The practice of raising goats these days seems to be quite en vogue. Many people are trying their hand with raising these animals either as a commercial venture or simply as a way of introducing a new pet into the family. Needless to say, there is a huge difference between raising goats for profit and giving adopting a pet for your home. However, this article will try to cover some of the basic essentials on how to raise goats successfully.
How to raise goats tip #1:
Try to get the breed of goats that will suit your needs. Farming goats could mean: raising goats for meat, for fiber or for milk. It could also mean that you want to adopt one or more as pets. If you are choosing the former, try to choose goats that are suitable for meat or wool or milk production. If you are choosing the latter, try to choose the more docile breeds like the Pygmy, Anglo-Nubian or South African Boer goats.
How to raise goats tip #2:
One thing you have to remember about goats is that these are herd animals; and that means that they are happiest when they share spaces with other goats, or even other farm or home animals. Having two goats as pets may seem too much on the onset; so you might want to compensate by introducing the animal at a very young age to your other pets (sometimes they bond well with the horses or dogs); or you could simply spend more time with the animal.
How to raise goats tip #3:
Goats are very active animals. They prefer to cover long distances when grazing, and they can be especially playful and lively during the later part of the day. Aside from providing them ample grazing areas, you might also want to provide them non-toxic toys like balls, boulders or tires. A goat that is not mentally stimulated or one that is cooped up in a small living space can become destructive and more prone to hurt itself or other around it.
How to raise goats tip #4:
Provide your animals proper housing with separate beddings and feeding / watering stations. Keeping them in a barn and throwing them feeds every few hours will simply not do at all. This might make your goats susceptible to diseases and other illnesses. Keep their bedding areas free from anything that the goats should not be eating (and that includes their droppings,) and allow them adequate space to move about inside. As a rule, one goat would need about 4 meters of floor space.
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