Well I started in goats with two mini goats then decided I loved goats and bought a herd of 21 boers and had some ups and downs but am glad I jumped in blind folded
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That's a good book, too. Here are some websites that are good.
www.sheepandgoat.com
http://tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/articlesMain.html
http://goatworld.com/
Under the pictures is a link for USDA Market Reports. I don't know where you live, but if your local sale barns stream live over the internet you should be able to watch them by logging onto CattleUSA.com. When you pull it up, it has a list of auctions.
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/recordings.html
The University of Maryland Small Ruminant Extension puts on Webinars dealing with various aspects of sheep and goats. The link above gives you access to all of the webinars they have already done. They are hosting another webinar that starts the 30th of January, I believe, dealing with goat health. There is no cost. I hope this helps!
Oh, the University of Maryland also has a good newsletter that they put out 4 times a year. It can be accessed at
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/main.html
www.sheepandgoat.com
http://tennesseemeatgoats.com/articles2/articlesMain.html
http://goatworld.com/
Under the pictures is a link for USDA Market Reports. I don't know where you live, but if your local sale barns stream live over the internet you should be able to watch them by logging onto CattleUSA.com. When you pull it up, it has a list of auctions.
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/recordings.html
The University of Maryland Small Ruminant Extension puts on Webinars dealing with various aspects of sheep and goats. The link above gives you access to all of the webinars they have already done. They are hosting another webinar that starts the 30th of January, I believe, dealing with goat health. There is no cost. I hope this helps!
Oh, the University of Maryland also has a good newsletter that they put out 4 times a year. It can be accessed at
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/main.html
Also, this forum is a great place to start. Lots of stickies and helpful threads
Lots of stickies and helpful threads
Your welcome
Did you loose a goat to over eating disease or tetanus?
I have to say this.
We all started somewhere, but for me as well as others, didn't have the goat spot to help learn the proper way to care for goats. I learned the hard way, through trial and error and yes, losses. I started out with all registered, had some nice goats and others were not as good.
Now that the Goat spot is here, which is a blessing. Members or visitors come here and are willing to learn. That is more than I can say for some that don't care or even want to learn.
Marco is here as well as others, asking questions to learn and come here for guidance and advice, which I respect greatly.
It is unfair to tell someone where to start. It is up to each breeder.
Not all us of us have even seen 1/2 of the issues, that may arise with a goats health. New problems we never dealt with before may raise it's ugly head and even us pro's, to this day, may lose a goat, not knowing the signs and try about everything possible to save them, with bad outcomes.
The sad part is, we know more than most vets about goats and when we try to get help by them, they either give the wrong treatments or bad advice that will kill a goat. It is sad.
Silent pneumonia is one that is undetectable and can kill them within a short period of time. They will be OK that night and in the morning are found dead.
A goat doesn't die over night from worms or cocci, you may see scouring, but sometimes not, anemia(checking lower eye lid membranes or gums), weight loss, rough hair, poor health.
Look at your goats when they are healthy, know what is normal, so you know, when something is off. If a goat stops eating, that is the first major indication something is wrong, goats live to eat.
If something doesn't seem right, first thing to do is, "always" get a temp. This will give you some idea where to start treatment and what to use.
Other Signs of illness or not healthy:
off by themselves, laying around to long, not eating at feeding time, scouring, losing condition or weight. hair is rough, respiratory sounds, coughing, hunching, shivering sometimes( but not always), head down, white or pale gums or lower eyelid membranes color.
foaming, puking and bloat( extended way above the left rib cage area).
A goat not peeing or pooing. These are just some issues to watch out for.
Never ignore any signs of illness, the longer you may wait, the less the chances of survival in some situations.
Welcome to our goat forum,, Toth Boer's has given you some great info,, hope whatever breed you get, you stay with us and share them, we love pictures.. It will also depend on how much space you have to raise them on, and location,( farm or urban??)..
Toth Boer's has given you some great info,, hope whatever breed you get, you stay with us and share them, we love pictures.. It will also depend on how much space you have to raise them on, and location,( farm or urban??)..1 - 14 of 14 Posts
