Goats are our pride and joy at Branru Farm
They are among the most fun and interesting animals on the planet. Depending on the breed and gender, they can provide everything from basic pet companionship like you would get from a dog or cat to fibers (hair) suitable for spinning into yarn. Here, we raise dairy goats for milk, which we then use to make our great lines of body lotions and goat milk soaps. Goats are also great because they are low-maintenance compared to many other farm animals, but that's not to say they require no time to keep. There are definitely both financial and time investments involved in goat keeping. Today, let's talk about the latter.
Before we address some of the potentially time consuming tasks relating to goat keeping, keep in mind not every factor is easy to calculate. For example, breeding, kidding, and milking all take time, but not everyone breeds or milks their goats. Similarly, not everyone has to worry about shearing/harvesting fibers because not all goats require that kind of maintenance. With that in mind, here are some basic time commitments associated with keeping goats.
Time Spent on the Initial Building of Goat Shelters/Pens
Whether you plan to raise them for goat milk, meat, fibers, or just the fun of having new pets, they all need space. You have to take the initial time required to create that space for them. That includes putting up fences to protect them from danger and keep them from roaming. It also includes building barns, sheds, or other structures to give them protection from sun and weather.
Recommendations can vary regarding spaces for goats. For example, these are recommendations from the University of Florida for how much space female goats (does) need, in general. However, New Mexico State University offers up these recommendations specifically for keeping dairy goats. Factors you need to consider before building fenced in areas or shelters include but may not be limited to:
Breed
Herd Size
Genders
Geographic Location
Time for Daily Goat Care
Although sometimes minimal, all goat breeds need some degree of daily care. You have to allot time each day to meet their needs. Those daily needs always include:
Restocking Hay Feeders
Providing Feed and Minerals
Refilling Water Troughs
Administering Medications if Any Are Prescribed Currently to Any Animal
You also must take time to socialize with your goats daily. Not only is doing so fun, but it can help you build a good relationship with them. That can make them easier to handle during veterinary and other necessary procedures. If you happen to have dairy goats, as we do to help us produce items like our spring mint body lotion and lilac goat milk soap, you may also need to add milking time to your daily goat care routine at certain times of year.
Time for Weekly Goat Care
Certain tasks relating to keeping goats only need to be performed weekly. Pen/barn/shed cleaning should be done at least once per week. Depending on herd size, you may need to do it more frequently. You should also check any pasture areas weekly. Look for any hazards the goats could get into like nightshade or other dangerous plants that may begin growing in the pasture area.
Also, pay attention to any fence damage and fix it quickly. Fence damage may be caused by the goats themselves, weather, or other animals attempting to get into the goat pen. Regardless, goats can be resourceful and destructive. They'll take advantage of any fence weaknesses to escape.
Another aspect of weekly goat care time investment is training. Goats are smart animals and fully capable of learning. Useful things to teach them include their names (recall) and how to walk on leashes. You can even teach them various tricks for fun, if you'd like. For instance, some goats pull carts, which can be both fun and useful.
Devoting Time to Whatever Else Pops Up
As we said at the start of this article, not everything about keeping goats is predictable. Sometimes you have to devote time to unexpected or intermittent things that pop up. For instance, your goats will almost certainly need monthly to quarterly hoof trims. Seasonal maintenance issues like winterizing barns or sheds can also take additional time. So, even though goats don't take a lot of maintenance, keeping goats still requires some time investment. Still, we here at Branru Farm think they are certainly worth it!