Get the most from your goats

Goats are hardy and easy to look after as they can survive under harsh conditions. They can be reared for meat, milk or fibre production purposes. Goat skin also has commercial value and large scale goat farming can produce wool and manure for various uses.

Goat breed selection

Farmers are advised to choose goat breeds that do well in their areas of intended farming. In Zimbabwe, common breeds are the large Matabele and the small East African types. The Boer goat is mainly reared for meat.

Before farmers embark on goat farming, they should learn the necessary skills related to goat health, goat diseases, breeds of each variety of goat and space recommended per animal.

Shelter construction

Goats are inquisitive and daring; they need tight shelter. Goat pens must be fenced and provide adequate protection against the winter cold and rain.

Doors to the shelter should face away from hostile weather.

Though goats can survive on bushy vegetation and grass, feed supplements are essential for fast growth and during pregnancy. A male goat has to run with females for 36-42 days. A mature busk can be given 40-50 females to service while a young buck can be given 25-30.

During pregnancy, feed supplements are essential to help ensure delivery of healthy kids and adequate milk from the expectant female. Pregnant females should be separated from the main stock for close monitoring and security for kids. They must also be vaccinated against pulpy kidney.

Pregnancy in goats lasts between 145-150 days (five months). A well-managed female can produce kids for about eight years.

Production management

Young females should be mated from the age of 12 months. If mated at less than eight months, the female will suffer stinted growth and their productiveness will be poor.

Male goats become fertile earlier than females, so, they must be reared separately to avoid unwanted mating.

Farmers are encouraged to practice informed crossbreeding, as this helps boost goat meat and milk production. Experience has proved that offspring from crossbreeding perform better than the parents. The gestation or maturity period averages some 155 days.

Kid rearing and feeding

Goat kids should be reared in a clean pen with dry bedding. Kids should suckle from their mothers for the first three to four weeks. Farmers can bottle feed the kids where necessary.

After three weeks, kids should start feeding on grass and leaves.

Shelter should be clean enough to reduce the incidence of diseases. A regular lookout should be maintained for diarrhoea and respiratory problems, coughing or nasal discharge.

Kids should be get colostrum within six hours of birth and should not be confined to a small space. Damp conditions should be avoided, as well as excessive heat and cold.

Market

There are various highly lucrative markets for goat products, abattoirs being the major buyer. – Courtesy of WikiHOW and the Department of Agriculture Research and Extension Services Matopo Research Centre