Goat Raising
Part of Animal Husbandry
Goats are the most versatile small ruminant for rebuilding communities. They produce milk daily, clear brush from overgrown land, thrive on forage that would starve a cow, and breed prolifically. Two does and a buck can grow to a herd of 20 within three years.
Why Goats Before Cattle
Goats are smaller, cheaper to feed, easier to handle, and more disease-resistant than cattle. A single dairy goat produces 2-4 liters of milk per day on browse and rough forage alone — no grain required. That milk can be drunk fresh, cultured into yogurt, or pressed into cheese that stores for months. In terrain with hills, scrub, or forest, goats outperform every other dairy animal because they eat what others cannot: thorny brush, bark, weeds, leaves, and woody plants.
Goats also reproduce faster than cattle. A doe reaches breeding age at 7-8 months, gestates for only 150 days, and commonly twins. A starting pair of does can produce 4-6 kids in year one, 10-15 by year two, and 20-30 by year three with good management.
Acquiring Goats
Feral goat populations exist in many regions, particularly in rocky or semi-arid areas. Domestic goats that escaped during a collapse revert to wild behavior quickly but remain tameable.
Step 1. Scout rocky hillsides, abandoned farms, and scrubland at dawn. Goats browse during morning and evening cool hours.
Step 2. Build a corral trap at a water source or salt lick. Use portable fencing or stacked brush walls with a narrow funnel entrance. Bait with salt (irresistible to goats) or grain.
Step 3. Once trapped, separate young animals and females. Young goats (under 6 months) tame within 2-3 weeks of daily handling and hand-feeding. Adult ferals are much harder to domesticate.
Step 4. Begin with at least 2 does and 1 buck. Does are social and a single doe kept alone becomes stressed and unproductive.
Buck Management
Bucks stink — literally. During breeding season, they urinate on their own beards and legs to attract does. House the buck separately from milking does or the milk absorbs the odor. Keep the buck downwind and at least 15 meters from the milking area.
Housing and Fencing
Goats are escape artists. Any fence that cannot hold water cannot hold a goat. This is only slight exaggeration — they climb, squeeze through gaps, stand on each other, and test every weakness relentlessly.
| Fencing Type | Effectiveness | Construction Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Woven wire (1.2m/4ft) with top rail | Excellent | High — requires posts every 2.5m |
| Electric wire (3-4 strands) | Very good — if power is available | Moderate — solar charger works |
| Stacked stone wall (1.2m) | Excellent — permanent | Very high — labor intensive |
| Brush/hedge fence (living) | Good after 2-3 years of growth | Low ongoing, high initial planting |
| Pallet fencing | Adequate short-term | Low — salvage materials |
Minimum fence height: 1.2 meters (4 feet). Goats can clear a 1-meter fence from standing. Horned goats get heads stuck in standard field fencing — use woven wire with small openings or dehorn kids at 1-2 weeks using a hot iron.
Shelter requirements: Goats hate rain. They refuse to go out in wet weather and standing in mud causes foot rot. Provide a three-sided shelter (open side away from prevailing wind) with a dry floor. Straw or wood chip bedding works. Minimum 2 sq m (20 sq ft) per adult goat. Ensure the roof does not leak — goats will abandon a shelter with drips.
Feeding and Browse Management
Goats are browsers, not grazers. They prefer to eat at head height or above — leaves, twigs, bark, shrubs, and vines. They eat grass reluctantly and only when nothing else is available.
Ideal browse plants: Blackberry, multiflora rose, honeysuckle, kudzu, sumac, willow, poplar, maple saplings, ragweed, goldenrod, plantain, clover.
Toxic plants to eliminate from pasture:
| Plant | Toxicity Level | Symptoms |
|---|---|---|
| Rhododendron/azalea | High — lethal | Vomiting, collapse, death within hours |
| Yew | Extreme — lethal | Sudden death, often no warning signs |
| Cherry (wilted leaves) | High | Labored breathing, staggering, death |
| Nightshade | Moderate-high | Drooling, tremors, diarrhea |
| Bracken fern | Moderate (cumulative) | Anemia, weight loss over weeks |
Wilted Cherry Leaves
Fresh cherry leaves are mildly toxic. Wilted cherry leaves (from storm-broken branches) are extremely toxic — the wilting process releases cyanide compounds. After any storm, walk your goat area and remove fallen cherry branches before releasing animals.
Rotational browsing: Divide your goat area into 3-4 paddocks. Rotate goats to a new paddock every 5-7 days. This prevents overgrazing, breaks parasite cycles (larvae die without a host within 3-4 weeks), and allows browse to regrow. This single practice prevents more health problems than any treatment.
Winter and dry season feeding: When browse is unavailable, goats need hay — ideally legume hay (alfalfa, clover) which provides more protein than grass hay. A mature doe eats 1.5-2 kg (3-4 lbs) of hay per day. Stockpile aggressively during growing season.
Milking
Dairy goats must be milked twice daily, 12 hours apart, without exception. Skipping milkings causes udder infection (mastitis), pain, and permanent production loss.
Step 1. Build or designate a milking stand — an elevated platform with a head stanchion that holds the doe still. A bucket of grain in the feed trough keeps her calm and cooperative.
Step 2. Wash the udder with warm water and a clean cloth. Dry thoroughly. Dirty udders introduce bacteria into milk.
Step 3. Strip the first 2-3 squirts from each teat onto the ground — this flushes the teat canal of bacteria and lets you check for clumps or blood (signs of mastitis).
Step 4. Milk by wrapping your thumb and forefinger around the base of the teat to trap milk in the teat, then sequentially closing your remaining fingers downward to squeeze milk out. Do not pull on the teat — this damages tissue.
Step 5. Milk until the udder feels soft and empty. A good doe gives 1-2 liters per milking.
Step 6. Apply a teat dip after milking — iodine solution, or in a pinch, a paste of honey and water. The teat orifice stays open for 30 minutes after milking, and bacteria can enter and cause mastitis.
Step 7. Strain milk through clean cloth into a clean container. Cool as quickly as possible — submerge the container in cold stream water or a springhouse. Cooled quickly, raw goat milk keeps 3-5 days.
Breeding and Kidding
Does cycle every 18-21 days from early autumn through late winter. Signs of heat: tail flagging, bleating, swollen vulva, mounting other does, decreased appetite.
Breeding: Introduce the doe to the buck when in heat. One breeding is usually sufficient. Mark the date — gestation is 145-155 days (average 150).
Kidding preparation (day 145+):
Step 1. Prepare a clean, dry kidding pen — a small enclosed area with deep straw bedding, away from the main herd.
Step 2. Watch for signs of imminent labor: udder tight and shiny, ligaments beside the tail soften and disappear, doe becomes restless, paws the ground, talks to her belly.
Step 3. Most kiddings proceed without assistance. The doe lies down, strains, and delivers kids within 1-2 hours of active labor. Twins are common, triplets not unusual.
Step 4. Ensure each kid’s nose and mouth are clear of membrane. If the doe does not clean the kid within a few minutes, wipe the face clear yourself.
Step 5. The kid must nurse colostrum (first milk) within 1-2 hours of birth. Colostrum contains antibodies critical for immune function. If the kid cannot latch, milk the doe by hand and bottle-feed or tube-feed the kid.
Step 6. Dip the navel stump in iodine to prevent infection. Check the kid hourly for the first 12 hours — hypothermia and failure to nurse are the primary killers.
Difficult Birth
If a doe has been straining hard for 30+ minutes with no progress, or if you see a single foot or a head without feet, the kid is malpresented. Wash your hands and arm thoroughly, lubricate with any available oil, and reach in to reposition. Both front feet should present first, followed by the nose resting on the legs. This is an emergency — an unassisted malpresentation kills both doe and kid.
Common Health Issues
| Problem | Signs | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Internal parasites (worms) | Pale inner eyelids, bottle jaw (swelling under chin), weight loss | Rotational grazing is primary prevention; treat with wormwood tea or diatomaceous earth |
| Hoof rot | Limping, foul smell from hooves, soft/black hoof tissue | Trim affected hoof, soak in copper sulfate solution, keep on dry ground |
| Mastitis | Hot/hard udder, clumpy or bloody milk, doe kicks during milking | Milk affected side frequently, warm compresses, massage toward teat |
| Bloat | Distended left side, labored breathing, distress | Walk the goat vigorously; in emergency, pass a stomach tube or puncture rumen with trocar |
| Pneumonia | Cough, nasal discharge, fever, lethargy | Shelter from cold rain; no effective field treatment — isolate and keep warm |
Hoof trimming: Every 6-8 weeks, trim hooves with a sharp knife or hoof shears. Overgrown hooves curl under, trap moisture, and cause rot. The bottom of the hoof should be flat and parallel to the coronary band.
Key Takeaways
- Start with 2 does and 1 buck; house the buck separately to prevent milk taint
- Goats are browsers, not grazers — they thrive on brush, weeds, and woody plants that other livestock refuse
- Rotational browsing across 3-4 paddocks is the single most effective health practice, breaking parasite cycles naturally
- Milking must happen twice daily, 12 hours apart, with clean hands and equipment — mastitis prevention is non-negotiable
- Kids must receive colostrum within 1-2 hours of birth; this determines whether they survive their first week
- Goat milk is a daily renewable protein and fat source that can be processed into cheese for long-term storage
- Fence goats like they are trying to escape — because they are, constantly