Nine Acres Farm is home to many animals including horses, ponies, dogs and cats but in 2016 I decided to add goats to my menagerie.
I did a lot of research on goats comparing different breeds and their unique characteristics and finally decided on Myotonic goats for their size and friendly nature. Goats are wonderful but are not the tin can eating animals you hear about in stories. I grew up riding horses and starting when I was around 14 took charge of their care, learning to give shots, about nutrition, and how to spot and care for multiple health issues. Getting my first goat I was not concerned with their care because of my background taking care of my horses but I quickly realized that even with livestock knowledge, goat care has a steep learning curve! I suggest doing some reading online, joining goat Facebook forums, finding a veterinarian close to you that is goat knowledgeable (not always easy), and finding a mentor before bringing goats into your life. Once you decide to purchase goats, I’ll warn you – they are addictive! Goats are funny and curious animals. There are many different breeds of goats and I personally chose Myotonics because of their physical appearance, they are typically easier to contain than other breeds, are a meat goat but milk well, and are considered to be a multi-purpose breed. |