situation has now changed. Anyone            than two weeks. The other is present in the envi-
buying any type of goat must be just as concerned      ronment. The infection is generally painful and
about its CAE status as someone purchasing a           is characterized by limping and signs of pockets
dairy goat.                                            of pus on the hoof. There is a strong, foul odor
    There are tests available to determine whether     associated with footrot.
an animal has CAE. Testing should be done ev-               To treat footrot, first trim the feet so they are
ery year. Positive animals should be isolated or       level and smooth (stop when you see pink in the
culled. Contact your veterinarian or diagnostic        sole, but remove loose bits from the side). Then
lab for further information on CAE testing.            soak the animal’s foot in a footbath containing
                                                       zinc sulfate or copper sulfate or formaldehyde.
                                                       Ideally, it should stand in the solution for five
                  Abortion                             minutes and then move to a dry area. (The lot
                                                       should include dry areas, because mud and
     There are several factors that can cause a        moisture will aggravate footrot.)
goat to abort. A deficiency in vitamin A, iodine,            Animals that do not respond to treatment
or copper can cause abortions. Parasites, certain      should be culled. Many producers cull animals by
drugs, poisonous plants, and stress can also cause     sending them to the sale barn: yet another reason
a doe to abort.                                        to avoid purchasing stock there. Always observe
         If abortion is widespread in the herd,        animals with the herd before purchasing them,
there is most likely an infectious cause. Chlamydia    and do not buy any animals that limp. Quaran-
psittaci is the most common cause of infectious        tine all new goats for two weeks before putting
abortions. However, there are other organisms          them with your herd, and watch closely for signs
that may be the culprit, and treatment depends         of limping. Consult your veterinarian for assis-
on knowing the infectious agent. Therefore, at         tance in treating footrot and other diseases.
the first abortion in the herd, send the placenta to
a diagnostic lab. Keep the placenta chilled until              Caseous Lymphadenitis
it arrives at the lab. Also be sure to wear rubber
gloves and be cautious; some agents can infect             Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) infects animals
humans as well.                                        through breaks in the skin, such as cuts or scrapes
     Toxoplasmosis is another major cause of           from shearing, barbed wire, thorny brush, etc.,
abortion in goats. This is a disease that can also     and becomes localized in a regional lymph node,
infect humans, and it is particularly dangerous        most commonly in or around the neck. The re-
to pregnant women. Toxoplasmosis organisms             sulting abscess can be either external or internal.
are carried by cats, particularly young cats, which    Draining or opening an external abscess can cause
develop immunity once infected. It may help to         reinfection. CL is transmitted by direct contact;
keep one or two adult neutered cats for rodent         therefore, all infected animals should be isolated.
control and to prevent other cats from coming          CL can be picked up in bedding or by touching
onto your farm. Toxoplasmosis is contracted by         some other area that has been contaminated by
goats ingesting cat feces. It can be brought onto      goats with abscesses, and the infectious organism
your farm in hay or straw, if there were cats on       persists in the environment for several months.
the farm where the hay or straw was stored. Cer-       Internal abscesses occur when the thoracic lymph
tain feed additives (Deccox, monensin) can help        duct is affected. Animals with internal abscesses
prevent abortions due to toxoplasmosis. Consult        often waste away— or they may have no clinical
your veterinarian for details on how and where         signs. Do not buy any animals from a herd that
to ship the placenta and how to treat the herd if      has abscesses. Diagnostic testing is available to
an infectious cause is identified.(Patton, 2003)        determine whether an animal has CL. Extreme
                                                       caution must be used when aspirating an ab-
                                                       scess, because CL is transmittable to humans.
                    Footrot                            All infected material (gloves, bedding, towels)
                                                       must be burned to minimize the risk of spread-
   Footrot is a contagious disease caused by           ing disease.

PAGE 14                                               //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
See the Resource section at the end of this
          Contagious Ecthyma                            publication for information on several excellent
                                                        books on goat health and diseases.
     This disease, also known as soremouth or
orf, is caused by a pox virus. It is characterized                           Flies
by blisters and scabs on the lips and can spread
to a doe’s udder by an infected nursing kid. This           In confinement situations, implement fly
disease is usually introduced into a herd from a        control programs early in the season, before the
purchased animal or one returning from a show.          fly population gets out of control. A sustainable
The disease is highly contagious, including to          approach is Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
humans, and the virus can live for several months       Parasitic wasps are a biological control for barn
to years in the environment.                            flies. These wasps lay their eggs in fly pupal
     There is a vaccine for soremouth, but it should    cases; wasp larvae kill the developing flies by
not be used in a herd that is free from the disease.    feeding on them. Light traps, baited traps, and
It is a live vaccine, meaning it will introduce the     sticky tapes are physical controls for barn flies.
disease into your herd. Usually, if an animal has       Because moist manure, spilled feed, and damp
been infected with the disease, it will be immune       bedding encourage fly populations, practicing
to further infections.                                  good sanitation on a regular schedule is impor-
                                                        tant, especially in confinement areas. Eliminate
    Scrapie Eradication Program                         drainage problems that allow water to accumu-
                                                        late. ATTRA has more information on alternative
    Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease affect-    fly control and IPM available on request.
ing the central nervous system, one of the class
of diseases known as transmissible spongiform
encephalopathies (TSEs). Other examples of                  The following are the keys to
TSEs include BSE in cattle and Chronic Wast-                maintaining a healthy goat herd.
ing Disease (CWD) in deer and elk. There is
no evidence that scrapie can spread to humans,                • Buy healthy stock
but negative public perceptions and the loss of               • Keep animals as stress-free as possible
export opportunities have encouraged the effort               • Use preventative medicine—good nutri-
to eradicate scrapie from the U.S. The incidence                tion, sanitation, foot care, vaccinations
of scrapie in goats is extremely low, so it is highly         • Have a relationship with a veterinarian
                                                              • Learn about the major diseases that can
unlikely that your herd will be affected. Never-
                                                                affect your herd and how to prevent them
theless, goat producers (and sheep producers) are             • Be observant and responsive
required to participate in the Scrapie Eradication
Program. Details about this program are avail-
able from your state veterinarian or by going to
the National Scrapie Education Initiative Web
site, <www.eradicatescrapie.org/index.html>.            Marketing
Briefly, you must contact your state veterinarian
to request a premises identification number. You             This section should probably be on the first
will then receive free eartags with your premises       page, because marketing must be thoroughly
ID printed on them, and you must install tags on        researched and planned up-front. Before begin-
any breeding animals over the age of 18 months          ning production, it is essential to know what goat
before they leave your farm. Dairy goat produc-         products you are going to sell, and where and
ers may use tattoos instead of ear tags; the state      how you will market them. Goat meat, which
veterinarian will assign an ID tattoo that consists     is 50 to 65% leaner than beef, will be either the
of your state abbreviation and the ADGA tattoo          primary product or, in the case of dairy or fiber
sequence assigned to the farm. In addition, any         enterprises, an important secondary one. Called
breeding goat (or sheep) that crosses state lines       “cabrito” or “chevon,” goat meat is considered
(for shows or to be sold, for example) must be          a gourmet or health food by some, is popular
accompanied by an official Certificate of Veteri-         in areas with certain ethnic populations, and is
nary Inspection (health certificate) issued by an        often processed into products such as sausage or
accredited veterinarian.                                jerky. See ATTRA’s Sustainable Goat Production:

           //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                              PAGE 15
Meat Goats and Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production     plan, especially the marketing section.(University
for more information about goat products and           of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 1998) If
their markets.                                         the feasibility study indicates that your business
     It may be possible to establish a niche mar-      idea is sound, the next step is a business plan. A
ket through direct marketing. Many consum-             business plan is an analysis of how the business
ers would like to buy products that have been          will work—your competition, the market, your
raised with a minimum of synthetic chemicals           capital and operating expenses, management and
and pesticides. With any agricultural enterprise,      staffing needs, manufacturing process, etc. It is
it is important to determine market potential          also one of the written documents usually neces-
before making an investment in production. See         sary for obtaining a loan.(University of Wisconsin
ATTRA’s Resources for Organic Marketing, Direct        Center for Cooperatives, 1998)
Marketing, and Alternative Meat Marketing for ad-          While developing a business plan may take
ditional information.                                  time and effort, it will be well worth the effort in
                                                       the long run. An excellent tool for developing a
                                                       business plan is Building a Sustainable Business: A
Certified Organic Production                           Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and
                                                       Rural Businesses, developed by the Minnesota In-
    Certified organic products have found a            stitute for Sustainable Agriculture. This publica-
niche market with growing potential. The U.S.          tion addresses all the steps of developing a plan,
Department of Agriculture released the National        from identifying your goals to implementing your
Organic Program final rule, effective October           plan. This publication can be viewed at <www.
2002, that details the requirements for organic        misa.umn.edu/publications/bizplan.html>. To
certification. ATTRA has information about the          order a spiral-bound copy of this workbook,
rule and the certification process available on         contact 802-656-0484, <sanpubs@uvm.edu>, 800-
request.                                               909-6472, or <misamail@umn.edu.> As of 2004,
    An organic goat feeding program will prob-         the cost is under $20, including shipping.
ably require a combination of organic pasture and          Producers can make effective use of labor and
purchased organic feed grains. A pasture must          other resources by processing together, market-
be free of synthetic pesticides or other prohibited    ing together, buying in bulk, etc. Cooperatives can
substances for three years prior to organic certifi-    also help producers gain better access to funding
cation. Producers may want to request ATTRA’s          and technical assistance. The USDA Rural Busi-
Organic Livestock Feed Suppliers Resource List. The    ness-Cooperative Development Service provides
major difficulty with organic production of goats       technical support for cooperative development.
may be the issue of how to control internal para-      Contact them for a catalog of publications and
sites without recourse to anthelmintics. Cost and      services (see Resources).
availability of organic grains, hay, and bedding
may be obstacles to organic production as well.
    It is expensive and time-consuming to go
through the certification process. Make sure your
                                                       Resources
customers require certification before undertak-            Many states have Extension publications
ing it. Refer to NCAT’s Organic Livestock Workbook     about goats. Check with your local and state
for organic requirements.                              Extension offices for titles available in your state.
                                                       Your Extension agent may also have information
                                                       on local markets and sources of stock.
Profitability                                              Goat experts at Langston University’s E
                                                       (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat
    Unless goat production is just a hobby for         Research are valuable sources of information.
you, it is vital to do feasibility and business        This is a goat research program with specialists
planning. A feasibility study identifies “make or       who are willing to answer questions about all
break” issues that would prevent your business         types of goats—dairy, meat, mohair, and cash-
from being successful, and answers whether the         mere. Langston’s Web site is <www.luresext.
business idea makes sense. A feasibility study         edu/goats/index.htm>.
also provides useful information for the business          The University of Florida Cooperative Exten-

PAGE 16                                               //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
sion service has a Dairy Goat Production Guide       commoditysheets/fvsu005.htm
that is very informative and useful. This publica-   Meat Goat – www.aginfo.fvsu.edu/publicat/
tion can be viewed on-line at <http://edis.ifas.     commoditysheets/fvsu006.htm
ufl.edu/DS134>.
     Caprine Supply and Hoegger Supply Com-          North Carolina State University – Extension
pany both sell goat equipment, including vet-        Animal Husbandry (see Meat Goat)
erinary supplies and equipment for disbudding        www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/
and tattooing, insemination, and milking and         eahmain.html
dairy equipment, and more. In addition, they
sell many of the books available on general goat     Florida A & M Goat Program
production and specialty books on dairy, meat,       www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a=
and fiber goats. A list of books is also provided     goats
at the end of this publication, along with contact
information for suppliers.                           The University of Maryland’s National Goat
     A good way to learn about goats is from other   Handbook
producers, either formally or informally. Some       www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/
farms provide internship opportunities. See AT-      AgrEnv/ndd/goat
TRA’s Internships and Apprenticeships Resource
List at <www.attrainternships.ncat.org/>. There      University of California-Davis
may be an association of goat producers in your      www.animalscience.ucdavis.edu/facilities/
area. Associations may focus on a locality, a type   goats/index.htm
of goat, or a particular breed. One way to find
an association is to contact your local Extension    University of California Cooperate Extension
office. There are goat listserves on the Internet     www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vetext/INF-GO_
with active producer participation, as well as       CarePrax2000.pdf
many sites offering goat information.
                                                     Empire State Meat Goat Producers Associa-
                                                     tion
Web Sites                                            www.esmgpa.org/index.cfm
Maryland Small Ruminant Page
                                                     Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners
www.sheepandgoat.com
                                                     http://aasrp.org
   This site provides links to many topics about
   sheep and goat production and marketing.
                                                     Livestock for Landscapes
                                                     www.livestockforlandscapes.com
Cyber Goats
www.cybergoat.com
                                                     BEHAVE–Behavioral Education for Human
                                                     Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Manage-
Goat Connection
                                                     ment
www.goatconnection.com
                                                     www.behave.net
                                                        Offers managers tools and resources to harness
Langston University – E. (Kika) de la Garza
                                                        the power of behavior to induce beneficial
American Institute for Goat Research
                                                        outcomes on the land.
www2.luresext.edu/goats/index.htm
                                                     National Scrapie Education Initiative
Oklahoma State University
                                                     www.eradicatescrapie.org/index.html
www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/goats
                                                     FAMACHA information
Fort Valley State University
                                                     http://scsrpc.org/SCSRPC/FAMACHA/
Georgia Goat Center Publications–
                                                     famacha.htm
www.ag.fvsu.edu/mainpages/publications.
cfm
Dairy Goat – www.aginfo.fvsu.edu/publicat/


          //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                           PAGE 17
CD-ROMs                                                  Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production
                                                          This publication is intended for those interested
Multi-Species Grazing and Leafy Spurge                    in starting a commercial goat dairy. It discusses
       TEAM Leafy Spurge. 2002.                           the five major considerations to be addressed in
       USDA-ARS Northern Plains                           planning for dairy goat production: labor, sales
       Agriculture Research Laboratory                    and marketing, processing, regulations, and
       1500 North Central Avenue                          budgeting and economics. It includes production
       Sidney, MT 59270                                   information specific to dairy goats, including
       406-433-2020                                       choosing breeds and selecting stock.
       www.team.ars.usda.gov
   This CD provides a variety of useful informa-         Small Ruminant Sustainability Checksheet
   tion about using grazing as an effective, afford-       This checksheet is designed to stimulate critical
   able, and sustainable leafy spurge management           thinking when evaluating a farm that produces
   tool. It contains economic reports, posters,            sheep or goats. The sustainability of a farm
   photos, a PowerPoint presentation, an exten-            depends on many factors involving farm man-
   sive bibliography, and more. A great resource.          agement, use of resources, and quality of life.
                                                           The questions in the checksheet are intended to
GOATS! For Firesafe Homes in Wildland                      stimulate awareness rather than to rate manage-
Areas                                                      ment practices. Use this guide to define areas in
      Kathy Voth                                           your farm management that might be improved,
       6850 West County Road 24                            as well as to identify areas of strength.
       Loveland, CO 80538
       www.livestockforlandscapes.com
    This CD/handbook is designed to provide fire
    managers, communities, and livestock owners
                                                                              Health
    information on using goats to reduce fire dan-
    ger. It includes expected results, and the           Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock
    “hows” of managing animals, choosing treat             With parasites developing resistance to all de-
    ment sites, developing contracts for services,         wormers, and more farmers producing livestock
    estimating costs, and starting projects. This is       by “natural” methods, there is interest in looking
    a great CD with some excellent videos.                 for alternative ways to manage parasite problems.
                                                           This publication outlines a systems approach to
                                                           assess and manage the soil, forages, and animals
ATTRA Publications                                         to decrease internal parasites and their effects.

The following publications are available free            Predator Control for Sustainable & Organic
from ATTRA. Copies can be requested by call-             Livestock Production
ing 800-346-9140 or downloaded at our Web                  This publication focuses primarily on the control
site, <www.attra.ncat.org>.                                of coyotes and dogs, which are the main causes of
                                                           livestock lost to predation. It discusses manage-
                    General                                ment practices, physical barriers, the use of guard
                                                           animals, and other predator control measures.
Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats
  Offers information specific to meat goat produc-
  tion and should be read after Goats: Sustainable                           Forages
  Production Overview. It discusses topics that
  include selection, breeds, marketing, feeding, and     Assessing the Pasture Soil Resource
  profitability. It also includes sample budgets, case    This publication explains how to take a soil sample
  studies of farms in Montana and Missouri, and          and an easy way to assess soil biological activity and
  many further resources.                                water infiltration. Assessment sheet included.

                                                         Matching Livestock and Forage Resources
                                                          This publication examines how to manage pas-

PAGE 18                                                 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
tures and grazing animals to make more profit-           rural areas and want to add new enterprises to
  able use of the farm’s resources.                       their operations. Its sections guide the reader in
                                                          evaluating resources, assessing finances, gather-
Meeting the Nutritional Needs of Ruminants                ing information, and marketing. It also discusses
on Pasture                                                choosing an “alternative” enterprise and offers
  Impact of grazing management on nutrition,              further resources.
  supplemental feeding on high quality pasture,
  feed profiling, feed budgeting, and matching           Holistic Management
  livestock and forage resources for efficient pasture     This is an introduction to holistic management.
  use are all covered.                                    Holistic management is a decision-making frame-
                                                          work that assists farmers and others in establish-
Multispecies Grazing                                      ing long-term goals, creating a detailed financial
 This is a brief overview of why multispecies graz-       plan, developing a biological plan for the land-
 ing is beneficial, and includes considerations for        scape, and implementing a monitoring program
 multispecies management.                                 to assess progress toward the goals. Holistic
                                                          Management helps managers to ask the right
Introduction to Paddock Design                            questions and guides them in setting priorities.
  This presents the basics of paddock design and
  considerations in fencing and water technology.       Keys to Success in Value-Added Agriculture
  Many enclosures.                                        This publication presents, largely in the words
                                                          of 14 farmers, important lessons they learned in
Rotational Grazing                                        adding value to farm products and marketing
  This publication examines how to manage pas-            directly to consumers.
  tures and grazing animals to make more profit-
  able use of the farm’s resources.                     Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranch-
                                                        ers (SAN publication)
Sustainable Pasture Management
  This includes managing fertility and pests,           Adding Value to Farm Products: an Overview
  grazing systems, conserved forages, maintaining         This publication introduces the concept of value-
  productivity, and additional resources.                 added farm products, explains a few of the nuts
                                                          and bolts for starting a food processing business,
                  Marketing                               and provides resources for additional informa-
                                                          tion.
Alternative Meat Marketing
  This is a comprehensive introduction to producer      Value-added Dairy Options
  marketing of meat products. It discusses pitfalls,      This presents considerations for those who want
  producing and packaging for quality and con-            to increase their profitability by bottling milk,
  sistency, direct marketing options, value-added         making cheese or yogurt, or doing some other
  products, food safety and labeling, and niche mar-      processing of their milk. This publication dis-
  kets. Contains a list of resources.                     cusses regulations and organic milk certification
                                                          and offers resources for further information. Call
Direct Marketing                                          800-346-9140 to request this publication, since
  This publication on direct marketing alterna-           enclosures are available only with the hard copy.
  tives— with emphasis on niche and specialty
  markets and value-added crops—features many
  farm case studies, as well as information on en-      Books
  terprise budgets and promotion/publicity. A new
  section discusses implications of Internet market-    The following books offer useful information
  ing and e-commerce for agriculture.                   on a wide variety of production and marketing
                                                        issues. These titles may be available through
Evaluating a Rural Enterprise                           your local library, or may be requested through
  This publication is for people who already live in    inter-library loan. Most of these books will be
                                                        worthwhile purchases for individuals new to


            //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                              PAGE 19
goat production. Previewing the books at a li-          The New Goat Handbook
brary is the best way to select the titles that will    Jaudas, Ulrich. 1989. Barrons Educational Se-
be most useful to you.                                  ries, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. 93 p.
                                                                 A colorful book with many photographs and
Used copies may be available through on-line                     line drawings. Very interesting and infor-
services or through other booksellers. Many                      mative.
suppliers of sheep and goat equipment also
offer books in their catalogs, and copies are           Goat Husbandry
available from the publishers as well.                  Mackenzie, David. 1967. Faber and Faber Ltd.,
                                                        London. 368 p.
Meat Goats: Their History, Management, and                    An older book, it can be found in librar-
Diseases.                                                     ies and from sellers of used books. British
Mitcham, Stephanie, and Allison Mitcham.                      terminology. Very good reading. A classic.
2000. Crane Creek Publications, Sumner, IA.
264 p.                                                  Angora Goats the Northern Way
       A well-written combination of the author’s       Drummond, Susan Black. 1988. 2nd edition.
       personal experiences raising goats, veteri-      Stony Lonesome Farm, Freeport, Michigan.
       nary knowledge (Stephanie Mitcham is a           203 p.
       DVM), and a compilation of information                  Order from: Stony Lonesome Farm
       from other experts in the field. Includes                            1451 Sisson Rd.
       information about handling systems (hard                            Freeport, MI 49325
       to find elsewhere).
                                                        Raising Goats for Milk and Meat
Small- Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass                 Sinn, Rosalee. 1995. Raising Goats for Milk
Based Approach for Health, Sustainability,              and Meat: A Heifer Project International Train-
and Profit.                                              ing Course. Heifer Project International, Little
Ekarius, Carol. 1999. Storey Books, Pownal, VT.         Rock, AR. 140 p.
217 p.                                                         Written for persons with limited resources,
       Not specific to any species of livestock, this           this is a very practical book. Available
       book contains farmer profiles and quite a bit            through Caprine Supply (among other
       of holistic planning and economic informa-              sources).
       tion. Very complete in treatment of rota-
       tional grazing.                                  The Meat Goats of Caston Creek
                                                        Tomlinson, Sylvia. 1999. Redbud Publishing
Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats (re-              Co., Victoria, TX. 181 p.
vised and updated; originally titled Raising                    Personal experiences of the author.
Milk Goats the Modern Way)
Belanger, Jerry. 2001. Storey Books, Pownal,            Your Goats: A Kid’s Guide to Raising and
VT. 288 p.                                              Showing
       Very good general book for producers of          Damerow, Gail. 1993. Storey Books, Pownal,
       dairy goats.                                     VT.
                                                        172 p.
Goats and Goatkeeping                                          Gail Damerow writes very good books; this
Thear, Katie. 1988. Merehurst Press, London.                   one is easy to understand and very informa-
176 p.                                                         tive. Not just for kids.
       Very interesting book for goat producers,
       geared for the small farm. Covers milk,          Natural Goat Care
       meat, and fiber. Practical and concise, very      Coleby, Pat. 2001. Acres U.S.A, Austin TX.
       similar to The New Goat Handbook, but            371 p.
       with added detail.                                      Order from: Acres U.S.A.
                                                                           Austin, TX 78709
                                                                           800-355-5313
                                                               Fascinating book; Australian author pays

PAGE 20                                                //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
much attention to nutrition and maintain-             through every step of the process in creating
       ing health organically.                               a business plan. Includes many examples
                                                             from existing farms. This workbook is a
Goat Medicine                                                bargain.
Smith, Mary, and David M. Sherman. 1994.
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD.          …May Safely Graze: Protecting Livestock
620 p.                                                Against Predators
       This book is recommended as a useful gift      Fytche, Eugene. 1998. Published by the au-
       for a veterinarian. Very scientific, some of    thor. 103 p. To order, write to Eugene Fytche,
       the terminology will only be understood by     R.R. #1, Almonte, Ontario. K0A 1A0.
       a veterinarian. Chapter 1 (Fundamentals of            This book explores how to identify and
       Goat Practice) is very helpful to producers           quantify the predator problem, and includes
       as well as veterinarians. Chapter 20 (Herd            information on many methods to control
       Health Management and Preventive Medi-                the problem, including guard animals,
       cine) is also very useful to producers.               fencing, and management.

Sheep and Goat Medicine                               Fences for Pasture & Garden
Pugh, D.G. 2002. W.B. Saunders Company,               Damerow, Gail. 1992. Storey Communications,
Philadelphia, PA. 468 p.                              Inc., Pownal, VT. 160p.
       A great gift for a veterinarian. A wealth of
       information for producers and for veterinar-   Sheep Housing and Equipment Handbook
       ians. Knowledge of veterinary terminology      Hirning, Harvey J., Tim C. Faller, Karl J.
       will be helpful in using this book .           Hoppe, Dan J. Nudell, and Gary E. Ricketts.
                                                      1994. MidWest Plan Service, Ames, IA. 90 p.
Goat Health Handbook: A Field Guide for                      This book is useful for goats, as well.
Producers with Limited Veterinary Service                    Can be ordered by visiting
Thedford, T.R. 1983. Printed in collaboration                <http://www.mwps.org/>.
with Agricultural Experimental Station, Uni-
versity of Arkansas. 123 p.
Available from:                                       Magazines
        International Winrock Publication Sales
                                                      The Stockman Grass Farmer
        P.O. Box 9363
                                                             P.O. Box 2300
        Arlington, VA 22209-0363
                                                             Ridgeland, MS 39158
                                                             800-748-9808
Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to
                                                             www.stockmangrassfarmer.com/sgf/
Developing a Business Plan for Farms and
                                                             $32 per year (12 issues).
Rural Business
DiGiacomo, Gigi, Robert King, and Dale Nor-
                                                      Countryside & Small Stock Journal
dquist. 2003. Minnesota Institute for Sustain-
                                                            W11564 Hwy 64
able Agriculture, Saint Paul, MN, and the Sus-
                                                            Withee, WI 54489
tainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville, MD.
                                                            800-551-5691
Available for $14.00 + $3.95 S/H by calling 802-
                                                            www.countrysidemag.com
656-0484 or 800-909-6472. Publication can also
                                                            $18 per year (12 issues).
be viewed at <www.misa.umn.edu/publica-
tions/bizplan.html>.
                                                      The Goat Magazine
        Business planning is an important part of
                                                            2268 CR 285
        owning and managing a farm. A business
                                                            Gillett, TX 78116
        plan helps farmers demonstrate that they
                                                            830-789-4268
        have fully researched their proposed enter-
                                                            830-789-0006 FAX
        prise, that they know how to produce their
                                                            editor@goatmagazine.com
        product, how to sell what they produce,
                                                            www.goatmagazine.com
        and how to manage financial risk. This
                                                            $24.00 per year (6 issues). $5.00 for a
        comprehensive workbook will guide farmers
                                                            sample issue.

           //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW                                             PAGE 21
Goats: Sustainable Production Overview
Goats: Sustainable Production Overview
Goats: Sustainable Production Overview

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Goats: Sustainable Production Overview

  • 1. GOATS: SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION OVERVIEW LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION GUIDE National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service www.attra.ncat.org Abstract: Goats: Sustainable Production Overview provides fundamental information relevant to all goats, espe- cially about feeding, reproduction, and health. An extensive resource list is included. Read ATTRA’s Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production and Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats for more complete information, includ- ing sections on marketing and profitability. By Linda Coffey, Margo Hale, and Ann Wells NCAT Agriculture Specialists August 2004 © NCAT 2004 The goat was one of the first animals to be domes- ticated by humans, about 9,000 years ago. Today, there are some 200 different breeds of goats that produce a variety of products, including milk, meat, and fiber (mohair and cashmere). Worldwide, goat meat pro- duction is higher than meat production from cattle or hogs.(Holcomb, 1994) Raising goats can be a valuable part of a sustain- able farm. Integrating livestock into a farm system can increase its economic and environmental health and diversity, thereby making important contribu- tions to the farm’s sustainability. Goats often fit well into the biological and economic niches on a farm that otherwise go untapped. Goats can be incorporated into existing grazing operations with sheep and cattle, Table of Contents and they can also be used to control weeds and brush to help make use of a pasture’s diversity. Erosion on land used for row crops declines when the land is converted to pasture. Rotating row crops Selection....................................................2 and pasture every year or two offers both fertility and Feeding Ruminants........................3 pest control advantages. Goats eat the forages, the goats’ manure replaces some purchased fertilizers, Raising Goats on Pasture .........3 and the life cycles of various crop and animal pests Marketing ..............................................15 are interrupted. Like other ruminant animals, goats convert plant material that is unsuitable for human Profitability ........................................ 16 consumption into high-quality animal products. Resources ............................................... 16 Related ATTRA publications: References ...........................................23 Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production ATTRA is the national sustainable agriculture information service operated by the National Center for Appropriate Technology, through a grant from the Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. These organizations do not recommend or endorse products, companies, or individuals. NCAT has offices in Fayetteville, Arkansas (P.O. Box 3657, Fayetteville, AR 72702), Butte, Montana, and Davis, California.
  • 2. Selection • No abscesses • Proper conditioning (not fat or excessively thin) • Firm, pelleted manure When selecting animals for your herd you • Well-shaped udder and teats must first decide what traits are important to you and what the animals will be used for. Find Also, ask the producer questions such as what a producer with the type of animals that you diseases have been problems in the herd, what are interested in. You may locate producers by is the vaccination/worming protocol, and what contacting your local Extension agent, searching criteria are used for selection and culling. You classified ads in goat publications, contacting goat should also ask your veterinarian about diseases clubs or associations, or by attending meetings that are possible problems in your area. When se- or seminars for goat producers. Once you have lecting your animals, also observe their conforma- found a producer with goats for sale, visit the tion. Drawings 1 and 2 illustrate some of the char- farm to observe the herd and the management. acteristics of good and bad conformation in goats. The animals will adapt more easily to your farm Dr. Steve Hart of Langston University points if their prior management and environment are out that for most operations, conformation is a similar to yours. relatively minor concern; health and soundness To develop a productive herd it is imperative are much more important. He advises checking to that you select healthy animals. Never build your see that the bite is correct (not over-shot or under- herd with animals from the sale barn. These are shot) and that the legs and feet are sound. often animals that have been culled by another For more details on selection of goats, see the producer. There is a reason they were culled, pertinent ATTRA publication for the goats you and you do not want to bring those problems to intend to raise (Dairy Goat, Meat Goat). your herd. To run an efficient operation, it is necessary Listed below are some of the signs of a to identify animals (by tattoos or eartags) and healthy animal. keep records. Breeding, reproduction, and pro- duction records are helpful in identifying which • Shiny coat animals are most productive and which should • Lively manner be culled. • Easy movement (no limping, no swollen joints or misshapen udders) Good Bad Dairy Meat Goat Goat Drawing 1: Example of poor conformation Drawing 2: Good conformation for Dairy and Meat goats Drawings from Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H Club Goat Guide. (http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2264.htm) PAGE 2 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 3. Feeding Ruminants year-round. Therefore, supplementation with concentrates may sometimes be necessary (see Supplemental Feeding section of this publica- tion). Goats are ruminants; that is, they have a four- compartment stomach designed to digest large quantities of forages. Ruminants eat quickly and swallow their food at first without much chewing. Raising Goats on Later, they regurgitate their food and thoroughly chew it and swallow. This regurgitated food is called the cud, and healthy ruminants will spend Pasture as much time chewing their cud as they do graz- Contrary to the popular image of goats thriv- ing or eating hay. This is thought to be a predator ing on tin cans, goats actually require a more avoidance adaptation, as the ruminant can find nutritious diet than do other ruminants. Their a sheltered place to peacefully chew its cud and shorter digestive system does not retain food for be less vulnerable to predator attack than while as long, and thus does not digest nutrients fully. grazing. This quicker digestion allows them to eat larger The ruminants get their name from the rumen, quantities of food to make up for their reduced which is the largest compartment of the stomach absorption of nutrients, but it is goats’ unique and serves as a fermentation vat. The health and grazing behavior that really enables them to productivity of the goat (as with all ruminants) thrive on pasture. With their small mouths and depends on the rumen function; microorganisms flexible lips, grazing goats are able to select the in the rumen digest fiber and carbohydrates and highly nutritious parts of plants and leave parts protein to supply the animal with nutrients. that are less nutritious. This gives them an advan- Without those microorganisms, the goat will tage over cattle that graze by taking large mouth- become very sick and may die. Therefore, it is fuls; within that large mouthful there might be a of paramount importance that the animal be fed great quantity of poor-quality forage, including appropriately so that the ruminal organisms stay some that is dead or overly mature. healthy. Each goat is able to consume up to 3 to 5% of These rumen organisms require fiber, ni- its body weight in dry matter daily (perhaps more trogen (protein), and energy (carbohydrates). if the forage is highly digestible). To consume Roughages (forages—pasture, hay, browse) have that amount, however, goats must be pastured higher fiber content than grains. More mature in an area with a large quantity of available veg- forages contain more fiber and are less digestible. etative forage. Goats will eat less when they are Energy is provided by good–quality (digestible) moved to poor pastures. Listed below are some roughages and by concentrates (grains). of the factors that influence intake. The rumen microorganisms have preferred pH ranges; those that digest fiber best thrive in • Age, size, stage, and level of production a range of 6.0 to 6.8. Rumination (chewing the of the animal cud—required to digest roughage) increases • Animal’s health the amount of saliva, which buffers the rumen • Animal’s forage preferences (which are fluid and maintains the favorable pH. However, influenced by its mother and peers) grain (especially finely ground grains) decreases • Weather rumination; which means less saliva reaches the • Palatability of food rumen, and the pH decreases. Also, in the process • Digestibility (fiber content) of digesting grain, lactic acid is produced, which • Maturity of forage can further lower the pH. When a goat eats too much grain, the rumen pH can drop below 5.5, Goats prefer browsing (eating woody plants) killing the normal rumen microorganisms and but will also graze on grasses and weeds. Goats resulting in a very sick animal. are known to stand on their hind legs to reach The rumen microorganisms are “healthiest” leaves and brush. Since goats, cattle, and sheep when goats are eating good-quality forages, such prefer different forages, in many pasture situa- as vegetative pasture. However, it is difficult (if tions these species do not compete for the same not impossible) to provide good-quality forages food. Therefore, they can be managed quite suc- //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 3
  • 4. PHOTO BY CHARLIE RAHM ©NRCS 2004 cessfully in a multispecies grazing system, allow- htm#goats>. ing the land to be used more fully and generate When grazing goats, farmers must protect more income. Land grazed by both goats and their pastures from being overgrazed. There cattle returns 25% more than land grazed only are several reasons for this. Overgrazing for- by cattle.(Holcomb, 1994) ages Adding goats to a grazing system will have weed control benefits. Goats will eat such weeds • eventually kills the plants as leafy spurge, multiflora rose, and brambles, • reduces the longevity of the stand decreasing the need for commercial herbicides and exposes more soil to erosion or mowing. Meat and fiber goats are particularly • means the animals don’t get enough useful for brush control. For a report on work food done in North Carolina using goats alone or with • increases the chance of goats ingesting cattle, see “Use of Goats as Biological Agents for internal parasite larvae the Control of Unwanted Vegetation” (Luginbuhl • creates bare spots, creating opportu - et al., 1996a), at <www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/ nities for undesirable weeds and ero- extension/animal/meatgoat/MGVeget.htm>. sion For a concise article that explains some of the management issues pertaining to grazing goats to The end result of overgrazing is reduced eradicate multiflora rose, see the Ohio State Uni- performance of both the pasture and the animals, versity Bulletin 857, “Multiflora Rose Control,” at and health problems for the animals. To prevent <http://ohioline.osu.edu/b857/pdf/b857.pdf>. overgrazing, farmers should be careful to un- One use of grazing goats in the West is to control derstock rather than overstock land and always leafy spurge; see “Controlling Leafy Spurge using remove animals from a pasture when the pasture Goats and Sheep” (Sedivic et al., 1995), at <www. is grazed down to about 3 to 4 inches. Browse ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/plantsci/hay/r1093w.htm. must be managed so that it is maintained and PAGE 4 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 5. not killed. If you want long-term production of grazing system, also known as management browse, you must rotate the animals and not al- intensive grazing (MIG, commonly pronounced low the area to become over-browsed. “mig”). The MIG systems have been used more Fencing is the most critical factor in raising extensively with cattle than with sheep or goats. goats on pasture. There is nothing more frustrat- Much work has been done recently with goats ing than having to constantly chase goats back using MIG, although it is not yet widely pub- into the pasture. Fencing will also be the greatest lished. However, for a review of studies of goats expense, other than the initial cost of the animals. and grazing, see “Meat Goats in Land and Forage The best permanent fencing is 4-foot woven wire Management” (Luginbuhl, 1996b), at <www. with barbed wire along the top. Some graziers cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/meat- are also successfully using four or five strands goat/MGLand.htm>. of high-tensile electric wire. Goats may have to The basic principle of MIG is to allow ani- be trained to electric fences by placing them in a mals to graze for a limited time and then move small paddock to "test" the wire. Once they have them to another pasture or paddock (a subdivi- been trained to an electric fence, goats can usu- sion of a pasture). The pasture forage plants ally be controlled with two strands of wire in a can then grow back without using up all of their cross-fence. Electric netting is also an option for root reserves. Even brush will need a recovery temporary or permanent fencing in management time if it is being used as forage for goats. In intensive grazing systems; however, several goat fact, woody plants may need to be rested a full producers have lost animals that tangled their year to remain a forage source in the pasture. horns in the netting. It is very important to keep Without this rest period, the goats can kill the electric fences charged at 4,500 volts or more. brush through continuous browsing. Under Regular checking and testing are necessary, and MIG, legumes and native grasses may reappear any problems must be fixed promptly, or goats in the pasture, and producers often report that will escape. the pasture plant community becomes more Goats also need shelter. They can tolerate diverse. Management intensive grazing can be cold weather, but goats will get chilled by wet, used to improve the pasture, extend the grazing cold conditions. The necessary shelter or shelters season, and enable the producer to provide a depend on the producer’s operation. A dairy op- higher quality forage at a lower cost with fewer eration will usually have extensive barn and pen purchased inputs. MIG can also be useful in set-ups, while a large meat goat operation may reducing internal parasite problems, if farmers use only trees in the pasture as shelter. Build- are careful to move the goats to a new pasture ings used for shelter may be minimal, but they before the forage plants are grazed too short (too should be well-ventilated and clean. Barns and short is less than about 4 inches —see Health sheds are not the only options for shelter. There section for more about parasites). While the are portable shelters, moveable shades, and even benefits of MIG are substantial, it does require old hog huts that can be used as shelters for your increased management skill and adequate fenc- animals. ing and watering facilities. For more information Predators are a problem in most areas where on pastures and grazing, see the list of ATTRA goats are produced. For information on how to publications in the Resources section. control predators, see the ATTRA publication The goal of MIG is to have paddocks small Predator Control for Sustainable & Organic Livestock enough that they can be grazed in a few days Production. (usually one to ten). The time will depend on the number of goats and the quality and quantity of the forage. How long a herd remains in a pad- Controlled Grazing dock will vary, depending on the intensity of management, time of year, and stage of growth In the U.S., continuous grazing is a common of the forage. When beginning with MIG, make practice, characterized by giving the animals big paddocks and use long rotations. As produc- unrestricted access to the pasture throughout the ers become more familiar with the pasture plants season. This works well for goats. However, feed- and the goats’ grazing habits, they usually sub- ing goats in a sustainable and economical way is divide paddocks with electric fence. Temporary better accomplished by a controlled, rotational subdivisions allow the grazier to define the pad- //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 5
  • 6. docks in response to different growing conditions supplements. and the goats’ changing feed requirements. In some operations—particularly dairies— Fresh, clean water must always be available. goats are raised in confinement, and all their feed In a MIG system, the animals either have access is brought to them. However, allowing goats to to a central water source available from every graze can lower costs in the following ways. subdivision, or water is provided separately to each of the pasture’s subdivisions. This can be a • By reducing purchased grain costs challenge, and it is another capital expense. Feed • By eliminating forage harvesting costs intake will decrease more for goats than for cattle • By eliminating manure removal costs or sheep if clean water is not readily available. • By lowering fertilizer costs as manure Along with water, minerals need to be avail- nutrients are returned to the soil able to your animals at all times. It is best to feed calcium, phosphorous, and trace minerals in a Goats have the ability to select the more nutri- salt mixture to ensure that the animals actually tious parts of a plant. Therefore, they typically eat them. Test your forages to determine their will consume a higher quality diet if they have the mineral content and adjust mineral supplemen- opportunity to be selective. With the exception tation as needed. Your local Extension agent of lactating dairy goats, goats grazing a high- can have your forage analyzed. Mineral content quality pasture can usually meet their protein of forage is quite variable across the country, requirements without supplemental feeding. In and the type, stage, and level of production of some cases an energy supplement (grain) may be the animals influence mineral requirements; necessary. More information on pasturing goats therefore, no one mineral supplement formula is is provided in ATTRA’s Dairy Goats: Sustainable right for all locations or situations. For instance, Production and Sustainable Goat Production: Meat a heavy-producing dairy goat will need more Goats. calcium and phosphorus then a dry (non-lactat- ing) meat goat. Consult a livestock nutritionist for help in identifying a good mineral mix for Supplemental Feeding your operation. It is very important that you consistently offer While good quality forages are usually ad- this mix (preferably in a loose form), monitor its equate, goats may sometimes need supplemental consumption, and ensure that all the goats are feeding, especially during the winter. Goats in fact eating adequate amounts of the mineral need a proper balance of energy in the form of roughage or grain, TABLE 1. DIETARY PROTEIN AND ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF GOATS*. as well as protein, vitamins, minerals, CLASS OF GOAT AVG. FEED % CRUDE %TDN2 and clean water. INTATKE / DAY, LB1 PROTE IN Protein and energy requirements vary, GROWING DOELING, 45 LB A 2.4 8.8 56 depending on the GROW ING M ALE KID , 66LB B 2.9 9.0 57 type of goat and its YEARLING DOE , 90 LB C 4.6 10.0 56 stage of production 3 Y R. OLD DOE , 110 LB D 5.0 11.7 69 (see Table 1). MATURE B UCK , 220 LB E 5.3 9.0 55 There is a rule DAIRY DOE , 150 LB F 7.5 11.6 71 of thumb for all goats: browse and *APPROXIMATIONS; BASED ON DRY MATTER IN THE FEEDS EATEN 1 CALCULATED ON BASIS OF THE DRY MATTER IN THE FEEDS EATEN pasture in the sum- 2 TDN = TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS mer, hay and grain A GROWING AT THE RATE OF .25 LB/DAY in the winter, trace- B GROWING AT THE RATE OF .33 LB/DAY mineralized salt at C YEARLING FEMALE, LAST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY AND GROWING all times. (The min- D MILKING 2 QT/DAY - ENOUGH FOR TWINS eral mixture should E NOT GAINING WEIGHT, MODERATE ACTIVITY be fortified with F NUBIAN, MILKING 1 GALLON/DAY OF 4.0% BUTTERFAT selenium if you live (PINKERTON AND PINKERTON, 2000) PAGE 6 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 7. TABLE 2: SUPPLYING PROTEIN NEEDS FOR LACTATING GOATS % PROTEIN IN ROUGHAGE, DRY MATTER BASIS % PROTEIN NEEDED IN CONCENTRATE 15% AND OVER EXCELLENT LEGUME HAY OR EXCELLENT PASTURE HIGH PRODUCTION (OVER 4 QUARTS/DAY) 14 LOW PRODUCTION 12 12 TO 15% LEGUME-GRASS MIXED HAY OR GOOD PASTURE HIGH PRODUCTION 16 LOW PRODUCTION 14 10 TO 12% GOOD GRASS HAY OR FAIR PASTURE HIGH PRODUCTION 18 LOW PRODUCTION 16 BELOW 10% FAIR QUALITY GRASS HAY OR POOR PASTURE HIGH PRODUCTION 20 LOW PRODUCTION 18 (PINKERTON, 1993) in an area of the country with selenium-poor soil. Sustainable Production. Fiber goats, on the other Check with your Extension agent or veterinarian.) hand, may not do well with supplemental grain, When breeding begins in the fall, producer Sue because feeding too much protein to angora goats Drummond feeds her angora goats not only hay, can make mohair fiber coarser and reduce its grain, and salt but also vitamins (A, D, and E) and value, and feeding beyond maintenance require- di-calcium phosphate.(Drummond, 1995) Kelp, a ments will not improve the fiber production of seaweed high in minerals, is sometimes used as cashmere goats. a supplement, though it is expensive. Alterna- Goats can be picky eaters, and they may tive feeds such as roots and tubers (sugar beets, not immediately accept new feeds. Any feed mangels, sweet potatoes, turnips) may be fed for changes should be made gradually to avoid up- the energy content of the roots or the nutritious setting the rumen microflora. Feeding very high green tops. Various milling by-products are com- levels of grain can also upset the rumen. Grain monly fed to goats as well. should never be more than 50% of the total diet, Grain is the concentrate most often fed to except for heavily-producing dairy goats. Adult goats; cereal grains such as oats, corn, barley, meat goats should be fed a maximum of 1% of and wheat are high in energy (carbohydrate/fat). bodyweight in supplemental grain, with lactat- Less commonplace grains such as amaranth and ing does reaching a maximum of 1.5%. Feeding buckwheat are also sometimes used. Soybean an animal a large amount of concentrate (grain) meal and cottonseed meal are high-protein sup- causes acidosis: the rumen pH will drop and ru- plements. The choice of concentrate is determined men motility will decrease. Usually the animal by the composition of the forage. High-quality will go off feed, have diarrhea, and show signs of forages usually have adequate or even excess depression for a couple of days. In severe cases, protein; animals eating these will need a higher- acidosis can cause death. If you know an animal energy concentrate to utilize the protein present has consumed too much grain, you can treat it in the forages. Lower-quality pastures or hays with an antacid (sodium bicarbonate). Call your will require feeding a higher-protein supplement veterinarian for help, and offer only forage and to meet the goats’ protein requirement. water until the animal recovers. Dairy goats need both high-quality forage Enterotoxemia can also occur if there is a sud- and supplemental grain to reach their full poten- den change in diet that stimulates certain rumen tial, especially during peak lactation or growth. microbes to overpopulate and produce toxins More information on supplemental feeding of that cause symptoms similar to acidosis. Entero- dairy goats is available in ATTRA’s Dairy Goats: toxemia usually results in death. To prevent this //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 7
  • 8. disease, all animals should be vaccinated for balancing rations for any class of goat. See enterotoxemia (see Health section) and their ac- Contacts section for Langston University’s Web cess to grain or lush pasture should be controlled site. The Ohio Dairy Goat Ration program is (increase access cautiously). available by contacting a local county office of There are programs available to help goat Ohio State University Extension or producers determine rations for their herd. Langston University has developed a calcula- Ms. Cheryl Hall tor (available on-line) that will be helpful in Department of Animal Sciences 2027 Coffey Road Columbus, Ohio 43210 614-688-3143 Score 1 Very poor body condition - Deep cavity under tail and around tail Some county Extension offices may have ac- head. Skin drawn tight over pelvis with cess to software that is helpful, or your agent may no muscle tissue detectable in between. refer you to a ruminant nutritionist. - No fatty tissue felt at loin. Pins, hooks, and short ribs can be seen; edges feel sharp. Body Condition Scoring Score 2 Poor body condition - Cavity around tail head is evident, but Your goal in feeding your animals is to meet less prominent. No fatty tissue felt be- their nutritional requirements (economically) tween skin and pelvis, but skin is supple. and to keep them in a productive condition. One - Ends of short ribs are sharp to the touch, way to monitor the animals’ condition is to as- but individual ribs can no longer be seen. sign body condition scores (BCS). Body condition While bones are less prominent, they scoring evaluates the body fat reserves of your are still angular and can be easily distin- goats and is an easy method to evaluate the ef- guished by touch. fectiveness of your feeding program. Scores range from one to five and are determined by looking Score 3 Good body condition at the tail-head and loin areas. Use the following - Slight cavity lined with fatty tissue ap- parent at tail head. Area between pins guidelines to determine each goat’s score. has smoothed out. A good source for meat goat body condition - Ends of short ribs can be felt with moder- scoring can be viewed at <http://bedford.exten- ate pressure. Slight depression visible in sion.psu.edu/agriculture/goat/Body%20Condi loin area. Hooks and pins can be felt but tion%20Scoring.htm>. have some covering of flesh. Hook, pin, When scoring your herd, take into consider- and back bones appear smooth. ation the herd average; every herd has individu- als that are too fat or too thin. If the herd average Score 4 Fatty body condition is under or over optimal condition, usually a - Depression between pins and tail head score of three, you need to change your feeding filling in. Patches of fat apparent under the skin. Pelvis felt only with firm pres- regimen. Body condition will vary depending sure. on the time of year. You should try to have your - Short ribs cannot be felt even with firm animals in good body condition before winter, so pressure. No depression visible in loin they can tolerate the cold and still have adequate between backbone and hip bones. Back reserves at kidding season. The animal’s stage and area between hooks and pins appear of production also influences body condition; flat. for example, a doe in early lactation will almost always lose condition. Score 5 Grossly fatty body condition - Tail head buried in fatty tissue. Area be- tween pins and tailbone rounded, skin distended. No part of pelvis felt, even Reproduction with firm pressure. Female goats (does) reach puberty at seven (Fredricks, 1993) to ten months of age, depending on the breed and nutrition, and should be at 60 to 75% of their PAGE 8 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 9. adult weight at breeding to prevent difficult kid- bet. At the very least, you should observe both ding. Does will have higher lifetime production the herd and the parents of the buck. When se- and be more profitable if they are bred to kid as lecting a buck, it is important to perform a breed- yearlings. Does should kid every year thereafter ing soundness exam. A general physical exam until at least the age of seven or eight, if they re- can check the buck for structural soundness and main healthy. Most goats are seasonal breeders, abnormalities in the sex glands and organs. The reacting to shorter days as a cue for breeding. scrotal circumference (at the widest point) should The presence of a buck (uncastrated male goat) be measured, since this correlates with fertility stimulates the reproductive cycle (estrous) and and semen production. As a general rule, dairy the behaviors of the does that indicate that they bucks should measure 25 to 28 cm at 100 pounds, are in the fertile part of their cycle (in heat). The meat bucks should measure 26 to 29 cm at 100 doe’s estrous cycle normally occurs from Au- pounds, and larger bucks should measure at least gust or September until January, with October 34 to 36 cm.(Mobini, 2003) Have a semen sample to December being the peak time for breeding. taken and evaluated. A normal concentration is 2 The estrous cycle is normally 18 to 22 days long. billion sperm per cubic centimeter of semen. Of Does in heat (estrus) are at the proper stage for those, 70% should be motile, moving forward. breeding; at this time, they will be receptive to The sperms’ morphology should be evaluated to the buck. Estrus (standing heat) lasts for 12 to 36 determine whether they are mature and whether hours. Signs of heat include tail wagging, swol- there are abnormalities. At least 80% of the len vulva, mounting behavior, decrease in milk sperm should be normal.(Mobini, 2003) Finally, yield if lactating, and a general increase in activ- the buck’s libido should be monitored. A sound ity and bleating. Kids are born about 150 days buck is of no use if he will not service does. A after breeding. Planning breeding so that kids full-grown, healthy buck should easily service are born during the height of forage production up to 50 does. Bucks should not be bred to their in the spring makes efficient use of the pasture. daughters; inbreeding tends to expose genetic Keeping accurate breeding records will allow you problems and lead to weaker stock. to know when kids are due and help you prepare Some goat producers (especially those who for their arrival. raise dairy goats) use artificial insemination Some goat milk markets demand year-round (A.I.) for breeding. This requires excellent heat production. Breeding season may be manipu- detection skills and is more labor-intensive than lated through the use of lights and hormone natural service, but A.I. allows the economical therapy. However, milk production is less for use of outstanding sires. The American Dairy a doe that kids in the fall than when she kids in Goat Association (ADGA) offers a booklet about the spring. A.I., classes are offered by Langston University Male goats (bucks) reach puberty earlier (Oklahoma) and sometimes by goat associations, than females and must either be separated from and A.I. technicians are available in most areas of them by the age of four months or be castrated the country. For more information, contact your to prevent unwanted breedings. Buck kids local Extension agent, order the booklet from can be used as herd sires at 8 to 10 months, but ADGA (see contact information in the Resource should not be used as heavily as mature bucks. section), or call ATTRA. Have your veterinarian test them for fertility and soundness before the breeding season. This test is called a breeding soundness exam and is Kid Management described below. The most important animal in the herd is the Kids are raised for replacement stock, sold as buck. He provides half of the genetics of the herd, breeding stock, or slaughtered for meat. There- and using a sound, high-quality buck can make fore, raising healthy, productive kids is essential significant improvements to the herd. Spend time to the profitability of your operation. and effort to locate a superior buck, one that has It is crucial that kids receive colostrum (the the traits you have identified as important. It is first milk, which contains antibodies to protect well worth the investment. A buck that has pro- the kid from disease) soon after birth. However, duction records (has been on test or has relatives in some herds Caprine-arthritis encephalitis that have been on a production test) is the surest (CAE—see Health section) is a concern, and kids //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 9
  • 10. Health Concerns Few diseases afflict goats, and most produc- ers find even fewer health problems when they use management intensive grazing. Practitioners of MIG see their goats at every paddock move. Observation is the best way to avoid, or at least catch early, any diseases or other problems that might occur. When people buy goats, they should proceed cautiously.  Check out the seller’s herd. • Ask the seller questions. from those herds must be bottle-fed heat-treated • Learn as much as they can about goats and colostrum instead of nursing their mothers. Kids goat diseases. • Decide what diseases or problems they can raised naturally with their mothers usually grow or cannot live with, or which ones they are better than those that are bottle-fed. However, willing to vaccinate for or treat. for dairy production, it may be more economi- • Know what can or cannot be treated and cal to separate the kids from the mothers, feed the consequences of getting the disease in kids with a milk replacer, and sell the extra goat their herd. milk. It is essential, however, that kids receive colostrum on the first day of their lives. Males should be castrated at an early age Keeping livestock as stress-free as possible to reduce stress on the animal. Castration with keeps their immune systems functioning prop- elastic bands should be done within a week of erly. A healthy immune system is the best disease birth. There is some concern that animals may preventive. Conversely, periods of stress, such as contract tetanus if they are castrated with bands. weaning or transporting, may trigger disease. In- Male slaughter goats are often castrated, since tensively managed livestock become calmer and the meat can have a strong flavor in intact males tamer, and handling them calmly makes them more than four months old. Some ethnic groups, easier to work with when things such as loading, however, want intact males. It is important for vaccinating, or other tasks need to be done. you to know your market, so you can plan for the Preventive management is fundamental to management of your herd. Disbudding is often maintaining health. Proper nutrition, sanitation, done in goat dairies to prevent problems with and ventilation, as well as timely treatment or horns in the milking parlor. Kids are disbudded culling of problem animals, helps keep the herd between three and seven days after birth, using in good health and reduces health care costs. a specially designed disbudding iron that is very For example, the teats of milking does are usu- hot. Equipment and instructions for use are of- ally dipped in disinfectant after milking, while fered by goat supply houses (see Resource list). the teat opening is dilated, because bacteria Recommended Vaccination Program Enterotoxemia and tetanus— Clostridium perfringens types C, D, + Tetanus Toxoid in one vaccine Adult Males Once a year Breeding Females Once a year (4 to 6 weeks before kidding), or twice a year: 4 to 6 weeks before breeding, then 4 to 6 weeks before kidding Kids Week 8, then booster on week 12 PAGE 10 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 11. COURTESY OF DR. JEAN-MARIE LUGINBUHL, NCSU entering the teat can cause mastitis. Likewise, other diseases or deficiencies. Your veterinarian regular foot-trimming helps prevent footrot and can help you set up a vaccination protocol that lameness. Having a good predator control strat- will protect your herd from some diseases that egy (such as a guardian animal and an electric are problems in your area. perimeter fence) will also help prevent losses in your herd. Check with a local veterinarian to get recom- Parasites mendations for a vaccination and health main- tenance schedule for your goat herd. Because so Parasites, especially internal ones, are the few medications are approved for use in goats, major health concern for goats. Not only are it is imperative to work closely with a veterinar- goats very susceptible to internal parasites, but ian who can advise you on proper drug use and the parasites are rapidly becoming resistant to withdrawal times. It is important to find a vet- all of the available anthelmintics (dewormers), erinarian who is compatible with you and with and no new dewormers are being developed. your management style, and who knows (or is Therefore, management MUST be the primary willing to learn) about small ruminants. With method for sustainable control of internal para- time and patience, your veterinarian can become sites in goats. competent in the diagnosis and treatment of small If ample pasture is available and goats are ruminants. You may locate a small ruminant vet- not overstocked, a herd may have little difficulty erinarian by contacting the Association of Small with internal parasites. However, forcing goats Ruminant Practitioners at <www.aasrp.org/>. to graze close to the ground and overcrowding (See Resources: Organizations.) stock will cause an increase in parasite load. In many areas, veterinarians recommend Animals on highly-stocked pastures will usu- vaccinations for tetanus and enterotoxemia (over- ally carry a heavier parasite load, due to the eating disease). Certain selenium-poor regions increased amount of fecal matter on the pasture. require the use of a selenium and vitamin injec- You can reduce parasite problems by having a tion several times a year. In other areas, addi- low stock density and by rotating your animals tional vaccines or injections may be necessary for to different pastures. An understanding of how //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 11
  • 12. parasite infestations happen will help to avoid score. The system recommends anthelmintics or major problems. culling for animals scoring 5 or 4 and sometimes All parasite infestations occur when the ani- 3. Keep records and use those individuals with mal ingests the infective larval stage from con- fewest parasite problems for breeding, while taminated pasture, hay, or living quarters. The those with the most problems should be culled. larvae develop from eggs that were passed from This selects for parasite resistant animals. The an animal through its feces. If there are no adult FAMACHA© system is only useful in detecting worms in any goats in your herd, this infestation those animals infected with barber-pole worms cannot occur. Even if larvae are present in the (Haemonchus contortus), which is the primary pasture, goats are less likely than other ruminants species that causes problems in goats and sheep. to consume them, because goats prefer to eat at The FAMACHA© system is now available in eye-level, and the larvae do not climb up grass the United States through the Southern Region blades to eye level. This is one of several good USDA-SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research reasons for managing pastures to prevent grazing and Education) group, which tested the system in them too short. Try to maintain a forage height the United States. Only veterinarians or properly above 4 inches, at minimum. trained sheep and goat producers will be able to Symptoms of a parasite problem include purchase the FAMACHA© charts. Veterinarians weight loss, rough coat, depression, and anemia may inquire about FAMACHA© by contacting (evidenced by pale mucous membranes, espe- <famacha@vet.uga.edu>. A Web site is being cially in the lower eyelid or gums). Animals that developed by the SARE group. In the meantime, are carrying a heavy parasite load will produce further information can be found at <http:// less and lag behind their herd mates. It is impor- scsrpc.org/SCSRPC/FAMACHA/famacha. tant to realize that heavily infected animals are htm> . “seeding” the pastures with parasite larvae, thus Another way to assess the parasite load in amplifying the problem over time by contaminat- your herd is to have a veterinarian check fecal ing the environment. Also, there is a great deal samples for parasite eggs and recommend an of variation in individual animal resistance to appropriate dewormer, if necessary. Since very parasites. Culling animals with severe parasite few anthelmintics are approved for goats, and problems will decrease the herd’s problems by since many parasites have developed resistance reducing pasture contamination and by retain- to anthelmintics, the help of a veterinarian is ing and encouraging parasite-resistant genetics essential to administering effective anthelmin- in the herd. tics. For milk-producing goats, it is necessary to A clinical on-farm system called FAMA- consider the withdrawal period that a chemical CHA© was developed in South Africa for clas- dewormer may require (in order for the goat to sifying animals into categories based upon level be free of residues) before the milk can be sold of anemia. This is done by monitoring the color for consumption. Be sure to reworm three weeks of the lower eyelid on a scale of 1 (healthy color, after the initial treatment to kill any parasites that no treatment needed) to 5 (very pale, anemic). were ingested the day of the first worming. (It A special colored card is used to determine the takes three weeks for larvae to mature to adult The main points to keep in mind about parasite control in goats are that your best defense is 1) good pasture management, including use of browse as a forage source, and 2) selecting parasite-resistant animals (culling those that suffer most from parasites). No dewormer will compensate for poor management, and many dewormers are no longer effective in the United States. New dewormers for goats are not being developed, so we must learn to control parasite problems through good management and selection of resistant animals. PAGE 12 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 13. worms.) Worming and then moving the goats for Livestock for more information on managing 24 hours later will leave behind the vast majority parasites. of contaminated feces. Pastures are considered “clean” if goats or sheep have not been grazed on Caprine arthritis-encephalitis them for 12 months, or if they have been hayed or rotated with row crops. In the meantime, Caprine arthritis-encephalitis (CAE) is the cattle or horses may be grazed in the infested most serious disease facing the goat industry. area, because they do not carry the same species It is an incurable viral infection that causes ar- of worms. Goats and sheep, however, do share thritis, a hardened udder that produces no milk, the same parasites. and a general wasting away. There is currently Researchers have found that plants with no vaccine for the disease, and the only way to high tannin levels show anthelmintic proper- avoid its devastating effects is to prevent animals ties. The tannin in sericea l1espedeza has been from becoming infected. To keep your herd free shown to suppress the egg laying ability of adult of CAE, cull any animals that have tested positive worms and inhibits the hatching of eggs that are for CAE or are showing signs of the disease. shed.(Min et al, 2004) This reduces the worm load The most common route of transmission is on the pasture and in the animals. Other plants, through the milk, although saliva and possibly including wormwood, may also have anthelmin- semen are two other routes. Heat-treating co- tic properties. Allowing the animals to graze on lostrum and pasteurizing milk will kill the virus, a variety of plant species will assist in providing and these are the only known ways of preventing better nutrition, and may also help with control- the infection from passing to uninfected kids. ling internal parasites. Not all plant species have Producers who implement a CAE-prevention been evaluated to determine whether they have program face a rigorous regimen that includes ob- anthelmintic properties. In the future, more re- serving all births, preventing kids from nursing, search may be done in this area. feeding heat-treated colostrum and pasteurized The complete eradication of livestock pests milk, and segregating or culling all CAE-positive is not feasible or economically necessary—some animals. This is a very labor-intensive method of level of pests may be tolerable. Goats, like other kid rearing. Anyone purchasing a goat should species of livestock, may develop some immunity ask how the goat kid was raised and whether it to worms, making a low-level infestation some- has had recent CAE blood tests. Because some times more advantageous than no parasites at all. goats do not seroconvert to CAE-positive for two Lack of immunity is very damaging to Angoras, years, a single negative blood test is not neces- for example. When they are moved from arid sarily reliable. When kids are bottle-raised on range conditions, where there are few internal non-pasteurized milk, the milk is usually pooled parasites, to more humid areas, where parasite for all kids, so that one positive doe can have a populations are higher, serious problems often disastrous effect on a goat herd’s CAE status. develop. Some individual goats have a higher Goat producers who are really conscientious natural immunity than others, and those are the about ridding a herd of CAE will not allow in- animals that you should select. Young goats fected goats to have any contact with non-infected will be most susceptible to parasites and should goats. It is always easier to purchase non-infected always be weaned to a clean pasture. animals than to rid your herd of CAE once it is Coccidiosis, a disease resulting from infection introduced. (When purchasing goats, it is a good of the intestinal tract by parasitic protozoa called idea to look at the entire herd; swollen knees or coccidia, causes scours (diarrhea) in goats, par- emaciated animals may be signs of CAE infection ticularly in kids. There are several coccidiostats in the herd.) (anti-coccidia medications) on the market, but Some CAE-positive goats never show any again, management is key for control. Coccidiosis symptoms of CAE; a good kid producer or a occurs in damp, crowded areas. Keeping kids heavy-milking doe that is CAE-positive may away from those areas prevents serious prob- still have a place within the herd. The producer lems. Animals gain immunity to this organism should consider the goals and priorities for his or by nine months of age, and clinical disease rarely her enterprise before determining whether a goat occurs in adult animals. should be culled on the basis of its CAE status. See ATTRA’s Integrated Parasite Management At one time, it was thought that only dairy //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 13
  • 14. goats had a high incidence of CAE. However, the combination of two different bacteria, one of with so many kids of all breeds being fed infected which cannot survive outside of the host for more milk, the situation has now changed. Anyone than two weeks. The other is present in the envi- buying any type of goat must be just as concerned ronment. The infection is generally painful and about its CAE status as someone purchasing a is characterized by limping and signs of pockets dairy goat. of pus on the hoof. There is a strong, foul odor There are tests available to determine whether associated with footrot. an animal has CAE. Testing should be done ev- To treat footrot, first trim the feet so they are ery year. Positive animals should be isolated or level and smooth (stop when you see pink in the culled. Contact your veterinarian or diagnostic sole, but remove loose bits from the side). Then lab for further information on CAE testing. soak the animal’s foot in a footbath containing zinc sulfate or copper sulfate or formaldehyde. Ideally, it should stand in the solution for five Abortion minutes and then move to a dry area. (The lot should include dry areas, because mud and There are several factors that can cause a moisture will aggravate footrot.) goat to abort. A deficiency in vitamin A, iodine, Animals that do not respond to treatment or copper can cause abortions. Parasites, certain should be culled. Many producers cull animals by drugs, poisonous plants, and stress can also cause sending them to the sale barn: yet another reason a doe to abort. to avoid purchasing stock there. Always observe If abortion is widespread in the herd, animals with the herd before purchasing them, there is most likely an infectious cause. Chlamydia and do not buy any animals that limp. Quaran- psittaci is the most common cause of infectious tine all new goats for two weeks before putting abortions. However, there are other organisms them with your herd, and watch closely for signs that may be the culprit, and treatment depends of limping. Consult your veterinarian for assis- on knowing the infectious agent. Therefore, at tance in treating footrot and other diseases. the first abortion in the herd, send the placenta to a diagnostic lab. Keep the placenta chilled until Caseous Lymphadenitis it arrives at the lab. Also be sure to wear rubber gloves and be cautious; some agents can infect Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) infects animals humans as well. through breaks in the skin, such as cuts or scrapes Toxoplasmosis is another major cause of from shearing, barbed wire, thorny brush, etc., abortion in goats. This is a disease that can also and becomes localized in a regional lymph node, infect humans, and it is particularly dangerous most commonly in or around the neck. The re- to pregnant women. Toxoplasmosis organisms sulting abscess can be either external or internal. are carried by cats, particularly young cats, which Draining or opening an external abscess can cause develop immunity once infected. It may help to reinfection. CL is transmitted by direct contact; keep one or two adult neutered cats for rodent therefore, all infected animals should be isolated. control and to prevent other cats from coming CL can be picked up in bedding or by touching onto your farm. Toxoplasmosis is contracted by some other area that has been contaminated by goats ingesting cat feces. It can be brought onto goats with abscesses, and the infectious organism your farm in hay or straw, if there were cats on persists in the environment for several months. the farm where the hay or straw was stored. Cer- Internal abscesses occur when the thoracic lymph tain feed additives (Deccox, monensin) can help duct is affected. Animals with internal abscesses prevent abortions due to toxoplasmosis. Consult often waste away— or they may have no clinical your veterinarian for details on how and where signs. Do not buy any animals from a herd that to ship the placenta and how to treat the herd if has abscesses. Diagnostic testing is available to an infectious cause is identified.(Patton, 2003) determine whether an animal has CL. Extreme caution must be used when aspirating an ab- scess, because CL is transmittable to humans. Footrot All infected material (gloves, bedding, towels) must be burned to minimize the risk of spread- Footrot is a contagious disease caused by ing disease. PAGE 14 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 15. See the Resource section at the end of this Contagious Ecthyma publication for information on several excellent books on goat health and diseases. This disease, also known as soremouth or orf, is caused by a pox virus. It is characterized Flies by blisters and scabs on the lips and can spread to a doe’s udder by an infected nursing kid. This In confinement situations, implement fly disease is usually introduced into a herd from a control programs early in the season, before the purchased animal or one returning from a show. fly population gets out of control. A sustainable The disease is highly contagious, including to approach is Integrated Pest Management (IPM). humans, and the virus can live for several months Parasitic wasps are a biological control for barn to years in the environment. flies. These wasps lay their eggs in fly pupal There is a vaccine for soremouth, but it should cases; wasp larvae kill the developing flies by not be used in a herd that is free from the disease. feeding on them. Light traps, baited traps, and It is a live vaccine, meaning it will introduce the sticky tapes are physical controls for barn flies. disease into your herd. Usually, if an animal has Because moist manure, spilled feed, and damp been infected with the disease, it will be immune bedding encourage fly populations, practicing to further infections. good sanitation on a regular schedule is impor- tant, especially in confinement areas. Eliminate Scrapie Eradication Program drainage problems that allow water to accumu- late. ATTRA has more information on alternative Scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease affect- fly control and IPM available on request. ing the central nervous system, one of the class of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). Other examples of The following are the keys to TSEs include BSE in cattle and Chronic Wast- maintaining a healthy goat herd. ing Disease (CWD) in deer and elk. There is no evidence that scrapie can spread to humans, • Buy healthy stock but negative public perceptions and the loss of • Keep animals as stress-free as possible export opportunities have encouraged the effort • Use preventative medicine—good nutri- to eradicate scrapie from the U.S. The incidence tion, sanitation, foot care, vaccinations of scrapie in goats is extremely low, so it is highly • Have a relationship with a veterinarian • Learn about the major diseases that can unlikely that your herd will be affected. Never- affect your herd and how to prevent them theless, goat producers (and sheep producers) are • Be observant and responsive required to participate in the Scrapie Eradication Program. Details about this program are avail- able from your state veterinarian or by going to the National Scrapie Education Initiative Web site, <www.eradicatescrapie.org/index.html>. Marketing Briefly, you must contact your state veterinarian to request a premises identification number. You This section should probably be on the first will then receive free eartags with your premises page, because marketing must be thoroughly ID printed on them, and you must install tags on researched and planned up-front. Before begin- any breeding animals over the age of 18 months ning production, it is essential to know what goat before they leave your farm. Dairy goat produc- products you are going to sell, and where and ers may use tattoos instead of ear tags; the state how you will market them. Goat meat, which veterinarian will assign an ID tattoo that consists is 50 to 65% leaner than beef, will be either the of your state abbreviation and the ADGA tattoo primary product or, in the case of dairy or fiber sequence assigned to the farm. In addition, any enterprises, an important secondary one. Called breeding goat (or sheep) that crosses state lines “cabrito” or “chevon,” goat meat is considered (for shows or to be sold, for example) must be a gourmet or health food by some, is popular accompanied by an official Certificate of Veteri- in areas with certain ethnic populations, and is nary Inspection (health certificate) issued by an often processed into products such as sausage or accredited veterinarian. jerky. See ATTRA’s Sustainable Goat Production: //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 15
  • 16. Meat Goats and Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production plan, especially the marketing section.(University for more information about goat products and of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives, 1998) If their markets. the feasibility study indicates that your business It may be possible to establish a niche mar- idea is sound, the next step is a business plan. A ket through direct marketing. Many consum- business plan is an analysis of how the business ers would like to buy products that have been will work—your competition, the market, your raised with a minimum of synthetic chemicals capital and operating expenses, management and and pesticides. With any agricultural enterprise, staffing needs, manufacturing process, etc. It is it is important to determine market potential also one of the written documents usually neces- before making an investment in production. See sary for obtaining a loan.(University of Wisconsin ATTRA’s Resources for Organic Marketing, Direct Center for Cooperatives, 1998) Marketing, and Alternative Meat Marketing for ad- While developing a business plan may take ditional information. time and effort, it will be well worth the effort in the long run. An excellent tool for developing a business plan is Building a Sustainable Business: A Certified Organic Production Guide to Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural Businesses, developed by the Minnesota In- Certified organic products have found a stitute for Sustainable Agriculture. This publica- niche market with growing potential. The U.S. tion addresses all the steps of developing a plan, Department of Agriculture released the National from identifying your goals to implementing your Organic Program final rule, effective October plan. This publication can be viewed at <www. 2002, that details the requirements for organic misa.umn.edu/publications/bizplan.html>. To certification. ATTRA has information about the order a spiral-bound copy of this workbook, rule and the certification process available on contact 802-656-0484, <sanpubs@uvm.edu>, 800- request. 909-6472, or <misamail@umn.edu.> As of 2004, An organic goat feeding program will prob- the cost is under $20, including shipping. ably require a combination of organic pasture and Producers can make effective use of labor and purchased organic feed grains. A pasture must other resources by processing together, market- be free of synthetic pesticides or other prohibited ing together, buying in bulk, etc. Cooperatives can substances for three years prior to organic certifi- also help producers gain better access to funding cation. Producers may want to request ATTRA’s and technical assistance. The USDA Rural Busi- Organic Livestock Feed Suppliers Resource List. The ness-Cooperative Development Service provides major difficulty with organic production of goats technical support for cooperative development. may be the issue of how to control internal para- Contact them for a catalog of publications and sites without recourse to anthelmintics. Cost and services (see Resources). availability of organic grains, hay, and bedding may be obstacles to organic production as well. It is expensive and time-consuming to go through the certification process. Make sure your Resources customers require certification before undertak- Many states have Extension publications ing it. Refer to NCAT’s Organic Livestock Workbook about goats. Check with your local and state for organic requirements. Extension offices for titles available in your state. Your Extension agent may also have information on local markets and sources of stock. Profitability Goat experts at Langston University’s E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Unless goat production is just a hobby for Research are valuable sources of information. you, it is vital to do feasibility and business This is a goat research program with specialists planning. A feasibility study identifies “make or who are willing to answer questions about all break” issues that would prevent your business types of goats—dairy, meat, mohair, and cash- from being successful, and answers whether the mere. Langston’s Web site is <www.luresext. business idea makes sense. A feasibility study edu/goats/index.htm>. also provides useful information for the business The University of Florida Cooperative Exten- PAGE 16 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 17. sion service has a Dairy Goat Production Guide commoditysheets/fvsu005.htm that is very informative and useful. This publica- Meat Goat – www.aginfo.fvsu.edu/publicat/ tion can be viewed on-line at <http://edis.ifas. commoditysheets/fvsu006.htm ufl.edu/DS134>. Caprine Supply and Hoegger Supply Com- North Carolina State University – Extension pany both sell goat equipment, including vet- Animal Husbandry (see Meat Goat) erinary supplies and equipment for disbudding www.cals.ncsu.edu/an_sci/extension/animal/ and tattooing, insemination, and milking and eahmain.html dairy equipment, and more. In addition, they sell many of the books available on general goat Florida A & M Goat Program production and specialty books on dairy, meat, www.famu.edu/index.cfm?a= and fiber goats. A list of books is also provided goats at the end of this publication, along with contact information for suppliers. The University of Maryland’s National Goat A good way to learn about goats is from other Handbook producers, either formally or informally. Some www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/ farms provide internship opportunities. See AT- AgrEnv/ndd/goat TRA’s Internships and Apprenticeships Resource List at <www.attrainternships.ncat.org/>. There University of California-Davis may be an association of goat producers in your www.animalscience.ucdavis.edu/facilities/ area. Associations may focus on a locality, a type goats/index.htm of goat, or a particular breed. One way to find an association is to contact your local Extension University of California Cooperate Extension office. There are goat listserves on the Internet www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vetext/INF-GO_ with active producer participation, as well as CarePrax2000.pdf many sites offering goat information. Empire State Meat Goat Producers Associa- tion Web Sites www.esmgpa.org/index.cfm Maryland Small Ruminant Page Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners www.sheepandgoat.com http://aasrp.org This site provides links to many topics about sheep and goat production and marketing. Livestock for Landscapes www.livestockforlandscapes.com Cyber Goats www.cybergoat.com BEHAVE–Behavioral Education for Human Animal Vegetation and Ecosystem Manage- Goat Connection ment www.goatconnection.com www.behave.net Offers managers tools and resources to harness Langston University – E. (Kika) de la Garza the power of behavior to induce beneficial American Institute for Goat Research outcomes on the land. www2.luresext.edu/goats/index.htm National Scrapie Education Initiative Oklahoma State University www.eradicatescrapie.org/index.html www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/goats FAMACHA information Fort Valley State University http://scsrpc.org/SCSRPC/FAMACHA/ Georgia Goat Center Publications– famacha.htm www.ag.fvsu.edu/mainpages/publications. cfm Dairy Goat – www.aginfo.fvsu.edu/publicat/ //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 17
  • 18. CD-ROMs Dairy Goats: Sustainable Production This publication is intended for those interested Multi-Species Grazing and Leafy Spurge in starting a commercial goat dairy. It discusses TEAM Leafy Spurge. 2002. the five major considerations to be addressed in USDA-ARS Northern Plains planning for dairy goat production: labor, sales Agriculture Research Laboratory and marketing, processing, regulations, and 1500 North Central Avenue budgeting and economics. It includes production Sidney, MT 59270 information specific to dairy goats, including 406-433-2020 choosing breeds and selecting stock. www.team.ars.usda.gov This CD provides a variety of useful informa- Small Ruminant Sustainability Checksheet tion about using grazing as an effective, afford- This checksheet is designed to stimulate critical able, and sustainable leafy spurge management thinking when evaluating a farm that produces tool. It contains economic reports, posters, sheep or goats. The sustainability of a farm photos, a PowerPoint presentation, an exten- depends on many factors involving farm man- sive bibliography, and more. A great resource. agement, use of resources, and quality of life. The questions in the checksheet are intended to GOATS! For Firesafe Homes in Wildland stimulate awareness rather than to rate manage- Areas ment practices. Use this guide to define areas in Kathy Voth your farm management that might be improved, 6850 West County Road 24 as well as to identify areas of strength. Loveland, CO 80538 www.livestockforlandscapes.com This CD/handbook is designed to provide fire managers, communities, and livestock owners Health information on using goats to reduce fire dan- ger. It includes expected results, and the Integrated Parasite Management for Livestock “hows” of managing animals, choosing treat With parasites developing resistance to all de- ment sites, developing contracts for services, wormers, and more farmers producing livestock estimating costs, and starting projects. This is by “natural” methods, there is interest in looking a great CD with some excellent videos. for alternative ways to manage parasite problems. This publication outlines a systems approach to assess and manage the soil, forages, and animals ATTRA Publications to decrease internal parasites and their effects. The following publications are available free Predator Control for Sustainable & Organic from ATTRA. Copies can be requested by call- Livestock Production ing 800-346-9140 or downloaded at our Web This publication focuses primarily on the control site, <www.attra.ncat.org>. of coyotes and dogs, which are the main causes of livestock lost to predation. It discusses manage- General ment practices, physical barriers, the use of guard animals, and other predator control measures. Sustainable Goat Production: Meat Goats Offers information specific to meat goat produc- tion and should be read after Goats: Sustainable Forages Production Overview. It discusses topics that include selection, breeds, marketing, feeding, and Assessing the Pasture Soil Resource profitability. It also includes sample budgets, case This publication explains how to take a soil sample studies of farms in Montana and Missouri, and and an easy way to assess soil biological activity and many further resources. water infiltration. Assessment sheet included. Matching Livestock and Forage Resources This publication examines how to manage pas- PAGE 18 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 19. tures and grazing animals to make more profit- rural areas and want to add new enterprises to able use of the farm’s resources. their operations. Its sections guide the reader in evaluating resources, assessing finances, gather- Meeting the Nutritional Needs of Ruminants ing information, and marketing. It also discusses on Pasture choosing an “alternative” enterprise and offers Impact of grazing management on nutrition, further resources. supplemental feeding on high quality pasture, feed profiling, feed budgeting, and matching Holistic Management livestock and forage resources for efficient pasture This is an introduction to holistic management. use are all covered. Holistic management is a decision-making frame- work that assists farmers and others in establish- Multispecies Grazing ing long-term goals, creating a detailed financial This is a brief overview of why multispecies graz- plan, developing a biological plan for the land- ing is beneficial, and includes considerations for scape, and implementing a monitoring program multispecies management. to assess progress toward the goals. Holistic Management helps managers to ask the right Introduction to Paddock Design questions and guides them in setting priorities. This presents the basics of paddock design and considerations in fencing and water technology. Keys to Success in Value-Added Agriculture Many enclosures. This publication presents, largely in the words of 14 farmers, important lessons they learned in Rotational Grazing adding value to farm products and marketing This publication examines how to manage pas- directly to consumers. tures and grazing animals to make more profit- able use of the farm’s resources. Marketing Strategies for Farmers and Ranch- ers (SAN publication) Sustainable Pasture Management This includes managing fertility and pests, Adding Value to Farm Products: an Overview grazing systems, conserved forages, maintaining This publication introduces the concept of value- productivity, and additional resources. added farm products, explains a few of the nuts and bolts for starting a food processing business, Marketing and provides resources for additional informa- tion. Alternative Meat Marketing This is a comprehensive introduction to producer Value-added Dairy Options marketing of meat products. It discusses pitfalls, This presents considerations for those who want producing and packaging for quality and con- to increase their profitability by bottling milk, sistency, direct marketing options, value-added making cheese or yogurt, or doing some other products, food safety and labeling, and niche mar- processing of their milk. This publication dis- kets. Contains a list of resources. cusses regulations and organic milk certification and offers resources for further information. Call Direct Marketing 800-346-9140 to request this publication, since This publication on direct marketing alterna- enclosures are available only with the hard copy. tives— with emphasis on niche and specialty markets and value-added crops—features many farm case studies, as well as information on en- Books terprise budgets and promotion/publicity. A new section discusses implications of Internet market- The following books offer useful information ing and e-commerce for agriculture. on a wide variety of production and marketing issues. These titles may be available through Evaluating a Rural Enterprise your local library, or may be requested through This publication is for people who already live in inter-library loan. Most of these books will be worthwhile purchases for individuals new to //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 19
  • 20. goat production. Previewing the books at a li- The New Goat Handbook brary is the best way to select the titles that will Jaudas, Ulrich. 1989. Barrons Educational Se- be most useful to you. ries, Inc., Hauppauge, NY. 93 p. A colorful book with many photographs and Used copies may be available through on-line line drawings. Very interesting and infor- services or through other booksellers. Many mative. suppliers of sheep and goat equipment also offer books in their catalogs, and copies are Goat Husbandry available from the publishers as well. Mackenzie, David. 1967. Faber and Faber Ltd., London. 368 p. Meat Goats: Their History, Management, and An older book, it can be found in librar- Diseases. ies and from sellers of used books. British Mitcham, Stephanie, and Allison Mitcham. terminology. Very good reading. A classic. 2000. Crane Creek Publications, Sumner, IA. 264 p. Angora Goats the Northern Way A well-written combination of the author’s Drummond, Susan Black. 1988. 2nd edition. personal experiences raising goats, veteri- Stony Lonesome Farm, Freeport, Michigan. nary knowledge (Stephanie Mitcham is a 203 p. DVM), and a compilation of information Order from: Stony Lonesome Farm from other experts in the field. Includes 1451 Sisson Rd. information about handling systems (hard Freeport, MI 49325 to find elsewhere). Raising Goats for Milk and Meat Small- Scale Livestock Farming: A Grass Sinn, Rosalee. 1995. Raising Goats for Milk Based Approach for Health, Sustainability, and Meat: A Heifer Project International Train- and Profit. ing Course. Heifer Project International, Little Ekarius, Carol. 1999. Storey Books, Pownal, VT. Rock, AR. 140 p. 217 p. Written for persons with limited resources, Not specific to any species of livestock, this this is a very practical book. Available book contains farmer profiles and quite a bit through Caprine Supply (among other of holistic planning and economic informa- sources). tion. Very complete in treatment of rota- tional grazing. The Meat Goats of Caston Creek Tomlinson, Sylvia. 1999. Redbud Publishing Storey’s Guide to Raising Dairy Goats (re- Co., Victoria, TX. 181 p. vised and updated; originally titled Raising Personal experiences of the author. Milk Goats the Modern Way) Belanger, Jerry. 2001. Storey Books, Pownal, Your Goats: A Kid’s Guide to Raising and VT. 288 p. Showing Very good general book for producers of Damerow, Gail. 1993. Storey Books, Pownal, dairy goats. VT. 172 p. Goats and Goatkeeping Gail Damerow writes very good books; this Thear, Katie. 1988. Merehurst Press, London. one is easy to understand and very informa- 176 p. tive. Not just for kids. Very interesting book for goat producers, geared for the small farm. Covers milk, Natural Goat Care meat, and fiber. Practical and concise, very Coleby, Pat. 2001. Acres U.S.A, Austin TX. similar to The New Goat Handbook, but 371 p. with added detail. Order from: Acres U.S.A. Austin, TX 78709 800-355-5313 Fascinating book; Australian author pays PAGE 20 //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW
  • 21. much attention to nutrition and maintain- through every step of the process in creating ing health organically. a business plan. Includes many examples from existing farms. This workbook is a Goat Medicine bargain. Smith, Mary, and David M. Sherman. 1994. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD. …May Safely Graze: Protecting Livestock 620 p. Against Predators This book is recommended as a useful gift Fytche, Eugene. 1998. Published by the au- for a veterinarian. Very scientific, some of thor. 103 p. To order, write to Eugene Fytche, the terminology will only be understood by R.R. #1, Almonte, Ontario. K0A 1A0. a veterinarian. Chapter 1 (Fundamentals of This book explores how to identify and Goat Practice) is very helpful to producers quantify the predator problem, and includes as well as veterinarians. Chapter 20 (Herd information on many methods to control Health Management and Preventive Medi- the problem, including guard animals, cine) is also very useful to producers. fencing, and management. Sheep and Goat Medicine Fences for Pasture & Garden Pugh, D.G. 2002. W.B. Saunders Company, Damerow, Gail. 1992. Storey Communications, Philadelphia, PA. 468 p. Inc., Pownal, VT. 160p. A great gift for a veterinarian. A wealth of information for producers and for veterinar- Sheep Housing and Equipment Handbook ians. Knowledge of veterinary terminology Hirning, Harvey J., Tim C. Faller, Karl J. will be helpful in using this book . Hoppe, Dan J. Nudell, and Gary E. Ricketts. 1994. MidWest Plan Service, Ames, IA. 90 p. Goat Health Handbook: A Field Guide for This book is useful for goats, as well. Producers with Limited Veterinary Service Can be ordered by visiting Thedford, T.R. 1983. Printed in collaboration <http://www.mwps.org/>. with Agricultural Experimental Station, Uni- versity of Arkansas. 123 p. Available from: Magazines International Winrock Publication Sales The Stockman Grass Farmer P.O. Box 9363 P.O. Box 2300 Arlington, VA 22209-0363 Ridgeland, MS 39158 800-748-9808 Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to www.stockmangrassfarmer.com/sgf/ Developing a Business Plan for Farms and $32 per year (12 issues). Rural Business DiGiacomo, Gigi, Robert King, and Dale Nor- Countryside & Small Stock Journal dquist. 2003. Minnesota Institute for Sustain- W11564 Hwy 64 able Agriculture, Saint Paul, MN, and the Sus- Withee, WI 54489 tainable Agriculture Network, Beltsville, MD. 800-551-5691 Available for $14.00 + $3.95 S/H by calling 802- www.countrysidemag.com 656-0484 or 800-909-6472. Publication can also $18 per year (12 issues). be viewed at <www.misa.umn.edu/publica- tions/bizplan.html>. The Goat Magazine Business planning is an important part of 2268 CR 285 owning and managing a farm. A business Gillett, TX 78116 plan helps farmers demonstrate that they 830-789-4268 have fully researched their proposed enter- 830-789-0006 FAX prise, that they know how to produce their editor@goatmagazine.com product, how to sell what they produce, www.goatmagazine.com and how to manage financial risk. This $24.00 per year (6 issues). $5.00 for a comprehensive workbook will guide farmers sample issue. //GOAT PRODUCTION: SUSTAINABLE OVERVIEW PAGE 21