Tips for grooming your goat
Goats are fascinating herd animals that enjoy doing things together. To keep them happy and healthy, they need a spacious pasture and a comfortable pen. In this blog, you will find a comprehensive guide to the essential needs of a goat.
Companionship
Goats are very social animals and thrive best in company. It is important to always keep several goats rather than a single one. A stable hierarchy exists in a goat herd, with some animals being dominant. This can cause problems if there is a shortage of feed or sleeping space. Dominant animals may experience stress, while the less dominant animals may not get enough food. Therefore, provide adequate lying space, drinking and feeding areas to avoid competition and aggression.
Nutrition
A balanced diet is essential for the health and well-being of goats. Goats are ruminants and need a diet rich in fiber. Hay and grass form the basis of their diet and should always be available. In addition, goats can benefit from complementary feeds such as grains, legumes and special goat feed. HobbyFirst's Capri Pellets or Flakes offer an excellent nutritional option for goats, rich in all essential vitamins and minerals.
Fresh drinking water should always be available, and it is important to clean the water bowls regularly. Goats also need minerals such as salt and calcium, which you can provide through licks or special mineral blocks. Be sure to adjust the diet to your goats' specific needs, such as pregnant or lactating goats, as they require additional nutrients.
Pasture & Fence
A bare pasture with only grass is not suitable for goats. They need shelter from shrubs or trees. In the cold months, goats seek the sun to warm up, while in the summer they seek shade to cool off. Protect trees well, or they are likely to get peeled and die. Firm soil is essential for claw health.
Goats are mountain animals by nature and need plenty of exercise and clambering opportunities. Provide the pasture with old logs, boulders or wooden platforms for the goats to climb. Because of their curiosity and clambering behavior, the fence must be very sturdy. Sheep wire is suitable, but for smaller breeds, a fence with smaller meshes is better. The fence should be at least one meter high, and some larger goats can even jump over this. Use sturdy posts and consider a live wire on the inside to reinforce the fence and keep out predators.
Stable
Goats hate wetness, so shelter from rain and wind is necessary. Depending on the breed, goats tolerate temperatures between 6°C and 27°C. Young animals are especially sensitive to cold. A spacious barn that can accommodate the entire herd at the same time is essential.
To reduce stress and aggression, it is important that the barn is not simply an open space. Weaker animals must be able to retreat and hide from dominant animals. A few partition walls, platforms or the like are sufficient for this. A well-placed hay rack can also help. Make sure that the goats cannot get trapped anywhere.
Provide raised lying areas for the goats to rest on. Goats that get along well will rest close together, while others prefer to stay at a distance. Sufficient lying space is necessary to avoid stress; count on 1 to 2 m² per animal.
During feeding time, all goats want to eat at the same time. Therefore, provide at least one feeding area per animal, about 0.5 m wide, more for larger breeds. Partitions between feeding areas can reduce competition, but make sure that goats can quickly leave the feeding area if necessary. With many goats, it is wise to have multiple feeding areas in the barn. The distance between two goats depends on their relationship, ranging from 0.5 m to 4 m.
During lambing time, goats should be able to separate from the herd without being completely isolated. A separate area in the barn is a good solution, which also promotes good bonding between mother and lamb.