I need ADVICE!!!!!

topic posted Mon, March 10, 2008 - 5:54 PM by  Lily
Hi, I am Lily I am thinking about getting pygmy goats. I want baby pygmies and raise them untill there there a year then sell. Should I breed, or just buy them from others. What kind of shelter do I need. How much will feed cost.

hopefully you can help,
Lily
posted by:
Lily
Ohio
  • Re: I need ADVICE!!!!!

    Thu, March 20, 2008 - 2:33 PM
    There's not alot of money in selling goats. Ideally you need adults to breed from. This will involve keeping one Billy goat who will smell and will be in rut from October to March each year. Try to ensure you get a billy with a good temprement that you can handle.
    You will need to be available during birthing and will need to learn how to help the dam through any difficulties she may have.
    During every season they usually get one dam who gets sick after giving birth. Vets fees are not cheap and usually wipe away any profit if they have to be called. But you can't leave a sick dam and orphan the kids.
    Any kids are usually ready to leave from around 4 months onwards (they should be weaned and taking dry food/hay and drinking water).
    If you sell them as adults they get a higher price, but that will just about cover the money you have spent on feed/vaccinations/worming etc.
    Any kids born could be male or female. All males need castrating whether you intend to sell them as pets or as meat. To be economic you will have to learn how to castrate them.
    Then you need to be sure they are going to decent homes and be able to give them up.

    Goats do not like the rain and definately need a shelter. Ideally you need something with some room in it as weather could keep them inside for weeks at a time. You also need something tall enough that you can comfortably spend time in there with them. I have 5 adults and 6 kids in a shelter 12 foot by 15 foot.

    They will need hay from October through to April and goat feed throughout the year. You should be able to get a price from a foodstuff retailer. Goats need hay available throughout the day and will need a handful of goat mix a day. Kids, pregnant does and lactating does will need higher quantities of goat mix.

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