Getting Your Goats

Before you purchase a goat, it is important to know why you want it and what you are going to do with it. Consider the following questions:

1. What do I want from my goats- meat, milk, fiber or companionship?

2. How many animals do I want to take care of?

3. What space- both housing and pasture do I have?

4. What goat breeds area available in my area?

If you are expecting to have milk, you definitely don’t want a wether (a castrated male). If you don’t want to milk twice a day for 365 days a year, that wether may be just what you need. Some breeds, such as the Sannen are good meat and milk animals. Like dairy cow, most dairy goats can be used for meats as well milking purposes. Boer goats, traditionally a heavily muscled meat breed. Rare breeds allow you to help preserve unique bloodlines.

The first rule of goat buying is to buy from individual directly. Visit the farm and try to see them all; if there are problems, you should know before you buy. Ask why the goats for sale. Is he changing bloodlines? Downsizing? Switching breeds?

Be aware that unethical or unknowing breeders sometimes sell goats that aren’t' quite what they seem. Purebred Boers, for example are not the same as full-blood Boers, given two goats of equal quality, the full-blood is worth a lot more money. In all seriousness it will be helpful for you to have some idea of the differences between a "good" goat and a "poor" one before you purchase an animal. .Before handling over your cheque, ask for applicable guarantees and sales condition in writing. Do this every time when dealing with seller.

Above all, trust your intuition. If the seller seems evasive or otherwise makes you feel uneasy, thank him for his time and look elsewhere. That are too many honest sellers in the goat world to deal with someone you don't quite trust.