Shelter

Meat goats require minimum shelter compared to dairy goats. Nevertheless, goats seem to be less tolerant of wet cold conditions than sheep and cattle, and will naturally seek shelter when it is available. During warm weather, rain may cause no or only mild discomfort, but in colder temperatures, goats in general should not remain cold and wet for long periods.

The ability of goats to withstand adverse weather conditions is strongly related to body condition. Goats in good condition, that is goats that have developed a fat layer under the skin, can withstand rain and cold weather without much problem if they have access to good quality forage. Conversely, thin and/or young goats are particularly vulnerable to respiratory infection and to hypothermia if they do not have access to shelter during rainy and cold weather. And it is not uncommon for a combination of cold wind and rain and the occasional snow and sleet to cause losses of young animals. Thus, the necessity for sheltering meat goats probably relates to the expected weather pattern in the area, the nutritional level and body condition of the herd, the physiological stage of the animals (newborn kids, dry does or does in early pregnancy, does in late pregnancy or lactating does) and the class of animals.

A sturdy shed, dry and open to the south side, can usually provide adequate protection. Rear eave heights of 4 feet to 6 feet and front eave heights of 6 feet to 8 feet are adequate. Eight to 10 square feet per goat is desirable for open housing. Other references suggest 5 ½ square feet per goat. Goats also like to be in or near a shed during the night hours, especially if they were raised with sheds. If the facility is part of the farmstead, so much the better because nearness to human activity plays a role in predator control. For feeding hay, grain or concentrate, 16 linear inches of feeder space is sufficient per doe, or 8 to 12 linear inches of feeder space if hay is self fed. For young stock, recommendations are 12 linear inches of feeder space per animal, or 2 to 4 linear inches if hay or grain is self-fed. Troughs need to be easy to clean, should prevent goats from urinating or defecating on the feed, and be accessible from both sides.

In warmer and wetter climates, the type of goat shelter commonly found is one with an elevated, slatted floor. This design protects goats from rain, keeps hooves dry, allows air movement and reduces accumulation of urine and feces, which in turn, favors sanitation.

Kidding Facilities

Kidding during cold months may require shelter for the does and kids to guarantee kid survival. Temporary kidding pens 4 feet x 5 feet have been used by goat producers with much success. The kidding pens should be located in an area free of cold wind. Does are placed in these jugs during kidding and for 3 to 5 days after kidding. This practice increases the bonding between the doe and the newborn, especially for the first-kidding does. In addition, it allows the producer to provide assistance if there are kidding complications. It also allows the producer to ensure that weak newborn kids get a sufficient amount of colostrum during the first 12 to 24 hours of life. After the kidding season, these pens can be taken apart and stored.

Fences

Fencing is the most critical factor in raising goats on pasture. There is nothing more frustrating than having to constantly chase goats back into the pasture. Once they have been trained to an electric fence, goats can usually be controlled with two to three strands of wire in a cross-fence. Electric netting is also an option for temporary or permanent fencing in management intensive grazing systems; however, several goat producers have lost animals that tangled their horns in the netting.

Permanent fencing applications call for 12 ½ gauge, smooth high- tensile, class 3, galvanized steel wire. Goats can be controlled with 4-5 strands of high-tensile electrified wire. The wire spacings can vary from 6 to 8 inches near the ground to 8 to 12 inches for the top strands. Perimeter fence height should be at least 42 inches tall. A high wire, or an offset wire set one foot inside the fence near the top, may be needed if goat jumping is a problem. As a rule, goats will crawl under rather than jump a fence, so the bottom wire should be kept close to the ground. Training animals to respect electric wire fences can be done effectively by forcing animals to stay in a small paddock which encourages them to “test” the wire. Boundary fences should control all stock at all times. However, interior and cross fences may be made of 3 to 4 smooth strands of high tensile wires assuming animals are well trained. Because goats like to climb, the corners of fences should not have the diagonal bracing for posts or the animals will climb out of the pasture. Corner posts should be driven with a deadman or H-braces.

Woven wire (6″ x 6″, 6″ x 9″, or 6″ x 12″ openings) is very effective as a permanent fence, but costs at least twice that of a 5 strands of smooth high tensile electric fence. Further, horned goats frequently become caught in the 6″ x 6″ openings or in 6″ x 12″ openings split by a T-post. To address this problem with existing fences, an electric wire offset about 9 inches from the woven wire fence and about 12 to 15 inches from the ground will reduce the number of animals caught in the woven wire fence. However, this practice also reduces control of forage growth on the fence line. Woven wire with a 6″ x 9″ or 6″ x 12″ opening are new and cheaper alternatives than the woven wire with a 6″ x 6″ opening, which do not require an electric offset wire. Horned goats usually do not get caught or, if caught, they are able to free themselves because of the larger opening.

Temporary wire applications have a wide variety of types from which to select. Polywire and polytape are unique combinations of braided, UV-stabilized polyethylene plastic interwoven with 3 to 9 stainless steel, copper or aluminum filaments. Polytape is similar in composition to polywire but is flat, 5/8″ to 11/2″ wide and is used because of its excellent visibility. Polytape and polywire fencing can be used very effectively in control grazing situations. Electric netting, a prefabricated fence of electroplastic twines and white push-in insulated plastic posts is a very effective temporary fence for sheep and goats. It has been reported that several goat producers have lost animals that tangled their horns in the netting. Therefore, goats should be trained to electric netting;

Electric fences should be charged at 4,500 to 9,000 volts at all times. Regular checking and testing are necessary, and any problems must be fixed promptly, or goats will escape.

Predators and Predator Control

Contrary to popular belief, the most common predator that the majority of goat producers face is their neighbor’s dog and/or errant dogs running in a pack. A pack of dogs can kill 20-30 goats in one night because they do so for sport and will attack hind legs first. In certain regions, coyotes and bobcats represent the major problem. Foxes can prey on weak, just born kids. Predators generally only kill one animal every 2-3 nights, kill by strangulation (throat marks), and feed on the carcass.

Dogs, donkeys (preferably jennies because male donkeys are too aggressive with the animals they are supposed to protect), and llamas and alpacas can all serve as full-time guard animals, but the effectiveness of any of them will also depend on the bonding, training, instincts, and temperament of individual animals. All guard animals require an investment of time and money, and there is no guarantee that they will be successful. Dog breeds specifically developed for flock protection (for example Great Pyrenees) should be used. Sometimes a single guard animal will not be enough to protect the livestock. Several guard dogs may be necessary to patrol larger areas or to better protect against packs of predators. A llama and guard dog combination can be trained to work cooperatively, but donkeys or llamas will not properly bond to livestock if more than one of their own species is present with the livestock. Rotational grazing can sometimes help, because the livestock are confined to a smaller area, allowing guards animals to be more effective.

In addition to guard animals, a highly powered electric fence having the first two bottom strands 6 and 14 inches from the ground is an additional strong deterrent. These should be placed on the exterior of the fence and are most effective against climbing predators if offset from the wire fence by 18″.

Because many predators, including coyotes, are usually active between dusk and dawn, confining goats at night in predator-proof pens located close by the goat owner’s residence can reduce losses. Kidding in sheds or on a pasture lot located close to where humans live can reduce losses to predators. Coyotes have their pups in spring, so kidding can be timed to avoid this high-demand time.

Next
Module Home
Certification Table of Contents
Browsing Table of Contents