# The Goat Thing



## Mike_C (Mar 25, 2021)

This one is a bit long, get some popcorn and a drink

A very good place to start is at the beginning.

*The meme*
This whole thing started back in March of 2018 with a meme:










Yeah! That one. 

It made the rounds in March and April. It aggravated my wife, Amy, to no end. It probably didn’t help that I would bring it at least once a day. Then there was the back and forth of stuffed and miniature goats. Along with books, cards etc. Everything became goat related. Goat trailers, goat food, goat house, goat shoes, etc. We went to fairs, shows, and even the zoo. Each time we saw a goat, I was reminded, firmly, “NO GOATS!” I just smiled 

*The Research*
I started to research goats, fencing, watering, bedding , feeding, etc. Basically how to care for goats. Somewhere along the line we got a Goats for Dummies book. Of course any research wouldn’t be complete without a Google search. I compared what I read online with what was in the books. Like all things, some things agreed and there were differences. I also took time to visit some real goat farms. 

I learned:

Like some other critters, it is best to get more than one.
Billies and nannies are somewhat derogatory titles, they are bucks and does 
Bucks need to be kept away from does except during that special time
They will not eat just anything, there are some things they will just plain avoid, and won’t eat anything off the ground
The fence has to be perfect or the goats will get out.
They can be moody from time to time
They are extremely fragile and very resilient 

I managed to get all this research together, now I need to come up with-
*The Plan*
*Step one: A fenced in pen.*
I looked at welded wire fence, woven wire fence, chain link, hog/ cattle panels and electric fencing. I looked at height, tensile strength, (how strong is a goat anyway?) I even got a couple of used rolls of fence from Facebook marketplace. I look at wood posts, steel t-post, and even the new composite posts. I settled on woven wire with a mix of wood and steel T-posts, with two strands of barbed wire on top to keep varmints out. Now where to put this pen, I have five unused acres with some outbuildings that had power and a source of water. At first I want to keep them close enough so I can keep an eye on them and far enough where they are not invading home life. I had just the spot picked out, with enough pasture for them to roam.
*Step two: Shelter*
I had some dreams of a large barn, with a separate kidding area, complete with private stalls, with radiant heat. air conditioning, a goat hot tub, the works, then reality sunk in. What I need at first is a small shed or lean-to. I wasn’t interested in the metal backyard shed, somehow I doubt they would stand up to goat use. Instead I was looking at some of the per-built wooden sheds, or even a kit that can be put together quickly.
*Step Three Food:*
I didn’t have concern here, there were plenty of farmers around here that were busy cutting, baling and storing hay, I just had to find one that made small square bales and willing to make something of a deal. A quick search of Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace showed I had little to worry about. As far as gain goes, that was a bit tricker, I knew a couple of farm store in Sioux Falls had goat food, then one day while cruising the aisles at Wal-Mart, I seen they carry livestock food, including goat food, I was surprised, somewhat relieved and mildly amused, as it aggravated my wife just a little bit.
*Step Four: Everything Else:*
I know there were things I was overlooking, and I was okay with that, I figured I would deal with them as they came up. I was getting plenty of advice via the Internet on just about every goat subject. I know some of that advise isn’t the best, I also double check everything with multiple sources Still, I thought I had a good hand on everything

Even with a good plan on paper, it is still just a plan! And then...
*We Are Getting Goats…*
One Friday evening, we were discussing my upcoming election campaign, We were talking about parade events When my WIFE, AMY, Mrs. ‘NO GOATS,’ chimed in with

“I can see him walking the parade with a GOAT, pulling a wagon with a banner on the side.”

I just looked at her, dumbfounded, did she just, yes, I think she just did. I was double checking to see if she was serious or just pulling my leg. 
Okay then, there is a livestock auction in Coleman the next day and we were going.
It is always good to get to an auction early, this way you can ‘inspect’ what is for sale. I got my buyer number and went to check out what goats were there. There was a Nubian weather, that as soon as he saw us he came right to us. When we left he cried, loudly, over all the animals, and you can hear him even well out front of the building. I looked at some of the Nigerian Dwarfs, Fainters, and some of the other critters, making notes which one to bid on, if I’m allowed; I’m not still convinced this isn’t some kind of mean prank. 
First up was that Nubian. He pranced once around the ring then stopped right and front of us cried right at us. I felt a sharp pain in my side as my arm was being raised to show my buyer’s card. I heard a whisper in my ear, “He has chosen us.” as my wife firmly held my arm in the air. I heard the auctioneer say ‘Sold!” and called out my number; just like that, we were livestock owners. We can’t have just one. The second one, an intact Nigerian Dwarf male was much easier to get for both my wife and I.
*Coming Home*
We now own goats! I just have to get them home. One of the nice things about having an older Chevy Suburban is the seats can be laid down to make a eight foot bed, I used some fencing and wire and some zip ties and I made up a fair divider between the driver and where the goats were. I laid down a tarp, thinking it would help protect them. I have to give some kudos to the guys at the sale barn. They were most helpful getting the goats loaded up, Apparently, we were not the first new goat owners they have come across.
On the way home, through the magic of cellular technology, we informed our daughter of the impending arrivals. I was only thinking about what am I going to do when I get home? I have no pen, no shelter, no food. I was trying to think where can I put them until I can get something set up? I looked over to my wife who was busy giving them goat treats. Wait! What? Where did she get goat treats? 
I pull into the driveway and of course our daughter is there ready to greet the new arrivals, with names already picked out. The Nubian is Dani Boi, and the Nigerian Dwarf is Vizion 2020 I had to get them out of the back of the vehicle, but then what? I had about a half dozen or so pallets laying around. I used rope, twine, tie wire, whatever I could find and quickly built a pen. Got them some fresh hay and water. Then it was time for a photo op.
































After a quick breather, and some water for everyone, I went to work on something more of a pen to keep them overnight or a few days until I can get something a bit more permanent. I spent the next five hours building a fence, it wasn’t tight, straight and had some weird bends, but it was a fence that kept the goats from wandering off. I used the same pallets I used to make the first pen to make a shelter for the night. Finally as the sun was setting, I safely put the goats in their new home at least for now.
*The Farm Store*
I knew we needed ‘goat stuff’ So we went to the farm stores in Sioux Falls. We went directly to the livestock area to the goat section. Only to find they didn’t have a goat section, they had goats stuff mixed in with everything else. First up, was goat food. I had no idea there was such a variety. What was the difference? So we started to read labels, comparing ingredients, additives and other things. We finally asked for help from a store employee. So we got 150 lbs. Of feed., some cubed alfalfa and a hook over fence feeder, a mineral tub, a couple dog collars and other stuff We headed to the other stores to see what they had. 
It was very obvious to just about everyone we were new to this goat thing. We were looking at some stuff, trying to figure out if we needed or not, and some cases what the thing was, and what it was used for. We were like new parents trying to pick out baby stuff. 
Farm stores are in business to make money, then, what store isn’t. Urban farming is starting to be a thing so farm stores are gearing their marketing to that end. Goats haven’t yet become an urban farm staple unlike chickens or rabbits, while they carry some goat stuff, it is not a major part of what they sell. It is all about the marketing mix. It also means I may have to go online and order what I need. Luckily There are plenty of websites that sell goat stuff., sometimes at a premium price
*The New Shelter-*
My pallet and tarp lean to be alright for a few days, but I knew I had to make something a bit more substantial. The bank account said I had to do it inexpensively. I saw plans for a pallet and hog/cattle panel and tarp hoop shelter. I modify those plans to just use hog panels and a tarp. I took a hog panel, and cut off the end vertical piece then ground down the ends to make a spike I could stick in the ground. I stuck one in the ground, then hoop the other side so both sides were roughly perpendicular to the ground and put the other end into the ground. I reinforced that with some rebar stakes. When I put second and third panels up. I welded three panels together to make a fair sized frame.
The covering was something a bit different as well. In South Dakota, the wind blows, all the time, in February there are days that zero is the high, just a plain tarp just wouldn’t do. I used about a 16’ X 20’ polyurethane tarp cover half of it with fiberglass insulation then folded the over half over top. Then used tie wire and screwdriver to knot quilt the entire thing about every two feet or so. I used parachute cord to stitch around the open edges. Then I put this over the wire frame. In addition to the tie downs I threw a couple ropes over to make sure it didn’t blow away. It didn’t look the best but should keep the goats warm and dry.
*The Veterinarian-*
I am finding out that locating any veterinarian that works with goats is tough. Most urban veterinarians work with smaller animals like cats and dogs, and rural vets work with larger animals like cattle or horses. Via the Internet I found two clinics that work with goats that were reasonably close by, one in Dell Rapids, and one in Montrose. The one in Montrose was a bit closer , We loaded up the goats for one more road trip, to the vet. 
They were very gracious to new goat owners. Each of the goats got a general health check and everything appeared to be okay. We were told to make sure that whatever we get, make sure it is formulated for goats. With the idea that we had a clean bill of health for both animals we loaded up and headed home.
*The Manicure -*
The hoofs needed to be trimmed. One of the first things I needed was a goat stand. I saw some really nice ones at the farm stores for a premium price. I also checked on line, and realized this is something I can build with materials I already had. It also gives me a chance to use the new tools my wife got me. Using some plans I found on the Internet I built a decent stand. I put Dani Boi on it and it worked great. 




















When we put Vizion on the stand, I found I had a bit of a short problem. This got fixed by making something of a riser or a stool.
Once the goats were on the stand, I needed to trim the hooves.








I got all the stuff I thought I needed

Hoof trimmers
Rasp
Blu-Kote (Why is it red?)
Dani was first and he was very patient as I perused you-tube videos about how to trim hooves on the laptop I had set up.
Vizion wasn't so kind, even in the headgate he squirmed and cried like he was being tortured. It took awhile but we both managed to get through it. 
*The New Arrivals-*
Somehow the word got out that I had goats. It wasn't exactly a big secret. I was contacted by a gentleman in Minnesota, whose parents were moving to town and couldn’t take the goats with them. He stated he had two pygmy wether goats that he wanted to give away, So I headed out to pick them up. When I got to his farm, It was dark. It was very clear they were not pygmy goats. I loaded them up and headed home. 
When I got home I put the new goats, now named Levi and Bon bon in with our other goats. I should have realized right then something wasn’t quite right. Vizion started snorting and dancing around Bon bon. The next morning, by the light of day, I found why, Bon bon wasn’t a weather, but a female! I marked the calendar figuring 145 days give or take five days to be safe. I continue to watch them for other signs of pregnancy. Vizion continued his courting, with what appeared to be moderate success. As I watched them over the winter months, to my both my disappointment and relief, I determined that Bon bon was not pregnant. However just the idea of having kids running around has gotten everyone excited. I have a good idea what one of the next projects is.
*The Weed-Eaters…*
I have some rather thick underbrush that needs to be cleared out.












The first step was to mow around the perimeter. I used both a string mower and regular lawn mower. I wanted to get one mower width either side of where I wanted the fence to go.
The fence I used is a Premier 1 9/42/6 yellow and white net fence. I’ve chosen this fence because it is high enough goats won’t jump over it. And it is yellow, so goats, dogs and humans can see it. Hopefully Yellow will indicate warning, I included extra warning signs just to be sure.










I put the battery, fence charger, any tools and supplies in a wire cart. It makes moving everything around really easy. 
It is very important to make sure you have a good grounding system. I’m using 3 – 3’ ground rods about 10’ apart set up in a triangle.

Then I turned the goats loose, they promptly started munching on the weeds. I put some water, and mineral block out for them, along with a tarp as a lean to shelter. They all seem to be happy. 









A couple tips:

The fence needs to be HOT !! About .25 joule at least. don’t skimp on a cheap fence charger
when using polyrope, twine, tape, net or any other type of electro-plastic conductors use a low or wide-impedance charger. A constant charge will melt the rope and possibly cause a fire.








Check the entire fence daily. If there is a hole, the goats will find it. Chasing down goats isn’t fun.
Clear all the weeds, brush anything from the fence. The charger may say it can shock through weeds and grass. However, weeds and wet grass decreases the shock. Not to mention it leaves a nasty brown line in the grass.
Keep the goats happy. If they are starved or threaten the fence won’t contain them, no matter what charge you have going through it
Use a fence tester to check the fence.

*The War on Worms…*
War is the correct term and mindset. A few things come to mind, 

 Know thy enemy
 Know thy self
Get a plan and work that plan
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
*Where did they come?*
We got a nice two year old fainter that looked okay at the auction. When we got her home I knew something wasn’t right. At first I thought it was the stress of the auction, I set to keep an eye on her over the next few hours. Initial appearances, she seemed fine, upon closer inspection, it was clear she had been neglected, and was malnourished. While she seemed to get more comfortable, she really didn’t get any better. That night I saw evidence of diarrhea or sours and I knew I had a problem. While I was tracking down a (new) veterinarian, I was drenching with Nutri-drench, and dewormer and made Bounce-back available free choice. Then one afternoon, we came back home to find her dead. Our family was devastated. 
The first thing I did is move the rest of the herd to a previously untouched area to clear weeds.
Once I saw evidence that other goats may also be infected, I got a fecal float analysis done. The culprit was:









Haemonchus contortus or other known as the dreaded Barber’s pole worm.

I immediately started a program of de-worming, everything, if it walked, crawled, slithered or flew it got de-wormed. Just about everything got washed and disinfected, especially boots and shoes. I stopped short of a scorched earth policy, although that is still on the menu.

This experience taught us a few hard lessons


Always inspect animals closely before bidding on them at any auction or purchasing them. Ask to see health records.
Quarantine new animals before introducing to a herd. Have biosecurity blood work and fecal float analysis done to ensure the animal is healthy.
Have a good great relationship with the veterinarian. Send the clinic donuts or treats once in a while. 
Have medicines and equipment on hand ready to go.
When visiting other farms, wear plastic booties, when someone comes to your farm have booties for them to wear. 

*Kids!*

This part should be easy, right? Goats having kids is just a natural part of the circle of life. They have been doing it for thousands of years without any trouble. 
*Timing*
In South Dakota we can get some pretty harsh winters. Live here long enough and you have a pretty idea when the big storms are going to hit. We are planning for due dates around April 1. That puts the breeding date around November 1. I know it is a bit late, but missing that last blizzard or thunder snow is serious consideration, because it is normally a very wet, very heavy snow that melts fast and turns everything real sloppy. 
*Date night*
We got everyone ready for the move. It was easier to move the ladies to gentlemen. Everyone got plenty of leftover pumpkins. The ladies weren’t in the pen for five minutes before I noticed Vizion with his dance. I also was reminded, for next year, I need to move them downwind or get some kind of deodorizer or something.They were to stay together for a few months, then the ladies would move back to their own area.
*Return to The Veterinarian*
We want to make sure they were indeed pregnant. To the best of my knowledge there are three ways to confirm pregnancy, A urine test, a blood test or an ultrasound. After a consultation with our veterinarian we opted for the ultrasound. 

We loaded up the trailer with the six ladies, and the goat stand and made our way to Brookings. We got the earliest appointment on Saturday morning that we could get, to avoid traffic on snow covered roads with a 16’ trailer. We took up the entire parking lot when we parked. We set up the goat stand in the trailer. Dr. Ryan came out with what I think was the entire staff. They all got health checks and ultrasound, and every one was very pregnant. We loaded up and headed home with a quick stop for some fresh coffee.

*The Goat House*
While the ladies were spending some quality time with the gentleman goat, I went to work on the Goat House. I have been working on it for some time, already and there is still a work in progress. With winter coming and kids on the way that added a certain sense of urgency.









The ‘New’ Goat House was originally built to farrow hogs, and in the past 15 years used as a repository for ‘projects’ not yet completed or equipment to be repaired. 

I cleaned out a ton of crap
replaced the roof
rehung the doors 
re-built the yard for goats

Some of the things left to be done
Wiring 
Plumbing
Painting
Replace some, most, all of the hardware

by the time we got back from the veterinarian, the goat house and adjoining yard were done enough to let ladies spend the winter there. 

*The Goat Cam*

Being a geek has its advantages. Understanding the advantages of wireless technology and more importantly, its limitations is one. I set up a wireless camera with a solar battery to keep an eye on the ladies for when they do go into labor. I had to include an extender to reach all the way out to the Goat House. I still check on them every couple of hours. One of the unexpected benefits is being able to watch the interaction of the goats, without a human around. 
*Surprise! *

One morning about a month out from the impending due date, I started up the camera over my morning coffee, and I heard a faint cry, not an adult goat cry. I searched with the camera to see if I can determine the source, to no avail. I quickly put on boots and a jacket, and grabbed the big lantern and headed out in the brisk late winter morning.

I found one of the younger does, that wasn’t supposed to be pregnant, I thought she was too young, with a new baby buckling! 
wowsers! 
Okay! 
I’m ready for this! 
Get them separated, fresh straw, warming hut/barrel, why does this panel seem too short?, fresh water, hay, check the teats, the kid appears to be nursing well, I think we’re good now.








Now I can get dressed and ready for the day. 

After doing some math we figured she got pregnant about a month before we got her. We got another doe at the same time and we watched her for signs of pregnancy, and nothing until two weeks later when we got the second buckling from the other doe. 









*The Six Does*
We still have the six does that were bred by Vizion; they are due April 1. We are currently on Goat Watch 2021. 
*The Future-*
As our herd grows, so does our knowledge . We continue to research and learn. As time passes we might try our hand at making soap or even cheese. 
Another option is to rent them out to clear weeds from places normally not accessible by man or machine. What I am finding out is that people who want to rent to clear some heavy weeds, can’t because of a patchwork of local regulations, forbidding keeping livestock in town. Something new to work on.
I look forward to learning from other goat owners and sharing what I have learned.


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## NigerianNewbie (Jun 6, 2018)

Welcome to The Goat Spot. Enjoyed reading the journey already traveled with your growing herd.


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## Kass (Apr 26, 2020)

Wow! Thanks for typing that out! It was a fun read! 
I got goats when I didn't have proper housing either, and we are still working on building their permanent shed! 
Good luck on everything! Sounds like you have a solid start, and everyone here will help you in any way we can!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Lol..what a story!! Congratulations on your new adventure...hardest lesson..avoid sell barns. I know many love to rescue sale barn animals and that is fine..but if you have specific plans want a better chance of a healthy herd best to buy from respected goat farmers. Sale barns are often a cull. Sometimes great animals run through due to farmer needing fast cash but once there are exposed to disease and parasites. I think you are well ahead in the game of finding the pros and cons of goats. I absolutely love them!! 

Best wishes


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## Mike_C (Mar 25, 2021)

You're right about the sale barns, I've seen some real sick animals go through some of the auctions. That's why I like to inspect the animals before bidding. The hardest part is when emotions take over and we get in to thrill of the sale. With the exception of two does, I have been lucky.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Welcome to TGS!


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Sounds like you are in the right place ! Welcome to TGS


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

Loved your story! Goats sure get into your blood, don't they. Lovely little herd you've got there. Do you still have ideas about driving one with a wagon in a parade? If so, I have goat driving experience and I love to share. That Nubian you bought should make a great draft goat when he's full grown! Nubians are usually quite tall and very strongly built. They tend to make very good harness goats because they have the right build and attitude for the job. 

I use Premier1 netting fences myself. For shelters I use PolyDome calf hutches which I can move around if I move the fencing. Watch those babies with the electric fence when they are first introduced! That is my scariest part of kidding season. Kids feel the zap and often instinctively leap _forward _and get themselves tangled in the netting. If they can't get free they'll be electrocuted (a slow, horrible, torturous death) or strangled. I haven't lost a kid that way but I've read others' horror stories and it makes me very vigilant when kids are first learning about the fence. Making sure your fence is very hot goes a long way toward teaching them to stay well away from it.

Good luck as your babies start coming!


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## JML Farms (Jan 1, 2021)

Welcome aboard. Hope you have many more years of goat adventures!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Welcome, glad you are here.


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## Mike_C (Mar 25, 2021)

I haven’t decided If I want to train the Nubian to pull a cart yet or not.

I wasn’t able to find the right cart, I was looking for a scaled version of a covered wagon. Or maybe a four wheeled garden cat with some bows then a banner for a cover.

The other issues were dogs. Just walking down the street in a urban neighborhood became interesting. Some dogs were very aggressive. The smaller the dog the more aggressive. The Nubian would get spooked the try to bolt. Add a wagon with a couple of kids in the back, in a parade this becomes a recipe for a YouTube video that would not be very positive. Not to mention the whole kids in cages thing.

Right now the Nubian’s job is to keep the buck company until that special time.


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

My first wagon was a four-wheeled garden cart, and yes you can add bows and a cover for it. They're very easy to modify because of the expanded metal bottom and sides. We turned ours into a hearse one Halloween:









This is how it's set up normally: 


















This cart is 2' x 4' but you can get them bigger. This one is a little small for such big goats, but it was what we could afford at the time. I've also hitched it to a single goat and I used it to haul firewood last year. Having goats that can pull comes in handy sometimes! 

As far as barking dogs go, we deal with them all the time too. It just takes practice. We started out by leading our goats (no carts) in places with barking dogs and we rewarded them for being brave and walking past. Our goats also came to understand that we would haze off any dogs that came near them so they look at my husband and I as their protectors. When we are around, they aren't scared of dogs. They also have to get used to sirens, air horns, car horns, bicycles, baby strollers, screaming kids, and scariest of all--smothering old ladies with big hats who want to lean in for a kiss. They've learned to take it all in stride and your goat can too if you work with him. How old is he now?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice.


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