This page is my ramblings on a variety of topics as they occur to me. I'll add things from time to time. It's not meant to antagonize anyone. Like politics, there often isn't one right answer to anything. I may be right, I may be wrong. But this is what I think. In any opinions about goat health or treatments, keep in mind I'm not a vet. Please consult an expert before doing anything affecting the health or well-being of your goats.
Want to respond to any of my opinions? Send email to mike_g_z@yahoo.com Thanks. Mike
In the last year we spent well over $3,500 to keep our little herd of 20 goats. "How can that be?" you ask. Here's an itemization of some costs: hay - $1,515; grain - $803; minerals - $156; dewormer/drugs/vaccines - $220; disease testing - $371; association dues/registrations/subscriptions - $225; gas/registration for workshops and seminars - $110; and one vet visit for $168. Add it up and you get $3,568.
We have about 25 goats to sell each year. Divide the $3,568 in expenses by 25 sold goats. The average sale price of each goat needs to be $143 to cover those expenses. But wait - there's more! What about the initial cost of our breeding goats? And fencing, feeders, and buildings. And gas and lodging for long trips to get quality goats. This year we decided to splurge and take a couple goats to a show. Not a necessary expense but an expense nonetheless. This year we lucked out and didn't spend much at the vet or have the cost of bottle-raising any kids.
We don't expect to make any money with this goat-raising venture that we love. But we also can't let the operation drag the family budget under. Please respect the investment we make to raise quality animals and be prepared to pay a reasonable price if you'd like to own one for yourself.
So there's a fainting goat show coming up in Iowa in September. I've been to shows before but never taken goats to show. This looks like my chance. So I've been trying to decide which goats to take. Nothing has ever focused my attention so much on the qualities of my goats as the thoughts of which ones might stand a chance competing. Or which ones might get me laughed all the way back to Minnesota if I take them out in a public competition.
So who to take to the show? First cross off all the bucks. My first time showing needs to be simple. Not going to deal with trying to descent stinky bucks in September. Next cross off the list the does still nursing their kids. That hurts - a couple of my favorites kidded late. Also off the list are my sentimental favorites that I know have flaws - Jitters with her bad shoulder and a couple that are more cow-hocked than a judge is likely to put up with.
So in the end I'm down to Hula and Audi. Hula is my best-muscled doe but lacks substance and depth. Audi has more substance and depth but isn't so well muscled. I'll let you know how it turns out!
So I went to the goat shows in Iowa with Audi and Hula (see entry above). I'd seen goats at other shows and at the farms of a few of the breeders that would also be showing. I had very low expectations but wanted the experience, to see some goats and meet some more breeders.
In the Saturday show Audi placed second in her class (age group). Hula didn't even make the first cut when her turn in the ring came. There were nine does in the class. The judge looked them over, picked her five favorites to continue judging, and told the rest of us to get out. . .in a nice way. I was thrilled with Audi's second place and called it a good day.
At the Sunday show I expected a repeat of the day before - all the same goats competing in the same place. And I pretty much agreed with the judge's decisions of the previous day. The only thing different on Sunday was the judge. Very different! Audi placed fourth in her class. Sunday's judge said the muscling the previous judge had liked was an illusion. And placed Hula first in her class, saying she had great muscling and the right body shape for a meat goat. You could've knocked me over with a feather! Hula went on to win Reserve Grand Champion doe. That means second-best doe in the entire show. I was stunned.
So the lesson I learned - again - was this: Everyone has an opinion. Even "experts" often have different opinions. Within the general outline of a breed standard there's still huge variations. So do what makes you happy when breeding your goats. There will always be some that think you're on the right track and others that think you're way off base. Kind of like most things in life. . . .
We have never had to raise a kid on a bottle because its mother wouldn't feed it. Not bragging. With a small herd we're able to keep good track of breeding dates and have due dates. Does are checked carefully morning and night for the signs of impending birth (loosening ligaments, loss of mucous plug, tightening of udder). When it appears kidding will occur in the next day or so, does are put into kidding pens before they kid. By the time birthing occurs, they're familiar with their surroundings and and can concentrate on mothering rather than being freaked out being rounded up with their new kid/s and moved into an unfamiliar pen after kidding. They remain in the kidding pen for 2-3 days after birthing, depending on number of kids and weather. This gives them time to be well bonded before going back to the chaos of the larger herd.
This method works for us. No doe here has ever rejected a kid. Probably too labor intensive for a large herd. And you have to have enough inside pens. And reasonably tame goats. But we've never had to warm a chilled kid, had frozen ears, or lost kids born outside in a blizzard or mud puddle. And we kid in March. In Minnesota. Everything you do for your goats all year is aimed at successfully kidding. It's not the time to scrimp on planning or labor.
Our goats are treated very well and we consider them pets. They're sold primarily for pets or breeding. But the more useful functions our chosen breed can serve, the more reason there will be for them to remain in existence.
We don't eat our goats. Was raised on beef, pork and chicken and I'm not very adventurous about what I eat. Nevertheless, I don't see any reason that the life of a goat is more sacred than that of a steer or a hog or a chicken. So if people want to eat goats, I'm not going to object.
"Fainting" goats? "Myotonic" goats? The list of names is pretty long and people have strong opinions about their own personal preference. Good grief! I was introduced to the breed as fainting goats and that's what I continue to call them. Accurate? Not really. But consider the names by which many groups of people have been called over the years. They change constantly, often being changed by the members of the group themselves. I'll respect your decision to call these goats what you want to - please respect mine as well.
And while we're talking about words relating to goats: A castrated male goat is a wether, not a weather. And when talking about how the goat is built, the word is conformation, not confirmation. I understand that spelling isn't everyone's strong suit. No big deal. But it seems important to use the right terminology when talking about something you have a love for.
Over the years we've had does with functioning extra teats, and nonfunctioning extra teats. The extra teats have usually been surprises, although we've also bought a few does knowing they had extras because they had other qualities we thought were worth it. Our last does with extra teats are now up for sale as we've captured the other qualities we wanted to retain in their offspring. We've always disclosed to buyers any extra teats on goats we've sold. Or if they're buying kids from a doe with extra teats. And we've learned from experience that they can develop later on as the goat matures. Having two teats at birth doesn't guarantee things will stay that way.
We've never had a kid suffer any ill effects from a mother with extra teats. Seems the reaction to extra teats is often exaggerated because it's easy to spot. Anyone can spot extra teats on a doe. It's much easier to see than a bad topline or lack of depth. Not saying extra teats isn't a defect. But on my list of bad features in a goat, it's a ways down the list.
Over time, if you're consistent in the feeding and management of your goats and you consistently sell off the ones that don't do well for you, your herd will consist of the animals that do best in your particular situation. Only after you have goats that do well in your special little environment can you really concentrate on conformation.
Related to this idea, it often hasn't worked out very well for me to buy goats that are raised very differently than mine. Goats raised in small lots and fed a lot of concentrates/grain haven't adapted very well to fending for themselves on pasture, especially when they come here as adults.