Just Kiddin
Mini Goats
Breeders
of
Australian Miniature Goats
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Just Kiddin
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We have compiled this information from a host of
different sources, from personal experience, and from experience of others
in the goat and Australian miniature goat world.
We hope you find it helpful.
Disclaimer: All information provided on this website is as examples only. We recommend that it is used as a basic eductional tool and for general reference. We do not claim to represent the practices of all goat breeders, or veterinary practitioners practices or recommendations. We do not have veterinary experience, simply the experience of many years of goat management and breeding. It is recommended that you do not use any information on this site to diagnose or treat any goat health issues without consulting your vet. All information presented on this site is without guarantees, and we disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this information.
Goats are great fun!
Goats are great fun. They all have different personalities and different habits that can be amusing and interesting for you to get to know and understand. Goats are intelligent, inquisitive and playful with a sense of fun! They are very agile and love to climb and jump on anything and everything. Hand raised goats can be very affectionate and like to hang around people, in fact they often think of you as their herd leader.
Buying your first goat.
The first step is choosing the right type of goat for your needs. Do you want a pet, a milking goat, a meat goat, a brush clearer? There are many breeds available so make an educated decision and end up with a breed that suits your needs. Read up on the various types of goats out there, their uses, as well as tolerances.
Our first goats - what we learnt!
When we moved out of the city we were pretty green when it came to rural living so we were happy to listen to people we thought knew what they were talking about. We had plenty of land covered in all sorts of weeds and of course being near Mount Warning, everything is pretty steep - typical mountain goat country - so people told us we should get a goat. We knew nothing about goats, but started to look around and did a lot of research on the internet. We decided we wanted something small, so looked around for Pygmy Goats but discovered there were none in Australia but found out about the Australian Miniature Goat and thought this may be a good option.The first two goats we ever bought were a mother and son (an intact buck) with horns. He was 4 weeks old and cute as a button. We really had no knowledge about goats so relied on the breeder to help and guide us. In hindsight, it turned out the breeder was more interested in moving these goats on than helping a couple of novices so we were ill advised about what we were getting into. > Would horns be a problem (at this time they were only buds)? No, we were told.
> Will there be issues with him as a buck living with his mother? No, you won't have a problem, the breeder actually encouraged us to use the son over his mother irrespective of the fact that neither actually had any credible breeding potential nor any genetic traits that you may want to lock in (although knowledge of the implications of this only came to us later).
> How big will he grow. He should not get any bigger than about 24" - Wrong, he got to that size by about 18 months!
> Is the mother fully grown? Yes, she is 2 years old so should not grow any more - Wrong, she still had another few years to reach full size maturity.The buckling was a very friendly kid who we had great affection for but as he got older he started to develop some unusual behaviours like peeing on himself, tongue slapping and making all manner of weird noises-day & night. It was impossible to keep him away from his mother, so it was inevitable that he was going to successfully mate with her and we would have our first generation of 'inbred' kids. His horns grew and so did his attitude. He was a friendly buck, but he had a habit of swinging his head around which with good sized horns could give you a nasty knock and that was if they didnt catch you in a more vulnerable part of your anatomy! He also used his horns as a tool, hooking them over tree branches and ripping them down to eat and tried to rip apart fences, housing etc. Eventually he started to challenge us and with his overall bulk - he had now grown to about 26" and was a very solid and healthy boy so he could be a bit threatening. We learnt to put our arms through under his belly to his far side legs, grab them and flip him on his back when he challenged us and found that would subdue him for a week or so before he became game to try another challenge.
Eventually given his overall size, his horns, and the fact that we also had his mother, we decided that he was not such a great idea any more so he had to move on. Even though he was reputedly a 'miniature bred' animal, it was also obvious that there was no basis to believe that he could/would produce progeny that was any improvement on him, even if paired with smaller does. By now we also had a pair of bucklings that his mother had thrown by him so obviously they had to be wethered and sold as pets as they would not be suitable as intact bucks worth breeding.
Even though these first two goats were not what we were looking for, they gave us a good initial education into the care and maintenance of goats, and armed with the knowledge that we could in fact keep goats in good and healthy condition, it was practical for us to keep more goats and to try and breed miniature goats.
What also became obvious during this time was the difficulty in obtaining a good quality small buck. Whilst the majority of bucks available were sold as kids with 'potential' the reality was that most of those kids grew into overheight bucks, so we knew that would be our biggest challenge.
Experiences such as this are very eductional. Many purchasers have been misled by "breeders" trying to make a quick dollar. You should learn everything you can about goats before you start your herd, and learn from the experiences of others. Make sure you utilise associations such as the Australian Miniature Goat Association Inc (AMGA) and the responsible breeders that are members of this association. They are an important resource for the novice goat enthusiasts - whether pet owner or new breeder.
What breed/type do you want/need?
If you are looking for a pet, the Australian Miniature Goat is probably the goat for you. The Australian Miniature Goat has been bred to be a small, healthy, alert, animated, robust animal. Many breeders hand raise their kids so that they are extremely friendly and make great pets or easy to handle breeding stock. They do not require as much space or supplementary feeding as their larger counterparts. Australian Miniature Goats come in three types Minikin, Nuwby, and Sheltie. For more information on these breed types refer to the AMGA website.
Please bear in mind that a miniature goat is still a goat and still has many of the same needs as its larger counterparts. It is a browsing herd animal so does require companionship (the pet dog is unlikely to be a good companion as many dogs need to be supervised with goats, and will quickly get bored wandering around with your goat looking for browse), and does require enough space to allow it to wander, explore and browse.
What sex should you get?
Wether (neutered male):
If you want a pet and/or land clearer and don't care about getting milk or breeding, your best option is a wether (preferably hand raised and disbudded). In our experience, the males are the most affectionate, but as a wether they don’t develop the bucky smell and behaviours or become dominant and pushy as they mature. They also don't develop the 'bulk' of an intact male which comes with the raging hormones when they are in rut. Wethers generally stay friendly and affectionate throughout their lives if treated properly. Another good thing about wethers is that they are usually cheaper than does or bucks, so buying two wethers is still less expensive than buying just one doe. Also, wethers eat no, or much less, grain than does or bucks so they are also less expensive to keep.Doe (female):
If you want to breed you should get a doe. Some will look at purchasing a doe to breed and to supply milk although not all miniatures come from dairy lines so it is always a good idea to check the lineage and the udder of any doe that you are planning to milk. There is nothing worse than trying to milk a doe with a poor udder/teat or that is not a good producer. If you do not want to milk, you can leave the kid/s on the dam and let them take care of the milk she produces, if you remove the kid/s however you will need to milk the doe enough to relieve the pressure enough to encourage her to dry up.If buying a pregnant doe, make sure you get one that is healthy from a reputable breeder, ideally one that has kidded previously without problems. Ideally the breeder will be able to tell you the due date. If buying a pregnant doe, dont forget to also determine all of the attributes of the buck who serviced her to help ascertain the potential of any kid/s that should result from the pairing
If buying a doeling with the intention to breed/milk her at a later date, remember that you will need to get her serviced if you do not have your own buck. If you buy a small miniature doe, you cannot just put her with any 'buck' when you decide you want to start breeding/milking. You will need to find a good miniature buck to ensure that the doe will not have kidding difficulties that may result if you use any old buck even if it looks small!
Many people looking for pets start off wanting a doe as they think she will be the smallest and gentlest option. In our experience, wethers tend to be more affectionate are equally gentle and are comparable in size (if from a comparable breeding pair) to the does. Also does can become a little more aloof and independent once they reach maturity at about 18 months of age. Some does can develop idiosyncracies when they come into heat (such as calling out) which is not something that the wethers develop.
Buck (intact male):
If you are new to goats, you definitely DO NOT want a buck unless you truly want to breed. If you do want to get into breeding and think you want to own a buck, you should read our Bucks page. A buck is not a pet or companion: a buck is for breeding. You do not need a buck unless you already have at least a few does and ideally you should have a seperate bucks pen/shelter where he can be housed when not 'working'. (He will need a companion though so he doesn't become lonely). It is a good idea to take your time and find the right buck. You can waste many years and have many kids with little/no potential if you use the wrong buck. The buck is half of the herd and you are better to spend time up front to get the best buck available, although it is still difficult to find good quality miniature bucks. Be cautious of getting a young buckling with 'potential', we are constantly getting feedbacks where these bucklings have gone overheight by 18mths-2 years, and don't assume that any buck progeny they have produced during this time will necessarily be any better than the sire!How many goats should you get?
Goats are herd animals so DO NOT GET ONE, they need a companion. A single goat will be very unhappy so you should start with at least two. If you are a first time goat owner don't get a buck and a doe because you think you should have one of each sex. You would be better with two wethers, a doe and a wether or two does. We get regular calls at Just Kiddin from owners who have purchased a single goat who is bored, lonely, noisy and destructive. The owners are distressed, the neighbours are complaining and the goat is unhappy. Your goat will need a companion, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We often get people say they have a dog for a companion, but we tell them the goat will need to stay with the dog at all times, so if the dog comes inside, the goat will need to as well. Dogs are not ideal companions as they are not a browsing animal. Your goat really needs a companion that it can happily sepnd its days with searching out the tasty morsels in the paddock. If not another goat, then a horse/alpaca etc can be a suitable companion.
If these are your first goats, start small like we did and increase your herd gradually as you learn how to look after your goats properly and understand their wants and needs. The more you have, the more time it will take each day to manage them. Even with just a few goats, you should spend some time each day checking on them, ensuring they are fit and well, and socialising with them. Goats are very social and you are part of their herd, so they will want you to spend some time with them each day. We tether each of our goats for a short period for individual supplementary feed every day which gives us an opportunity to check each one over, ensure it looks in good condition, and that its appetite is healthy. If they do not devour this supplementary feed in quick order, it is usually a sign that something might not be quite right and more attention needs to be given to that particular goat.
Goats are very addictive. Most people who start with two or three, have a few kids which they can't part with and suddenly find they now have 6, 7 or 8 which is why we recommend you always start small and build your herd up. Most people find it harder to reduce their herd size than to increase it. The main focus should always be on increasing your herd quality rather than quantity.
What about horns?
In our experience, you do not want horns. Even the friendliest goats can cause injury with their horns, a simple swing of their head at the wrong time can catch you and cause bruising or worse. This is particularly relevant if the goat is a pet and/or will be handled by children or inexperienced goat handlers. Some breeders like horns on their goats as they believe it makes handling them easier. Whilst we understand the case for this, if your goat is tame and friendly, you do not need to horns to handle them by. Not having horns also makes tasks such as hoof trimming and drenching easier and less treacherous! For more information see our Horns page.
What age should I get?
Whatever age goat you decide to get, you should be prepared beforehand. Many people want to get a bottle baby as they believe they need to raise it themselves for it to bond with them. This is not the case however as a hand raised kid will remain tame and friendly throughout its life and just needs time with you and your family to bond closely with you. If you do decide to get a kid, make sure you know exactly what is involved to care for it properly. Your breeder should be able to give you full care instructions and what to look out for if problems arise, you need to understand this before you take on this responsibility. Kids are cute and playful, often irresistable, but that is no reason to get one unless you can care for it properly. Some breeders will sell bottle babies but you should make sure the breeder has established the kid onto the bottle well before taking it. In our experience the first 6 months of a kids life is the most critical, then the next 12 months. Once an animal reaches 18 months they are generally extremely robust and have built up their immune system to handle many more things it encounters than a younger animal.
Mature goats or weanlings (kids over about 4 months of age) are better first time goats. Again, your breeder should be able to give you care instructions with at least the minimum you need to look after your new goat/s. If you get a mature doe find out if there is any chance she is pregnant, and if so what the due date is so you can be prepared.
Cost
Cost will vary depending on quality available and supply and demand. Just Kiddin does not price animals based on grade, but rather on the quality of the animal. An animals grade can simply be a reflection of the number of generations that have been registered, not a reflection of good or improving genetics. Because we have stock that has been with us for quite some time, we often will have information on parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents, siblings, progeny etc so we know what a specific breed line is likely to produce. We do not place a highly graded animal with another highly graded animal simply to increase the progeny grade, we pair animals to get genetic improvement.
There is stock available from as little as $100 up to the high hundreds of dollars, much of this pricing is based on grade. Our prices are based on quality, irrespective of the grade. It is your choice as to what value you place on an animals grade or quality!
Hand raised goats require a lot of time and effort to ensure they are robust and healthy and have ideal temperaments. Hand raised goats will always demand a premium over the standard herd bred animals. As the saying goes “You get what you pay for”.
Hand raised –v- herd raised?
Whether looking for a pet, to start a breeding herd or for additions to your existing herd, consider whether you want a hand raised or herd raised animal. Hand raised kids are very friendly and affectionate and will actively seek out human contact. Humans are thought of as part of their herd. These goats will come when called and are easy to handle making chores such as hoof trimming, worming, vaccinating and general health checks much easier and stress free for you and the goat.
If you have a hand raised breeding doe, monitoring pregnancy and your presence during the birth should not cause her stress as it would a herd raised animal. Herd raised animals can be tamed. If you are patient and spend time with these animals, they will come for feed or to get special treats and the like. In many peoples experience, whilst these animals can become relatively friendly, they are never totally comfortable in the presence of humans and will not actively seek your company, except for feed times. They tend to remain on alert and are much more easily stressed when human contact takes place.
Many Australian miniature goat breeders hand raised their kids to ensure they are very friendly and easy to handle. By hand raised we don't only mean bottle raised, they can be dam raised too as long as the time is spent with them to ensure there friendliness and comfort around people. Don't just assume that a 'bottle raised kid' will automaticallt be friendly either, as the other aspect to getting friendly animals is the amount of time spent with the animals!
Fences & Housing
Depending on your budget, chain wire or hinge joint/ringlock fencing (with the smaller squares toward the ground), is best. These little animals rarely jump over good fences (although they can if so inclined) however they are capable of squeezing through the smallest of gaps. Wire mesh (chicken mesh) is rarely suitable for goats as they tend to put their front hooves on the wire causing it to buckle. Ideally enclosures should be dog proof, alternatively you may wish to lock your goat/s into a shelter overnight. Goats must have some form of weatherproof shelter which should be kept clean, dry and ventilated.
How much space do I need?
As goats are herd animals and you should keep at least two or at a minimum one as a companion to another browsing/grazing animal such as a horse or alpaca, we believe that you should have a minimum of at least one acre available for the goat/s to browse on. Goats not only need to be able to browse for feed, it also keeps them occupied! Goats are intelligent and inquisitive and a goat in a small space will soon become bored and find ways to amuse itself (things which may not necessarily amuse you!). This is probably where the old wives tale about goats eating anything and everything arose from. Goats are actually quite selective eaters however they will pick and pull at most things to determine if it is palatable. A bored and/or hungry goat can also become noisy, calling out looking for companionship or extra food. We get a lot of phone calls from people who have bought a pair of goats (or even worse one!), for a large suburban block who suddenly find they have had it stripped back to bare dirt, their garden has been devoured and the goat is now calling out and upsetting the neighbours!
Should I ‘quarantine’ a new goat from my other goats?
It is always a good idea to isolate a new goat for a approximately one month. The animal may be stressed by many new things including transportation, new food and surroundings, and perhaps even a different climate. The immune system will probably not be as good as it normally is for a while. When a newly purchased goat gets sick it is usually from a disease organism they already carry, and it just overwhelms the natural defences because it is under stress. New animals in the herd can also be very susceptible to new organisms they have never been exposed to before.
If she/he is carrying a serious disease, like caseous lymphadenitis (contagious abscesses), CAE, or Johne's disease, you will probably not see evidence of them for months or years due to their long incubation periods.When you bring a new goat home, ensure the breeder you have purchased the goat/s from tells you what type of feed they have been eating. You should always try to transition a goats diet slowly e.g. you should never take a goat that has been on a diet of largely dry hay and let them out on new lush green pasture!
Recommendations for Buying Your First Goats:
Do your research up front and get to know what you are looking for, and what will be required to take care of your goat/s.
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All text and images contained herein are owned by and are copyright © 2003-6 Just Kiddin Mini Goats. None of the contents of this site may be reproduced or republished except where written permission is given by Just Kiddin Mini Goats. Information about Australian Miniature Goats has been gathered from personal experience, experiences of other Australian Miniature Goat breeders and members of the Australian Miniature Goat Association Inc (AMGA)
