Capriola's

Herd Management

Last Updated: 12/8/09

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Printable Sheet on: Goat Care Information

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 The following information is just an overview of how our animals are cared for, I am not a veterinarian and therefore disclaim all liability in regards to the effectiveness of these treatments.

All of our goats tested negative for CAE and CL in June 2008!  We tested for CAE October 2009 and all goats were once again negative!

We are working towards making our own herbal remedies for the goats to boost their immune systems and encourage overall good health.  We may offer these remedies to other goat owners in the future. . . . but for now, we'll be using them in our herd.

We use Rescue Remedy and Bach Flowers extensively with our goats and other animals (humans too!)  My mom is a Registered Bach Flower Practitioner (the only one in the state of Oregon!) - She is a big help when deciding which flowers to give the goaties.  One remedy we have noticed is very common with all goats is Rock Water.  This remedy is particularly helpful when moving animals to new homes or taking them to shows.  Goats do not like change very much and this remedy helps them to transition a little more smoothly.  :)

If you have any questions about using Bach Flowers with goats, please don't hesitate to contact us!

General Care & Feeding:  All of our goats (young/dry does and bucks) receive daily a 14-16% grain.  Dry and younger does typically receive 1/2 - 1 cup of grain.  Bucks receive 1/2 cup daily.  During breeding season, bucks receive up to one pound of grain depending on their conditioning.  These amounts are given in the morning feeding.

Milking does receive a 16-18% protein blend of barley, oats, dairy pellets, black oil sunflower seeds, corn, alfalfa pellets, kelp meal, and sometimes beet pulp.  We've found this grain makes for delicious milk, and lots of it too!  Sometimes we will add a bit of molasses.  Lactating does receive anywhere from 1.5-4 cups of grain depending on milk production and stage of lactation.  Milkers are fed on the milking stand twice each day.

Our goats receive free-choice, high-quality grass and/or timothy hay.  2nd cutting is preferred, if we can get it.  Premium alfalfa hay or pellets are offered in the winter months when the pasture (which is planted with some alfalfa) is not as readily available.  Lactating does are allowed at least 1/2 pound of premium alfalfa hay and/or pellets each day.

During dry weather our goats are let out on the nice, big, green pasture to browse for the day.  For our goats at home (because their pasture is not as big,) we provide them with Chaffhaye, "Premium Pasture in a Bag."  They love this stuff and get it as a special treat, usually once a day.  We are quite pleased with this product!  We allow our goats to determine the amounts that we feed.  If we notice a difference in growth, weight, etc. . . . diets are adjusted accordingly.  Each animal receives all the nutrition it needs for optimum health and production.

Fresh, clean water is always available, we occasionally add a large splash of apple cider vinegar, (our favorite brand is Bragg's).  At this time, we offer Sweetlix goat minerals along with baking soda, these are both left out free-choice in mineral feeders.

Health Care & Management:  We live in a selenium and copper deficient area so we supplement selenium and vitamin E with an oral gel given twice yearly.  Copasure is adminitered twice yearly.

We deworm our goats 2-4 times yearly with chemical dewormers.  We typically use Ivomec, Valbazen, Cydectin, sometimes Safe-Guard.  We repeat the dosing in 21 days, to prevent re-infestation.  

Lactating does that are providing milk for our family's consumption are given an herbal deworming blend.  Does are dewormed 2 days after kidding and then 21 days later.  Fecal samples are taken to the veterinarian at least once a year, if there is an internal parasite problem found, we treat accordingly.  I am working to create the "perfect" herbal de-wormer for dry does/bucks and lactating does.

Breeding:  Our young does are bred for the first time when they are around 8 months old or have reached 40 lbs.  If they have not yet reached 40 lbs. then we wait until they are large enough.  We typically count out when a doe is due to cycle and put her in with our buck several days before.  We find that our buck(s) are much happier being allowed to live with "their girls".  They remain more calm, eat better, and it also ensures that our does are bred!

Kidding:  We try to be present for every birth to assist the doe, if necessary.  Sometimes this is just not possible, but we do try to be there.  After birth, we wipe off the kid's nose and mouth and place the kid in front of mom for her to finish cleaning them up.  After she has cleaned them some more, we dip navel cords in 7% Iodine and help the kids get to nursing.  If a kid seems particularly slow finding the teat, then I milk some colostrum out and give them their first meal by syringe or bottle.

After the doe has finished kidding, she gets a bucket of very warm water with molasses in it, fresh hay/alfalfa, and a little grain if she is interested in that.  We never leave the doe and kids until all babies have nursed and momma looks happy and content.  I come back to check after a couple hours or so to see if she has passed her placenta.  After the doe has passed her placenta, I move her to a clean, freshly-bedded stall and clean the other stall right away.

Kid Care:  Most of our kids are dam-raised, but for the most part remain quite friendly with daily human contact.  Occasionally, we supplement or pull a kid for bottle-feeding, if they are not thriving as well as their siblings.  Kids are disbudded using an electric disbudding iron, when they are two-three weeks of age.  We do not disbud our own kids, we take them to an outside breeder with much more experience (over 30 years!) & confidence.  True, this does cost a great deal more, but it is well worth it in our opinion.

We usually leave the doe and her kids in a stall for about 3 days to one week.  After this, we let them come out with some of the other goats - only when someone is there to supervise.  They are put in a stall for the night so they can get "special treatment."  Stalls are cleaned at least once every other day.  When the babies are about 3 weeks old, they are let out to live with all the other goats.

We deworm the babies at 8 weeks of age, using Valbazen at the rate of 1ml per 25 lbs. as recommended by Onion Creek Farms.

We practice "coccidia prevention" by keeping bedding, barns, and pens as clean as possible.  I do not like medicating kids unless they have the beginning signs of a possible coccidia problem.  Should this happen, we treat them with a five to seven day course of Albon or Di-Methox 12.5% - we give this medication orally at 1cc per 5 lbs. the first day and 1cc per 10 lbs. the following days.

Vaccinations:  Baby goats are given their first vaccination at 8-9 weeks of age.  They are given a booster at 12 weeks.  We do not vaccinate annually as we believe this is excessive and unnecessary.  We did a lot of research on vaccinations before deciding this method is best for us.  Recent research show that vaccinating should be done when a kid's immune system is completely developed - it does no good if done before this.  So, the very soonest kids are vaccinated at the farm is 8-9 weeks.  If kids are sold at 8 weeks, then it is the responsibility of the buyer to give them their "boosters."

Often, kids that we keep in our herd are never vaccinated.  I believe they are much healthier without the vaccines.  Two of our does, Blue Delais and Winter Sage have never been vaccinated and are quite the healthy little does!  They've never been sick a day in their lives!  :)

We prefer preventative health care in the form of homeopathics.  Unlike Western Medicine which, in the majority of cases, only mask the symptoms, homeopathics treat from within, curing completely.  We're looking into using nosodes as a method of vaccinating.  It's a work in progress and I will update this as we learn more and are able to apply it in the herd.  A very good source of information in this form of medicine is the book, "Goats: Homeopathic Medicine" written by Dr. George Macleod"  We have found this book very interesting, simple to understand,  and informative.  This book is featured in "Hoegger's Goat Supply" catalog and can be purchased through them.

Hoof Trimming:  Our goat's hooves are trimmed every 8-12 weeks using "Shear Magic" trimmers.  We have never had a problem with hoof rot or diseased hooves in our herd.  Concrete blocks are kept in the goat's pens.  Goats will naturally wear their hooves down with the blocks, making trimming much easier for us!  :) 

Milking:  We routinely milk 1-3 does to provide our families and friends with fresh goat's milk to make yogurt, cheese, soap, and other goodies.  Since most of our kids are dam-raised, we typically separate kids from their dam's at night and milk the does out in the morning.  We do not separate kids until they are at least three weeks of age.  After milking, the does are let out to roam with their kids for the day.

We clip all of our does' udders and maintain a clean, sanitary milking station.  Our milking is done by hand, for the most part.  Should we have an uncooperative milker, I do have an Udderly EZ Milking Machine to make the process much easier for both the doe and myself.  :)  This is rarely used but still very handy to have around.       

Barn Management: We have tried many different methods in barn cleaning and management and have found this to be the most effective.  In the summer months, when it is warm, our barn floor is for the most part, bare.  It helps keep the smell & clean-up down and there is no need for bedding, since the weather is nice and the goats are outside most of the time.  The barn is cleaned at least once a week. 

In colder months, we allow hay to fall in various sleeping areas and stalls.  This gives a nice place for the goats to bed down.  Occasionally we add extra straw for added warmth, but usually the fallen hay provides plenty of bedding (I'm sure you fellow goat owners know how wasteful our precious goats can be!!  :)  The barn is cleaned at least once a week.  I can't stand a dirty barn.

In the winter, when rain is quite prevalent, we put down a generous layer of agricultural dolamite or baking soda followed by cedar or pine shavings, in the outside areas, for mud control.  It never gets too bad, but we put it down anyways.  The goats appreciate it and it does smell very good.  :)

Photo of the back pasture taken early-March 2008 ~ a good portion of our goat's winter hay comes from this pasture, courtesy of Grandpa and his tractor.  :)

Printable Sheet on: Goat Care Information

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