Re: What should I look for in a goat?

[Guest guest]

>>I am looking to purchase a milk goat for my son's 4-H project. We would like to raise our own milk instead of purchasing raw milk from the health food store. Can anyone tell me what I should look out for?<<

I don't know that much about goats but this is what I would do. Ask your 4H leader or the county extension office. They may be able to point you to the person to buy from and walk you through what to look for. After all that IS what they are there for.

>>Someone said in passing the I need to have the goat tested for something to tell if they are positive or negative and we couldn't use the positive milk raw.<<

Your large animal vet (one that knows goats) will know what you need to do, what tests, and other paper work. If your son is showing the animal you with want to check with the fair board what (if anything) animals need to be checked for.

You will need a brand inspection (even if they don't have a brand) you will need proof down the line that you bought not stole the goat. If you aren't going out of state to get you animal it wont be that had. But I would get a vet check before buying (you have to if you buy out of state). And if really concerned call the state vet and see what they suggest.

>>What about antibiotics? Will they remain in their systems for a long while or should I just find one that has never had any antibiotics?<<

On the label of any animal medication it says how long it is in the system. So you should ask when (or if) the animal has been given medications last. (including wormers) I know that some of the cattle wormers out there you can't drink the milk after you give them the wormer for a number of months. >>The people we are looking to buy from are nice but I'm not sure how much they really know and we know NOTHING. Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.Thanks,<<

I probably wouldn't buy from them. Because you (or at least I) go back to the person I bought an animal from to ask questions at least until you know that animal well. Find some one that can mentor you to buy from, or find a mentor (close to you) and then find a good animal. I'm a cow person so I can't speak about GOATS that much, but these are all general guide lines.

SydneePLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Check out these links!Midvalleyvu Farms http://www.midvalleyvu.comThe Weston A. Price Foundation: http://www.westonaprice.orgThe Untold Story of Milk http://www.drrons.com/untoldstoryofmilk.htmlPlease visit our Raw Dairy files for a wealth of information:FILES: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/Database: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/databaseRecipes: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/database?method=reportRows & tbl=1Contact List: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/database?method=reportRows & tbl=2Photos: http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/lst

[Guest guest]

where are you located?

I could give you some good references for my area, and a few others.

You need to purchase from someone who can help you w/ ??? after the sale.

LA200 is an oxytetracyline and for infections. I don;t kow why that would be used with any regularlity unless they had to pull kids. That is nice to know, what their kidding history is. What breed are you looking for?

www.MajestyFarm.comNorth Garden, Virginia

What should I look for in a goat?

Hi!I am looking to purchase a milk goat for my son's 4-H project. We would like to raise our own milk instead of purchasing raw milk from the health food store. Can anyone tell me what I should look out for? Someone said in passing the I need to have the goat tested for something to tell if they are positive or negative and we couldn't use the positive milk raw. The man walked away too fast for us to ask any questions. We were just going to buy a goat from someone we know but we don't want something that we can't use raw.What about antibiotics? Will they remain in their systems for a long while or should I just find one that has never had any antibiotics? The owners said they must occassionally give shots of LA200 to kidding mothers after birth. Is that something to be concerned with?The people we are looking to buy from are nice but I'm not sure how much they really know and we know NOTHING. Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.Thanks,PLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Check out these links!Midvalleyvu Farms http://www.midvalleyvu.comThe Weston A. Price Foundation: http://www.westonaprice.orgThe Untold Story of Milk http://www.drrons.com/untoldstoryofmilk.htmlPlease visit our Raw Dairy files for a wealth of information:FILES: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/Database: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/databaseRecipes: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/database?method=reportRows & tbl=1Contact List: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/database?method=reportRows & tbl=2Photos: http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/lst

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Thanks for the advice.

I live in central California so I think that's a little out of your

area I don't know what breed we should look for and the county

extension office is of NO help. They know rabbits and lambs but not

goats. Our club does not have a goat leader and the person we are

looking at buying from IS the goat leader of another club. That's

why I am turning to you all. I have been told to stay away from

Nubians as they cry all the time but other than that we don't have a

clue.

Yes, the LA200 was used because the kid was breech and had to be

turned. Does that mean that she has a more than average chance of

future births being breech?

Obviously we are not going to run out tomorrow and buy this goat. I

will do more research before forging ahead. I was really hoping to

just let my son (15)learn from the leader of the other club but it

doesn't sound like that's a very good idea. I will educate myself

and my son.

Thanks,

" lotzakdz " <lotzakdz@e...> wrote:

> where are you located?

> I could give you some good references for my area, and a few

others.

>

> You need to purchase from someone who can help you w/ ??? after

the sale.

>

> LA200 is an oxytetracyline and for infections. I don;t kow why

that would be used with any regularlity unless they had to pull

kids. That is nice to know, what their kidding history is. What

breed are you looking for?

>

>

[Guest guest]

I looked for information for you . Hoping to find what you needed. This site is from 4Hers in Irvine CA. If they have been to state fair they may know someone you can talk to close to you. If not you may find their site helpful. It even has a sound of the Nubian cry.

http://www.ics.uci.edu/~pazzani/4H/DairyGoats.html

May this help you make up your mind.

Sydnee

>>I live in central California so I think that's a little out of your area I don't know what breed we should look for and the county extension office is of NO help. person we are looking at buying from

IS the goat leader of another club. urning to you all. I have been

told to stay away from Nubians as they cry all the time but other than

that we don't have a clue.Thanks,<<

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

we have goats. Nubians to be exact. Yes they do make a lot of noise but it is only in the morning and at night when we are doing chores. They are crying for us to come see them, feed them ect. Sometimes they do cry when the children are outside playing, they want to go play with them. The older babies make the most noise. We don’t use antibiotics on our goats. We use natural things. And yes I have had to go in and turn kids and all my does have been fine with using natural methods. Most antibiotics will linger in the goat for some time also you have to see if the goat has been vaccinated. That will also be in the milk. We do not vaccinate because we are a closed herd. Meaning we do not take our goats anywhere and we do not bring in new ones until they have been tested. Some very good web sites for info on goats are

www.ADAG.org American Dairy Goat Association

http://fiascofarm.com/ A wealth of very good info on goats

What should I look for in a goat?

Hi!I am looking to purchase a milk goat for my son's 4-H project. We would like to raise our own milk instead of purchasing raw milk from the health food store. Can anyone tell me what I should look out for? Someone said in passing the I need to have the goat tested for something to tell if they are positive or negative and we couldn't use the positive milk raw. The man walked away too fast for us to ask any questions. We were just going to buy a goat from someone we know but we don't want something that we can't use raw.What about antibiotics? Will they remain in their systems for a long while or should I just find one that has never had any antibiotics? The owners said they must occassionally give shots of LA200 to kidding mothers after birth. Is that something to be concerned with?The people we are looking to buy from are nice but I'm not sure how much they really know and we know NOTHING. Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.Thanks,PLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Check out these links!Midvalleyvu Farms http://www.midvalleyvu.comThe Weston A. Price Foundation: http://www.westonaprice.orgThe Untold Story of Milk http://www.drrons.com/untoldstoryofmilk.htmlPlease visit our Raw Dairy files for a wealth of information:FILES: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/Database: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/databaseRecipes: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/database?method=reportRows & tbl=1Contact List: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/database?method=reportRows & tbl=2Photos: http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/lst