How to Care for Goats

Build a Sturdy Fence. The fence should be tall enough to prevent goats from jumping over and secure enough to keep predators out. A suitable height for a goat enclosure is approximately 1.5 meters.

Build a Well-Ventilated Shelter. Whether large or small, goats can easily adapt to any size shelter. The goat pen must be dry and well-ventilated. Additionally, straw should be used to create a comfortable bedding for the goats. While cement floors tend to be more expensive, they are much more durable than those made from other materials.

Feed Goats Properly. A balanced diet for goats includes dry hay and mixed concentrates such as oats, bran, and barley. To prevent mold and pest damage, all goat feed should be stored in a dry, ventilated place. If you choose this method, using waterproof containers to store food is the best option to ensure it stays clean and dry. Storing food directly on the floor could lead to serious health issues.

Install Fixed Water Troughs and Provide Minerals in the Form of Selenium-Enriched Salt Licks. If you live in an area deficient in Selenium (meaning the soil has low Selenium content, which leads to a shortage in hay), it is best to administer an annual injection of 'Bose' to replenish the minerals in your goats. The Selenium and Vitamin E in each injection are vital for muscle, bone development, and reproductive health.

• For pregnant does, administering minerals (usually about a month before birth) is essential as they help the fetus develop its heart, muscles, and prevent birth complications.

Avoid Harmful Foods for Goats. Never allow goats to eat ornamental plants, especially those from the Rhododendron family. Consuming such plants can lead to metabolic disorders like vomiting, diarrhea, and even death if not treated promptly. Be cautious of well-meaning neighbors, as they may unknowingly feed your goats plants from the Rhododendron family. You never know what could happen!

Regularly clean your goats. A thorough cleaning routine for goats includes alternating between baths and brushing their fur.

• If there are children around, let them brush the goats as they will surely enjoy the task. However, keep an eye on their actions.

Trim the goats' hooves. Trimming hooves is an important task that doesn't require much effort. Do this once a month to prevent the hooves from becoming bent, cracked, or infected.

Exercise your goats. Provide opportunities for goats to climb frequently. Goats love climbing, so offering them equipment to support this activity is ideal. They also enjoy playing on seesaws, which helps them maintain balance and climb up and down, just like mountain climbing.

Worm your goats. Regularly deworm your goats, as they are susceptible to internal parasites (such as worms). Common parasites that can damage goats include bloodworms, hookworms, and coccidia. Depending on the environmental conditions, these parasites can cause severe health issues (or even death), including weight loss, hair loss, and decreased reproductive performance.

• When kids reach 6-8 weeks of age, deworming should be done. There are various deworming medications available at feed stores. Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging.
• Coccidia can severely affect young goats, older goats, and those with weakened immune systems, but most deworming medications don't treat coccidia. There are specific treatments for coccidia, with Corid being the most effective. Infected goats often show symptoms such as difficulty gaining weight, lethargy, loss of appetite, and pellet-like feces (similar to symptoms seen in dogs).
• If you have any concerns about parasitic infections in your goats, contact a veterinarian to conduct stool analysis on different goats. This will provide a definitive diagnosis and help the vet prescribe the best treatment for your herd.

Tiêm vắc xin cần thiết. Tiêm vắc xin “CDT” chứa chất phòng bệnh uốn ván cho dê mỗi năm 1 lần.

• Tiêm chủng cho dê con mũi đầu tiên lúc 6-8 tuần tuổi, và tiêm chủng tăng cường 4 tuần sau mũi đầu tiên. Sau đó cứ mỗi năm tái chủng lại cho dê một lần.

Hãy cẩn thận với chứng phù nề ở dê. Khi cho dê ăn quá nhiều thức ăn mọng nước, chúng có thể bị phù nề và thậm chí có thể chết nếu không được cứu chữa kịp thời.

• Nếu bạn không am hiểu về cách cắt gọt móng cho dê, hãy mang dê của bạn đến bác sỹ thú y hoặc những người có chuyên môn về chăm sóc móng vuốt.
• Dê rất thích leo núi và nhảy nhót, vì vậy, hãy đặt cho chúng một vài tảng đá lớn hoặc bất cứ vật dụng nào mà chúng có thể nhảy qua được.
• Hãy đảm bảo rằng then chốt cửa của hàng rào được lắp đặt phía bên ngoài.
• Nếu bạn muốn những chú dê không sừng, thì hãy cưa khi chúng được 1 tuần tuổi. Đối với những chú dê trưởng thành, hãy đưa chúng đến bác sỹ thú y để được cưa sừng.
  • Nếu bạn muốn biết thêm thông tin về cách nuôi dê tại vùng bạn sinh sống, hãy đến thăm Câu lạc bộ 4H tại địa phương của bạn.

• Some of the information provided may not be applicable to the specific breed of goat you are raising. Therefore, it is important to carefully review the details and ask any questions you may have.