A multipurpose, engaging, and entertaining animal with a great many uses ranging from companionship to commercial meat production, the domestic goat is an excellent addition to most any homestead. Novice homesteaders discover that raising goats for their milk, meat, and fiber can be a financially rewarding experience. However, caring for them can also be a headache and a hassle.
A Bit About Goats
One of the smallest domesticated ruminants, goats were domesticated earlier and have served humans longer than either sheep or cattle. Goats are members of the Bovidae family and are closely related to sheep and antelope. Goats are likely the first ruminants domesticated by humans more than 11,000 years ago.
Nomadic tribes, wandering the desert sands of what is now Iran, began to herd wild bezoar goats (Capra aegagrus) primarily for easy access to milk and meat. Goats also provided dung used for fuel, and the skin, hair, and bones of the animal provided material for shelter, tools, and clothing applications.
Goats soon gained popularity globally due to their unique ability to adapt to a diverse array of environmental challenges. The widespread world distribution of goats is the result of commercial trading and the migration of people with their animals. Goats adapt to almost any environment, thriving in cold mountainous terrain, humid tropical jungles, or hot desert wastelands seemingly devoid of vegetation. Goats are productive, small in size, and in most cases, do not compete with humans for food.
在世界许多文化的历史上,山羊的驯化和拥有标志着人们开始从采集和狩猎向自给自足、可持续的食物生产过渡。今天,有超过8.5亿只家养山羊分布在除南极洲以外的各个大陆上。
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Popular Domestic Goat Breeds
There are dozens of recognized breeds of domesticated goat (Capra aegagrus hircus). In fact, goat breeding sets the benchmark for breed standards (especially dairy goats) amongst domestic livestock. Goats are selectively bred for primary use, such as outstanding milk production. Several breeds are considered multipurpose (milk, meat, fiber, skin, pack, or companionship).
The most popular breeds of goats valued for their milk production include Saanen, which is by far the most popular dairy breed, Sable, an adaption of the Saanen breed, Alpine, Oberhasli, Nigerian Dwarf, and La Mancha. When it comes to milk production, many goat farmers also rely on Nubian goats that dependably produce up to one and a half gallons of rich, creamy milk every day.
Popular meat-producing breeds include Kashmir, an excellent producer of both meat and fiber.
Goat Milk
山羊奶既美味又营养,受到世界各地越来越多消费者的欢迎。对于有肠胃问题或对牛奶过敏的儿童或成人来说,这是一种健康的牛奶替代品。大部分山羊奶被用于奶酪生产。在农贸市场或网上出售自有品牌的山羊奶酪,为许多自耕农提供了可靠的补充收入来源。
Goats as Pack Animals
First utilized for transporting trade goods across the mountains in Asia and Eastern Europe thousands of years ago, the goat is still considered by many to be the most worthy and dependable of pack animals. Agile, small, and sure-footed, goats can traverse daunting terrain faster, safer, and more reliably than a horse, llama, alpaca, or even a mule.
When selecting a pack goat, it is best to avoid certain breeds of meat goats or pygmies due to their short stature. Select a dairy goat with a bigger frame and long legs.
If you think a pack goat would be helpful around the homestead, consider a wethered goat (castrated male). Females with milk are a challenge to manage, and uncastrated billies tend to be hard to train, overly aggressive — and they stink! Because of their solid torso and lanky legs, Nubians, Toggenburgs, and La Manchas are ideal pack goats.
Keep in mind: It is a lot less costly to feed and maintain a goat than it is horse, mule, llama, or alpaca. Feed is less, care is less, and medical supplies and vet bills are not as big a bite out of the homestead budget.
登山爱好者们在社交媒体上晒出与他们的私人背包山羊的自拍,让这些品种变得非常受欢迎。年轻的,阉割过的,经验丰富的雄性需求量很大。希望通过饲养和训练驮羊来补充收入的自耕农发现,他们无法满足人们对这些结实的工作伙伴的要求。
Goats and Children
Many families living in rural locations and choosing to homeschool their children elect to raise a few goats for educational purposes. Teaching a child about raising a goat is both fun and frustrating. Parents report that interaction with goats and other small animals helps their children learn patience, empathy, and responsibility. Children develop affection for livestock in caring for the daily needs and well-being of an animal, helps them to learn healthy respect and regard for all living things.
Goats Need to Earn Their Keep
像所有的宅地牲畜一样,山羊也需要宅地资源,如开始放牧的资本、山羊栖息地所需的土地、劳动力和管理。它们经常在不适合其他牲畜的土地上觅食。山羊喜欢吃草,所以在有限的土地资源上不会与绵羊、马或牛完全竞争。然而,山羊必须将饲料转化为可销售的产品,以证明它们属于多物种经营。在宅基地建设中,土地是一种昂贵而有限的资源。山羊应该能从宅基地的运营成本中获得公平的份额。
Establish a Homestead Management Program
Goats require a consistent, well-managed health care program that includes vaccination for disease and monitoring for obvious health concerns. Goats are prone to problems with both external and internal parasites, pneumonia, and neurological problems, as well as arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases.
它们经常受到肠道蠕虫的困扰。重要的是,作为一个山羊农民,你可以认识到这个问题,并通过定期驱虫来保持羊群的健康。山羊身上的理发杆蠕虫可能是致命的。虽然胃里有几种不同的蠕虫,但理发杆虫(Haemonchus contrortus)更像水蛭而不是蠕虫,因为它通过吸宿主的血来进食。当它吸了你山羊的血,贫血,脱水,严重失血,腹泻,或死亡将发生,如果不及早治疗。
Visit with your county extension agent about the use of herbal wormers rather than using toxic chemical wormers. Goat worms have developed a tolerance for chemicals in the products currently on the market. Your extension agent is familiar with the type of worms commonly found in your area and the ideal herb mixtures to address the infestation. Many herbs that kill goat worms are likely to be found in your garden.
Goats must have their hooves trimmed periodically, the frequency of which is dependent on walking conditions. If goats browse on rocky ground, trimming is not a major concern.
Foraging Around Goats
Goats often get a “bad rap” as destroyers of vegetation, indiscriminately devouring everything in sight. Goats are really not the voracious eaters their reputation portrays. Goats differ from other ruminants in that they are browsers rather than grazers. In the wild, goats roam about a large area, browsing selectively with a bite of this and a bite of that. It’s only when confined that they become heavy eaters of flowers, grasses, vines, shrubs, and trees. When my neighbor’s goats escape their fence, they head straight for my prize-winning roses.
Goats cease to be discriminating in their food choices when vegetation availability is limited. Goats actually prefer a diverse diet, consuming dozens of different plant species.
Browsing goats are one of the very best methods of organic weed control. Goats eagerly consume many plants, such as knapweed, that we consider noxious. Scientific studies suggest that goats gravitate to many weed species due to the plants’ impressive protein and nutrient content, which is considerably higher than most pasture grasses. Homesteaders, farmers, and ranchers appreciate this browsing behavior. Goats will happily browse productively on land that has been overgrazed by horses or other livestock. Interspecies grazing allows the landowner to utilize an otherwise barren pasture while providing extra income from goat products.
Fencing Around Goats
Goats delight in the challenge of going over, through, or under obstacles, often catching their horns on fencing or the branches or roots of a tree. Becoming entangled may place a goat in a life-threatening situation. Goats require secure fencing, at least 4 feet high, to keep them securely contained and predators out.
Experienced goat farmers suggest using a 5-wire electric fence, as goats have a way of managing to escape most other types of farm fencing. Fencing does more than keep out carnivorous wildlife; fencing keeps out other goats. Most goats are not overly aggressive to humans or family pets but can become enraged in the presence of another goat.
Related Post:5 Goat Fencing Options And Details To Consider
Resources:
- United States Department of Agriculture – The Goat Industry: Structure, Concentration, Demand, and Growthhttps://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/emergingissues/downloads/goatreport090805.pdf
- APHIS- Veterinary Services Centers for Epidemiology and Animal Healthhttps://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/goats/downloads/goat09/Goat09_is_DairyGoatOps.pdf
- The University of Maryland – National Goat Handbookhttp://outlands.tripod.com/farm/national_goat_handbook.pdf
- Lohmann Information – Present status of the world goat populations and their productivityhttp://lohmann-information.de/content/l_i_45_artikel17.pdf
- Oxford Academic – Tracing the History of Goat Pastoralism: New Clues from Mitochondrial and Y Chromosome DNA in North Africahttps://academic.oup.com/mbe/article/26/12/2765/1538273
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