Sir,
To add to the Memsahib’s excellent, succinct article on raising goats:
Those interested in self-sufficiency could hardly choose a better livestock animal. Might I suggest Nigerian Dwarf goats? There are several reasons why these fine animals make an excellent livestock choice for those interested in self-sufficiency:
1. Nigerian Dwarfs are fairly small and easy to handle. Their food needs are also minimal: they can graze on minimal pasture and will of course forage through wooded areas. Like most breeds, they do equally well on grassy pasture or in thick woodland, flat-land or hills. But unlike some of the larger breeds, those with only a few acres can easily raise a handful of Nigerian Dwarfs’ with only minimal supplemental feed purchases. They will do well on minimal amounts of goat ‘pellets’ and/or alfalfa, with a good mineral supplement which they’ll pick at as they need to. They’ll also pick at good hay out a horse’s hay net. They hay will do double-duty as bedding, or you can use shavings, or a mix of both.
2. They have the sweetest, creamiest milk of any breed – almost like half-and-half. This milk is excellent to drink, and also makes great cheese. Those who are not particularly keen on goat’s milk tend to warm right up to Nigerian Dwarf milk without complaint.
3. Though small, Nigerian Dwarfs are incredibly efficient at turning forage into milk. A well-bred Nigerian Dwarf can produce upwards of 2 quarts of milk daily – not bad for a 40 pound animal.
4. Nigerian Dwarfs are very smart and affectionate – a Nigerian Dwarf goat is like a half-dog, half-goat livestock animal who will be as much fun to interact with as to it will be to farm with.
5. Those who farm, or are looking to convert woodland or pasture into field, will find Nigerian Dwarfs an excellent tool for use in deforestation, and later in field rotation.
When purchasing Nigerian Dwarfs, or any breed of goat, I strongly recommend your readers consult with a reputable breeder. When it comes to dairy goats, breeding makes a big difference. A little extra up-front investment will go a long way in the long haul – so don’t be penny-wise but pound-foolish. Do your homework and acquire good, healthy stock that will keep you in delicious milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt for years to come. A good breeder can also offer instruction on health maintenance and vaccination.
I would also recommend that your readers practice disbudding (de-horning) of their goats. This will prevent costly injury, particularly as you add new goats (with new genes) to your herd. However, this does take away a natural defense mechanism. So if one lives in an area with predators, particularly coyotes, care will have to be taken in the building of their evening housing. A well-trained dog can also solve this problem. Another option for coyotes is a donkey, which will excel in keeping coyotes away.
Much has been made of the difficulty of keeping goats fenced in. While they are natural escape artists, it’s really not that difficult to keep them inside the perimeter. For Nigerian Dwarfs, I recommend 5′ wire fencing with metal posts every 5-to-6 feet. This flexible fencing will prevent the goats from climbing and, if properly stretched and staked down, will not yield to their natural tendency to lean into fences. Make sure there are no climbable objects or surfaces near the fence, as a goat’s ability to climb will surprise you. For foraging through woodland and/or deforestation, Nigerian Dwarfs (like all goats) can be tethered. The best way to tether a goat is to use a large cinder block. Attach a chain around the cinder block (ropes will chafe). Then attach a 10-15′ plastic-coated cable (commonly available dog tethers work fine) and attach it to the goat’s collar. The goat will be able to move the block around if they need/want to, but won’t get far and won’t get away. Don’t leave your goat tethered for more than about 6 hours, and make sure water is available. They’ll be happy and graze until they look like they swallowed a beach ball – but don’t worry – they are ruminants and will digest all that fresh cellulose! They will also turn it into milk.
Speaking of milk – unlike cows, goats do not particularly like to be milked – at least not at first.. You’ll have to build a stanchion (milking stand), but there are plenty of good plans available on-line. It may take a few days or even week (or two) of twice daily milking to ‘break-in’ your goat to milking, but she’ll get the hang of it (and so will you). Take care of utters and ensure they are clean both before and after milking. Kids can be weaned at 8 weeks. Take care to separate bucks very early – 10 weeks.
Pardon me being so direct, but if you end up with a buck, you’ll soon understand the origin of the expression “randy as a billy goat”. Let’s just say bucks will do things that will surprise you. They will also make your milk taste funny. So keep them separate from the does if you plan on keeping them intact. Or, they should be castrated early using one of several humane methods – I will leave it to your readers to do their homework on this subject. The resulting wether (a castrated male goat) will be an excellent companion animal if you have a small herd – for example, if you have 2 does and one is with kid, the wether will keep the other doe company as goats hate being alone. Some also raise wethers for meat.
Finally, remember that goats are intelligent and playful animals. They will appreciate any type of toys you may build them – basically anything they can climb on, even if it’s just a series of sturdy wood platforms. As with any animal, healthy, happy, natural livestock means healthy, delicious, natural food. – HPD
Hi James,
Thanks for the blog. I read it every day. This is in response to Memsahib’s goat article. There are several web sites with information regarding making goat milk butter, while not as simple as cow milk, it is possible and in a survival situation, butter may be dear regardless of time and trouble to obtain. For example, see this article from The Mother Earth News, circa 1978.
Thanks again for all you do, It is important and the legacy your leaving will be remembered long after you and I are gone. Keep your head down and keep moving. – Tom H.