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Cheryl K. Smith. Raising Goats For Dummies
Raising Goats For Dummies® To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “Raising Goats For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box. Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Illustrations
Guide
Pages
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Beyond the Book
Icons Used in the Book
Where to Go from Here
Getting Started with Goats
Discovering the Joys of Raising Goats
Finding Goat Basics
THANK GOATS FOR COFFEE
Identifying the Benefits of Owning Goats
Becoming more self-sufficient
Cutting your dairy bill
Raising your own meat
DRINKING MILK ON THE FARM MAY HELP YOU BREATHE EASIER
Growing your own fiber
Harnessing goats’ power as living weed whackers
CASHMERE GOATS
Breeding and selling
Using goats for companions or helpers
Keeping goats as pets
Finding a helping hoof: Using your goat for packing
Sharing your goat with others
Raising goats as a 4-H project
Determining Whether Goats Are for You
Devoting time and effort
Deciding which goats are right for your situation
Finding out about local ordinances
Knowing your neighbors
Glimpsing Vital Goat Statistics
Doe, a Goat, a Female Goat
Taking a Look at Goat Anatomy
Parts of the body
The digestive system
Hooves
Teeth
Beards
Wattles
Horns
Eyes
Signs of a Healthy Goat
Noticing posture
Identifying the meaning of goat cries
Determining normal temperature
Figuring out what’s normal for your goats
Taking a goat’s temperature
Using ruminations as a health indicator
Taking a goat’s pulse
Counting respirations
Recognizing life expectancy
Using a Goat Scorecard to Evaluate a Goat
Knowing Your Capra Aegagrus Hircus (Goat, That Is)
Looking into Dairy Goats
Standard dairy goat breeds
Alpine
LaMancha
Nubian
G-6-S GENE MUTATION: A PERSISTENT DEFECT IN NUBIANS
Oberhasli
Saanen and Sable
Toggenburg
Miniature breeds
LITTLE GOAT, A LOT OF CHEESE
Nigerian Dwarf
Pygmy
Kinder
Minis
UNDERSTANDING MINI GENERATIONS
Discovering Meat Goats
Boer goats
Myotonic goats
Kiko goats
Spanish goats
Texmaster goats
Moneymaker meat goats
Savanna goats
Investigating Fiber Goats
Angora
Cashmere
Miniature fiber goats
Pygora
Nigora
CONSIDERING CROSSBREEDS
Getting Your Property Ready for a Goat
Figuring Out How Many Goats You Can Support
Making Sure Fencing Is Adequate
Running through types of fencing
Planning for gates
Protecting Your Plants
Considering which trees to protect
Making trees goat-proof
Protecting Your Herd
Putting hazards out of reach
Avoiding tethering
Providing a safe place to bunk down
Considering local predators
Domestic or feral dogs
Coyotes
Cougars
Birds
Other predators
Using guardian animals for security
Livestock guardian dogs
Donkeys
Llamas and alpacas
Removing poisonous plants
Building a Milk Stand
Cutting the lumber into parts and marking the pieces
Attaching the legs to the base
Attaching the side pieces to the base
Finishing the platform
Preparing the stanchion
Assembling the stanchion
Creating neck pieces
Adding the neck pieces to the stanchion
Adding the feeder attachment
Attaching the stanchion to the base
Making final adjustments
Bringing Your Goats Home
Home Sweet Homestead: Sheltering Your Goats
Outlining Shelter Types
Using an existing building
Putting up a shelter
Providing a Safe, Cozy Place for Goats to Bunk
Building a sleeping shelf in an existing barn
Using and maintaining bedding
Creating an Outdoor Shelter
Protecting your goats from the elements
Selecting flooring
Keeping Your Goats and Their Living Space Clean
Controlling flies and other bugs
Feed storage and ratproofing
A LOW-TECH RAT TRAP
Dinner Time: What and How to Feed Your Goats
Goats Don’t Eat Tin Cans: What and How to Feed
Understanding the two types of feed
Feeding hay and alfalfa
Using Chaffhaye instead of hay and alfalfa
Feeding grain
Following a feeding schedule
Choosing organic — or not
Minerals are a must
Supplemental feeds
Beet pulp
Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS)
Kelp meal
Baking soda
Nutritional yeast
Apple cider vinegar (ACV)
Treats and snacks
Using Body-Condition Scoring to Fine-Tune Feeding
Feeding for Special Cases
Pregnancy
Milking does
Kids
Getting the Basic Supplies
Bowls
Buckets
Water supply
Using a human-made water supply
Using a natural water supply
Mineral feeder
Hay feeder
Storing feed
Building a Simple Hay Feeder
Building a Mineral Block Holder
Providing Supplemental Feeding Options
Growing a goat garden
Feeding with garden plant waste
Storing garden produce
Creating a Hedgerow
Choosing a location
Determining what to plant
Keeping it surviving and thriving
Supplementing with Fodder
CUTTING BRUSH FOR YOUR GOATS
Getting Your Goats: Choosing, Buying, and Bringing Goats Home
Choosing the Right Goats for Your Needs
Goats need company
Function matters
Size matters
Horns can hurt
Registered or unregistered
Looks count: The basics of conformation
Finding Sources for Goats
Visiting local feed stores
Reading the agriculture paper or thrifties
Checking out Craigslist
Surfing breeders’ websites
Joining registries and goat clubs
Going where goat people congregate
Making Sure You Get a Healthy Goat
Asking questions
Examining the goats
Observing the home herd
Protecting Yourself with a Contract
Bringing Your Goats Home
Transporting your goats
Quarantining new goats
Watching for signs of stress
Working with Your Goats
Identifying Normal Goat Behavior
Establishing a “pecking” order
Bow to the queen
BOYS WILL BE BOYS
The head buck leads
Biting, butting, and mounting
Establishing a place in the herd
Playing
Fighting
Conducting Basic Training with Your Goats
Collars are not just decorations
Handling goats regularly
Walking goats on a lead
Teaching basic manners
Moving Up to Advanced Goat Training
Teaching tricks with a clicker
Using an obstacle course
Housebreaking
Preparing goats for packing
Training goats to pull a cart
Supervising Your Herd
Meeting their social needs
Evaluating the time you have to be home
Finding and training a reliable helper
Maintaining Physical Fitness
Walking with your goats
Furnishing your yard or pasture with toys
Entertaining with Your Goats
Handling Routine Care and Important One-Time Tasks
Grooming Your Goats
Brushing
Bathing
Clipping
Specialized clipping
Caring for Hooves
Preparing to trim
Trimming the hooves
Dealing with Horns
Horned or not?
The case for no horns on goats
When to disbud
How to disbud
Gathering supplies
Disbudding the kid
Preventing and dealing with scurs
Castrating Your Bucks
The problem of poor Elmer, or why to castrate
Knowing when to castrate
Choosing a castration method
Elastrator castration (banding)
Emasculator castration (Burdizzo)
Surgical castration
Identifying Your Goats: Microchipping and Tattooing
Choosing a method
Tattooing your goat
Microchipping your goat
Managing Goat Health and Breeding
Outlining Basic Health-Care Requirements
Recognizing Signs of Illness
Working with a Veterinarian
Finding a vet
Knowing when to call
Preparing for a vet visit
FINDING HEALTH-CARE SUPPORT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Working with a non-goat veterinarian
Building a First-Aid Kit
The Straight Poop: Fecal Analysis
Giving Injections
Considering Vaccinations
Deciding whether to vaccinate
Looking into common vaccinations
Giving a vaccination
Keeping Health Records
Documenting important information
Keeping track of recurrent problems
Providing information for the vet
Tracking trends
Testing to Avoid Problems
Knowing what to test for
How to draw blood for a test
Knowing the Law Regarding Drugs in Food Animals
Addressing Common Health Problems and Ailments
Managing the Creepy-Crawlies
Controlling external parasites
Lice
Mites
Fleas and keds
Ticks
Minimizing internal parasites
Coccidiosis
Common worms
Testing for parasites
FAMACHA: It’s in the eyes
Deworming
Helping keep parasite problems at bay
Acquainting Yourself with Goat Viruses and Infections
Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV)
Abscesses
Infectious abscess
Caseous lymphadenitis (CLA)
Hardware disease
Tetanus
Johne’s disease
Listeriosis
Pinkeye
Soremouth
Pneumonia
Wounds
Ringworm
Foot rot
Rabies
Examining Feed-Related Problems
Scours
MAKING HOMEMADE ELECTROLYTES
Bloat
Enterotoxemia
Nutrient imbalances
Copper deficiency
Hypocalcemia (milk fever) and ketosis
Iodine deficiency
Polioencephalomalacia
Selenium deficiency
Urinary calculi
Poisoning
Breeding and Looking After Pregnant Goats
Preparing for Breeding
Running through Goat Mating Habits: Courting Is Crucial!
Identifying the season for goat love
Manners, or what to expect from your goat
Does in heat
Bucks in rut
Doing the deed
Housing a buck after breeding
Finding Breeding Solutions When You Have Only Does
The invaluable buck rag
Leasing a buck
One-night stands, or driveway breeding
Artificial insemination
Looking into the Finer Points of Goat Pregnancy
Length of gestation
False pregnancy
Dealing with common pregnancy problems
Abortion and stillbirth
Hypocalcemia
Ketosis
Getting Ready for Kidding
Preparing the doe
Setting up a kidding pen
Being prepared with a kidding kit
Knowing when she’ll kid (and what to do!)
Reading the ligaments
Identifying other signs of impending kidding
Now Comes the Fun Part: Kids!
Grasping the Basics of Kidding
Knowing what to expect from labor and birth
Handling multiples
Taking Care of Mother and Kids after Kidding
Caring for the new mother
Caring for newborn kids
The importance of colostrum
Dealing with kid problems
Chilled kid
Floppy kid syndrome
White muscle disease
Navel ill
Hyperflexed legs
Diarrhea (scours)
Milk goiter
Tube-feeding a weak kid
Vaccinating
Feeding the Kids
Deciding between hand-feeding or natural feeding
Choosing milk
Feeding individually or as a group
Feeding schedule
Introducing solid foods
Weaning kids
THEY MAY BE CUTE, BUT YOU CAN’T KEEP THEM ALL
Caring for Aged Goats
Identifying Health Problems
Musculoskeletal issues
Digestive issues
Immune system issues
Circulatory issues
Mammary issues
Behavioral changes
Making Allowances for Disability
Providing proper housing
Finding a workable diet
Changing the feeding location
Adjusting the diet
Easing chronic pain
Determining When to Let Go
Making Your Goats Work for You
Discovering Goat Milk: How to Get, Use, and Sell It
Developing a Milking Routine
Knowing when to milk
Keeping the milk fresh
Starting with good milk
Pasteurizing
Caring for the udder
Preventing mastitis
Keeping records
Ending milking (Drying off)
Getting a Grip on Hand-Milking
Getting the supplies
Running through the hand-milking process
Using a hand-milking machine
Using a Motorized Milking Machine
Handling Milk to Keep It Clean and Fresh
Straining the milk
Cooling the milk
Storing the milk
Staying Legal while Selling Milk
Goat Meat: From Breeding to Selling and Beyond
Getting the Basics of Raising Goats for Meat
Cross-breeding standard dairy goats to produce meat goats
Using your dairy goats for meat
Selling Your Products
Identifying potential buyers
Selling goats
Selling a goat for a customer to take home to slaughter
Letting a customer slaughter on your farm
Hiring a mobile butcher or going to a slaughterhouse
Livestock auctions
Advertising
Legal considerations
Determining what to charge
Using marketing terminology properly
Slaughtering Goats
Doing it yourself
Using a licensed slaughter plant
Hiring a mobile butcher
Humanely slaughtering goats
Using All of the Goat
Hide tanning
Preparing a pickling solution
Tanning the hide
Animal feed
Using the organs for herd health check
RUNNING A TRACE NUTRIENT MINERAL TEST
Showing Your Goats
Finding Shows
Preparing to Show Your Goat
Getting your goat show-ready
Clipping your goat
Trimming hooves
Practicing showing techniques
Assembling your supplies
Earning more than just ribbons
Marketing at shows
Showing Your Goat in Person
Dressing appropriately
Keeping your goat between yourself and the judge
Focusing on the judge at all times
Making sure not to talk with your neighbor
Remaining calm even if your goat is misbehaving
Doing what the judge asks
Keeping your goat properly set up
Being a good loser (or winner)
Showing Your Goat Virtually
Setting the scene
Preparing your goat
Photographing properly
More Benefits of Goats: Fiber, Breeding, Weed Control, and More
Harvesting and Selling Fiber
Reviewing fiber types
Shearing: How and when
Processing the fiber
Washing
Dyeing
Carding or combing
Spinning
Selling your fiber
BLACK SHEEP GATHERING
Creating Mini Breeds
MY MINI-TALE OF MINI-BREEDING
Backpacking with Goats
Offering Buck Service
Boarding Other People’s Goats
Selling Compost
Hiring Out for Weed Control
Providing “Goat Therapy”
The Part of Tens
Ten Common Mistakes First-Time Goat Owners Make
Getting Too Many Goats Too Fast
Failing to Educate Yourself before Getting Goats
Underestimating the Costs
Paying Too Much or Too Little for Your Goats
Getting Only One Goat
Buying Unhealthy Goats
Neglecting Routine Management and Care
Overlooking Your Goats’ Dietary Needs
Giving the Goats Too Little Attention
Getting a Buck before You’re Ready
Ten Misconceptions about Goats
Goats Will Eat Anything
Goats Stink
Goats Aren’t Very Smart
Goats Make Good Lawn Mowers
Goat Milk Tastes Bad
Goat Meat Tastes Bad
Goats Get Most of Their Water from Plants
Goats Are Only for People Who Can’t Afford Cows
Only Male Goats Have Beards
A Dog Makes a Good Friend for a Goat
Goat-Milk Recipes
Cheeses and Yogurt
Drinks
Entrees and Side Dishes
Desserts
Index. A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Y
Z
About the Author
Dedication
Author’s Acknowledgments
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
