Goat buying

[Farrier1987]

Goat to get. Feb 3/16

OK, so where were we? We have a fence that might keep goats in. We have discussed what we see for desired results from getting a goat. We have decided horns or no horns. It’s time to pick a goat!

So, where to look for a goat? You know somebody? Kijiji? This board classifieds? The stockyards at a weekly sale?

All of those may work out well, but beware, there are used goat salesmen out there, who will tell you lies. Case in point, some neighbors liked my setup with a pet I could milk. Just thrilled. That was last July, and he had just built a fence. (He did a good job of that.)

They came over to talk. My Priya had had twins, and I was going to be selling the buckling. Good dairy lines, good natured, vaccinated, dehorned, nice colour, all in all a wonderful little animal. Ready to wean. I was asking $50 for him.

I said “The last thing you want to start out with it a buck. After you have found a couple good does, you might want to. But for now, it’s impractical for you. He will stink. He may or may not be ready to breed in the fall, he will push fences. You don’t have any other goats right now and he will be lonely. In fact, with just a few, you may never want to buy a buck. There is always someone around with a flock that will let you get your doe bred, and you have a choice then, not just the one you own. “Nice as this guy is,” I said, “You don’t want him, certainly not now.”

“OK, we will take him. Here’s $50.” they said. Who am I to turn that down? Going to be their herd sire, even before they have a herd.

So they took him home. Being alone, being weaned in a strange place. He was baaaing all the time. It got so bad they got the vet out to see if there was something wrong. Vet told them they needed another goat. I had told them that, but I didn’t have seven years of university to back it up.

So, they go on Kijiji and see an ad. Go to look at her that afternoon and bought her. Two year old Saanen doe, ready to kid in August or September. And they phone me to come over and have a look.

Now dairy goats, like their cousins the deer, are seasonal breeders. They come into season at the right time to have babies in the spring, when there should be good feed. It does happen that they get bred other times of year, but that is not the unusual.

And I come and see their new acquisition. Saanens are known for being good milkers and easy going natures. She is a nice friendly animal. But to me, she didn’t look two. Dew claws starting to curl to over a half moon. Due in August, but no signs I could see. I did like her, and I told them I hoped it would work out.

So in August, she wasn’t showing any signs of being ready to kid. They tried to phone the guy they bought her from, but he never answered. So they got the vet out again. The doe is five, and not pregnant. The guy still wouldn’t answer the phone. A used goat dealer, probably had bought her at the auction market for $50 and sold her to them for $300.

So they were looking again. Found an Alpine doe in milk. Three years old, no kids came with her. So they bought her, and its working out, I think. And they have three goats, milking one. Now this fall, to keep bloodlines separate, they bred to a billy from a few miles away. So that when they have babies, the little buck they got from me will not be related when they keep the doelings.

To finish tat yarn, I do want to say that these are nice people, good to their animals, and good friends. But they are just a wonderful example of going about getting a goat bass ackwards. in the spring they want to get chickens, Chanticleers I am told. I will tell them about PTO.

So, back the subject, how do you find a goat that you want? Friends and acquaintances first, tell them what you are looking for, maybe they have something in that line, or know someone who does. And listen hard and consider their advice, lots of this they will have already been through themselves.

Put an ad up on a farm/country/ home steading type site. I highly recommend PTO.

You are driving down a country road and see goats in the field? Stop in. Most people will be glad to visit help you if they can, and the chances of them being a used goat dealer are much less than on Kijiji.

OK, so you still haven’t found what you are looking for. Watch Kijiji. There will be goats for sale. But there is more chance of used goat dealers there. But that is how I got mine, and it has worked out pretty good.

Auctions. Can be good, can be bad. Probably the best prices. Drawback is that you know the least about the animal, health, breeding nature etc. Could be bringing home a disease? And could be the goat you always wanted and will love for ever. It’s a crapshoot at the auction.

I am not going to go deep into any particular breed discussion. Lots of good information is available on the net.

If what you want is a pet and pet only, get two wethers (castrated males) that were bottle raised. Pretty much any breed will do. Hard to go wrong. Great horse companion, then you only need one.

Milking? I suggest to buy a young doe that has freshened for the second time. She will know milking from the first one. And again, she will not want to be alone. Other animals or another goat. (Consider a wether or another milking doe.) Probably best that you get the doe(s) only, not their kids. You are still on a learning curve here, and best leave that one for later.

Milking goat breeds. I prefer Saanen for their placid nature, and milking ability. I also like Alpines. I have nothing bad to say about other milking breeds, as I mostly don’t know them. But do look up on the net the ideal of the breed you are considering. Pay special attention to the shape of the udder. Go at milking time the first time you go to see if this might be the right goat for you. You will see how she is to handle, full bag then empty, volumes produced. How big are your hands? Can you get a good amount of teat? One milked with a machine can have large buttons and be just fine, but if you are going to hand milk, you want handles.

Another way to get into milking goats is to buy week old or so from a goat dairy farmer and bottle feed. Probably ten or twenty $ for a male, females more, and not as easily available. Be prepared to do a lot of work and at all hours. Probably the cheapest entry price and you will bond with them and they should not be wild and hard to handle.

Meat breeds. Again, go on the net and look at breed characteristics. If it is one or two, see if you can get bottle fed so they aren’t too wild. Doe(s) first, you can find a buck when its time. The best known in these parts, and a good meat goat is the Boer.

Another very good meat producing breed is said to be the Tennessee Fainting Goat (Myotonic). Get them if you want, but not for me. It distresses me to see an animal having a mini epileptic seizure because you scared it. It may amuse some, but not me.

Nigerien Dwarfs. Might be ok, I have not had them, but most I have had to do with were bad tempered. I am sure this will draw hisses and boos form someone with a different experience, just stating my own observations.

One other use for goats is fibre. Cashmere and Angora are wonderful. If you want to do the work of shearing and caring for the fleece and finding a market for it, or use it to spin and weave and craft that’s great. I know pretty much nothing about this, but do your homework before hand.

Down the road you also may want to breed and have kids. There is nothing sweeter and full joy and mischief and you will love it. All kids are cute. No exceptions. But about five months before you have the kids, there needs to be a daddy goat in the picture. For milk goats, people will often breed to just anything so the doe freshens. Don’t do that. Like begets like, and if you have any intention of raising the offspring, get the best daddy you can, with characteristics you want, cause he will be one half of those babies.

So, that’s pretty much it for my introductory tutelage for new goat owners. Further posts will be on particular items or incidents, daily kind of stuff. I look forward to doing it. Hope a few will like it too and join in the discussions.

[Killerbunny]

Another great piece. Very good advice that applies to a lot of animals/birds. Like you say if you don't see what you need/want right away be prepared to wait.
Waiting for the next installment!

[TomK]

Damn, i like the way you tell a story...thank you...won't make me get a goat or three but i'm really enjoying the information

[The Goatlady]

Yes good posting again Colin!!!!

[kenya]

Lovely post, looking forward to the next installment. Would love to see pictures!