Pet goats! Am I ready for this?
Getting started with your adorable first goats. Goats can make great pets; they are fun to watch and very affectionate. Goats need other goat friends to play and sleep with. Your new pet will love your 
roses, 
apples, tree bark and your veggie garden.
Last month, I left the rose garden gate ajar and came back to a very well-trimmed rose bush and that was only one goat that found her way in! I’m sure she was laughing, as I tried to remove her. She sulked outside the gate. Waiting! Pretending not to be looking. She is 13 and is very clever. She knows my routine. You can imagine after all these years, of watching me, knowing when I’m distracted and she’s still quick on her hooves! She is a big British Alpine and has been one of our main milkers. She actually only dried up her milk at age 12 and half years. She is the matriarch of the herd and also a well-loved pet! We keep telling her she is retired! In the cold weather she has a coat on at night. Red pyjamas! Older goats can suffer, just like old dogs or horses.
Anyway, back to your new pet goats. Have you read about what breed best suits you, checked your local council regulations and the poisonous plants lists. Sorted the fencing, shelter, best feed containers and watched some cute video ideas. Can you rotate your paddocks to have a good supply of fresh feed and help with parasite control? Where will you buy your feed and supplements? What are the cost factors?
Ready to find your new delightful friends!
Will you purchase wethers (castrated males) or does (girls)? Please, don’t purchase a buck for a pet, they are for breeding, NOT pets. The advantage with wethers is that they don’t have a hormonal cycle! Just a warning to the newbie … some girl goats can scream every, 3 weeks as they cycle, looking for a husband!
Do you have young children? Consider no horns, or disbudded.
What breeder will you go to? Do they test for goat diseases like CAE (Caprine Arthritic Encephalitis) and Johnes Disease.
What about parasite advice? Who will you ask? Check out Wormboss. https://wormboss.com.au/worm-control-program-for-goats/
Does your local vet know lots about goats?
There’s always something that happens that needs the attention of our hard working and knowledgeable vets. Just love won’t keep your goats alive! So, ask and read more about goats before your purchase!
Have fun!
Then have fun! Watch them play, cuddle them, sit with them, give them scratches, brush them and enjoy each one’s unique personality. They are great time waisters some say. Or maybe they are just great ‘de-stressors’!
If you see us at a market, please come and show us a picture and tell me your favourite story about your pet goat!
NB Sadly, before I put this blog up, our old girl, took her last breath. Sadly missed. Maybe I should write her story one day.
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