HOW ARE GOATS PRODUCED?

Answer:  Goats are relatively clean animals. They eat a wide variety of plants, including types that sheep and cattle don't eat. However, production animals feed on silage, hay and grain just like dairy cattle.

Goats need protection from coyotes or roving dogs if housed providing pasture. However, production goats are housed like dairy cattle. Some producers use Pyrenees dogs to keep predators at bay.

Special 1.2m fencing may be required to keep goats in. As goats like to go around obstacles, electric fencing is sometimes used. Many producers provide 'play areas' with things to climb to amuse them and to prevent damaging behaviour as well.

It is important to provide extra feed for the doe during breeding, pregnancy and nursing. An underfed doe will have problems. The gestation period is 150 days. Kids are "dropped", or born, from late February to early May unless in a production herd and then the kids are born year-round. Twins are born about 10% of the time and triplets are rare.

It takes about 8 months to raise a meat goat for market.

Goats that are raised for their fleece can live up to 15 years. They are sheared twice a year. The adults produce 4 to 7kg of mohair or cashmere a year. The goats may require shelter after being sheared

Answered by: BC Goat Breeders' Association ,  5/10/2005