Why do we raise goats?

  • Our first 3 goats immediately told us that they are just a whole lot of fun. They have that
    spark that tells you that life really is worth living after all; and we were hooked.

  • They are gentle and lovable. Even breeding bucks are easily handled. They make wonderful
    pets and are great animal projects for young children in 4-H. They are a very sociable
    animal, love to play, climb and are great acrobats. They are naturally curious by nature and
    love to investigate anything. They are a 'herd animal' and need the companionship of at
    least one other goat.

  • Color is one of the BIG factors that makes breeding Dwarfs interesting. You never know what
    color the babies will be until they are born; even then you can't be sure because their color
    may change.

What guidelines and recommendations do we (AlyMar Farm) give to buyers?

  • When we sell our goats we include a document on how to care for them, plus their health
    records, registration papers, and baby pictures. There are many excellent  websites that go
    into great detail about care, housing, feeding, medications, etc. But for a first time buyer,
I have given them the basics of what the goats are use to.

  1. Grain: COB w/molasses  (corn, oats & barley), and/or Alfalfa pellets and/or Purina meat goat
    pellets. Hay: Alfalfa, beardless wheat, or high quality grass hay.
  2. Fresh, clean water -- available at all times. They will not touch water that has been fouled in
    any way or if the bucket itself is dirty.
  3. Baking soda (in a small dish) -- available at all times (helps with digestion, especially when
    eating fresh grass) and Trace mineral/salt block (red brick or granular form) available at all
    times. Put it in a feeder so they can’t poop in it!
  4. They will eat leaves, tree and branch cuttings, rose trimmings, or most anything you want to
    keep in your yard.
  5. They do not like to get their feet wet, or wet period. Please provide some sort of platform to
    stand on when it’s rainy and mud puddles everywhere.  
  6. A dry, draft free shelter. Put in a good layer of straw and allow some bedding to build up
    during the coldest months of the year --You may notice an ammonia smell. Do clean out the
    straw in the spots where they pee and large buildups of “nanny berries”. The moisture that
    builds up breeds harmful bacteria that can lead to health problems.  Clean it all out
    frequently to minimize bacteria and parasites such as lice and worms.  When completely
    cleaning out the barn you can sprinkle a liberal amount of barn lime to get rid of all the
    odors, germs, & bugs.
  7. Goats are fussy eaters when it comes to cleanliness - if their grain (or treats) has been
    fouled in some way they will not touch it. Clean out their grain buckets and water buckets
    frequently.
  8. Hooves need to be trimmed every 8 weeks or so. Or, check frequently to see if they are
    overgrown.
  9. Use “Neosporin” for sores, scratches, etc.
  10. Vaccinations: -- CD&T (yearly)  adults       Rabies (yearly) – adult
  11. They can breed year round but generally in the fall through early spring.  The expected due
    date is 150 days after breeding.(145 to 153 days) The doe will come into heat every 21 days
    until they become pregnant. Signs that your doe is in heat will include loud and sometimes
    continuous bleating, restlessness, and a continuous twitching or wagging of the tail. There
    may be a small clear discharge and they may attempt to mount other goats.
  12. To keep your goat's coat shiny you should feed them their minerals, but brushing them is
    good for their coats and most goats like it!  They seem to get all sorts of hay and stuff in
    their coat, so brushing their coats the wrong way and then the right way will get all that stuff
    out!
  13. On a cold day your goats will be reluctant to drink their water since it will be ice cold.  Bring
    out a bowl of hot water with vinegar and maple syrup with a TINY drop of molasses.
  14. Most goats like to be scratched on the withers, breast bone, and neck.
  15. Special treats: They like carrots and apples (cut in small pieces), bread, crackers (unsalted),
    Black Oil Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, banana chips, oranges and the peel, unsalted
    and unbuttered popcorn and graham crackers. Do not feed potato peelings. I also get horse
    treats such as “Nicker Makers” or “Apple Love-Its” cut in small pieces. They love raisins but
    not too many due to high sugar content.  All these should be given as a special treat ONLY!  
    You don't want to make your goat sick or too fat!
  16. Worming: As a general rule, goats should be wormed every 4 weeks June through
    September and again after the first hard frost. There are always exceptions to rules, of
    course, so watch your animals to see if they need worming even after that hard freeze. Does
    should always be wormed after kidding since hormonal changes during pregnancy and
    kidding cause a parasitic "bloom".

Why do we want to start breeding MiniNubian goats?

  • Buyers of our 1st generation MiniNubian's have loved their colors and the cute "airplane"
    ears, plus their great temperaments and playfulness.
  • They have much of the elegance and style of their Nubian parents and the reduced size of
    their Nigerian Dwarf parents.
  • Their temperaments are gentle, friendly and people-oriented.
  • They take less space and feed and give a generous amount of milk for the home dairy.
  • They will breed year 'round. Kids grow quickly, keeping up with the full size Nubian's until
    about 3 months of age. Most reach full height at 9 - 12 month of age.

Will they eat my overgrown pastures?

  • NO, goats are browsers not grazers which means they will eat some of the pasture grass
    and are good about eating any bushes and trees. If you want your pastures cut down, get a
    good riding lawnmower!