There is more to goat care than just simple maintenance, and making sure that they stay healthy. In all likelihood, your goal will be to earn money, irrespective of whether you are doing it on a part time or full time basis.
It can be nice to keep goats as pets, but you might choose to raise them to keep your grass short and use their meat, milk or fur. Normally, in third world countries, goats are kept to provide meat and milk.
There are a few vital measures that should be taken to look after the happiness and health of your goats, even though these animals are renown for being strong and hardy. They need shelter from sunshine during the summer months, and dry bedding when it rains.
It is wise to keep a minimum of two goats together, because they are social animals and can quickly lose their appetite when left to their own devices. Undoubtedly, they will be far happier with at least another companion.
Make sure that the fencing bordering your goat compound is secure. This will protect the animals from possible predators, and prevent them from wandering off. Having them securely fenced in reduces the probability of them contracting diseases from other animals too.
Also, goats have to be fed well and kept strong with high quality hay and grains. Giving them the advised daily consumption of minerals and vitamins is also crucial to ensure that their health is maintained.
After hay has been on the floor for a while, goats will lose interest in it because it will begin to grow mould. To stop this from happening, you should pile your hay up for feeding, and make sure that it is kept off the ground most of the time. In addition, try to keep the ground as dry as possible.
The hay should be kept clean as well, so it is tasty for goats to consume. This will reduce the amount of food that gets wasted. Dirty hay does not appeal to goats, and it can create the right environment for numerous ground borne germs and parasites. Making sure that your animals eat quality hay is a crucial part of keeping them productive and healthy. Take heed of the above advice and your goats will thank you for it.