Housing Requirements - Goat Science and Production - page 323

Many factors must be considered for proper housing
design and choice of materials. For proper lighting in a
goat barn, the window area should be at least 8-10% or
preferably more of the fl oor area. Plastic roofi ng can
enhance lighting and reduce the need for windows. Metal
roofi ng can be aluminum or steel, which is low in cost, but
these alternatives have lower insulating properties.
Interior and exterior fi nish of an animal housing unit
may be of different types; however, it should provide
mechanical strength, moisture resistance, and easy clean-
ing. Metal siding is available and may last 15-20 years
without refi nishing but takes less abuse and is not a good
insulator. Wood siding can take animal abuse and is a
better insulator than metal or masonry material; however,
it requires more maintenance. If the operation is seeking
organic certifi cation, treated lumber and other treated
building materials will not pass organic certifi cation stan-
dards in the U.S. Policies regarding organic certifi cations
must be considered before purchasing treated materials.
Goats can chew and rub on wood when bored, and this
may lead to problems. Wood also harbors disease and is
often diffi cult to clean and disinfect. For this reason, using
metal materials such as “T” posts, welded stock panels,
and combination wire pipe panels may be preferred. In any
case, cost and ease of use of materials should be consid-
ered. Masonry siding requires very little maintenance but
requires a high initial capital investment.
Insulation is a part of modern farm buildings, even for
buildings that are considered cold structures (that do not
need mechanical heating). These buildings can be mini-
mally insulated to protect animals from summer heat and
winter cold. Table 17.1 represents general recommenda-
tions for insulation of farm buildings based on a minimum
R - value. As the R - value increases, the material 's resis-

tance to heat fl ow increases or buildings become more
insulated (Parker, 2008 ).
In many regions of the world, low cost housing can be
framed by wooden poles, and siding and roofi ng could be
constructed simply from available weaved tree branches.
In all cases, internal surfaces of all buildings and equip-
ment to which goats have access should not have sharp
edges or projections.

Flooring Design
The fl oors in animal housing must be made of durable
materials that are not slippery. The type of fl ooring can be
wood, metal, and plastic. The fl oor should be well drained
and easy to clean with a low maintenance requirement.
Dirt and stone (gravel) fl oors are preferred and dirt (clay)
mixed with sand may increase the surface area absorption.
Wooden fl oors should be made of rough-cut hardwood.
However, they can be slippery when wet, and feed and
urine may be trapped in their cracks and create an environ-
ment to attract rodents. Compacted gravel can also be used
for fl ooring that provides surface drainage. Concrete fl oors
may be hard on feet but they are easy to clean and disinfect.
Concrete pens should be bedded with 10 - 15 cm (5 - 6
inches) of straw or other absorbent materials such as poor
quality hay, wood shavings, sawdust, shredded newspaper,
peanut hulls, or sand. Other materials such as rubber fl oor
mats may be used but are not recommended.
The elevated slatted false fl oor housing for dairy and
meat goats is used in many tropical countries, and it is an
effective management system practiced for half a million
head of dairy goats in Taiwan (Figure 17.1) (Professor
George Haenlein, personal communication). This type of
fl ooring can be constructed from wood, corrugated metal,
or plastic screens, or may be concrete (used in swine build-
ings). In the U.S., a durable plastic-coated metal fl ooring
system that can be used for elevated goat housing fl oors is
commercially available. In a study reported by Lupton
et al. (2008), Angora goats were raised for meat and
mohair production, using feedlot, pasture, and raised fl oor
systems commercially or as a niche market. Goats raised
on raised fl oors clearly had low labor requirements, a clean
and healthy environment, no internal parasites, cleaner
fl eece, and more consistent products, either meat or
fi ber when compared with other systems. The high initial
investment for this commercial production system failed
to produce a profi t in meat or fi ber production. However,
raised fl oor systems for a niche market and for a com-
mercial goat dairy can produce higher profi tability. Raised
fl oors have a potential to protect goats from rain runoff,
keep hooves dry, allow air movement, reduce feces

Table 17.1 R-value guidelines for animal
housing.

Ceiling Wall

Cold building operated at
outside temperature

R2 - R4 No insulation

Buildings where animals '
heat provides winter
minimum temperature

R16 R9 - R12

Building with supplemental
heating

R24 R13

Source: Parker, 2008 .