DOES,BUCKSANDWETHERS
Having both male and female goats will give you the opportunity to breed your
own animals, but you will need to have separate fenced-o areas for the bucks
and the does, or the bucks will torment and violate the does constantly. Another
thing to consider is that bucks tend to put o a musky odor that is not pleasant.
If you choose to get your bucks wethered (castrated), their smell will go away
almost completely and they’ll be far less aggressive. It is perfectly safe to keep
wethers and does together in the same pens and pastures.
Note that wethered goats have special dietary needs as they run the risk of
urinary calculi. This is due to an excess of phosphorus in relation to the amount of
calcium in their diet. With this disease, crystals or stones form in the urinary tract
and prevent the goat from being able to urinate. This condition is very painful and,
if not treated immediately, the goat could soon die from a bladder or urinary tract
infection. It is imperative that you do not force or encourage your goat to drink
large amounts of water when su ering from urinary calculi, as this will only make
the condition worse and it could easily cause a rupture and lead to death.
POLLED GOATS
A goat that is born without horns is called polled. The reason some goats
have horns, and some are born without them is due to genetics. Some breeders
like to disbud or dehorn goats on purpose. The reason for this is that a goat’s
horns can easily get locked up in thick brush or fencing, causing the animal to
get stuck making it vulnerable to dehydration, starvation or predators looking
for an easy meal.
HEALTH AND MAINTENANCE
Goats, like all domesticated animals and livestock, require immunizations. They
are also susceptible to several conditions that usually can be easily treated, such
as hoof rot and pink eye. As for maintaining these animals, the biggest thing really
is to simply keep their hooves trimmed. This is a simple procedure that can be
performed using a tool specially designed for the practice. You can get goat hoof
trimmers at your local feed store.
Feed stores are also an excellent resource for getting information about how to
raise your goats as well as to be connected to other farmers in your area. In most
cases, veterinarians that care for domesticated pets do not treat goats so you will
need to fi nd a vet who specializes in livestock. The local feed store or the internet
are good places to fi nd a vet as well.
Goats may be more than what you are interested in but they are a good solution
for me. If you are looking for an animal that is intelligent and friendly and can
provide your family with numerous benefi ts, then you really should consider raising
goats. With all the resources that can be generated from this animal, it would be
hard to fi nd another animal that will be able to give you so much for so little an
investment.
“WHEN I STARTED HOMESTEADING,
THE ANIMAL THAT I CHOSE TO
CONCENTRATE MY EFFORTS ON
WAS THE GOAT. MY REASONING
FOR CHOOSING GOATS OVER
OTHER ANIMALS CONSIDERED
SEVERAL ASPECTS INCLUDING
HARDINESS, SELF-RELIANCE AND
THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE ME WITH
MULTIPLE BENEFITS.”
AD INDEX
OCTOBER 2019
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