A Goat Will Keep You Alive | Farm Wars

A Goat Will Keep You Alive

Barbara H. Peterson


Farm Wars


When thinking about survival prepping, most think of collecting as
many dried foods as possible to last for as many years as possible,
along with whatever other supplies will be needed to take care of
oneself and family without having to visit the supermarket, which, in
most scenarios, will not be functioning in a post-crash world.


To this discussion, I would like to add something a bit out of the
box. And that is – a goat will keep you alive. Yes, it’s true, and I
have spent the last several weeks proving just that.


The survival system that I decided on was geared towards providing me
and mine with fresh, whole food that is renewable and sustainable. So, I
purchased two milking goats to go along with my garden. One is an
Alpine cross whom I named Sunny, and the other a Mini Mancha (La Mancha
and Nigerian Dwarf cross) who goes by the name of Fiona. They were
pregnant when I bought them, and almost ready to kid.


I
have to admit that I knew Alpines were good milkers, but had no idea
what a Mini Mancha would do, and was delightfully surprised when it came
time for milking at the amount that my little gal produces. For such a
small individual, she is a powerhouse.


So, with these two ladies by my side, I began my journey into food
freedom. Could my ladies actually keep me alive and healthy? I would
soon find out.


The Experiment


The
babies were born the first week of February, and I did not milk until I
weaned them at 2 months of age. After that, I started milking twice per
day and get 1 – 1 ½ gallons per day. Since my ladies started producing I
haven’t eaten much of anything that doesn’t come from the ranch and/or
local sources.


Why a goat?


My first thought was nutrition. Could I really get the nutrition I
need from a diet of goat milk, veggies and fruit? So, I looked up a bit
of nutritional information:


Nutrition

Goat milk is also a healthier alternative to cow milk.
Why? Cow milk has to be homogenized to be more easily digested, which
is a process where the fat globules are broken down. However, this is
not necessary with goat milk because it is naturally homogenized.
Therefore goat milk is much more easily digested than cow milk is.


Goat milk has more of the essential vitamins that we need. Goat
milk has 13% more calcium, 25% percent more B6, 47% percent more vitamin
A, and 27% more selenium. It also has more chloride, copper, manganese,
potassium, and niacin than cow milk. It also produces more silicon and
fluorine than any other dairy animal. Silicon and fluorine can help
prevent diabetes.


Scientist are not sure why, but people who are lactose intolerant
can often drink goat milk without having to worry about side effects.
Goat milk does not cause phlegm like cow milk does, so you can drink
goat milk even when you have a cold or bad allergy problems.


http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/issues/83/83-4/Daniel_Peterson.html

For a complete nutritional breakdown comparing goat milk to cow and human milk, go to Fias Co Farm.


Ease of upkeep


The next concern was how easy are they to keep? It turns out that
they are the best bet for the money when it comes to dairy critters.
Goats are less time consuming, eat less, and are less labor intensive
than cows, making them much more economical. They are also browsers and
not grazers, meaning that they will eat stuff that cows simply will not
touch, and can be used to clear weeds. If you turn them out on your
property to browse, they will eat brush and weeds, leaving you with
cleared, fertilized land, sans the heavy machinery and spendy
store-bought fertilizers. Just be careful of the weeds that they eat as the taste will end up in your milk.

Often the dairy goat has been called the “poor man’s
cow,” because good dairy goats do not cost near as much as good dairy
cows do. You can raise more goats on a smaller amount of pasture than
you can cows. While it takes an acre for a cow/calf, you can
successfully raise six goats on one acre. Cows usually have only one
calf per year, while goats have two kids (that’s what you call a young
goat) after their second year. Pound for pound a good dairy goat will
produce more milk than a cow will. Unlike a cow, a good dairy goat can
produce up to 10% of its body weight in milk.


http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/issues/83/83-4/Daniel_Peterson.html

Choosing your goat


There are several breeds to choose from, and what is right for one, might not be right for another.

The most frequently asked question that people ask me
about goats is, “What is the difference in each breed’s milk taste, and
how much milk do they average.” And that is always one of the hardest
questions to answer, simply because there really aren’t any solid
answers I can give! Each individual goat is going to have its own amount
of milk it’s going to give, and it’s going to have its own taste. Think
of it like a grab bag. You never know what you’re going to get.


But that sounds rather discouraging. How on earth is a body
supposed to choose a goat breed if they’re hesitant about each one? Over
the years, I’ve had the privilege to own almost all the dairy breeds
out there, and then try the milk from countless of other goats. Through
much experience (read: trial and error as we bought goats that gave
horrid tasting milk!), I’ve gotten to know each breed’s quirks and
histories, and I’ve come to realize that it actually is possible to give
people an idea of what to expect from each breed.


http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/choosing-a-dairy-goat-breed.aspx#ixzz2TlWeV9xJ

Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Toggenburg, Oberhaslis, La Mancha, Nigerian
Dwarf, and combinations thereof are the main dairy breeds. I would
rather not get hooked on buying a purebred since they are more
expensive, and certain crosses yield excellent milk, in my opinion. My
gals are both crosses and their milk is wonderful.


So, when you are looking for your milking goat, go with taste,
volume, temperament, size of teats if you are hand milking, and orifice
size. You can determine all of these things if you go to the place where
you are considering purchasing your goat and observe the hands on
experience. Watch the goats to see how they relate to each other, watch
your prospect getting milked, ask questions, and taste her milk. I
always recommend buying from a trusted source, and if in doubt, get a
vet check before purchase.


Preparing for your goat


I
asked the local goat-keeper what type of fencing my girls would need.
He said that if I can make an enclosure that would hold water, I should
be able to keep them in at all times…. Okay! A challenge. Well, I ended
up with a 52” fence because I used large pallets. So far, it has worked.
My friend uses 5’ high woven wire fencing. That is optimal, but since
the pallets were free, that is what I chose.


The feeder is outside of the pen, allowing them to put their heads
through the holes and eat without trampling it on the ground and soiling
it. Hay nets are another option, but if your goat has horns, she can
get them caught in the hay net.





Large dog houses are excellent shelters, but just about anything can
be used such as a raised camper shell, a-frame structures, etc.
Basically, your goats need to have some place dry and out of the
elements to get to. A good straw bedding inside will keep them warm, dry
and happy, and provide a good kidding area.


They will also need a good supply of fresh, clean water. Goats do not
like dirty water, and if you live in freezing conditions you will need
to get a water heater. I use 5 gallon buckets that are cleaned
regularly.


Keeping your goat healthy


Feed


You will want to get a good supply of high quality hay for your
girls. I let the babies browse the ranch, but the milking mamas get a
controlled feed so that the taste of the milk can be regulated. As I
stated before, whatever they eat affects the taste of the milk. If you
cannot get feed for your girls, they can be turned out to forage in an
emergency and will do just fine as long as there is plenty of grass and
other vegetation. Click HERE for a list of edible and poisonous plants for goats.

Each goat needs 2 to 4 pounds of hay each day,
although some of this need can be met by available pasture or other
forage. Make it available free choice throughout the day when pasture is
unavailable or feed twice a day when goats are also browsing.


You can feed alfalfa (and some grass hays) in pellet form if you
don’t have storage or if you want to mix it with grain. The goats don’t
waste so much alfalfa when it’s in pellets, and you can limit who gets
it by combining it with their grain.


http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-to-feed-your-goats.html

I am currently feeding a free-choice oat/pea hay combination along with a non-GMO dairy goat pellet
, whole oats, rolled barley, alfalfa pellets, timothy grass pellets,
and molasses. They also get free-choice loose minerals and baking soda.


Worming


When it is time to worm, I mix food grade diatomaceous earth with
their grain ration along with a bit of warm water and molasses to coat
everything so that it all gets eaten. Here is some info about
diatomaceous earth:

Food grade diatomaceous earth makes a very effective
natural insecticide. The insecticidal quality of diatomaceous earth is
due to the razor sharp edges of the diatom remains. When diatomaceous
earth comes in contact with the insects, the sharp edges lacerate the
bugs waxy exoskeleton and then the powdery diatomaceous earth absorbs
the body fluids causing death from dehydration.


Food grade diatomaceous earth has been used for at least two
decades as a natural wormer for livestock. Some believe diatomaceous
earth scratches and dehydrates parasites. Some scientists believe that
diatomaceous earth is a de-ionizer or de-energizer of worms or
parasites. Regardless, people report definite control. To be most
effective, food grade diatomaceous earth must be fed long enough to
catch all newly hatching eggs or cycling of the worms through the lungs
and back to the stomach. A minimum of 60 days is suggested by many, 90
days is advised for lungworms.


Food grade diatomaceous earth works in a purely
physical/mechanical manner, not “chemical” and thus has no chemical
toxicity. Best yet, parasites don’t build up a tolerance/immunity to its
chemical reaction, so rotation of wormers is unnecessary.


http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html

Injury care


Goats are hardy creatures, so a bit of prevention goes a long way. I
keep Povidone Iodine around for minor cuts, along with hydrogen peroxide
and colloidal silver. My medical kit is stocked with sterile cotton,
vet-wrap, sharp scissors, an enema bottle, small bottles of hydrogen
peroxide, colloidal silver and Betadine, cotton swabs, thermometer, and
small towels.


Trimming feet


Your milking stand can also be used to secure your goats for hoof trimming.


 
Comprehensive instructions along with pictures can be found by clicking HERE.
Also, remember to keep a bottle of blood-stop powder handy just in case
you trim a little too deep and draw blood. If this happens, simply
sprinkle a bit on, and that will stop the bleeding.


To horn or not to horn


Most goat people will insist on disbudding the babies. I don’t. I
know that this is a contentious subject, but clearly, goats are born
with them and they serve a purpose. We disbud (remove) them for our own
personal convenience, not theirs. The choice is yours, as I have already
made mine. Here is an article that supports my belief:

Yes, horns get in the way. Yes, they can cause some
damage. But did you know that in most countries, disbudding is
considered akin to surgically removing a leg, or ears, or an udder? And
 well it should be, in my book. That said, goat owners have to take
their individual circumstances into consideration. Maybe, if I had a lot
of little kids around, I might think differently. But I would probably
just do what I did when my kids were little and there were sharp pointy
goat horns around: put tennis balls, or some sort of rubber, squishy
thing, on the end of the horns.Worked great. Goats didn’t care. No eyes
got poked out.  If I had a bajillion goats in a small space, maybe I
would disbud. If I was going to show my goats, I’d have to – it’s THE
LAW. Hmmm. Im not showing. In my particular case, I’m willing to make
management changes in order to let my goats be goats.


http://dancingdogfarm.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/why-we-believe-goats-should-have-horns/

If you decide to disbud, click HERE for some instructions.


Milking


A happy goat is a good milking goat. At first arrival to a new home,
your goat will take some time to get used to her surroundings. Since
they are herd animals, they like company. So, a compatible goat buddy is
better for your goat than being the lone stranger.


Goats can hold back their milk of they are unhappy, and if they are
satisfied, can deliver it easily. It is really up to them. This means
that developing a good relationship with them is paramount. When I
started milking my mamas, I sang to them. Now that we are in a routine,
and they love routines, I open the gate and they run to the milking
stand. This took a bit of doing.


At first, Fiona didn’t want to get on. She hadn’t been milked on a
stand before and would have none of it. I had to lift her up and place
her on it. Well, that wasn’t going to last for long, so I started only
giving them grain when they were on the stand. Problem solved.  They now
associate the stand with grain, and the longer I milk, the more grain
they get to eat, so they give me as much milk as possible.


Click HERE for detailed instructions on how to hand milk a goat. I like to use a mild solution of warm water and apple cider vinegar for an udder wash and teat dip.


Click HERE for detailed instructions on how to construct a milking stand.


If
you have more than a couple of goats, and you will after kidding, you
might want to invest in a milking machine. I invested in an aspirator
purchased from an eBay seller for $109, some hose for $25, a couple of
replacement batteries for $25, two fittings, a dosing syringe, and a
gallon jar with lid that I had around the house. My friend had already
made one, so she put the fittings and hose together for me, and showed
me how to use it.


The main thing to remember about goat milk is that it will pick up
the flavor of anything it comes in contact with. Therefore, cleanliness
will yield the best tasting milk. Also, I don’t let my milk come in
contact with plastic containers. I use a stainless steel bucket and
glass jars. Immediately after milking, I strain the milk into a glass
jar and place it in the fridge to cool. No “goaty” taste for me! People
who taste my milk say it tastes like creamy, sweet cow’s milk. They
can’t tell it’s from a goat.


Food  and other stuff


When I say that a goat will keep you alive, I mean it. Here is a typical day’s meal:


Breakfast:


Goat milk smoothie – goat milk, whatever fruit is handy and honey
placed in a blender and blended until smooth and creamy, or goat milk
and homemade granola made with oats, fruit and nuts.


Lunch:


Goat cheese and spinach salad.







Dinner:


Vegetable soup and homemade bread made with whey from the cheesemaking process.





Snack:


Goat ice-milk mixed with fruit, nuts, and any other flavors you like.





Here are pics of a couple of the cheeses that I make with stuff from the garden, goat milk and apple cider vinegar.


Walking Onion Goat Cheese











Wild Celery Goat Cheese











I also feed the whey and excess milk to the cats and chickens. It keeps them fat and healthy.


You can also make a very mild and gentle soap from goat milk.


 
Packing


Goats are also used for packing, and will leave a much more invisible footprint than other animals such as donkeys and horses.


 
Conclusion


The results of my experiment are that I am feeling strong, energetic,
am definitely healthy, and do not feel one bit deprived. And what do I
owe it to? My two milking mamas, fresh fruit, veggies, local honey and a
penchant for independence. I am confident that if the store shelves run
dry, I can still eat healthy, good tasting food and get the nutrition
that I need. A goat will keep you alive.


©2013 Barbara H. Peterson



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