The goat has long been considered one of the favorite domestic farm animals. Nowadays it can be found more and more often in households. This is explained by the fact that the goat is one of the most productive animals. They make it possible to receive several liters of milk daily, which is very healthy, nutritious and tasty.

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Gallery: breeds of domestic goats (25 photos)

Animals are divided into three main types:

In order to have these animals on your farm, you need to familiarize yourself with each species separately, as well as learn more about each breed of this species.

Dairy

Dairy breeds appeared much later than meat goats. Initially, in ancient times, this animal was bred exclusively for its tasty and nutritious meat. Dairy goats have been with humans for over a thousand years. During this impressive time, this breed has been improved. Today the most popular dairy breeds are:

• Zanenskaya.
• Gorkovskaya.
• Nubian.
• Alpine.

Representatives of a particular breed are very easy to distinguish from each other. It is very comfortable. When purchasing, you can always determine by external data whether they are selling you the right breed.

Zanenskaya- the most highly productive and unpretentious goat of this breed. One goat can produce about eight liters of nutritious milk per day. This breed is distinguished by excellent health, it has no predisposition to goat diseases, and it also does not suffer from infectious diseases. She can live almost anywhere in the world. The individual easily gets used to different climatic conditions.

This goat eats any grass, and whether it is fresh or dried does not matter to her. The goat is completely unpretentious in food. The animal of this breed has a very soft and friendly character. She is very flexible and affectionate. A goat can recognize its owner by its voice.

The Saenen goat is not cut; its hair is short. Her productivity is very high. In order to raise this goat, no extra costs will be required. The goat is unpretentious in everything. An individual can be distinguished by its characteristic features: it has a wide chest, a spherical udder, a high neck, strong long legs, it has a wide forehead, a protruding chest, and the muscles are very developed.

Nubian- a very interesting, attractive pet. Her milk yield can reach four liters per day. In addition to being productive, this breed of goat is also fertile. On average, one goat can give birth to three to four kids per lamb. A characteristic feature of this individual is its cleanliness. She takes very good care of herself and her offspring, so there is no specific smell from this breed as such. The wool is pleasant to the touch, silky, and comes in a variety of attractive colors.

External characteristic features of the Nubian goat: slender thin legs, long neck, drooping ears, elongated body, large udder with elongated nipples. This breed has one disadvantage in keeping - they are very heat-loving animals, so they can only be kept outdoors from spring to autumn. In winter, they need to be equipped with a warm room.

Gorkovskaya- her milk yield reaches about 500 liters per year. This is a good indicator. Goats have a wonderful undercoat. If you comb it out on time, you can collect up to 400 g of beautiful fluff from one goat. A goat produces offspring from two to four kids per lamb.

Alpine- the largest goat of the dairy breed. The weight of an individual can reach 60 kg. You can milk her all year round, and in this case you can get about a hundredweight of milk from her per year. As a rule, the first time an animal brings one kid, later the same goat can lamb five kids at once.

Meat

These breeds are raised specifically to produce high-quality dietary, nutritious meat. They produce relatively little milk. A goat can produce about two liters of milk per day. Representatives of meat breeds are distinguished by their massiveness. They gain weight very quickly. At three months, a small goat can already weigh about 40 kg. The animal has a peculiar disposition; as a rule, it is unfriendly and grumpy. Treats the owner negatively. Can get cocky and fight. The most popular types are:

• Greek.
• Burskaya.

Burskaya- a very calm goat. Her attitude towards other animals and humans is almost neutral. She can be kept perfectly in a herd. Rather, this breed is an exception among meat breeds in that it is the only one that does not fight or bully. The breed is quite large. An adult can reach 90 kg, and a male - 130 kg. Its meat is highly valued, it is tasty and does not have a specific smell or taste. The Boer goat is characterized by good health. The goat is very easy to care for and does not require additional conditions when growing.

Greek- outwardly very sweet, her main advantage is productivity. This goat is so unpretentious in its maintenance that it can even stay in the open air all day long. She feels great on rocky slopes, where she can find food for herself. The milk yield of a Greek goat can reach 100 liters per year, which is a high figure for representatives of the meat breed. Its meat is highly valued; it does not have a specific smell or taste.

Mixed

This is the most versatile type for farming. From them you can get a relatively small amount of meat, milk and wool of excellent quality. A characteristic feature of this type of goat is its unpretentiousness to almost any climatic conditions. They tolerate both frost and heat well. The only thing they cannot tolerate is damp climates. A striking representative of this species is the Altai Mountain goat.

The breed was obtained by crossing Don goats with Altai goats, due to which it received constructive and productive qualities. The animal is strong, small, proportional in build. She has a wonderful undercoat. The fluff from such a goat is of high quality. You can get about 500 g of milk per day from an individual. Their meat is tender and does not have a specific smell. Down can be used to make down scarves.

The disadvantage is the crossed horns.

How to choose the right kid

When choosing, you need to consider:

Feeding conditions

Goat feeders should be installed so that they do not need to enter the pen when feeding. On one of the walls of the barn where the animals live, it is necessary to make a manger in which there will be hay. The manger can be made from metal rods; you need to attach them to the wall at about a height of half a meter. And under the manger you can put a simple box into which small stems of grass will fall. You can also add mineral supplements and salt to this box. On the opposite side of the nursery, you need to arrange a drinking bowl using the same principle.

All summer, goats can eat exclusively grass. Moreover, they eat almost any grass. In winter, you can feed goats hay. An animal needs approximately 3 kg of food for one day. Therefore, calculating how much feed one goat needs for the winter should not be difficult. In winter, brooms from various trees, prepared in the summer, should be introduced into the goat’s diet.

Brooms can be made of willow, rowan, birch. One broom per day will be enough for the animal. They are considered a nutritious and healthy addition to feed during the winter.

Keeping goats is not difficult and does not require additional expenses. The animal does not create difficulties for anyone. Goats get along well with other animals on the farm. All they need is optimal living conditions.

An animal can live in a barn, under a canopy, or in a stable. You can graze it in any meadow or clearing.

The animal is not afraid of frost; sunlight, even in excess, will only benefit it. The goat categorically does not tolerate dampness, so the room where it lives must be dry, bright and well ventilated.

In the southern regions, animals are kept simply under a canopy. In the northern regions, it is necessary to insulate the room so that in winter the room temperature is +6 - +7 degrees. If there are small kids, the temperature should not be lower than +7 - +8 degrees.

The individual can be placed in a barn with other pets, and she will get along well with everyone. If the goat is calm, you don’t have to tie it up, so it will feel calmer. If the goat tends to fight, it is necessary to tie it. It is better not to keep a goat with a milking goat, otherwise the milk will acquire an unpleasant odor. Small goats should be kept in a separate room.

Animals should not be kept in a room with a cement floor. The best option is an earthen floor. It needs to be raised about 20 cm from ground level and covered with straw. But we must not forget to make a slight slope and drainage on the floor. Then the sewage will flow down the drain, and there will be no persistent unpleasant odor in the barn.

Goats are domestic animals, the raising of which is not difficult if the farmer has at least the slightest experience in caring for some other farm animals. The main condition for raising goats is to comply with the rules of feeding and maintenance. But since care does not cause much trouble for the farmer, these animals are so popular. They even began to be called breadwinners for the poor, since goat milk is much healthier and more expensive than cow milk.

Attention, TODAY only!

Goats are very unique and interesting animals. They are very smart, funny and devoted to their owner, not at all picky about living conditions and the quality of food. Communication with them brings a lot of positive emotions, and fresh air, physical labor and goat's milk improve the health of the owner.

Getting a goat in your country house or garden is not at all a difficult matter, because a goat is the most unpretentious farm animal. On the farmstead, a shed for goats will not take up much space - only 2-4 square meters is enough for one adult goat. m. The main condition is the availability of an area for free grazing of animals. In the spring-summer season, a free-range goat does not need additional feeding - the grass that it finds while grazing is enough for it. Therefore, raising goats is the most profitable activity - the costs of maintaining them are insignificant, and the return is quite high.

Goat is a useful pet and friend

If you live in the private sector and are thinking about getting a useful pet, buy a goat. This is an amazing creature, one of the first tamed by humans.

The goat is not at all a whimsical artiodactyl. Like every animal, she needs a warm home. If you have a barn or other outbuilding, you can insulate it by padding it with batting, covering it with foam and covering the floor with straw. In such a room your pet will be warm and comfortable.

How to choose a goat to be sure of its longevity and good productivity? This can be determined by the external characteristics of the animal. The goat should be strongly built, with a well-developed body and strong legs. Thick, beautiful coat also indicates a positive state of health. A goat lambs once, sometimes twice a year. The animal bears from 1 to 3 cubs, sometimes more, but rarely.

A goat, like many animals, is very clean and reacts with disgust to stale food or water. In its home, the animal usually chooses a certain place where it relieves itself.

A special place for grazing is not required; the goat does not go overboard in this regard, although it loves clover very much. He also eats bran, vegetables, and loves crackers. The milk of this animal is extremely healthy and nutritious and has healing properties.

The most important thing is not to forget that goats, feeling care and affection, will reciprocate your feelings, which will also affect productivity.

Goat's milk is a medicine

The goat is a real healer. People call goat's milk "living water" due to its miraculous properties. There are many cases where people who used this valuable product for a long time were able to recover from serious illnesses. Goat milk is very useful for anemia, allergies, bronchial asthma, stomach diseases, liver and gall bladder diseases, arthritis, migraines, and insomnia. Doctors recommend using it for heart disease, thyroid disease, and for the prevention and treatment of tumor diseases. In addition, milk has a strong antioxidant effect.

Even in the works of the greatest scientists Hippocrates and Avicenna, there is a mention of the healing properties of this drink. Goat's milk is best suited for artificial feeding of infants, as it does not contain highly allergenic proteins and is very easily digestible, unlike cow's milk. The ratio of minerals in goat's milk brings it closer to mother's milk. In addition, excellent cheeses are made from goat milk, since the fat content of goat milk is 1.5-2 times higher than that of cow milk. Some people are confused by the specific smell and taste of goat milk. However, this issue can be easily resolved - there are breeds of goats whose milk does not have a specific odor (for example, Saanen and Nubian).

Goat breeds

Goat breeds are divided into downy, milky, woolly and coarse-haired. Typical representatives of wool breeds are Angora and Soviet, while downy breeds are Kashmir. We will dwell in more detail on dairy goat breeds:

• – the most popular goat breed all over the world. It is considered the highest yielding breed. These animals are quite large - a goat is 70-90 cm at the withers, a goat is 85-110 cm. The weight of adult animals is 50-75 kg and 70-100 kg, respectively. There are horned and polled ones. Their coat is usually short and white, but can be cream-colored. Maximum milk yield up to 8 liters. Milk has a pleasant creamy taste and does not have a specific goat smell. The goat's character is calm, affectionate, and friendly. The Saanen goat has on average 2 kids, less often 3-4.
• Alpine is a mountain breed with high milk production (up to 8 liters). Milk has a high fat content. One of the most unpretentious breeds that can adapt to any climatic conditions, as well as food. The height of goats at the withers is 65-85 cm. The typical color of an Alpine goat is red-brown with a black stripe along the entire back, with dark boots on the legs and two dark stripes on the face. There are also other colors: spotted, black with white boots, white and black, gray. The character is calm and friendly. The Nubian is one of the most beautiful breeds in the world. The color is varied - from brown to cream, white and black are also found. The milk yield of the Nubian goat is not very high - up to 4-5 liters per day, while the fat content of the milk exceeds that of the Altai and Saanen goats and is 8%. The disadvantage of this breed is that they do not adapt well to the Russian climate, since these animals are very thermophilic. Therefore, crossbred goats, such as Nubian-Saanen or Nubian-Alpine, are more suitable for our latitudes.
• Russian White is the most common breed of goat in our country. This is a dairy type of breed, common in the central and northwestern regions of Russia. Representatives of this breed are medium-sized animals, weighing 35-50 kg. Goats usually have long, white fur, but short-haired specimens are also found. Their milk production is average, milk fat content is 4-5%. Russian goats are very prolific animals, they are distinguished by high endurance and unpretentiousness, therefore they are often recommended for keeping in country houses.

There are several subspecies of Russian dairy goat: Gorky, Ryazan, Yaroslavl, Valdai, etc.

As already mentioned, goats are not demanding in terms of living conditions. Any room is suitable for a stable - a closet, a barn, a canopy, and even an attic, where goats can easily climb. In the southern regions, goats can be kept outside even in winter, but under a shelter. The only thing that goats do not tolerate well is dampness and drafts, so cracks in the walls of the barn are not allowed. However, it is necessary to consider the conditions for ventilation and air circulation so that moisture does not accumulate.

The main condition for good milk yield is grazing of animals. In spring and summer, you can let goats outside your property for a walk, where they will eat meadow grass. It is enough to tie the goat to a peg and change its place as it eats the grass around the peg. As complementary food, you can give weeds from the garden, trimmings and peelings of vegetables, and leftover plant food from the table. In winter, goats also need to walk in the fresh air, but for this you can allocate them a small area in the yard. For more information about breeding, giving birth and milking goats, read the section “ «.

In winter, in addition to hay and concentrated feed, goats are fed root vegetables, potatoes with salt and chalk mixed into the feed. It is very useful to feed goats with previously prepared tree branches in winter. Vitamin and mineral supplements may be a desirable addition to feed. Water for goats should always be clean and cool (but not cold), because goats will never drink dirty water, even if they are very thirsty. You can read more about feeding goats in the section “ «.

Keeping goats in the yard is very profitable and easy, much easier than cattle. And if you are thinking about having horned animals on your property, we recommend starting with goats.

Saanen goat breed

The place "Saanen", which is located in the Bernese Alps, is the birthplace of the Saanen goat breed, which is considered the best of the dairy breeds created by the Swiss. An important role in the origin and creation of this goat breed was, of course, played by the selection of the appropriate type of animal, as well as feeding conditions, which in the Alpine mountains are extremely favorable for livestock breeding, and, in particular, goat breeding. In Russia these appeared sometime after 1905. They spread throughout the country, starting with the Leningrad, Moscow, Kaliningrad, Yaroslavl, Gorky, Kazan and Sverdlovsk regions.

Exterior of Saanen goats

The most attractive thing for dairy goats is the exterior of the Saanen goat. A small graceful head, the ears are short, semi-erect, directed slightly to the sides and forward. Quite a long, flat neck, sometimes there are “earrings” (skin outgrowths). Usually these goats are polled (the horned ones are not left for breeding). The body is wide, long and deep. The disadvantage of this breed is poor muscles, especially in the thighs, and sometimes a pendulous rear. Correctly placed, strong legs with light yellow hooves. Limb defects such as clubfoot and saber-footedness are sometimes encountered.

Average sizes of Saanen goats:

Saanen goats have a white color, short, shiny hair, sometimes there are black spots, but the hair on these spots is white, which is considered a sign of purebred.

The udder of Saanen goats is pear-shaped, large in size, well developed and directed somewhat forward. Well developed nipples.

The value of the Saanen breed

Goats are fertile - 100 queens give birth to 180 to 250 kids per year.

On average, you can get 600-700 kg of milk per year from a Saanen goat, but if you improve its feeding and maintenance, you can reach 1000-1200 kg. The record milk yield for lactation is 3499 kg. In comparison with cows, when tested over a year, goats gave milk 12-15, and sometimes 25 times more than their live weight, and cows only 5-8 times. The percentage of fat in the milk of Russian goats is higher, and in Saanen goats it is usually about 3.5-4%. The milking period lasts from 8 to 11 months.

In terms of live weight, Saanen goats are one of the largest dairy goats. An adult goat weighs about 45-55 kg, a male goat - 70-80 kg. Kids weigh at birth: female goat - 3.5 kg, female goat - 4.5 kg. These goats are quite precocious, at the age of about 2 months, that is, by the time of weaning, female goats weigh 9-10 kg, and female goats weigh up to 10-12 kg. The live weight of kids increases per day from 90 to 160 g. By the age of one year, kids weigh 38-45 kg, female goats are slightly less - from 30 to 35 kg.

The breeding value of Saanen goats is very high, since they perfectly pass on their good economic qualities by inheritance and perfectly adapt to any climate, even harsh ones. The famous specialist M. Levi said about the Saanen breed of goats that they “are the most valuable breed for increasing the milk production of our goats.” The improvement of local goats, carried out with their help in the areas of the Leningrad and Moscow regions, as well as in the Caucasus, fully confirms this opinion.

Goat feed

An ancient legend says: once, Satan, leaving on his business, entrusted his subordinate - the devil - with two of his especially beloved goats. When Satan returned, the devil threw himself at his feet with a petition and tearfully begged him to allow him to herd ten ferocious tigers, and not goats, another time. Keepers of goats should remember the addiction of their charges - the merciless destruction of green growth, gnawing the bark of young trees - and nail the peg tighter, leaving them alone to graze.

Animal Features

Goats are successfully bred in mountainous, semi-desert, and steppe regions. This is facilitated by the peculiar biological characteristics of these animals:

• pointed muzzle;
• thin, very mobile lips;
• strong hooves;
• eating a lot of plants;
• attachment to a person.

Summer diet of goats

Goats are herbivorous ruminants. They eat succulent, roughage and concentrated feed well. In the summer, they should spend more time on pastures, since green grass is the most complete food and source of vitamins. Alfalfa produces especially excellent results. Animals are given water in the summer - in the morning and after a day break. Also should receive salt slime daily.

In spring and autumn, when there is cold dew, goats are driven out to pasture only after the grass has dried, thereby protecting the animals from stomach diseases and hoof rot. In bad weather, they eat well the dried grass from the feeder,

Winter diet of goats

The winter feeding ration consists mainly of roughage:

• Small steppe and meadow hay, forbs.
• Barley straw, spring cereals, legumes.
• Brooms made from dry branches of poplar, birch, willow, linden, rowan.
• Dry corn stalks.
• Fallen dry leaves.

Grain feed is better absorbed by goats in flattened or crushed form:

• Oats - promotes rapid growth, therefore it is especially valuable for young animals.
• Barley is a good feed for increasing the live weight of goats and young animals; To avoid obesity, it is advisable to give goats mixed with other concentrates.
• Corn grain is best given with bean hay or cake, that is, with protein-rich feed.
• Cake is a protein feed, used as an additive to straw and root crops.
• Bran is a protein feed that is very necessary for all goats; it is fed by mixing it with succulent feed or moistening it with water.
• Peas, soybeans, beans, lentils are eaten by goats in the form of crushed or coarsely ground flour.

It is good for maintaining health to give rowan berries to goats in winter, because these berries are rich in vitamins A and C. Goats eat fresh, boneless table scraps well. They will not refuse watermelons, beets, pumpkins, carrots, and corn silage.

In winter, goats refuse to drink cold water; it is better to heat it. It’s even better to brew tea from the leaves of raspberries, currants, cherry strawberries collected in the summer and dried, as well as from dried St. John’s wort, yarrow, nettle, mint, chamomile.

How to raise goats

Goats are versatile animals that make a good addition to a farm with the right space and facilities. You can keep them for milk, meat, wool, or simply as pets. If you are interested in breeding goats, learn some basic information to help you get started with breeding.

Before getting goats

Do you want to have animals for milk? Meat or wool? Or do you just want to see a cute pet in your yard? The motivation behind your decision will influence the choice of breed and rearing methods.

Raising goats comes with a lot of commitment - you'll have to feed them every day, pay for food and veterinary care, and provide good conditions - so make sure you're prepared to take on this responsibility.

Breed selection

Choose a breed based on your needs. As mentioned above, the choice will depend on whether you want to keep them for milk, meat or wool. In addition, size, temperament and maintenance requirements will need to be considered. Some of the most popular breeds are:

• Dairy goats: Alpine, , Sable, LaMancha, Nubia, Oberhasli, and Toggenburg.
• Meat breeds of goats: Boer, Kiko, Spanish, Savannah, Texmaster, Genemaster.
• Goats with good hair: Angora (which produces mohair), Cashmere, Pygora and Nigora.
• Decorative breeds: Nigerian gnome, Kinder.

Where to keep goats

• Consider how much space you have. Ideally, you should have a large open enclosure where your goats can frolic. Goats should also have a place with a roof for resting and shelter.
• The general rule is to provide 10 to 15 feet of space for each standard size adult buck. Decorative ones will require a little less space.
• It is important not to keep animals in confined spaces. This will cause them to start getting sick.

How to choose kids

• Don't buy a goat that doesn't suit your needs.
• Look for clear-eyed, nimble goats that move quickly and easily with a distinct gait.
• Place your hands around the goat's body to check for swelling or bruising, which may indicate an abscess.
• Check the goat's droppings to make sure they are solid and not runny.
• Look for goats with deep, round bellies, wide-set hips, and large, downward-pointing udders. If possible, you should also try to milk the goat to ensure that it has a good temperament and that the milk comes easily.
• If you buy dairy goats, make sure they are friendly and not shy, as you will have to milk them.

How to choose a goat

• Goats can be aggressive and start to smell as they get older. Pheromones can affect the taste of milk if a goat lives in close proximity.
• If you don't want to raise a large herd of goats, it's better to just get a goat when you need one for breeding instead of buying one.
• Goats are castrated only to be used for meat (or as pets).

What age to buy goats

You have several options when it comes to purchasing - which option you choose will depend on your budget and how soon you want your goats to produce milk or give birth.

• Buy a kid. The kid can be as young as 8 weeks old, since at this time it can already be weaned from its mother. Baby goats are relatively cheap to buy, but you'll have to wait about a year and a half before the animals are old enough to be bred, and another five months before they start producing milk.
• Buy pullets. This is a young female who has not yet been pregnant. Pullets are more expensive than kids, but you don't have to wait to breed them and start producing milk. You can buy a young goat that is already pregnant, in which case you will have to wait 5 months before she starts producing milk.
• Buy an adult goat. Finally, you can buy a goat that is already producing milk. This is faster and cheaper than previous options, however there is a risk that the female may have problems as breeders usually try to sell the weakest animals in their herd.

What to pay attention to

• Goats are herd animals, which means they prefer to live in groups. Therefore, you will need to buy at least two goats to start breeding them.
• Many people make the mistake of buying just one goat. Lonely goats bleat loudly in search of company.
• If possible, try to buy two goats from the same herd. This will help them adapt to the new environment much faster.
• Under certain circumstances, goats will socialize with other ungulates such as sheep, cows and horses, so this is an option if you already have some of these animals.

Conditions of detention

As mentioned in the previous section, goats require sheltered housing to sleep, feed, and hide from the weather and at night from predators.

The shed doesn't have to be very elaborate, there should be plenty of open space to roam around during the day. The room does not have to be very large - goats like to sleep together in small groups.

You just need to make sure that your home stays dry and draft-free. It is also a good idea to have a small nook where you can place sick, injured or pregnant goats.

The floor of the shelter should be covered with a thick layer of bedding consisting of wood shavings (except cedar), straw or hay waste.

Goat grazing

Goats can climb trees, jump fences, and chew ropes, so it's important that you put up a good fence around your pasture.

Your fence should be at least four feet high, or five feet for more active breeds of goats. You can use a smooth electrified wire fence.

You also need to ensure that there are no poles inside the fence and that there are exits to the roof.

Goats prefer to eat twigs, leaves and weeds rather than plain grass. This allows them to be kept with sheep, cows and horses, as they do not compete for food. Goats can be used to clear land and get rid of unwanted vegetation.

Feeding goats

• Goats do not get all their food from the field, they need a large supply of good quality hay (or other forage crop).
• Goats that are pregnant or for milk production have additional protein requirements, so they need to be fed grain every day. You should also add a mineral mixture, which is available at most feed stores.
• You can give your goats fruits and vegetables, including apples, pears, peaches, watermelon, bananas, carrots, celery, and spinach.
• It is important that your goats have a constant supply of fresh water, especially during very hot, dry weather. If you have a stream or pond, this is a convenient way to ensure you stay hydrated.

Goats that have reached sexual maturity

When a goat reaches maturity, at about 6 months, she is ready to . Annual breeding cycles begin around August or September. If you are not the owner of a goat, you can take the female to a farm for breeding, in which case you will have to pay for the mating. You can tell that a female is pregnant by milky-white discharge from the genitals (this is one of the best signs of successful mating). Pregnancy lasts 150 days, or five months. In most pregnancies, two kids are born, although sometimes there may be more, three or four.

Caring for young animals

Immediately after the kids are born, they are thoroughly wiped with a cloth to remove blood and birth secretions. Next, you need to decide on the feeding method.

• Some goat breeders prefer to immediately separate the kids from their mother in order to feed them their mother's milk. The meaning of this is that the kids may be difficult to wean off their mother's suckling and you will get less milk. It is also believed that with artificial feeding, goats will be more obedient and friendlier.
• Others believe that separating goats and kids is cruel and unnecessary. They allow the mother to nurse the kids and separate them when the kids are ready to be weaned, between 8 and 12 weeks of age.

Which route you decide to go is a matter of personal preference and will depend on how important increasing your milk production is to you.

What to do with kids

Unless you are interested in increasing the size of your herd, you will have to decide what to do with the kids.

• Young kids from good sires are usually easy to sell, as the demand for milk-producing good breeds of goats is very high. Baby goats can be sold immediately after weaning from the goat.
• If you want to keep offspring from the best dairy goats, keep in mind that you will start receiving milk in about a couple of years.
• With goats the issue is a little more difficult to resolve. Most young bucks should be castrated before three weeks of age as they will eventually be sold for meat.

Goat lactation cycle, milking

After a goat has given birth to her first offspring, she will begin to produce milk and will continue to do so for approximately 305 days after giving birth. Milk yield is usually high in the first 2-3 months after birth, then milk declines, stopping towards the end of the lactation cycle. Then the goat requires two months of a “dry period”, this period is needed for the final formation of the fetus and to prepare the body for a new birth. If you have never milked an animal before, it is important to learn proper milking technique.

• Do not pull on the nipple;
• You need to close your fingers around the nipple, stopping the supply of milk from above using your thumb and index finger.
• Next, use the remaining fingers to squeeze the nipple and extract the milk.
• At first, you may start out slow and clumsy, milking a goat may take you up to 30 minutes, but once you get used to it, the whole process should take no more than 5 minutes.
• You should milk goats once in the morning and once in the evening. If you do everything correctly, following the feeding regime, at the peak of production you can get up to 7 liters of milk per day from dairy goats of good breeds.

Signs of goat disease

Sooner or later you inevitably have to deal with sick animals, so it is very important to be able to recognize the signs of disease. Some of the most common and visible symptoms of goat diseases are:

• lack of appetite;
• immobility and cloudiness of the eyes;
• diarrhea;
• hot udder;
• pressing the muzzle against a wall or fence;
• coughing, groaning, grinding teeth;
• pale eyelids and gray gums.

Goat care

In general, goats do not require too much care (except for long-haired ones).

• Cleaning and bathing. Goats should be brushed at least once a year (preferably in early summer) with a firm brush. This gets rid of dandruff and matting, stimulates blood flow, and gives a chance to detect signs of disease. Bathing your goat is not strictly necessary, but it helps remove fleas and makes trimming or combing the coat easier.
• Trimming. You will need to trim your goat's hair at least once a year to keep them cool throughout the summer. You can trim the tail and areas near the udder - this will help keep the animals clean during milking all season long.
• Hoof trimming. It is also necessary to trim the hooves about once a month, otherwise they will overgrow and flake. This is a relatively quick and easy process that you can do yourself.
• Goats, by nature, can eat a lot of hay. Learn to calculate the diet and not overfeed the animals more than necessary.
• Goats prefer bushes and trees to grass. Walk goats where damage to lower branches is acceptable.
• Goats are smart animals. They are able to open the latch on the fence and leave.

Warnings

Never leave horned goats, they can cause injury.

Stud goats require more skilled handling and are not intended for beginners.

Goats can be aggressive, so train your animals from the moment they are born.

Goat breeding: how to breed your goat

Before you start raising goats, learn to recognize when a doe is in heat and when it is appropriate for her to be with a buck. The article describes some signs that your goats are ready for breeding, their behavior during the rut, and mating rules.

Preparing goats for mating

If you want your goats to start reproducing, you must learn about the characteristics of the breed. Some goats become sexually mature as early as two months, although most breeds do not mature until 5-6 months. This range arose because goats are typically bred for the season and are rarely kept until the fall. Females, as a rule, can safely mate at seven months - this means that they will give birth to kids this year. But if the animals are underweight or short in height compared to the goat, then mating will not work.

At the beginning of the breeding season, it is necessary to carry out preventive measures, preparing the animals in optimal condition. During the rutting period, it will be difficult for you to cope with the animals, so take care of everything in advance. So, do the following:

• complete all vaccinations if required by veterinary regulations;
• trim the hooves;
• cut off all the hair on the goat's belly;
• Get a CAEV test and a stool test for infection (at a veterinary clinic).

Preparing and examining goats during this time provides an opportunity to fully examine the animals to ensure they do not have any problems that could affect performance during the breeding season.

Seasonality of mating, sexual cycle of goats

Goats are primarily seasonal animals, but some of the mini breeds can mate all year round. Goats that live closer to the equator also ovulate throughout the year. Beginning in late summer and early fall, the amount of daylight decreases, signaling the animal's body to enter estrus (also called the rutting season). Estrus ends with ovulation.

From July to January, ovulation can occur approximately every three weeks. At the beginning of the breeding season, some animals experience a slower cycle. Standard estrus occurs between 18 and 24 days. If your goat has a consistently shorter cycle, then you will need to talk to your veterinarian as the female may have a cyst on her ovary and will not become pregnant until she receives treatment to resolve the cyst.

As fall approaches, you can expect your goats to go on a spree. They will become more restless because sex hormones become overactive. When hunting, goats gather along the fence, aiming for males. During this time, you should begin planning breedings in order to have kids by spring.

Hunting period

This cycle lasts from several hours to several days. In a young goat this may go unnoticed, but an adult female will become noticeably nervous and may even try to run away. A female in heat exhibits visible physical changes: her vulva may become swollen and red, and discharge may leak from the vagina. In addition to these physical changes, you may see the following behavioral changes.

• Active tail. When the female is in heat, her tail will wag vigorously.
• Noisy behavior. When a female is in heat, she may bleat loudly, calling for a male.
• Anxiety. If the female is in heat, you can see that she will constantly walk and rub against something more than usual.
• Aggressive behavior. The goat will attack other goats, or, conversely, allow them to jump on its back.
• Reduced milk production. Due to decreased appetite and hormonal changes, milk levels noticeably decrease during this period.

Behavior of a goat during the rut

During the rut, bucks are ready to breed, and during this period they cannot think about anything else. An excited animal constantly urinates, resulting in an odor caused by urine and increased activity of the gonads, leading people to think that all goats smell bad. But this smell is temporary - it is only needed to attract females.

During the rut, the male constantly sniffs, gets nervous, and bleats loudly. If there are several males, they constantly fight even with young animals. This is how goats try to identify the dominant individual in their environment.

A goat in heat can mate up to 20 times a day, but this should not be allowed, since during this period the animals weaken, eat little, and lose weight. Supplement your pet's diet with grains, leafy branches, and beet pulp. Keep an eye on the males to make sure that one of them is not injured by the others, or becomes ill due to lack of food and excessive activity.

Mating

When a doe shows signs of heat, you can take her to a buck. He will act very actively - jump and step with his front legs. If a goat begins to urinate, the male will definitely sniff to ensure the presence of the animal's maturity hormones.

The female will constantly wag her tail and stand still when the male tries to jump on her. Animals can circle in foreplay for five to ten minutes. Sex only lasts a few seconds. In order for the female to become pregnant, mating must be repeated two to three times. If she no longer goes on a spree, you can assume that the mating was successful.

In rare cases, even when a female is in heat, a certain male may not like her and he will refuse her. You can try to leave it in the goat's stall, but the goat will do everything to make it go away. This usually happens with older goats when their sex hormones are low and they don't smell as sexy as they should, or with very young females.

If you allow your buck to stay for the goat's birthing season, he will need to be housed separately. It can harm the babies, and in addition, it can kill the female earlier than allowed.

Goat vaccination: vaccinations and injections

Each goat should be examined annually for leptospirosis, brucellosis and should be vaccinated against anthrax.

What diseases are goats vaccinated against?

• An anthrax shot is usually given in the spring. At the same time, when blood is taken for brucellosis and deworming is carried out (treatment for worms). If anthrax is detected, you need to give an anthraxin injection. For prevention, you need to give an injection with live anthrax vaccine or anthrax globulin.
• Brucellosis is a disease of small cattle. Transmitted to humans through milk. If a goat gets sick with it, the station may give an order to destroy all small livestock within a radius of 5 km, since there is no vaccine for this disease.
• Goat pox is an acute viral disease. If this disease is detected, it is necessary to quarantine healthy goats and inoculate them with aluminum hydroxide formol-glycerin vaccine. For sick goats, everything usually comes down to zinc ointment. Bubbles that appear on the skin must be lubricated with brilliant green or iodine.
• Foot and mouth disease is another disease of these animals. It is transmitted to artiodactyl animals through touch. In case of illness, it is necessary to place the sick goats in a dry room on a dry and soft bedding made of straw. Where goats used to be kept, a complete disinfection of the premises must be carried out. Vaccinated with lapinized inactivated vaccine.

What injections should be given if a goat is sick?

Bronchopneumonia. Manifested by bronchial disease and mucus secretion. They are treated with oxytetracycline injections and sulfonamide drugs. If pneumonia is caused by lungworm infestation, then for the injection you should mix oxytetracycline and brovadazole in a ratio of 50 to 50. If within one day you were unable to achieve a positive result, you should immediately contact a veterinarian, otherwise everything may end in the death of the animal.

Gastritis occurs when goats are not fed hygienically. You need to organize a starvation diet for two days, then give mucous decoctions of oatmeal, barley and rice flour with 2 eggs. Give 100, 150 grams of vegetable oil to drink. You should also give injections of caffeine, glucose and camphor.

Endometrium is a disease after childbirth, associated with damage to the uterus during childbirth. It should be washed with potassium permanganate 1:1000, furatsilin 1:5000, ichthyol 3%. BUT it is best to contact a veterinarian and not self-medicate.

Domestic goats have been one of the most popular pets for centuries. Farming and raising goats is not a difficult task, even for novice farmers. You can keep goats in small garden plots. Before you get animals, you should learn about the main existing breeds, the conditions for their maintenance and feeding. It’s a good idea to get acquainted with the peculiarities of breeding and caring for kids less than three months old.

Today, more than two hundred goat breeds are known. Within each, new subspecies and lines with improved product characteristics, polled and horned, have been bred. All breeds of goats are divided into downy, dairy, wool or meat productivity, and decorative. There are mixed varieties, for example, milk-meat, milk-wool, etc. More than half of goat breeds belong to the dairy sector. Here are the most popular:

• Saanen Komolaya
• Russian white goat
• Toggenbur breed
• Megrelian
• Alpine goat
• Cameroon breed
• LaMancha goat
• Nubian goat breeds

Dairy goats are quite large in size, have a developed udder, and short, low-quality hair. On average, per year they produce from 350 to 1200 liters of milk with 4-5% fat content. The lactation period in goats lasts 260-300 months a year. This is the most favorite direction in the household.

Downy goats have a strong build with powerful hooves. The coat has a downy lining and a strong awn; there is little transitional hair. Here are the main types of downy goats:

• Orenburgskaya
• Gornoaltaiskaya
• Black downy goats
• Pridonskaya
• Turkmen
• Goat Chegu
• Kyrgyz
• Volgograd downy goat.

The main advantage of woolly goats is their semi-fine and semi-coarse wool (mohair), more than 20 centimeters long. We have three popular breeds:

• Angora
• Soviet
• Cashmere.

Goats for meat production are raised exclusively to produce tasty meat reminiscent of lamb. They are all large, with a wide chest and voluminous belly, and a large head. They grow quickly, produce little milk, only for feeding kids. Here are the main breeds:

• Greek
• Boer goat
• Bashkir or Tatar breed

There are also decorative types of domestic goats that are bred for people's entertainment. Among them, the most famous are the fainting goat and the Cameroonian dwarf goat. When choosing a breed, you should pay attention not only to the orientation, but also to the origin. Afghan or Moroccan goats from South America do well in Central Asia, but are not suitable for the cold Russian climate. It is better to choose Alpine, Tibetan or Altai breeds for home breeding.

Goat room

Before you have goats in your household, you should build a house for them. You can find a description and photo of a goat barn, or create a project with your own hands. The goat room is placed in an open, slightly elevated and dry place. It should be quiet, noises and sharp sounds of goats can frighten. I place the windows and doors so that there is no draft in the barn. Windows are made on the south side, at a height of 1.5 meters from the ground. For every square meter of goat house area, a square meter of window is needed. Doors must open outwards. Be sure to equip a threshold 15-17 centimeters high so that manure does not fall out. The floor is tilted slightly, and small grooves are made on both sides to drain liquids.

A goat barn can be made of wood (it is warmer) or stone. If the room is made of stone or brick, it is covered with roofing felt or tallow on top to prevent dampness. The floor is made of concrete, wood is too expensive. On the sides, at a height of 30-40 centimeters, small shelves (60 cm wide) are installed, since the goat sleeps lying down. The height of the barn is built no more than 2.5-2.8 meters; high rooms are poorly heated. The roof is protected from moisture penetration, covered with moss or covered with clay. The attic is made small, and bedding is stored there. Feed should not be stored under these conditions; it picks up the smell of fumes and the goats do not eat it.

It is imperative to provide exhaust hood in the barn. Square pipes are placed on top to remove fumes, and holes are made below to allow fresh air to enter. For 10 goats, one exhaust channel is made with an area of ​​35 by 35 cm and a height of 4-6 meters. Feeders can be placed under walls or in the center. In the first case, the stalls are located in the center of the room, in the second - along the walls. The stall area for one goat is 100x200 centimeters. The total area of ​​the goat's rue is calculated depending on how many heads live there. For a female goat with kids you need 2 m², for a goat whose age is from six months to a year - 0.6-08, m², for an adult goat - 2 m². and for a young one-year-old goat - 1 m².

Conditions of detention

The temperature in the barn should range from 18 degrees in summer to 6 degrees in winter. If the kids in the herd are less than three months old, the temperature in the barn should not fall below 12 degrees. Goats do not like dampness, so the humidity in the room should not be higher than 75%. Carefully monitor the walls to prevent fungus from appearing on them. The wooden floor is covered with straw. You can lay peat on concrete. In summer, it is good to make bedding from fern leaves; sand can be used on the farm. One goat should receive from 300 to 500 grams of straw flooring. When there is not enough of it, goats suffer from rheumatism.

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Useful care for hooves, as they are susceptible to disease and deformation. Dirt between the hooves is cleaned as needed. Too large hooves are trimmed, this is especially true for goats that constantly live indoors. But even those who practice indoor goat breeding are advised to periodically let the animals out into the pen or outside for a walk. This does not affect productivity in any way, but it does improve the health of the livestock. After walking, a domestic goat sleeps better, regains strength and produces more milk. In addition, her goat's hooves can be worn without deteriorating their shape.

It is important to monitor the condition of your teeth so that there is no plaque or black spots on them. Cattle eat solid feed, so chewing is an important process for them. If the teeth are diseased, animals stop eating, which negatively affects their productivity. You should pay attention to whether there is any discharge from the eyes, whether the pupils are in order, so as not to miss dangerous pathologies such as infections, leukemia, etc.

Feeding goats

A domestic goat feels best when free-grazing, at least 180 days a year. In the summer they feed themselves, eating about 1-3 kilograms of fresh grass. There are no special requirements for pastures for animals. It is necessary to ensure that goats do not eat chamomile flowers, tansy, mustard, wormwood, this makes the milk bitter. Horsetail reduces milk yield, and narcissus leaves and bulbs cause poisoning, bloating and stomach problems. Poisonous to goats are wild rosemary, black nightshade, and tobacco leaves. Therefore, it is not advisable to let goats onto pastures rich in these plants.

For the winter, one goat needs to prepare 350-500 kg of hay. Be sure to stock up on tree brooms. They are prepared from branches of rowan, willow, birch, poplar, dried nettle will do. Branch food is high in calories, it increases lactation and accelerates weight gain. The domestic goat does not eat whole grains, but it needs concentrated feed. They eat animal bran, animal feed, pea flour, and chopped corn. The amount of concentrated feed is up to 0.5 kilograms per day. Along with them, a mixture of kitchen waste and potato peelings can be added to the feeder. In the fall, potato tops, carrots, and cabbage leaves are fed. Beet tops are given along with chalk to neutralize organic acids. Goats also need vegetables; they are given raw, chopped, and potatoes are boiled. A female cat may require larger portions.

Feeders are equipped so that food can be placed in them without having to wade through a herd of goats. Feeders are installed at a height of half a meter from the floor. It is advisable to divide them into two halves. A manger for hay is made from a metal mesh, and a wooden container is installed below for vegetables, concentrates, and mineral supplements. When feeders are installed outdoors, they are protected from moisture and precipitation. When food is wet, goats don't eat it. Drinkers are installed on the wall opposite the feeders.

Goat breeding

Goat breeding is incomplete if you do not expand the herd. Everyone can do this on their own. Pedigree goats for goat breeding are selected according to the food quality of their mother, since milk production, weight, and the quality of wool and fluff are transmitted through the paternal line. They must be more than a year old. Queens for reproduction must have a strong skeleton, correct body structure, and a developed udder. Mating takes place in late summer or early autumn. Then the kids can be expected at the end of February or beginning of March. Animals born during this period are stronger, grow in more favorable conditions, and begin to eat on their own with the appearance of the first greenery.

For successful mating, it is important that the female is in heat. It is not difficult to identify: the goat stops eating, is restless, squirms, and the external genitalia become swollen. This period lasts 1-2 days and is repeated every 15-22 days. Modern farmers practice both natural and artificial insemination. Puberty occurs at different times in different breeds. The first hunt occurs, in most cases, at six months. But goats can be allowed to mate no earlier than one and a half years old (this is the ideal age). Otherwise, the kids will be born weak, and the females will develop diseases (uterine prolapse, ruptures, bleeding, etc.). If the female is young, she does not bear kids. Females should not be turned into pens by fertilizing twice a year.

Caring for kids

The gestation period for females is about five months (147-150 days), deviations in both directions are allowed within five days. Childbirth lasts within half an hour. A place for a goat with kids should be equipped in advance. The area of ​​the space is about two square meters, with a temperature of at least 12 degrees. It is important that the place is dry and that there is a properly equipped swill and feeder. Dairy, beef and mixed breed goats are separated from the uterus immediately after the wool has dried and transferred to their own stall. Downy goats stay with their newborn kids longer. When raising kids, you should provide them with a place to play. Kids, like all goats, are very active. “Girls” don’t sleep on boys here.

The kids are fed milked milk through a nipple. The first feeding is carried out an hour after birth. After ten days, if properly cared for, bucks and female goats are already eating from a bowl on their own. The young are fed four times a day for up to a month, then switch to three meals a day. On the twentieth day, a domestic goat can eat compound feed. Give it a little at first, gradually increasing the portions. When the kids get used to the concentrated feed, add hay and fresh grass. When they reach the age of 12-13 weeks, bucks and female goats completely switch to an adult diet and feed on their own.

Goats must be vaccinated. Vaccinations are given intramuscularly according to the schedule. They protect against many diseases. If the animals' heads are not polled, dehorning is carried out on both kids and adult goats. From an early age, animals should be accustomed to walking within the yard and on the nearest lawn. They should also behave calmly when on a leash. Raising goats is not difficult if the farmer has at least the slightest experience caring for the young of other animals. The main thing is not to miss anything in the conditions of keeping and feeding. That's why these animals are so popular. They are no longer called breadwinners for the poor, since their milk is healthy and more expensive than cow's milk.

Keeping goats and caring for these amazing animals is not difficult even for novice farmers. Goats are distinguished by excellent health and excellent adaptability to any conditions. In addition, they willingly eat almost any food, which makes their breeding quite a profitable activity. But despite such good indicators, animals still need some care. You will learn how to properly care for goats in this article.

Features of keeping and caring for young animals

Let's start, perhaps, with keeping young animals. It is worth noting that kids usually have good survival rates. In addition, just a month after birth, young animals are quite capable of searching for food on pasture along with adult animals.

Proper care of young animals begins from the moment the kid is born. After the baby sees the world for the first time, the farmer must immediately clear his respiratory tract of mucus. After this, the newborn must be given to the mother so that she can lick it.

Some farmers make a classic mistake, especially during the winter season. They immediately take the kid to a warmer room, such as a house. After such an “act of mercy,” the goat refuses to recognize the baby, considering him a stranger. Therefore, licking the baby goat by the mother is an obligatory part of the ritual.

After birth, it is necessary to immediately feed the baby goat with mother's milk.. Colostrum contains essential substances that promote the development of the digestive and immune systems.

Until about 20 days, the goat kids' main diet is milk. They eat it four times a day. After this period, it is necessary to give the kids five grams of salt and chalk. By the age of three months, this figure should be increased to 10 grams per day.

After a month of life, young animals need to be fed with concentrates, starting with 50 grams per day, gradually increasing the norm. In such a way that by the age of three months the kid eats about 300 grams of concentrated feed per day.

At the age of three months, kids usually switch completely to the adult diet. Remember that young animals do not need to be restricted in water. Kids should drink plenty. In addition, even in the winter season, children should definitely walk outside.

Features of keeping and caring for females

The weak point of animals is their hooves, which, by the way, need to be trimmed regularly. Therefore, the floor in the room should be wooden and covered with sawdust and straw. In addition, it is recommended to equip the stalls with special beds. Goats really don't like to sleep on the floor.

Please note that goats have quite thick hair. Therefore, it is recommended to comb them approximately once every two days with a stiff brush. In addition, for hygiene purposes, the hair near the udder must be trimmed.

Advice. Goats get along very well with various domestic animals; moreover, they can even be kept together with other livestock or poultry. The only exception is chickens. They are the most common cause of lice in goats. Therefore, at home, it is recommended to keep chickens separately from goats.

In summer, animals spend most of the day on pasture, so some people think that caring for goats at this time of year is not at all necessary. This opinion is wrong; pasture farming also has its own characteristics.

Firstly, it is necessary to choose a pasture in such a way that there are trees there. If they are not there, then you need to make a canopy that will allow the goats to hide from the sun or rain.

Secondly, animals must be provided with unhindered access to water. If a dairy goat experiences a lack of fluid in the body, you will not get a good milk yield.

Features of keeping and caring for males

Goats are very rarely kept on small farms. Keeping a male in the farmstead is not profitable for beginning farmers, so they usually invite a breeding male only during the mating period of the animals. If you decide to get a male goat, then you need to know the following rules about its maintenance.

Bucks should be kept as far away from does as possible. Ideally, this should be a small but separate room. The fact is that males have a rather specific odor, and goat’s milk has the ability to absorb foreign aromas. If you want goats to give odorless milk, the male must be kept separately.

Goats are needed only to fertilize females, so the animal needs special care before mating. Considering that the purpose of keeping a goat is insemination, the animal should not be overweight. Obesity usually leads to decreased sexual activity and infertility. Therefore, strictly control the male’s daily diet.

Do not get carried away with feeding the goat grain crops; it is better to focus on roughage and green feed. It is recommended to use feed, but in moderation. Mineral supplements and vitamins must be present in the daily diet.

Don't forget to pay attention to the animal's appearance. Many farmers do not pay due attention to this aspect, remembering the goat only during the mating period. Regularly care for your animal's fur and hooves.

Remember to take your breeding goat to the veterinarian regularly. An adult and healthy goat can cover up to 50 females without any problems, and with a 100% guarantee of fertilization. If mating is carried out at an unplanned time, then it makes sense to acquire hormonal drugs. They help increase sexual activity.

Otherwise, there is no difference in living conditions between male and female individuals. Animals eat the same food and live in the same conditions.

As you can see, keeping goats at home and caring for them is quite possible for beginning farmers. Finally, I would like to add that goats are very sensitive and loyal animals. Show them signs of attention, pamper them with something tasty, just talk with your charges. In gratitude, the animals will delight you with consistently high milk yields.

It is one of the most profitable areas of agriculture.

Cattle provide not only milk, but also fluff, skin and meat.

Therefore, such activities are quite profitable in any quantity.

This animal is unpretentious, so it is quite easy to care for it.

This animal has been living next to humans for thousands of years.

There is no corner on the planet where goats are not kept.

The most common and widely used breeds are the Nubian and Saanen.

But the ordinary Russian white still occupies a leading position.

Choose a breed for breeding based on your needs.

Goat breeding has several directions, depending on the resulting product:

• down
• meat
• dairy

Therefore, the choice of goat breed depends on what the farmer wants to produce in larger quantities.

The dairy sector is considered the most profitable. After all, the cost of the resulting product is much lower than the market value. Ideal for this direction:

• Russian white
• Saanen
• alpine
• Gorkovskaya
• Nubian

What kind of bedding to buy depends on the gender.

For a wooden floor, a straw backing is suitable; for a concrete floor, you will have to put peat, which is sprinkled with straw on top. Leaves also work well as bedding, but they will have to be changed often.

It’s good when you have the opportunity to scratch your animals every day with a special metal comb. If the animal has long hair, it must be combed. Such a procedure not only improves the appearance of the cattle, but also makes the milk better.

Not only the animal’s fur, but also its hooves require mandatory care. The hoof gap must be cleaned. They also need to be cut to a certain level. This will help the animal walk normally.

It is very important for goats to take daily walks. To do this, the farmer must take care of providing pasture for the animal. The movement of goats has a good effect on.

The goat loves attention and affection. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out care without coercion and with caution. Brute force is unacceptable in this matter. You can't give this animal to people who don't like them.

Feeding this cattle does not cause much trouble. She can consume any food. Mainly he likes to feed on grass and bush leaves. Keeping and feeding goats in winter comes from materials that are purchased in the fall.

There are some dietary features of this animal:

• Goats have an excellent sense of smell. They will not consume a plant that has just been fertilized. Even if it was ordinary manure.
• If cattle does not pay attention to fresh grass and prefers dry leaves, this means that it has a lack of minerals and vitamins. Then it is recommended to add food with the missing components to the animal’s diet.
• Knowledgeable farmers harvest more than just hay. Additionally, you should collect branches and root vegetables. It is allowed to harvest bundles of walnut branches, as well as birch and oak branches. It is recommended to feed dried clover to cattle.
• Wet grass can cause bloating in the stomach.
• This cattle is very fond of fresh vegetables and fruits. At home, farmers usually grow them themselves.
• Bran, oats and corn are ideal dry foods for goats.
• It is recommended for dairy animals to consume oats with the addition of carrots. It’s good if beets are present in the diet.
• Goats should not be overfed. Otherwise, he will have no strength left for mating.
• Little goats are fed: with and without the participation of a goat. Babies are weaned from the udder at the age of three months. Already in the fourth month, the babies are independent and are able to feed on their own. The kids that are with the female already go out to pasture at the age of one month. Therefore, they develop better than those who are constantly in the stall.
• Goats drink regular water. An animal must be taught to drink from birth. The water should be at room temperature. The goats are given water three times a day. It is advisable to do this an hour before feeding. A dairy animal drinks up to six liters per day in summer.

Feeding and keeping goats in Russia is no different from any other country. In order for an animal to produce a large amount of milk, it is necessary to organize proper care for it. The goat must also eat properly.

Breeding

• purchasing an animal
• pairing
• pregnancy care
• feeding kids

To properly breed goats, you must adhere to one of the following purchasing methods:

• kids
• females
• parent stock

Of course, the latter option indicates high costs. But it leads to fairly quick results.

To get offspring, a goat is brought together with a male goat at a certain period. This time can be determined by swelling of the genitals and restless behavior. When mating is successful, the hunt is not repeated. September is considered the beginning of the mating season. It also refers to the most successful period. Then the kids are born in February. Before grazing begins, they already have time to get stronger.