A flock of Beetal goats grazing in dry grass

How to care for goats, from milking to everything else

A practical summary for goat rearers, compiled from Indian agricultural university and research institute material and extension services. Dosages and schedules vary by region, so always confirm with your local veterinarian.

Housing and shelter

A clean, dry and airy shed prevents most common problems.

Keep the shed clean, dry, level and well ventilated, and clean it regularly.
Make sure rainwater cannot collect inside and that the floor drains well.
Allow enough space: about 0.5 sq m per kid, 1 sq m per doe, 1.5 to 2 sq m per pregnant or milking doe and 3 to 4 sq m per buck.
A raised slatted floor, about 1 to 1.5 m above the ground, keeps animals dry and reduces foot rot.
Keep separate pens for kids, pregnant does and sick animals.

Feeding and drinking water

A balanced ration and clean water drive both health and milk yield.

Feed a balanced ration of roughly 60 to 70 percent green fodder, 20 to 30 percent dry fodder and 5 to 10 percent concentrate.
Give at least 250 g of concentrate a day, and 250 to 400 g for growing goats depending on their stage.
Offer about 5 g of common salt and 5 g of mineral mixture daily, as advised by a veterinarian.
Keep clean drinking water available at all times and wash troughs and buckets often.
Pregnant and milking does need more feed: 300 to 400 g of concentrate a day in the last two months of pregnancy and for two months after kidding.

Hygienic milking

Clean hands, a clean udder and clean vessels protect both the goat and the milk.

Wash your hands and keep milking vessels clean. Use steel or aluminium vessels that are easy to wash.
Clean the udder and teats with a clean cloth dipped in lukewarm water, using a separate cloth for each goat, then dry them with a clean towel.
Check each goat for mastitis. Milk healthy goats first and keep milk from an infected goat or udder quarter separate.
Empty the udder fully and dip the teats in a teat dip after milking.
Strain the milk through a clean sieve into a clean container and cool it quickly.
Wash the vessels with detergent, rinse with hot water and dry them upside down in the sun.
Do not use or sell milk from a goat under medication until the withdrawal period on the medicine label is over.

Health and vaccination

Daily observation and timely vaccination avoid most losses.

Observe every goat daily. A healthy goat eats well, chews the cud, and has bright eyes and a shiny coat.
Vaccinate on schedule. Common programmes include PPR and enterotoxaemia every year (enterotoxaemia and haemorrhagic septicaemia before the monsoon), foot and mouth disease from 3 months of age and then every 4 to 6 months, and goat pox where advised.
Deworm kids at one month and then monthly up to six months. Deworm adults on a schedule guided by dung testing.
Control ticks and lice by dipping at intervals.
Where foot problems occur, trim hooves every 6 to 8 weeks and use a foot bath for foot rot.
Separate a sick goat immediately and call a veterinarian.

Breeding and pregnancy

Breed at the right weight and look after the doe before and after kidding.

Breed a doe for the first time when she has reached about 65 to 70 percent of her adult body weight.
Keep one buck for about 10 young does, or up to 20 adult does.
Improve body condition before breeding with extra concentrate and green fodder, often called flushing.
Pregnancy lasts about five months.
Deworm about two weeks before kidding and keep a clean bucket of drinking water ready for the doe after kidding.

Kid care

The first hours decide a kid's chance of a healthy life.

Give colostrum, the first milk, within 30 minutes of birth. A kid needs about one tenth of its body weight.
Cut the navel cord to about 4 to 5 cm and apply tincture of iodine.
Keep kids clean, dry and warm. Weigh them at birth and every 15 days.
With twins or triplets, make sure every kid gets enough milk.
Start deworming at one month of age.

Records and identification

What is recorded can be improved.

Give every goat an ear tag with a unique ID.
Record daily: morning and evening milk, urine, dung and water intake.
Record weight, health, vaccination, deworming and breeding details.
Note every medicine given and its milk withdrawal time.
Use the Zalgo mobile app every day so field staff can verify the data.

Note

This guide is general information, not a substitute for veterinary advice. Medicine doses, vaccine schedules and withdrawal periods must be confirmed with a qualified veterinarian.