Rain: Goats absolutely abhor getting wet. Their fur does not wick water away. If they get wet, it goes right to their skin and they become cold, wet, miserable and cranky. Trust me, you haven’t heard a goat complain until you’ve heard a wet goat complain. Be sure that your housing/pen arrangement provides 100% shelter from rain. If you are using a tractor house (moveable house) you might want to place it on top of a wooden pallet in the summer months so that your goats can lay and sleep off of wet ground. The pallets also let the nanny berries fall through and that can make moving the house and the clean up a snap. In the cold weather, you’d still have to put shavings or straw over the pallets so they can keep warm, but in the warm weather, you could get away without bedding. You still have to rack up the berries year-round when you tractor the house along the pasture.
 

Fencing: If you want to find a weak spot in any pasture fencing, just put a goat in it. Goats are notorious escape artists and that’s what I love about them. I've found, through years of trial and error, that cattle panels are the best fencing to use for goats.  They are easy to install, using steel fence posts and they are sturdy and strong enough to withstand your goats jumping up on it. You can buy gates made from the same material as well, or use a chain link gate or devise one of your own. You might want to get the combo panel style if you are housing young goats that can escape through the bottom panels. You can easily attach screen or wire to the bottom temporarily for those small escape artists.  Once they are about six months old, even the tricksters are generally too big to fit through the regular cattle panels.
 

Poisonous Plants: Goats can become very sick, very quickly from some common landscape plants such as rhododendrons. Take a look around your yard and pasture and compare what you have on site to various published lists of toxic plants for goats in your area.
 

Recipe for Rhododendron Poisoning:  It has worked for others! 1/4 cup cooking oil, 1/2 cup strong, strong, cold tea (6-8 bags removed) "English tea", 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking soda.  Mix all together and drench goat with the complete mixture.
 

Feeders:  I've found that it is difficult to keep goats from wasting hay. Any feeder you have chosen, hay bag, hay rack, milk crate,  feed pan or whatever you might use, goats will eat what they pull out of the feeder in their mouth, let the rest fall to the ground where it becomes bedding or garbage! If you are raking up a substantial amount of wasted hay daily or weekly, you might want to feed smaller amounts more often. I would definitely make sure your feeder has a catch system where the goat must put its head through an opening and then there is a ledge or bottom to catch what falls from their grab outs. They’ll do some of their own “clean up” as long as it isn’t on the ground. Never, ever (even once) feed your goat hay that smells bad, is discolored, or moldy. Hay should be soft, green and grassy, never stalky or rough. Goats won’t eat coarse hay. Alfalfa is good for pregnant and lactating does, but never bucks or wethers. The protein levels are too rich for males and can cause urinary calculi (stones). Finding soft mixed grasses is best. There should never be any dust when you pull the flakes apart…this is an indicator of mold. It is okay if the outside of a bale browns a little bit from sun exposure, but when you separate the flakes, the original green should be predominant. Store your hay in a dry place, free from mice and other pests. I keep mouse bait boxes in every corner of my barn to prevent contamination from droppings and urine.
 

Supplements:  Loose Minerals should be available to your goats at all times. You can buy high quality mineral supplements at almost every reputable company (like Hoegger’s Supply) and most rural feed/grain stores. Keep the minerals in a feeder or open bin in a dry location and available at all times. I also provide a little bin of baking soda on demand at all times and a salt lick that I hang from the wall at licking height using a plastic coated wire hanger. Goats are very good at self-medicating and will choose things that they know will help their tummies.  My goats eat all their “treats” like candy.  If you have bucks or wethers, you can add some ammonium chloride to the minerals as it is a preventative for the urinary calculi.
 

Bloat:   You should always have Bloat Release or Therabloat on hand as well as Probios, which replaces good bacteria needed to help the rumen function properly.  These items are very reasonably priced, and if you have need of the product, it can easily save your goats life and save you a hefty vet bill. There is also another product available for ruminants, called "bloat block". You can buy it in a 33 or 50 lb block for your herd.  If you discover a serious bloat in a goat and emergency care is needed on the spot, you can use a 16 gauge needle through the outer wall into the rumen.  You can   see where the rumen is located, as it is usually always the most distended area when the animal is bloated, high up on the left side of the stomach.  Clip a small area of hair, use alcohol to clean the skin very well, so that you don't carry anything through with the needle.  Poke the needle all the        way through, and you should be able to hear the air releasing, as if from a balloon. Massage the stomach to help the air free itself, and when the animal has been relieved, and you can see that the stomach is once again flat, remove the needle.  I have always given (1 cc) of penicillin in the muscle for 3 consecutive days after this procedure to fight off any bacteria that might have been introduced. You do not want your animal to get peritonitis. There are no surefire answers, and I am certainly    not a vet, only experienced through necessity in dealing with this problem.
 

Coccidiosis:  A contagious one celled organism which can cause severe diarrhea and weight loss, especially in young animals.     It is generally transmitted through fecal matter in the soil from infected animals. It is very important to eradicate quickly so that it does not spread from one animal to the next. Use sulfa and amprolium. Corid works well, but with all, be sure to use the correct dosage of medication.
 

Urinary Calculi:  Stone or stones blocking the urinary tract,  most often occurs in wethers.  It is caused by an improper ratio of calcium to phosphorous in the diet. Urinating becomes very painful, if not impossible. If you see them straining, crying, laying down, not eating and not acting as you are accustomed, this might be why. Ammonium chloride added to free choice trace minerals is a good preventative and definitely worth your time and expense.  The additional salt/minerals consumed will result in the buck drinking more water, therefore washing out his system. Always have plenty of fresh, clean water available.  Especially in the warmer summer months, make sure to refill water buckets every day, as stale warm water is not as quickly consumed as fresh, cold water.  Corn contains high amounts of phosphorus, thus is not good for bucks.  Sweetened Grain is a contributor to this factor in males, and should be avoided.  There are other options for treats, such as animal crackers, grapes or raisins, and these won't kill your animal. 
 

Ketosis:  Not contagious.  This is pregnancy toxemia attributed to low blood sugar.  It is most often seen in late pregnancy, and first weeks of lactation.  Doe will be lethargic and go off feed.  You  can test with a ketocheck test (Farm & Fleet carries them).   Treat with propylene glycol.  You can use this as a preventative as well, during late pregnancy & first few weeks of lactation.
 

Home remedy for Ketosis:
White or brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses or honey (few ounces a day).
 

Yearly Vaccinations Necessary:  c/d Tetanus - First year it must be given twice.  Booster 21 days after initial vaccination.   Bo-se (selenium & Vitamin E) - most areas are deficient in this trace mineral.  To find correct dosage, use a weigh tape for adult animals, and use a scale (bathroom scale will work), for younger kids as the tape isn't precise enough at lower weights. I give Pregnant Does their Annual c/d Tetanus & Bo-Se shot 1 month before their approximate delivery date.   If the doe is given these vaccinations at least 3 weeks before delivery, then her kid is covered by this vaccination until they are about 8 weeks old.  I still give 1 cc of c/d Tetanus at disbudding to be safe.
 

Always keep epinephrine with you any time you are giving shots to your animals.  You never know what might cause anaphylactic shock, and you must be prepared.  Epinephrine is to be given I.M. at first sign of anaphylactic shock.
 

Kid Vaccinations:
 

If Doe was vaccinated at least 3 weeks prior to delivery: 
 

c/d tetanus:  1 cc at disbudding, and another 1 cc's 21 days after that.  This completes the yearly vaccinations required for this kid.
 

If Doe was not vaccinated prior to delivery of kids:
 

Bo-Se:  1/10th cc at birth.   c/d tetanus:  1 cc's at disbudding, 1 cc's at 8 weeks old, and 1 cc's again 21 days later.
 

Where to vaccinate:   We all know that the c/d tetanus shot, which is to be given sub Q (under the skin), leaves a bump      that lasts quite a while.  Because of this, many people have started giving this shot I.M. (in the muscle).  This is not the correct way to give this shot.  Giving in the muscle distributes the medication too quickly and doesn't give the proper  protection for this vaccination.  You must give the c/d tetanus shot sub Q for it to be an effective vaccination.
 

c/d Tetanus:  For those of us that show, and do not want a noticeable lump on our goats neck, you can give this shot  under the front leg, Sub Q.  This location would not be as noticeable.
 

Bo-Se:  This shot is to be given I.M. You can choose the muscle in the back of the rear leg, but be careful as there are many nerves running down through the rear leg.  You may choose to give this shot in the muscle behind the front shoulder bone.     This muscle covers the front of the ribcage along the side of the animal’s body.
 

Calcium Requirements:  Pregnant does and does in milk require plenty of calcium so that they do not begin leaching calcium from their own bones to replace what they are producing in milk for the kids needs.  You may want to provide a calcium drench, but be careful to use the proper dosage.
 

Doe in Milk:  Keep a close watch on your does condition, and if it begins to deteriorate, take action.  You might want to increase grain or feed a better quality hay/alfalfa.  Protein requirements are high during production of milk, especially for the feeding of multiple kids.  Feed your doe appropriately.  If you see her condition deteriorating, increase feed ration.
 

Penicillin:  Must be refrigerated. Penicillin is an injection to be given I.M.  When given, you must draw back on  the syringe to be sure you do not see blood before giving this shot.  If you see blood, it means you have hit a vein, and if you give this shot directly into a vein, you will KILL the animal.  Also, always have epinephrine (1/2 to 1 cc - to be given I.M.) on hand when giving this shot, as it is higher risk for anaphylactic shock reaction. 
 

Epinephrine:  Must be refrigerated, but you need not worry about keeping it with you during the vaccination of your animals.  If ever you need it, you will need it immediately.  You will not have time to run to the refrigerator to get it.  (1/2 to 1 cc - to be  given I.M.) This shot is given to save an animal having a negative reaction to any vaccine.
 

Kick start for weak newborn:  Karo syrup in 2 pints of water, or give black coffee.  These should be followed up with colostrum which every newborn requires.
 

Recipe for Colostrum Replacement:  3 cups whole milk, 1 beaten egg, 1 tsp cod liver oil, 1 Tbs sugar.  Freeze your colostrum in ice cube trays and put into a plastic freezer bag.  This way you can thaw a cube at a time for a kid that should need it, and keep from waste of a very valuable resource. This recipe does not carry any real immunity benefits as true colostrums would. 
 

Feeding:  Goats need roughage to keep their rumen working properly. Clean, quality hay should be the main diet. Grain provides a lot of protein in a small amount of feed and because of this, should be fed with great care. Feeding grain to a wether, for instance, can lead to urinary tract blockage.
 

During Gestation: (5 months) Grain is a very necessary supplement to the pregnant does regular diet, as is alfalfa--which provides much needed Calcium.  As a doe becomes larger in the last month of gestation, the stomach is restricted and she cannot eat as much, so you must make sure that what she is eating is high enough in protein to fill the requirements for her and her unborn kids.  If not, you risk Hypocalcemia and ketosis. A pregnant doe should get plenty of exercise and fresh air, and stay in premium condition for kidding.
 

Long range consequences of nutritional imbalance:  You effect the condition of the fetus as well as the kid (after birth), if you have not fed the doe appropriately during gestation.  The long range effects last beyond birth, and can cause a kid that was malnourished during gestation to have problems that could have been avoided. 
 

Water:  Clean, fresh water must be available always, as goats will go off feed without it, and will choose not to drink out of a dirty water bucket.  Use an electric bucket in the winter as  goats will drink water that is a little warmer in the winter, and they cannot break through even the thinnest of an ice coating and will go without if it freezes over.
 

Basic care:  Keep your vet’s name and phone number posted in plain view in your barn or keeping area. You don’t want to waste time in the yellow pages when there is an emergency or if you are not home and someone else is caring for your animals and they experience a problem within your herd. Keep hooves trimmed as overgrown hooves can cause leg and feet problems. Trimming should be done approximately every 6-8 weeks, but younger kids’ hooves tend  to grow a bit quicker, so keep an eye on them. Check coat and skin occasionally for mites, fleas or ring worm or any other nasty parasites. If you see any bald spots, always check it out as it can be caused by any one of these problems.  Check your goat’s ears occasionally for ear mites. Head shaking can be a clue.  In the winter/spring it's not uncommon to have to dust your goats for mites. 
 

Worm control:  In an effort to avoid immunity to wormers it is very important that you worm only when necessary.  You can quickly find out if your goats carry any worm load by having a fecal done.  You can collect fecal matter from the goat and you or your vet can do a worm count. You will also want to check for coccidiosis. Worms & coccidiosis are invisible killers and can take a goat down quickly.  Many people check the gums of the animal for paleness, which indicates worminess in goats, but to be sure of what type of worm you need to treat for, a fecal is your best indicator.  There are wormers on the market to treat for different types of worms.  When needed, we routinely treat our herd using Ivomec Plus. Remember that goats are very tolerant of wormers and you may want to consult your vet about correct dosage. We treat at 3x label recommendation. Beware of wormers that are not safe for pregnant animals.  If they are labeled as such, follow instruction.  Do not worm a pregnant animal with such a product, as you seriously risk  losing the kids. I believe it is important to worm a pregnant doe about 1 month before delivery, with a wormer labeled safe for pregnant  animals. It is a time when she is more susceptible to any risk of worms and the possibility of transmitting them to the kids.
 

Dehorning or Disbudding:  This is a procedure that many people abhor and cannot bring themselves to perform. The option is to take your animal to the vet or find someone locally that can perform this procedure for you. Keep in mind that it may have to be done more than once, especially on young bucks, and sometimes for persistent growth in does as well.  Keep in mind that you may need to   touch up horns if you see growth, but it is well worth the effort,  as animals with horns cannot be taken into a show ring.  You can read about dehorning in the Hoegger or Caprine goat supply catalogs, and they give a pretty good description of the task. The thing that I take heart in when disbudding time rolls around is that it is 10 seconds of pain for a lifetime of mutual happiness. Horns can be very dangerous. Goats with horns can gore young children, or keepers--even when they are just playing. Horns can take out an eye or even rip another goat’s udder. As cruel as it seems, it is best for man and beast if they are removed. I also notice as the years roll by that a quick bottle of milk cures all ills. Kids forget all about what they have just been through if they receive comfort and milk right away.
 

Tattooing:  This is another, not very pleasant task, that many would rather not have to perform. Some have opted to microchip instead.  The problem with that can be a floating chip that can't be located, and having no identification for that animal. It's still a good idea to tattoo for backup identification. You must be very careful to place the tattoo correctly, in the correct ear and such.  The herd letters should be placed in the animals right ear and it’s Year/Birth Number should be placed in the left ear. You  will want to have a piece of paper to test the tattoo letters on before you actually tattoo the animal's ear.  I’ve found it best to wipe the area that is to be marked with alcohol and if there is a large amount of fur, to trim that first. Then have the ink ready and q-tips ready. Press the tattoo gun into the ear and make the mark. Then use a Q-tip to swab in the ink. You can use a toothbrush (cleaned in alcohol) to rub the ink in even more. Then use a paper towel to remove the excess color. Make sure that you can read an ear tattoo before taking an animal into the show ring, as the judge must be able to identify that animal by the tattoo in case of a win.  Sometimes, especially in dark ears, the tattoo must be done again. This can be very frustrating and worrisome, as you do not want a tattoo to become unreadable. I've found that  green ink works the best, especially in the dark ears.  You can read about the procedure for tattooing in the above mentioned catalogs.  You would do well to order each of these catalogs.  Hoegger (800) 221-4628  / Caprine (800) 646-7736. 
 

Ringworm:  Fungus - Very contagious.  Hair loss and scaling.  Transmitted through direct contact, even to humans. Treat with antifungal creme applied directly to area.  May need treatment a few times a day until gone.  You can use antifungal foot creme purchased from Walmart, as well as the higher priced products purchased for dogs from a catalog.
 

Soremouth:  Virus - Very contagious.  Scabs or open sores on  lips, face, ears and sometimes udders.  Contagious to humans, so use care during treatment. Treat with ointments or cremes to help soothe pain.  You can choose to isolate effected animals and let it run its course, generally 2-4 weeks.  You may choose to vaccinate your animals for this. 
 

Tube feeding a weak/failing kid:  If you are at risk of losing a kid that is down, cold, and will not suckle, you must take action  or you will lost it.  Your choices are few.  You will need a weak  kid or save-a-kid syringe.  They run about $8.00 for the tube and syringe, and well worth the money!  The esophagus is on  the left side of the throat, so you would feed the tube in through the right side of the mouth toward the left side of the throat and down to the stomach.  You can measure the tube along the side of the kids body and mark the tube to be sure of when it reaches the stomach.  Tube feeding instructions can be found in a  Premier catalog (800) 282-6631
 

Do not feed a kid that's too chilled to raise it's head, as this could send the animal into shock. First warm it up, and once it's warm, then tube it. Never use dirty tubes or syringes, and be sure to have extra tubes in case one wears out unexpectedly.   Feed through the tube slowly until you've gotten 25-40 cc's of warm colostrum into the stomach.  It is very important that a kid receives colostrum as its first meal because it provides antibodies that the animal needs and it activates the proper balance of naturally occurring microorganisms in the stomach.
 

Needles & Syringes:  For these miniature small ruminants I never use a needle longer than 1/2 inch.  It's not necessary to use a longer needle, even with the adult animals.  You can order these needles separately or by the box from many goat catalogs, as well as the syringes you would need.  I would recommend having plenty on hand at all times for your needs.  Never re-use a needle!  You may re-use the syringe, but only after rinsing it with sterile distilled water. I would also recommend having different size syringes as well, for dosing recommendations.  You should keep 6 cc &  12 cc syringes on hand as well as the more common 3 cc syringes.
 

Kidding Kit Necessities:   There are many kids already assembled for sale through various animal supply catalogs but for the do-it-yourselfer, you’ll want to have on hand the following: Goat Serum Concentrate, 12 cc syringe  & 1/2 " needles for administering serum I.M., frozen colostrum is preferred, because colostrum replacer is not sufficient. You’ll need to have a weak kid syringe and Nutri-Drench or Power Punch to provide vitamins, trace minerals and amino acids for much needed energy.   Probios gel  to provide the naturally occurring microorganisms necessary.  Long O.B. gloves & Lubricant.  Penicillin - 1 cc shot,  in case you need to use the O.B. gloves, and risk introducing bacteria into the uterus.  7% Iodine is needed for dipping navels.  You can use a plastic film container for the iodine cup or purchase one.  An O.B. leg snare for difficult delivery is needed as well as Betadine to scrub up and to wash up a doe’s rear before delivery. Have plenty of clean, dry, (warm) towels if possible on hand for helping the doe to clean off the  kids, especially in cold weather. You will want to have bottles and nipples ready to use just in case you need them.  Have a heat lamp for cold weather kiddings ready to help keep those young kids warm.  Be sure to hang your heat lamp so that it does the job, but is not too close.  I use small soft blankets in a low, round feeding pan, under the heat lamp, so that the kids can snuggle together under it's warmth. Be sure to remove any buckets full of water, and use a lower watering pan while young kids are in the area. You do not want any kids to drown.  It is best if you can figure a way to keep the water outside of the pen and have the goats stick their heads through the fencing to drink. You will want to use straw instead of shavings during kidding, because shavings are very intrusive at kidding time.  If possible, have a friend help at kidding time,  just in case you need a hand.  You may need someone to hold the doe while you manipulate and pull kids or just to hold your hand while you anticipate/worry prior to delivery. The birth process never ceases to amaze me. From the first moment that I can feel little kicks on my doe’s belly, watching her body and udder grow and change, to her first complaints of labor, I am always in awe. We celebrate each new life with gratitude and our hearts melt at hearing the first calls back and forth between dam and kid.
 

Powdered kid milk replacer:  Be very careful to mix the appropriate amount with water for feeding, as an improper mix can cause diarrhea.  If you continue to have a problem with diarrhea and you've eliminated other causes look once again to the kid milk replacer.  You might want to try using whole cow’s milk, or a mix of the two.  You may want to cut back on the amount of milk you are feeding, and supplement with hay/alfalfa to compensate for the reduction of milk.   Keep a very close eye on the condition of your animal at all times while experimenting with feed levels.
Always remember that it's better to be safe than sorry.  Call for HELP if you cannot handle a health matter with your animal.  Waiting too long can mean the difference between life and death.