This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
08/17/2017 12:01 AMGoats are currently enjoying quite a bit of the limelight on the Internet, a medium that so often and so quickly launches the obscure and mundane into the mainstream. Instagram accounts dedicated to goats in pajamas, Buzzfeed listicles of baby goat GIFs, and videos of so-called “goat yoga” are prompting many to seek out any and all goat-related content.
Some are even scrambling to get their own goats.
Yes, it’s true that goats are adorable, and keeping them can be rewarding. However, what filtered snapshots and two-minute videos fail to convey are the knowledge, planning, commitment, and investment involved in having goats. My experience working for several years with Stephanie Lesnik—proprietor of Field House Farm on Green Hill Road in Madison—suggests a cautionary tale valuable for those considering getting goats on a whim. She concedes that even with seven years of experience owning goats, she is still on a learning curve.
“We started totally unprepared. When we started this farm we were told by other farmers not to get any animals for the first year so we could see where certain plants grow and determine where we could safely house animals. On our third day, we got two sheep. It’s not like we’ve written the text book, or even followed it.”
Field House Farm has become a beacon for those interested in engaging with local farming, by offering a range of experiences including summer camps for kids and field-to-table dinners hosted on the farm. When approached for advice on getting pet goats, however, Lesnik says people often need a small dose of reality more than they need encouragement. The goat-mania spurred on by the Internet has driven many to get a pet goat without thinking through their own motivations, much less the logistics of goat care.
Romantic Ideas Reconsidered
Although goats can be affectionate, they are not companion house pets like dogs and cats; they are farm animals bred for their milk and meat. Realistically, they cannot be housebroken and they are difficult to train. As a social herd animal, your goat will also be unhappy without other goats around.
Some hopeful fantasies about goat ownership are driven by pastoral fantasies of fresh milk and homemade cheese. Milk, however, means breeding, separating the nanny from the kid (the young goat, which will need bottle feeding every 4 to 6 hours), having to milk twice a day, and having a plan for what to do with all the milk.
Some people want to get goats to keep their lawns trimmed or to eat the poison ivy in their woods. This is also a romantic idea, but goats must be enclosed to keep them out of trouble and out of the road. Goats will also eat anything green that they can reach, including your landscaping, toxic plants, and grass covered in lawn chemicals.
If you are clear on your motivations for getting a goat, you next need to ask yourself if you can make the necessary time commitment. Goats, every day, need to be let out first thing in the morning and must have fresh water and food. Because they wake up with the sun, and soon thereafter start a chorus of hungry bleats, having goats may necessitate a change in lifestyle for those who like sleeping in; they will not have the same appreciation for Saturdays that their human owners might. Those who already have busy or irregular schedules, as well as people who are frequently away, will have difficulty providing quality care to their goats without additional support.
A Long-Term Commitment
Lifespan is also an important consideration; healthy goats can live 10 or even 18 years, which may be a blessing to the devoted goat owner, but may rightly serve as a deterrent to those not seeking such a long-term commitment
The next step is to consider what kind of goat you want to get. As with dogs, there are different breeds of different sizes and with different needs. If you are looking to have more than just a pet, certain breeds are also valued for their meat or for their prolific milk production.
The sex and reproductive capabilities of the goats you get are also important to consider. People simply looking for pets may find their best option is to get does—female goats—or withers—castrated males—to prevent fighting and breeding.
The next step is to figure out where you will get your goat. If you are not rescuing, seek out reputable breeders who raise and breed their goats ethically; this is important both for the immediate welfare of the animals and also to avoid the complications that may result from hereditary disease or inbreeding.
Next you will need to consider how you will be housing them. Goats need shelter from the elements, whether wind, rain or snow. The woods of Connecticut are home to predators like coyotes and bears, so you should also be able to close your goats up at night to keep them safe.
They Jump and Climb
Fencing is also a must. High fencing. Goats are agile jumpers and adept climbers, and will not miss an opportunity to flee their enclosure to nibble (and trample) your garden or to attempt to summit your car. Lesnik further advises to “avoid any type wire fencing which may catch horns and injure the goat. The best is wooden beam fencing, sturdy and tall.” Field House Farm is home to two particularly mischievous Lamancha kids who, until taller fencing was built, leapt out of their enclosure several times a day and climbed on the tractor or made attempts to infiltrate the garden and pillage the lettuce.
Of course, you will also need to feed your goat. Although they may graze on your grass, that should not be expected to take the place of the hay and grain that you provide them. Make sure that you have enough food at all times, and that you can safely store the food where it will not be at the mercy of mold or rodents.
Another consideration is potential veterinary costs to provide proper care to your goat in the event of illness or injury. As Connecticut does not have many agricultural vets, you may have to bring your goat to a more expensive pet veterinary practice. Vet care also necessitates that you be able to transport your goat readily or to pay extra for a veterinarian to come to you.
Exit Strategy Advisable
Lesnik’s biggest piece of advice for prospective first time goat owners is to “have an exit strategy.” In the event that you find that having a goat is not for you, that’s okay, as long as you have a sound plan for finding a new home for your goat.
“I get phone calls once or twice a year from people asking me to re-home their pet goats,” says Lesnik, but it is not realistic to expect that a local farm or shelter will want to or be able to take in your goat.
Be sure to have an exit plan before you even get your goats; Too often an unwanted goat gets bounced between ill-prepared homes as a chain of people discover too late the responsibilities attached to goat ownership.
There are a great number of resources to help you be a successful goat owner, from books to (aim for books about the less “goat yoga”-oriented side of) the internet. According to Lesnik, however, the best resources she had as an unseasoned goat owner were “hands-on resources.”
“The best guidance I received was from other farmers who had experiences with their own goats,” she says.
After having difficulty with her two escape-artist Lamancha kids, Lesnik traveled to two other local farms to see how they housed their goats. Lesnik also recommends using UConn’s agricultural extension program, which has given her guidance in many aspects of farming.
The moral of Lesnik’s cautionary tale is that one should not rush into getting a goat, but instead should do their research and plan ahead. In her own experience at Field House Farm, she has found that preparation and dedication are key to have a rewarding experience keeping these adorable, affectionate animals.
Of course, even if goat ownership is not for you, there is nothing wrong with continuing to ogle the trove of cute goats on the Internet.
Ethan Crans of Madison is a graduate of Daniel Hand High School, attends Franklin & Marshall College, and has worked at Field House Farm for several summers.