Goats

WHAT ARE GOATS?

A goat is a frisky, short-haired domesticated mammal with small horns. A female goat is a doe, a male goat is a buck and young goats are called kids. A common name for a milk goat is a nanny.

WHERE ARE GOATS PRODUCED IN BC?

Goats are raised throughout much of BC.

HOW MANY GOATS DO WE PRODUCE?

There are an estimated 9,000 to 10,000 goats on 900 farms in BC. Many of these producers raise goats as pets or as a hobby, but several are raised for production purposes (i.e., milk) as well.

HOW ARE GOATS PRODUCED?

Goats are relatively clean animals. They eat a wide variety of plants, including types that sheep and cattle don't eat. However, production animals feed on silage, hay and grain just like dairy cattle.

Goats need protection from coyotes or roving dogs if housed providing pasture. However, production goats are housed like dairy cattle. Some producers use Pyrenees dogs to keep predators at bay.

Special 1.2m fencing may be required to keep goats in. As goats like to go around obstacles, electric fencing is sometimes used. Many producers provide 'play areas' with things to climb to amuse them and to prevent damaging behaviour as well.

It is important to provide extra feed for the doe during breeding, pregnancy and nursing. An underfed doe will have problems. The gestation period is 150 days. Kids are "dropped", or born, from late February to early May unless in a production herd and then the kids are born year-round. Twins are born about 10% of the time and triplets are rare.

It takes about 8 months to raise a meat goat for market.

Goats that are raised for their fleece can live up to 15 years. They are sheared twice a year. The adults produce 4 to 7kg of mohair or cashmere a year. The goats may require shelter after being sheared.

WHAT DOES A GOAT LOOK LIKE WHEN I USE IT?

There are three main uses for goats and their products: milk, meat and wool. Many goats are milked. The milk is used for drinking or for cheeses. Common types of goat cheese include camembert, chevre, feta, shepherd's, tomme and capriano. Goat meat, called cabrito or chevron, has little fat. Some people say that it tastes better than venison. Goats also provide leather and fibre for clothing. Goats are shorn and their fleece is used by spinners and weavers. Cashmere is the soft downy undercoat most goats produce for winter insulation. Angora goats' fleece is called mohair.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE GOAT LEAVES THE FARM?

Meat goats are slaughtered, cured and butchered. The fleece can be sold raw to spinners and weavers or the producer can add value to the product by washing and carding the wool.

To ensure a safe and wholesome product, milk must be marketed quickly. Only licensed processors do this. Some producers are processors themselves and make their own cheeses.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO GOAT PRODUCERS FACE?

Currently, there is limited processing and marketing capability and infrastructure. There is no supply management. Producers are responsible for ensuring their own processing contract and sometimes are even required to do marketing and delivery to stores.

Commercial goat producers must be self-reliant, innovative and business oriented to make a profit from goat farming.

WHO'S INVOLVED IN PRODUCING GOATS?

• Goat owner
• Artificial insemination workers
• Breed association workers
• Dairy Herd Improvement advisors
• Feed industry representatives
• Veterinarians
• Milk processors
• Livestock haulers
• Cheesemakers
• Shearers
• Milking equipment suppliers

Interesting Fact About Goats:

Goats were domesticated as early as 7000 BC. They were brought to North America, with sheep, by settlers in New France in the early 1600s.

Contacts and other resources:

• BC Goat Breeders' Association
• Canadian Goat Society
• Goat Information - BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
• InfoBasket: Your Portal to Agri-Food Information on the Internet