We are not experts.
Below are what works for our animals and family.
You must decide if you wish to use any of this information.
We have learned from trial and error, as well as reading and listening to other goat owners.

Check out how we What We Feed & Why, for more information on hay and grains.

Herbs We Use {Our favorite formulas} Main Herbs Page
Mastitis {Our limited knowledge—we don’t have it, knock on wood, but we have helped friends treat it.}
Worming
Bloat
Goat facts you might find interesting
Hoof trimming
Weight Measurement Chart

Injuries: 4 cups Olive Oil, infused with 1 cup each: calendula, mullein, 1/2 cup chamomile. We use this for all cuts, scrapes , tears.

Poultice: Since this is usually for emergency use we bring to a boil 1 gallon of water and add: 1 cup calendula, mullein, 1/2 cup chamomile, and 3 cups of comfrey. Simmer for 2 hours. {I usually boil for 15 minutes and use it immediately, then do this for my follow up treatments}

Kelp: We use this because it is naturally one of the best supplements you can give to your animals. It is naturally full of minerals, salts, iodine and some vitamins. Helps to promote shiny hair & fur, strong teeth and stimulates glandular activity. This means your animal could produce more offspring, eggs, and milk. 100% Thorvin Kelp, green, meal.

Mastitis: take a hot towel and hold it on the udder until it cools. Rub with Olive oil/Peppermint mixture. We have seen it clear up in 3 treatments. I also give 1000 mg Vitamin C and 400iu Vitamin E in the grain 2x’s a day.
{Olive oil 1 cup. Peppermint oil 30 drops}

Worming: Diatomaceous Earth; DE is a kills parasites by mechanical means. It is not a poison. It is not dirt or earth, it’s made up of the fossilized skeletons of siliceous marine and fresh water organisms, particularly diatoms. These skeletons are made of hydrated amorphous silica or opal. When crushed, they break up into tiny pieces of "glass'' (so tiny that the material feels like talcum powder). This is easily picked up by the hairy bodies of most Insects. Whereupon it scratches through their protective wax layer. The result being that the insects lose water rapidly, dry up and die. Natural diatomaceous earth (DE for short) is the remains of microscopic one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatoms that lived in the oceans that once covered the western part of the United States and other parts of the world. Huge deposits were left behind when the water receded. When crushed, they break up into tiny pieces of "glass'' with razor sharp edges (so tiny that the material feels like talcum powder). This is easily picked up by the hairy bodies of most Insects. When DE comes contact with the insects, the sharp edges lacerate the bugs' waxy exoskeleton and then the powdery DE absorbs the body fluids causing death from dehydration. So DE simply kills insects by drying then up. It cuts and kills the animals externally as well as internally, so you can use it for ants,. fleas, ect. Herbs for worming are Cloves, Black Walnut, Flax seed, Garlic (minced or whole cloves), Pumpkin Seeds (raw), Nettle, Wormwood, Chickweed. I make a mixture and give them 2 tablespoons for a week (somewhere I read worming during a full moon is more advantageous, I forget why) every 3 months. It may be different in your area. We live in a dry climate with very cold winters.

Bloat: This is for Emergency but I just thought I should tell you how to handle bloat, in case the goats were to get into something. (grain, dog food, anything they ate too much of)
1- You must keep them up and walking, if they lie down they will suffocate .
2-You need liquid cooking oil, like Crisco, (not Olive Oil it is too easily digested)
3- You need one of you 35 cc Syringes.
You give at least ½ cup of oil.
One person hold the goat and the other force them to take the oil ,by holding the goats head up.
Then keep it walking until you see it start having diarrhea , then you know the oil is working.
You can also force some Sodium Bicarbonate down them, just pour some in their mouth and make them swallow it.

Goat Facts:

Rectal temperature = 102.5-104
Respiration =15 to 30 per minute
Puberty =3-12 months (sometimes 2 months)
Estrus Cycle = 18 to 23 days
Gestation = 145 to 155 days average.

Goat milk ph is alkaline, while cow milk ph is acid

Conversions :
{I got this chart somewhere, it is handy to know}

1 ml = 1 cc
1 fluid ounce = 30 ml
1 teaspoon = 5ml
1 tablespoon = 15 ml
1 ml = 15 drops = 1 cc

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Hoof Trimming

1. We are no experts at hoof trimming, but it is a skill you must learn and do it regularly.
2. If you have the opportunity to see the hoof of a newborn goat you will know how the hooves should look.
3. The best investment you can make is to go to a goat supply catalog and buy hoof trimmers for goats.
4. They fit well in your hand and will be the proper design.
5. Trim the sides of the hoof and some of the heel.
6. If needed you can also trim the frog. When it starts to look pink you have trimmed enough.
7. If your goat hooves have grown too long trim the overgrown parts off and then trim once a week until they are trimmed back.

Remember though, it is not easy to fix bad hooves and without good hooves your goat will not produce well and very easily die. They need to walk to eat, digest, and drink, as well as for exercise and sun.

Learn this skill. Buy a book (the goat suppliers carry one on Hoof Trimming specifically), go have someone you know show you how. {Be sure to thank them and offer something for their time, even if it is a 99 cent burger! People do not expect to be paid, but it tells them you really value them and their time}

This is a skill you will be glad you learned, and when you do, teach someone else!

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WEIGHT MEASUREMENTS

Wrap tape measure around the goat just behind shoulders and pull until snug.

Inches Pounds Inches Pounds 10 .75 5 26 .75 66 11 .25 5.5 27 .25 69 11 .75 6 27 .75 72 12 .25 6.5 28 .25 75 12 .75 7 28 .75 78 13 .25 8 29 .25 81 13 .75 9 29 .75 84 14 .25 10 30 .25 87 14 .75 11 30 .75 90 15 .25 12 31 .25 93 15 .75 13 31 .75 97 16 .25 15 32 .25 101 16 .75 17 32 .75 105 17 .25 19 33 .25 110 17 .75 21 33 .75 115 18 .25 23 34 .25 120 18 .75 25 34 .75 125 19 .25 27 35 .25 130 19 .75 29 35 .75 135 20 .25 31 36 .25 140 20 .75 33 36 .75 145 21 .25 35 37 .25 150 21 .75 37 37 .75 155 22 .25 39 38 .25 160 22 .75 42 38 .75 165 23 .25 45 39 .25 170 23 .75 48 39 .75 175 24 .25 51 40 .25 180 24 .75 54 40 .75 185 25 .25 57 41 .25 190 25 .75 60 41 .75 195 26 .25 63 42 .25 200