To ensure what they eat is truly organic, many people are farming and gardening to produce their food at home. If your family consumes a lot of milk and cheese, it can be beneficial to raise a goat. Just like household pets, you need to care for farm animals to keep them healthy. This includes having the number of a large animal clinic on speed-dial in the event of an emergency. Apart from veterinarian checkups, below are a few pointers for raising your new animal.    

3 Tips for Goat Raisers 

1. Get More Than One Goat

Although you might want to start small and get one goat, it’s best to invest in two. The animals are typically kept in herds, and they benefit from interacting with the other animals. Isolation can lead to anxiety. Stressed-out goats eat less, increasing the risk of malnutrition and the inability to produce milk. 

2. Make Sure You Have Space

Whether you get two goats or more, there should be plenty of room set aside for the animals to roam. When determining the size of the fenced-in outdoor area, there should be 10 to 15 square feet per goat. As goats only sleep inside and do so in an upright position laying down, you won’t need as much room to house them indoors. 

3. Choose Foods Wisely

Be mindful of what you feed goats, as many foods can cause health concerns. Plants containing cyanogens, such as elderberry and kafir, are toxic to goats. The same is true with plants that contain alkaloids. From hay to grains, the veterinarians at your local large animal clinic will tell you what foods to include in the goats’ diet. They will also recommend supplements based on their traditional needs. 

Whether you run a large farming business, or have small operations at home, trust the team at Countryside Veterinary Service to care for your goats. The large animal clinic operates five locations across Northeast Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania. In addition to goats, the team also provides animal surgery and additional veterinary services for pigs, sheep, camelids, horses, and cows. Visit the large animal clinic online to find a facility near you. See pictures of their patients by following their Facebook page.