Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Raising goats is definitely a family project. The kids pitch in to help with the chores, as clean-
ing pens, trimming hooves, and vaccinations are big projects. Kidding season is the most
time-consuming chore. Starting in late spring, they check the goats every two hours, day and
night, to catch any does that might be having trouble giving birth. Their hard work pays off
during the grazing season when they watch the young goats frolic on the grassy hills, which
is the best part of goat farming in their opinion.
They have invested quite a bit of money and time into their goat operation. Fences are the
biggest project. They need to be goat proof, as goats are masters at escaping from even the
best-planned fence. The Dahls use two strands of smooth, electric wire in the pasture, and
in the barnyard, they use woven wire topped with barbed wire to keep escapes to a minim-
um. Housing needs for the goats are met using the existing buildings on the farm. The
biggest need for housing is for small pens for the does when kidding; otherwise, the goats
spend most of their time outside.
The Dahls market their goats both directly off the farm and through a sales barn. They sell
both breeding goats and goats for meat. The children show goats at the county Achievement
Days, and they hope to expand to other shows as well. The market for meat goats is steady
and is expected to grow somewhat in the future. In the meantime, the Dahls keep busy with
their playful goats and take time to enjoy them each day.
Using Goats for Weed Control
As stated earlier, goats can and are used to control weeds. This type of use is called managed
defoliation in an attempt to reduce unwanted shrubs and weeds in an area while increasing the
numbers of wanted grasses. Results are evident after one year of grazing but it typically takes
up to four years to get good brush control. Grazing while brush and weeds are rapidly grow-
ing, typically in the spring and summer, is more effective than trying to start a brush control
program after the weeds are mature, as the goats will not consume as much of the mature
plants as the young plants.
Goats for Milk
In many parts of the world, people drink goat milk instead of cow milk. It has a sweet taste,
sometimes with a salty base. Goat milk is gaining in popularity in the U.S. and might be
found in grocery stores as well as health food stores. Goat milk does not have to be homogen-
ized. This means that there is no need to break up the fat in goat milk. The fat in cow milk
tends to separate into globules but the fat in goat milk is spread evenly throughout the milk
and stays suspended throughout the milk. Many times, if someone is sensitive to cow milk,
