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General Discussion / A guide for the new or prospective dairy goat owner
« on: March 27, 2008, 03:35:36 PM »
The choice of a goat is a highly personal one with many, many, variables.
It is important to decide what you want from the goat, and what you can
invest in time and money towards keeping goats. Do your research and
preparation BEFORE you buy. Most publications about goats have
descriptions as to what constitutes good conformation. Do not be taken in
by pretty colors alone. To get the best possible animal for your
investment, buy from a reputable breeder, not a livestock auction (You
don't know the history, breeding, diseases, etc associated with an animal
from an auction). The breeder will probably have a selection of animals
available at varying costs, depending on his or her opinion of their worth.
Discuss with the breeder the reasons the animal is being sold. Look at all
the animals in the barn, to compare the health and quality of the goats in
the herd. Ask to see milk records, if they are available. Beware the shy,
listless doe, as goats are normally outgoing and friendly. Don't buy any
goat with open sores, abscesses, or conspicuous lumps.
Most breeders keep pedigrees for their animals. A pedigree is used to
document the ancestry of the animal. A great deal of information can be
obtained from a well annotated pedigree. Many breeders will list milking
records, show wins, classification scores, or other important information
that indicates the quality of the animals in the pedigree. Several symbols
appear in records kept on individual goats which convey further
information. Definitions of these symbols and terms are available from
ADGA, and also appear in the 'Dairy Goat Journal', Vol. 61, #4, page 319.
Goat shows are a good means to become familiar with desirable
characteristics in an open setting. By watching the animals in the ring
and listening carefully to the judge's comments, you can learn a lot about
caprine anatomy and pick out good and bad points. The one caution is that
the judge is making a comparison of the animals being shown; this does not
necessarily mean that a first place animal is the greatest thing since
sliced bread. All it means is that, in the judge's opinion, it is better
overall than the second or lower place animal for the reasons the judge
states during placement.
When deciding which goat to buy, keep in mind YOUR criteria for buying a
goat. A culled animal from a high quality herd may make an ideal homestead
milker, even though it won't win best in show.
It is important to decide what you want from the goat, and what you can
invest in time and money towards keeping goats. Do your research and
preparation BEFORE you buy. Most publications about goats have
descriptions as to what constitutes good conformation. Do not be taken in
by pretty colors alone. To get the best possible animal for your
investment, buy from a reputable breeder, not a livestock auction (You
don't know the history, breeding, diseases, etc associated with an animal
from an auction). The breeder will probably have a selection of animals
available at varying costs, depending on his or her opinion of their worth.
Discuss with the breeder the reasons the animal is being sold. Look at all
the animals in the barn, to compare the health and quality of the goats in
the herd. Ask to see milk records, if they are available. Beware the shy,
listless doe, as goats are normally outgoing and friendly. Don't buy any
goat with open sores, abscesses, or conspicuous lumps.
Most breeders keep pedigrees for their animals. A pedigree is used to
document the ancestry of the animal. A great deal of information can be
obtained from a well annotated pedigree. Many breeders will list milking
records, show wins, classification scores, or other important information
that indicates the quality of the animals in the pedigree. Several symbols
appear in records kept on individual goats which convey further
information. Definitions of these symbols and terms are available from
ADGA, and also appear in the 'Dairy Goat Journal', Vol. 61, #4, page 319.
Goat shows are a good means to become familiar with desirable
characteristics in an open setting. By watching the animals in the ring
and listening carefully to the judge's comments, you can learn a lot about
caprine anatomy and pick out good and bad points. The one caution is that
the judge is making a comparison of the animals being shown; this does not
necessarily mean that a first place animal is the greatest thing since
sliced bread. All it means is that, in the judge's opinion, it is better
overall than the second or lower place animal for the reasons the judge
states during placement.
When deciding which goat to buy, keep in mind YOUR criteria for buying a
goat. A culled animal from a high quality herd may make an ideal homestead
milker, even though it won't win best in show.
