Episode 55 - Goat Keeping 101 - Part 1

Episode 54 A Beginner's Guide to Goats Part 1 Introduction Welcome to the first installment of our three-part series on goat keeping for women new to homesteading! In this week's guide, we'll dive into the exciting world of goats, exploring breeds, dispelling common myths, and laying the groundwork for successful goat ownership. Whether you're dreaming of farm-fresh milk, luxurious fibre, or simply delightful companionship, there's a goat for you! Don't get goats if - you hate fencing, you don’t like smells, you are squimish, you really want a dog, you don’t like animal maintenance or you have nice gardens or landscaping. Exploring Goat Breeds - Introduction to Popular Milking Breeds We'll introduce you to a variety of milking breeds, each with its unique characteristics. From Toggenburgs to Nigerian Dwarfs, we'll discuss milk production, temperament, and adaptability. British Alpine (big producers), Saanen (can be big quantities), and Toggenburg (above average production), Nigerian Dwarf (high butterfat and protein). Anglo Nubian (above average in all 3), - Dual Purpose Goats Did you know goats can serve multiple purposes on your homestead? We'll explore breeds suitable for fibre production, meat, and more. Other breeds are Angora or Cashmere for fibre, and -Boer or rangeland for meat. Dispelling Common Myths - Eat Anything? Contrary to popular belief, goats can't eat everything! We'll debunk this myth and discuss common toxic plants. Examples of potentially toxic plants grazed by livestock in Australia include: Paterson's curse, Perennial ryegrass, Pimelea and St John's wort - No Fence is Sufficient? While goats are notorious escape artists, with the right fencing, you can keep them contained. Electric fencing is very effective. Horns and fencing, tangled fencing - Milking Goats and Babies Milking goats need to get pregnant to produce milk, but you don't necessarily need to raise bottle babies. You can co-share milk with the kids, don’t force yourself to have bottle babies unless you have no choice - Other Goat Facts From de-sexing, banding, to de-budding, and even the potential for goats and sheep to interbreed, we'll cover it all! Determination = an in-season goat Kidding - no you don’t always have to help When can they go back to the herd Goats need to be de-sexed, they are early breeders and not all goats should be bred All goats have horns, so you may need to de-bud Goats and sheep interbreeding. Line breeding is a thing