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Basic Care guide for Goat Kids

If you are rearing your goat kids from newborns it is best to raise them in a barn, shed or stable type structure. This keeps them warm and dry until they are big enough to go outside. Once they are bigger, it is still vital that they have access to a shed or at the very least a smaller goat shelter such as a Corohawk shelter etc.

For the first few weeks the kids should be fed on Milk- either from a bottle or from a feeder. They will need 4 feeds a day until they are around a month old and can drink larger amounts at once. They can then be fed three times a day and at around 8 weeks twice a day is fine. Most kids will require milk feeds until a minimum of 13 weeks- Anglo-Nubian kids do best if they are not weaned before 16 weeks.

Goats milk is best as long as it is from goats that are tested free from CAE. Cows milk slightly diluted (about 25%)is the next best alternative with milk powders such as Anlamb being okay but with a higher risk of milk bloat and twisted gut.  We would recommend fresh cows milk if you don't have access to goats milk. If you are using a bucket feeder or hanging feeder with teats you may choose to keep the container full of milk at all times so the kids can adlib feed. we find this is easiest and works best especially for large numbers

These kids have their milk in the large drum, feed in the meal troughs and cone feeder and hay in the hay racks.

From day 1 kids should have access to barley straw in a rack and fresh water. Hay is okay but straw is better for a start. Water should be available at all times. Meal can be fed from about 3 weeks. A specific kid meal or calf meal is good or otherwise kibbled maize and crushed barley with molasses is fine. Make sure you only feed crushed/rolled or soaked Barley as whole barley can cause death. The kids will only start to nibble a tiny bit of meal for a start until they get used to it, by the time they are weaned they will be more interested in their meal than their milk. We don't recommend feeding Lucerne Chaff until the kids are weaned. It is very sharp and if it is eaten by a kid before its rumen is fully developed it can pass through and puncture the gut and cause death.

Kids require vaccinating at 4 weeks of age with a 5 in 1, 6 in 1 or 10 in 1 vaccine. They will need a booster 4 weeks later and then annually usually around 4 weeks prior to kidding.

If you provide your kids with everything they need- you should have healthy happy goats that will grow into good producing does.


Adult goats require a few basic things to stay healthy and well and give you their best:

If you choose to own a dairy breed of goat do not expect them to "eat anything" or survive left in a paddock without proper care.

1- Shelter- a barn or shed or stable is best

This is a shelter by Corohawk shelters

2- Adequate feeding- pasture (not grazed by sheep), roughage ie. good quality Hay, meal especially when in milk. When grass supply is low haylage/baylage/silage is a good supplement. You will need to be ale to rotate their grazing areas.

3- Minerals- a salt block (one with extra copper is really good- not to be accessed by sheep though) we use and recommend a loose lick especially for goats manufactured by Wonder Minerals, it is  Wonderlick-Goat. we put is in small feed troughs around the barn and they have it whenever they like.
Minerals are essential for good health in your goats. Goats have a very high mineral requirement. If your goat has a rough coat or isn't thriving- this can often but is getting enough feed then mineral deficiency could be the problem.

4- Regular foot trimming. letting their hooves get long makes them more susceptible to foot problems. the last thing you want is a lame goat!

5- Worm Management- goats are very susceptible to worm burdens if not managed correctly. Faecal egg counts should be done to check levels of infestation and appropriate drenches used to eliminate worms. We recommend Ivomec oral drench for sheep and goats. We give ours a higher dose than stated on packaging on vet advice as the goats need more to have effect. Under dosing can lead to drench resistance in the worms and then are very hard to treat.  (DO NOT use higher doses of other drenches without getting vet advice, some drenches are mineralised and you may overdose the goat) 

6-If you are concerned about your goats health then consult an experienced goat farmer or vet who is familiar with goats. we are happy to give advice or help if we can.

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This information is intended as a guide only and is based on our own experience with dairy goats. It is here to offer basic knowledge of dairy goats and not in place of advice of a vet.