Recommended hot weather goat breeds?

[paraclete]

New to the forum and like the breadth of homesteading topics as well as the first hand experience by many here.

My question is what are some recommended breeds of goats that are well adapted for the hot and often dry climate of north east Texas?

I recently bought 12 acres and have plenty of pasture and a pond that usually has at least some water. I'd prefer breeds that need minimal to moderate hands on care. Any suggestions? I've lived in the country before, just never had any livestock to take care of, so the first goats I get need to be kinda tough

Also recommended fencing? It currently has 4 strands of barbed wire around the perimeter ( about 3500' feet or more).

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome.

[Alice In TX/MO]

Welcome to the board.

This is going to sound a bit harsh, but honest is better than namby pamby, right?

If you want goats, you have some reading and learning and re-thinking to do.

Minimal to moderate care? The folks here aren't into that.

Barbed wire and goats? The goats will laugh as they eat your neighbor's fruit trees.

They need a good, fresh water supply, too.

I recommend you make a trip to Tractor Supply and look at the goat books, pick one that appeals to you, and spend quality time reading. Come back here and ask questions to clarify as needed.

Spend some time on the following website. It's a good primer for new goat folks:
http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/getting-your-goat.htm

Glad you are thinking about goats! They will change your life.

[Minelson]

Welcome! I don't know of any breeds that are better for hot weather .... They won't be swimming in your pond to cool off, they hate getting wet. Like Alice said, barbed wire won't keep them in. Are you looking for meat goats or dairy goats..or both?

[Sherry in Iowa]

Hi..welcome.

I would probably try Boer or Boer cross (with either Nubian or Saanen). I'd have a full Boer buck. I'd limit my numbers so I could rotational graze them. Barbed wire is not your friend with goats. I think I'd use cattle panels, no climb fencing or woven wire. BUT, I would also have hot wire (electric wire) .. 2 strands..on the fence too. It only takes a couple of good hits and they will leave the fence alone. It's been our experience that goats are quite happy to stay in if they have browse, loose minerals and good water and hay if needed.

If you are going strictly for meat goats, they may not require as much care. But, in order not to have to "live" with them..you must start out with good stock. Your does and buck should have good feet/hooves. The does should come from does that have good reps for mothering, easy kidding and nurturing.

I just bought a couple of milk goats..one question that I asked was, how much do you worm them? The better their immune systems are when you get them..the less trouble you will probably have in the future.

Alice is right..read up on goats. If you decide on a breed..really dive in. Then start looking for breeders. I like to make an "unexpected" visit. I like to see what everyday life is like for the stock I want to buy. Large breeders don't always have the best animals. I've seen some really good Boer stock on this forum..not mine..lol..but some really nice animals from smaller breeders.

Don't get in a hurry and ask as many questions here as you need to.

[wintrrwolf]

hmmm lets see Nigerian dwarf and Nubian are a far southern breed like Africa right?
Saanen, Alpine, Togg are a northern breed like Swiss and such ....
The long ears on nubians and boers are to help with heat release...
A good goat book is recommended I've read several..
Barbed wire BAD my ex landlord had some just laying around since he went to hotwire for his cows, the barbed wire ripped my Saanen's udder open. BAD BAD WIRE don't even consider it.

[dozedotz]

With 12 acres you could start by fencing some of it...lots of people like to create pasture/browse areas that are smaller and have gates with access to a central barn/paddock area. That way you can rotate pasture without having to go outside of your fenced area and it is easier to move the goats around. Everyone is right...you need to get your plan in place that will make your life comfortable as possible and still serve the needs of your goats. Everybody will be happy and you will be glad that you thought it through. Planning and knowledge are the secret to moderate care...that and a calendar!

[CaliannG]

Texas is the goat capital of the country. We have EVERYTHING here, and they all do well. The trick isn't a breed that does well here, but buying your goats locally so their line is already adapted to this climate.

I have Alpines. They are a Swiss breed and they do fine here. I am several hours South of you, and Alice is even FURTHER South than both of us.

In my county (Brazos) I know breeders that have Toggs, Saanens, Lamanchas, Nubians, Boers, Spanish, Angoras and Cashmeres. It isn't the goat. Goats adapt.

But Alice is right...you haven't even mentioned what you are looking for in goats, or your facilities, other than your fencing and total number of acres.

People routinely keep meat goats on large properties with only barbed wire fencing and super minimal care...but those are LARGE properties. The goats have a LOT of space to roam (which trims their hooves and makes their parasite load minimal), far more food than they will ever eat (which means they don't tend to challenge fences) , and therefore the only care they really need is their yearly vaccinations and tests.

You can't do that with a dairy goat. For one, a dairy goat needs to be milked EVERY day, and often at least twice a day.

So, I am going to assume that you are talking about meat goats.

The smaller your property, and the heavier your stocking rate, the better your fencing needs to be and the more maintenance you will need to do.

If you have 100 acres and plan to put 100 goats on it, then your barb wire fence will likely do just fine. The only thing you will need to do is dump a bag of minerals into the mineral feeder once a month, and make sure that the automatic water trough is still working.

If you have 10 acres and want to put 50 meat goats on it, then you will need sturdy stock fencing with 3" holes. You will also need to invest in hay feeders, and supplement their browse with hay. You will still need to put out minerals, and make sure they have fresh water. Because the goats have less varied terrain, you will also need to trim their hooves every 6-8 weeks, else you will be risking foot rot and thrush. You will also need to worm them regularly, as the smaller area will build up in parasite eggs, which will increase your parasite load.

If you have 5 acres and plan to put 5 goats on it, You will want stock-wire fences, 3", with electric wire running inside of it. But you likely won't have to supplement hay. However, everything else for the 10 acres applies. Now, however, you will also want to add a bit of grin concentrate, as that 5 acres will not have enough diversified flora for the goats to adjust their protein requirements to their needs.

See how it all depends? Also, if want you want are DAIRY goats, NONE of the above applies. Dairy goats are high maintenance. Just like dairy cows require a lot of hands-on maintenance that beef cows don't need.

You ill not get something for nothing in livestock. Either you HAVE to have a lot of land and be able to understock it OR you have to put a lot of time and money into maintenance. Either way, you are investing $$, either the $$ into land, or the $$ into fencing and routine care.

[paraclete]

Thanks everyone for the replies No worries about being to honest or harsh.

The goats would be mainly for eating and also for keeping the brush and pasture to a reasonable level, to lower the maintenance load required. Eventually I might get the milking kind, but I want to ease into owning goats. I'll be moving a 5th wheel trailer onto the property soon and building a cabin/small house as I go. I'll be there daily but wanted a hardy breed that would be okay were I not there for the weekend, etc.

I'll look into the link posted by Alice In Texas as well. I've seen some of the goat books in TS, best recommended goat book/publication?

Would it work if I put some of that roll out goat fencing over the barbed wire to use the existing t-posts as support? Would that keep the goats from getting hurt? Recommended brands and types of goat fence?

Thank y'all for your patience in answering my million questions, hehe.

[Minelson]

If it were me...and it was me once....I would tear all the barbed wire down and get it off the property. I have a very strong hatred towards barbed wire. I have seen too many ghastly injuries due to it on horses and dogs. When we moved to this property it was the first thing we did. u can take it down and leave the T posts in to attach your roll out fencing too.

[Alice In TX/MO]

If you choose to fence over the barbed wire, put the field fencing on the inside (your side) to protect the goats a bit more and be aware that in the dim misty future, you'll have a mess taking that fence down or replacing it. Think long term. I've hit the long term point in my life.