Winter Weather is Approaching

Get ready for winter folks and get your goats ready too.

Things to remember:
1. Good quality Grass hay Keeps the goats warmer than grain feedings- If you do grain, do it early in the day
2. Offer warm water on the coldest days to encourage them to drink-add molasses to it if you like and do not forget the boys! The wethers and bucks need to drink as much if not more than the does to avoid UC (Urinary Calculi) from developing.
3. Worms and lice can increase in population in the early winter days- so check the goats and treat
4. Good shelters do not have to be a barn- they can be 3 sided shelters with the side facing the prevailing wind closed off
5. Barns should not be airtight, if they are, it can create an environment for pneumonia to begin
6. NO Heat Lamps! These cause far too many barn fires and burned goats
7. A quick goat coat can be made from an old sweatshirt to keep the wind off the goat's back
8. Does being bred this month will kid out in April 2008
9. Watch tree limbs that may be above your shelters on windy days and during ice storms that they do not fall on the shelter and injure the goats
10. Try to spend time with the goats even in cold weather as they do not understand why they won't see you much just because it's cold, less stress on the goats = healthier goats. ;)