# Goat Care Sheet for New Goat Owners



## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

I will be selling my first goat kids soon and I decided that I would like to send new goat owners home with a care sheet. Here's what I came up with. If you would be so kind as to look it over and see what you think, I would be grateful for any and all constructive criticism 😊. If you notice any typos feel free to point them out, but I have sister who is a very good editor so she'll probably catch any errors I made.🙃 


Congratulations on purchasing your new goats!

Settling In
Upon getting your goats home you should, if possible, keep them confined in their shelter or in a smaller pen before letting them have access to their full pasture. This is so that they can learn where the safety of their shelter is and so that you can slowly introduce them to their new pasture’s food. Goats are very sensitive to diet changes, so it’s best to gradually allow them time out on the new pasture so that their rumen bacteria can adjust to the new foods. Giving them a bucket of water with an electrolyte solution in addition to a bucket of clear water is a good idea for the first 24-48 hours in the event one of them develops scours from the sudden shift. They will have been given a dose of Probios probiotic gel before you picked them up, but if they aren’t handling the changes well, you may give them another dose of your preferred probiotic tomorrow.

Moving to a new home is often very stressful for goats, so keep an eye out for health problems that can sometimes pop up as a result of the sudden stress on their bodies. Worms will take advantage of the goat’s heightened stress levels, and it’s not uncommon for parasite loads to spike when goats go to a new home. Frequently checking FAMACHA (inner eyelid color) is a good idea to insure your goats aren’t dealing with a sudden increase in worm load from the move.

Your goats will have been sent home with some hay and feed they are used to so that you can slowly transition them onto the hay and feed you have decided to use.

They have been getting: _insert quantities of feed_

Introducing Yourself
All goats are different, but even if a goat has a very outgoing personality they may be wary of people they don’t know. Take it slow when introducing yourself to them. Don’t shower them with petting and love until they are ready for it. If they aren’t comfortable with your presence give them some time to adjust to their new surroundings without you there. If they are fine with your company, sit in with them and let them come to you and tell you when they are okay with being touched. Goats are not like dogs; they will actually feel more comfortable with you petting the side of their face and neck instead of the top of their heads. You reaching for the top of their heads might look like a challenge to them.

Especially for these first few days, it is important to never chase them. Nothing will hurt your goats’ opinion of you like being chased. If they must be caught lure them into a small area so that you don’t have to run around after them to be able to catch them.

I have found that most of my goats love raisins, and they are very good currency to buy their affection with. Any treats you can find that they like will work though. If you ever have to do anything to them that they do not like, giving treats afterwards is a great way to earn their forgiveness. 

Basic Goat Care
Be sure to always provide your goats with clean water, hay when pasture is not enough, loose free choice minerals, and of course, shelter from wind and rain. 

Loose minerals are extremely important for goats. I recommend if you are in the south east, CO-OP Supreme Goat minerals which can be purchased at Farmers Cooperative stores or Sweet Lix Meat Maker 16:8 Goat minerals. I actually offer my goats both as they both have different levels of minerals, and the goats can then choose which they need more. If you can get Thorvin Kelp, I hear that it does wonders to mineral regimens, but I’ve never had the opportunity to get my hands on any. Keep an eye on the condition of your goats’ coats and tails. These are the best indicators of mineral deficiencies. If anything looks off, the first thing I suspect is minerals.

Worms are a vital part of goat keeping that must be kept in check. Finding a deworming plan that works for you is a must. I have done both chemical and herbal dewormers, and I have likes and dislikes about both. I have had success with Land of Havilah’s Parasite Formula for deworming herbally along with essential oils, and on the chemical side of things, if that’s the route you want to take, you’ll need to figure out what chemical dewormers work in your area.

*Never chemically deworm on a schedule! *This is very important in order to not cause the worms to be resistant to the deworming drugs. Only deworm the goats that need it, when they need it. The same does not go for herbal worming. Herbs are given preventatively.

Garlic is awesome for goats. I always give garlic when I administer herbal dewormers as it really supercharges the herbs. It also helps boost the immune system. A garlic clove or two a day is a great way to enhance their health.

Your goats will have gotten a hoof trim right before they went home with you, so you should look to trim their hooves for the first time most likely in 2-3 months. This is usually the amount of time I like to go between hoof trimming, but you may be able to go longer.

Medicine Cabinet 
Having a well stocked medicine cabinet is a good idea for a goat owner because typically by the time you notice something off with a goat, they will need treatment quickly. In my opinion, better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Here’s a list of things I would recommend the beginner goat owner have in their goat medicine cabinet. This is no where near a complete list, but it’s a good starting point.

Rectal thermometer (MUST HAVE)
Probiotic Paste (I like Probios Gel)
Electrolytes
Injectable Vitamin B complex (Anytime a goat is unhealthy, this stuff is a good idea. If they don’t need it, it won’t hurt them.)
12cc syringes and 18gauge, 1inch needles.
Nustock ointment (awesome for skin conditions)
Drenching Syringe
CD Antitoxin and Tetanus Antitoxin (a good idea even though, the goats you got from me have been vaccinated)

If you are looking to learn more about goat care, I would highly recommend the book, _Holistic Goat Care_ by Gianaclis Caldwell. This book has helped me so much since I first became a goat owner. It’s a very complete care book and has an excellent health troubleshooting section. Secondly, I highly, highly recommend joining The Goat Spot forum. The people on The Goat Spot are unbelievably knowledgeable and can help you with any questions or problems you may have. 

If you’d like to ask me any questions please feel free at any time to contact me via e-mail: _insert e-mail address_


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## alwaystj9 (Apr 10, 2019)

Looks great. Maybe some info about care of wethers...
May I borrow it?


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

*Connecting with a vet that accepts goats through their practice before an emergency arises is a good idea. *FAMACHA score is only an indication of anemia caused by blood sucking Barber Pole worms or a bad blood sucking lice infestation. It's not a presenting indication of other worm types or cocci. *Promoting periodic fecal checks is necessary towards helping to identify worm type or cocci, and also towards preventing more serious complications from undetected loads becoming so severe the health of the goat is undermined. *Quarantine days are a good strategy towards preventing cross contamination between existing animals and newly acquired ones.


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## Cedarwinds Farm (Dec 2, 2019)

I can tell you've put a lot of thought into this! It looks great! In addition to the suggestions above, I would outline your coccidia prevention plan so that the new owner can follow that if they want to, and also provide dosages for b complex and any other med you decide to include in the final list. 
A couple goat keeping essentials for me:
Collars and lead ropes
Hoof trimmers
Iodine 
Drenching syringe
Molasses or other treat to convince them to eat things they otherwise wouldn't like


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

Thought of one more item while doing goat chores this morning. *Cautionary advice against deliberately feeding hay or grain to goats and/or kids off of the bare ground.


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## FizzyGoats (Apr 14, 2021)

As a newbie who is awaiting the pick-up day (mid-May) of my first ever goats, I love this. I would find it very helpful.
I really like some the suggestions offered to you here as well. 
This shows you you’ve put a lot of love and thought into it and want the goats/goat owners to have a happy, healthy transition.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

alwaystj9 said:


> Looks great. Maybe some info about care of wethers...
> May I borrow it?


Yes, you may. 😊 

I will work on incorporating the above suggestions. You guys are so helpful! 🤗


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## Boers4ever (Jun 28, 2020)

Wow that’s incredible! I wish someone would’ve given that to me when I picked up my first goats!


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Boers4ever said:


> Wow that’s incredible! I wish someone would’ve given that to me when I picked up my first goats!


Thanks @Boers4ever! 😘


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## EveLa (Jan 27, 2021)

MellonFriend said:


> I will be selling my first goat kids soon and I decided that I would like to send new goat owners home with a care sheet. Here's what I came up with. If you would be so kind as to look it over and see what you think, I would be grateful for any and all constructive criticism 😊. If you notice any typos feel free to point them out, but I have sister who is a very good editor so she'll probably catch any errors I made.🙃
> 
> 
> Congratulations on purchasing your new goats!
> ...


I do have a question for anyone here, what is the best surface to raise goats on to minimize the need for trimming hooves?? Any suggestions??


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

EveLa said:


> I do have a question for anyone here, what is the best surface to raise goats on to minimize the need for trimming hooves?? Any suggestions??


Probably best to start you own thread, but dry rocky conditions are helpful for keeping hooves filed down.


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## BarnOwl (Sep 6, 2020)

If all goes as expected, I should be a new goat owner at the end of May--and I am very excited and more than a little nervous about it. This is very helpful. I'm going to bookmark and print it.


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

Glad it helped you!


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## EveLa (Jan 27, 2021)

MellonFriend said:


> Probably best to start you own thread, but dry rocky conditions are helpful for keeping hooves filed down.


Thank you for the advice, sorry I'm still new and really wish someone would've told me to watch their hooves. Have a great day!


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## MellonFriend (Aug 8, 2017)

You too! 🙂


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