 Helpful Goat Information & Links
Nigerian Dwarf Goats are a miniature breed of dairy goat. A healthy Nigerian doe can produce a surprisingly amount of sweet milk for her size. However, many Nigerian Dwarf owners do not raise their goats for milk but for the companionship and fun that these little animals can bring to their lives. Their calm and gentle nature, as well as their small size, make them great pets and 4-H projects for children (and adults!) of all ages. Nigerians can come in many colors, which is another reason why they are so popular. They can be pinto-patterned, tri-colored, Dalmatian-spotted, buckskin, or beautiful solid shades of black, gold, white, and chocolate. Another increasingly popular trait is that some dwarfs have china-blue eyes, although brown eyes are more common. Dwarf goats, like all other
animals, need some basic care for good health and long
life. The most common ’myth’ that we hear is
that “goats can eat anything, including tin
cans”, and naturally that is far from the truth.
Goats are very curious by nature and love to investigate
anything new or interesting, including “tin
cans“. But that certainly does not mean that they
’eat’ them. They
are also a ‘herd animal’ by nature and thrive
on the companionship of at least one other goat. Even
though you plan to spend a lot of time with your goat,
the best thing you can do for him/her (other than proper
care and nutrition) is to provide another goat for a
companion.
HOUSING REQUIREMENTS for your goats are simple. They should be kept in clean pens or areas free of wetness and drafts. Nigerian Dwarfs should not be housed in ‘airtight’ buildings for they need to have ventilation for optimum health. (Never tie your goats out for it leaves them helpless against dogs and other predators!) We use lime under pine shavings for bedding (some prefer straw). The lime helps to keep odors down and the shavings help to absorb moisture. An inexpensive hay rack keeps their feed clean and uncontaminated from feces, thus cutting down on parasites. An attached outside enclosure with at least 4 ft. high fencing will provide the fresh air and exercise that they need. (it also keeps your animals safe from most neighboring dogs and other predators). They love to play and climb on anything and most toys can be put together for little or no cost. Tree stumps, rocks or cable spools are great for ‘king of the mountain’ games. A GOOD BASIC DIET
for your goats would be mostly roughage in the form of a
good quality (not dusty or
moldy) grass mix hay. A good
mix of grass, clover and/or alfalfa, in my opinion, gives
them a more balanced diet. When searching for hay,
inspect it closely and make sure that it has a nice green
color, and smells sweet. If you're not sure, ask someone
that is experienced to help you locate some. We give our
animals all the hay that they can clean up during the
day. Make sure that your goat's hay is placed in hay
racks to avoid them contaminating it with feces and
urine. In some bucks and most
wethers (neutered males), grain should be limited because
it can cause a condition called urinary calculi. This is
a build up of tiny, crystal-like stones in the bladder.
Once formed, these crystals usually are unable to be
passed through the urinary track and if not caught early,
the male can die from a long I provide my animals with a
loose mineral/salt made by Sweet Lix to give them any
additional supplements that they may need and also a
livestock grade of Baking Soda. They instinctively know
when to use it if experiencing tummy aches. If you have
only a few goats, you can buy a small box of baking soda
at the grocery store. A GOOD WORMING SCHEDULE
is a must for parasite control. We worm our goats
approximately every 3 to 4 months. It’s a good idea
to rotate your wormers every 9 - 12 months so that the
parasites don’t become immune to the same one used
each time. There are very few wormers labeled for goats,
so many use products such as Panacur, Safeguard and
Valbazen. Another ‘family’ of wormers, such as
Ivomec, Zimecterin, or Equimectrin are also used. Some of
these medicaitons have been reported as being 'parasite
resistant' due to under dosing the animals. With goats,
it has been reported that most wormers should have the
dose doubled (or in come cases, tripled) in order for it
to work effectively. VACCINATIONS AND HOOF
TRIMMING should be done on
a regular basis. Hoof trimming should be done approximately every 2 months. Some hooves can grow rapidly and become bent, cracked or infected unless trimmed properly. I will gladly demonstrate how to vaccinate, worm and trim hooves. THIS IS ONLY A QUICK SUMMERY of some things that you need to know. We suggest reading as much material as you can to learn about your goats and their needs. We are also happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding your animals. But it’s always advisable to contact a vet concerning any health issue & they can guide you as far as treatment or advice.
List of Supplies to Keep on Hand Besides providing your
goats with a healthy diet and lots of love, 1. A
thermometer - a goats normal
temp. is approx. 101 - 103 degrees, sometimes depending
on environmental situations. Anything over 103 degrees
can be considered a 'suspicious' temp. 2. Hoof trimmers - I prefer the ones that are sold in Jeffer’s called Shear Magic, with orange handles, but there are also other types available that work well also. 3. Wormers -
There are several wormers but the ones most commonly used
are Ivermectin products, Safeguard or Panacur and also
Valbazen (never give Valbazen
to a pregnant animal as it can cause abortions!).
Any of these can be purchased from your vet or through a
livestock supply. We always double or triple the dose of
Ivermectin and Safeguard products as they are designed to
be used in cattle, and not labeled for goat usage. In
some areas, these particular wormers are said to be
ineffective, possibly due to underdosing.
HERBAL WORMERS have also proven to be effective in eliminating and/or controling parasites. There are more than one on the market so it's beneficial to search and find the one that is best for your animals. Ones containing wormwood may be harmful if used over long periods of time and/or if given to pregnant does. 4. Probios -
this is beneficial bacteria that all ruminants need for
their rumen to function properly. Use in cases of stress,
parasite overload, and illness. If there is an animal
being treated with an antibiotic, it's a good idea to
give them a dose before and/or after treatment is
completed. 5. Fural Spray - use for cuts and scrapes. It dries quickly so dirt is less likely to stick to the wound. We also use this to spray the area after disbudding. 6. Lice/mite dust - they seem to appear out of no where. I dust mine once a year with Seven Dust, which can be found at Wal Mart, or Co-ral which can be found at most feed/supply stores. Ivomec wormer is also labeled to rid animals of external parasites. We prefer to give Ivomec Injectable to our goats orally. The preferred dosage for goats is now 2-3 times the label dosage and followed up 2 weeks later with another dose. Cydectin (Moxydectin) is also labeled to rid animals of both internal and external parasites. 7. Pepto Bismol/Kaopectate - these are great for occasional, noninfective diarrhea. If a parasite or other intestinal problem is suspected, seek the advice of your vet immediately. Your animal could have a bacterial infection or perhaps a coccidiosis problem which can kill young kids (and even adults) quite quickly. Problems causing these types of scours/diarrhea require special types of medications other than Pepto or Kaopectate. 8. Syringes and needles - for most injections in goats, 3cc syringes are large enough but I do like to keep a few 6cc syringes on hand for drenching. I prefer to use 22 gauge x 3/4" needles. You can buy these separately or in boxes of 100. 9. Antibiotics - we always keep Penicillin and Bio-Mycin on hand. Bio-Mycin (an oxytetracycline product) works best for minor respiratory problems/infections. If it appears to be something more serious, a vet may prescribe either Exenel RTU or Nuflor. 10. Medications and vaccinations - Our adult goats receive a yearly 2cc dose of CD/T and 2cc dose of BoSe. Some breeders that live in rural areas are also vaccinating their animals for Rabies. For those that want to learn to give their own vaccinations and/or antibiotic injections, I would be happy to assist you in learning.
* CHECK
OUT THESE HELPFUL LINKS * http://fiascofarm.com/goats/prenatalcare.html http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/goatlist.html Goat Kingdom (has lots of helpful links!) University of MD National Goat Handbook Cornell
University List of Poisonous Plants http://www.motesclearcreekfarms.com/asp/glossary/glossary-alpha.asp http://ww.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=0&Cat=1305 http://www.jackmauldin.com/health/medication.htm http://fiascofarm.com/goats/wormers.htm http://fiascofarm.com/goats/medications.htm
The information above is
strictly the opinion(s) of Tiny Angels Farm.
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