goat:goats

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goat:goats [2026/03/12 20:29] – [Related topics] Simon Grantgoat:goats [2026/04/09 16:38] (current) – [Further resources] Simon Grant
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-# Goats+This topic is part of [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. 
 +====== Goats ======
  
  
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-## What are goats?+===== What are goats? =====
  
 The domestic goat (_Capra aegagrus hircus_) is a subspecies of the wild goat, or Bezoar Ibex, of south-west Asia and eastern Europe, and was domesticated 10,000 years ago. A ruminant mammal, goats are closely related to sheep but differ significantly in their characteristics and quirks. The domestic goat (_Capra aegagrus hircus_) is a subspecies of the wild goat, or Bezoar Ibex, of south-west Asia and eastern Europe, and was domesticated 10,000 years ago. A ruminant mammal, goats are closely related to sheep but differ significantly in their characteristics and quirks.
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-## What are the benefits of keeping goats?+===== What are the benefits of keeping goats? =====
  
  
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-## What can I do?+===== What can I do? =====
  
-### Getting started+==== Getting started ====
  
 Once you've done some basic research (see further resources to start with), it's well worth getting in touch with a local goat keeper to get a feel for how to handle goats and whether they're the animal for you. You can find people who keep goats through [WWOOF](/wwoo/wwoofing), smallholder forums and associations, or local goat keeping societies (ask the [British Goat Society](https://www.britishgoatsociety.com/)). These are also excellent places to ask questions and get advice from experienced keepers. You could spend some time volunteering with goats, through WWOOF for example, or you might want to attend one of the courses available to prospective goat keepers. Once you've done some basic research (see further resources to start with), it's well worth getting in touch with a local goat keeper to get a feel for how to handle goats and whether they're the animal for you. You can find people who keep goats through [WWOOF](/wwoo/wwoofing), smallholder forums and associations, or local goat keeping societies (ask the [British Goat Society](https://www.britishgoatsociety.com/)). These are also excellent places to ask questions and get advice from experienced keepers. You could spend some time volunteering with goats, through WWOOF for example, or you might want to attend one of the courses available to prospective goat keepers.
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-### Buying your goats+==== Buying your goats ====
  
 Goats are social animals and for that reason you'll need to keep at least two. Local and national goat societies are the most reliable links to good quality goats for sale and will be able to put you in touch with breeders. If buying goats at market or through private ads, it's advisable to take an experienced person with you for advice. Goats are social animals and for that reason you'll need to keep at least two. Local and national goat societies are the most reliable links to good quality goats for sale and will be able to put you in touch with breeders. If buying goats at market or through private ads, it's advisable to take an experienced person with you for advice.
  
-### Housing+==== Housing ====
  
 Unlike sheep, goats are miserable in cold, wet weather and in a British climate require draught-proof shelter at night and access to a field shelter while outdoors. They like to sleep together; if penned individually at night, they should have stalls which allow them to make some physical contact with their neighbours. Unlike sheep, goats are miserable in cold, wet weather and in a British climate require draught-proof shelter at night and access to a field shelter while outdoors. They like to sleep together; if penned individually at night, they should have stalls which allow them to make some physical contact with their neighbours.
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 Goats need access to outdoor space where they can spend most of each day, and benefit from a large area where they can roam, play and browse. If you're keeping goats in a relatively small area, such as a small paddock, you can enable them to express their natural behaviour by hanging tree branches from the fences and providing them with structures they can scramble about on. Goats need access to outdoor space where they can spend most of each day, and benefit from a large area where they can roam, play and browse. If you're keeping goats in a relatively small area, such as a small paddock, you can enable them to express their natural behaviour by hanging tree branches from the fences and providing them with structures they can scramble about on.
  
-### Feeding+==== Feeding ====
  
 Goats are browsers rather than grazers and their natural foraging habitat is a mix of grassland, scrubland and woodland. Goats are often kept on pasture and will graze (some breeds more than others) but cropped grass can worsen parasite problems, to which grazing goats are particularly susceptible. If you have an area of woodland and scrubland, this is goat heaven, but be aware that they will destroy your trees! Solutions to this include rotating browsing areas, protecting young trees with guards, or fencing ‘islands of browse’ for goats to forage around the edge of. Goats are browsers rather than grazers and their natural foraging habitat is a mix of grassland, scrubland and woodland. Goats are often kept on pasture and will graze (some breeds more than others) but cropped grass can worsen parasite problems, to which grazing goats are particularly susceptible. If you have an area of woodland and scrubland, this is goat heaven, but be aware that they will destroy your trees! Solutions to this include rotating browsing areas, protecting young trees with guards, or fencing ‘islands of browse’ for goats to forage around the edge of.
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-### Keeping goats with other animals+==== Keeping goats with other animals ====
  
 Keeping goats and poultry together works well, they are unlikely to compete for food, and poultry can help keep down parasite levels on the pasture. Goats can be kept with sheep with careful planning; you would need to consider separate feeding areas, how to prevent sheep accessing goat mineral licks, and keeping only dehorned goats. It is also important to note that goats are more susceptible to the parasites they share with sheep; sharing a pasture may lead to an increase in the need to medicate your goats. Though grazing goats with cows is less common it is theoretically less problematic; goats are not susceptible to cow parasites and cows are not as vulnerable to goat horns. Keeping goats and poultry together works well, they are unlikely to compete for food, and poultry can help keep down parasite levels on the pasture. Goats can be kept with sheep with careful planning; you would need to consider separate feeding areas, how to prevent sheep accessing goat mineral licks, and keeping only dehorned goats. It is also important to note that goats are more susceptible to the parasites they share with sheep; sharing a pasture may lead to an increase in the need to medicate your goats. Though grazing goats with cows is less common it is theoretically less problematic; goats are not susceptible to cow parasites and cows are not as vulnerable to goat horns.
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-### Milk production+==== Milk production ====
  
 A dairy goat will produce 2–9 litres of milk in the summer, and about half that in the winter. They must be milked twice a day, every day. Most does will need to have a kid at least every other year in order to continue to produce a supply of milk. A dairy goat will produce 2–9 litres of milk in the summer, and about half that in the winter. They must be milked twice a day, every day. Most does will need to have a kid at least every other year in order to continue to produce a supply of milk.
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 [More on dairying](/dair/dairying). [More on dairying](/dair/dairying).
  
-### Fibre production+==== Fibre production ====
  
 Angora goats are usually shorn in spring and autumn, and produce a fibre known as mohair. Fine but hard-wearing, mohair is known for its silk-like texture and sheen. It takes dye easily, so often comes in vibrant colours. As the fibre is so smooth, it's often blended with other fibres, such as wool, to give it more structure and make it easier to [spin](/spin/spinning) into yarn. Angora goats are usually shorn in spring and autumn, and produce a fibre known as mohair. Fine but hard-wearing, mohair is known for its silk-like texture and sheen. It takes dye easily, so often comes in vibrant colours. As the fibre is so smooth, it's often blended with other fibres, such as wool, to give it more structure and make it easier to [spin](/spin/spinning) into yarn.
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 Cashmere is a fine, soft and extremely insulating fibre made from the soft down undercoat of goats which produce a double fleece with a full undercoat. Either goats are shorn in early spring, then kept indoors until the weather warms, or the fleece is collected when the goats start to moult naturally. Separating the soft undercoat from the coarse fleece can be a labour-intensive process. If you're interested in producing cashmere it's worth seeking out a course, or a producer willing to show you the process. Cashmere is a fine, soft and extremely insulating fibre made from the soft down undercoat of goats which produce a double fleece with a full undercoat. Either goats are shorn in early spring, then kept indoors until the weather warms, or the fleece is collected when the goats start to moult naturally. Separating the soft undercoat from the coarse fleece can be a labour-intensive process. If you're interested in producing cashmere it's worth seeking out a course, or a producer willing to show you the process.
  
-### Meat production & slaughter+==== Meat production & slaughter ====
  
 If you plan to raise meat goats for consumption by yourself and your immediate family, you can dispatch animals yourself provided it's done humanely. Slaughtering the animals on farm could be considered the compassionate option, saving them the stress of a long journey and the unfamiliar environment of the slaughterhouse. If you plan to raise meat goats for consumption by yourself and your immediate family, you can dispatch animals yourself provided it's done humanely. Slaughtering the animals on farm could be considered the compassionate option, saving them the stress of a long journey and the unfamiliar environment of the slaughterhouse.
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 If you plan to sell your meat you'll need to send your goats to a slaughterhouse. You can then either take on the butchery yourself or pay extra for the slaughterhouse to do it for you. If you do it yourself, you'll need to follow hygiene regulations and have your premises inspected by Environmental Health on a regular basis. Contact the Food Standards Agency for further information. If you plan to sell your meat you'll need to send your goats to a slaughterhouse. You can then either take on the butchery yourself or pay extra for the slaughterhouse to do it for you. If you do it yourself, you'll need to follow hygiene regulations and have your premises inspected by Environmental Health on a regular basis. Contact the Food Standards Agency for further information.
  
-### Health+==== Health ====
  
 You'll need to routinely inspect and trim your goats' feet; this is easy to learn with the help of an experienced person. You'll probably need to treat your goats for intestinal parasites; how frequently you need to do this will depend on the area of pasture your goats have to roam in, your pasture rotation system, and whether your goats have access to browse. It's important not to treat your goats for worms more often than necessary, as this can lead to resistance to the medications. It's worth researching pasture rotation for parasite control, and considering regular fecal egg counts to monitor the parasite levels in your herd. You'll also need to check your goats for lice, ensure they have the necessary vaccinations, and generally keep an eye out for infectious disease. You'll need to routinely inspect and trim your goats' feet; this is easy to learn with the help of an experienced person. You'll probably need to treat your goats for intestinal parasites; how frequently you need to do this will depend on the area of pasture your goats have to roam in, your pasture rotation system, and whether your goats have access to browse. It's important not to treat your goats for worms more often than necessary, as this can lead to resistance to the medications. It's worth researching pasture rotation for parasite control, and considering regular fecal egg counts to monitor the parasite levels in your herd. You'll also need to check your goats for lice, ensure they have the necessary vaccinations, and generally keep an eye out for infectious disease.
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-### Paperwork+==== Paperwork ====
  
 If you keep goats, you need to register the land where you're keeping them with the relevant agency, which depends on where in the UK you live. You must also inform the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHRA), who will allocate you a flock number. There are regulations you must follow in terms of identifying and tagging your animals and recording the movement of any animals on and off your holding. See DEFRA's guidelines for more information. If you keep goats, you need to register the land where you're keeping them with the relevant agency, which depends on where in the UK you live. You must also inform the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHRA), who will allocate you a flock number. There are regulations you must follow in terms of identifying and tagging your animals and recording the movement of any animals on and off your holding. See DEFRA's guidelines for more information.
  
 +===== Forum =====
  
-## Further resources+This topic belongs to the section [[gt:gardening|Gardening, smallholding & farming]]. You can ask questions or add information on the corresponding [Forum section](https://forum.growingthecommons.org/t/gardening). 
 + 
 +===== Further resources =====
  
 - [National Goat Handbook](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/national_goat_handbook.pdf) - covering all aspects of keeping goats - [National Goat Handbook](http://lowimpactorg.onyx-sites.io/wp-content/uploads/national_goat_handbook.pdf) - covering all aspects of keeping goats
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 - [List of goat breeds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_goat_breeds) - [List of goat breeds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_goat_breeds)
  
-## Related topics+- [Lawnmower Loathing, Happy Goats](https://bioharmony.substack.com/p/lawnmower-loathing) 
 + 
 +- [[wp>Goat]] 
 + 
 +===== Related topics =====
  
 - [Alpacas](alps:alpacas) - [Alpacas](alps:alpacas)
-- [Butchery & meat](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/butc/butchery) +- [Butchery & meat](butc:butchery) 
-- [Cheesemaking](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/chee/cheesemaking) +- [Cheesemaking](chee:cheesemaking) 
-- [Dairying](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/dair/dairying) +- [Dairying](dair:dairying) 
-- [Fences](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/fenc/fences) +- [Fences](fenc:fences) 
-- [Gates & stiles](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/gate/gates) +- [Gates & stiles](gate:gates) 
-- [Hedges](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/hedg/hedges) +- [Hedges](hedg:hedges) 
-- [Keeping livestock](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/livs/livestock) +- [Keeping livestock](livs:livestock) 
-- [Meadows, grass & pasture](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/mdws/meadows) +- [Meadows, grass & pasture](mdws:meadows) 
-- [Sheep](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/shep/sheep) +- [Sheep](shep:sheep) 
-- [Skins & hides](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/skin/skins) +- [Skins & hides](skin:skins) 
-- [Smallholding](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/smho/smallholding) +- [Smallholding](smho:smallholding) 
-- [Spinning](https://knowledge.growingthecommons.org/doku.php/spin/spinning)+- [Spinning](spin:spinning)
  
-## Specialist curators of this topic+===== Specialist curators of this topic =====
  
  • goat/goats.1773347360.txt.gz
  • Last modified: 2026/03/12 20:29
  • by Simon Grant