Goat Notes

As a Backyard Goats member, you’ll have access to our complete lineup of Goat Notes.

Goat Notes are easy-to-digest, one-page documents that teach you what you need in a hurry.

These handy reference sheets are easy to download or print out. They make great teaching aids whether you want to educate yourself, your friends and family, or your customers.

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Body Condition Scoring (BCS) in Goats
February 22, 2021 · · Goat Notes

Different goat breeds come in different shapes and sizes. A large belly can mean pregnancy, body fat, a full rumen, or just relaxed ligaments. Weights can help measure medication doses but are not specifically indicative of body fat. A Body Condition Score helps identify obese animals and those needing to gain weight.

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Introducing New Goats
January 25, 2021 · · Goat Notes

Goat relationships are crucial for maintaining harmony. Introducing unfamiliar goats can be traumatic, and fighting and stress lead to health risks and drops in productivity. Even after a short separation, goats will fight to re-establish hierarchy. It is important to get this right from the start.

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Caring for Premature Kids
November 20, 2020 · · Goat Notes

Premature kids often die from hypothermia, breathing issues, and illness before we can intervene. Evaluating a floppy kid’s needs as soon as possible helps you decide your level of intervention.

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Permanent Identification for Goats in the United States of America
October 6, 2020 · · Goat Notes

Whether you legally must have permanent identification on your goats, or if it’s just a good idea, here are guidelines to tagging your herd.

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Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL)
July 29, 2020 · · Goat Notes

Caseous lymphadenitis is a chronic, contagious bacterial infection characterized by abscesses near the lymph nodes, usually on the neck or near the udder. Commonly found in goats and sheep, and sporadically in horses, cattle, camelids, swine, fowl, and even people. Two forms of the disease include the external (skin) form and the internal (organ) form.

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Caprine Arthritis and Encephalitis (CAE)
July 29, 2020 · · Goat Notes

Caprine arthritis and encephalitis is a viral infection often manifested as arthritis in adult goats and, less
commonly, as progressive inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) in kids. Most often found in dairy goat breeds and sometimes in sheep.

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Humane Euthanasia via Gunshot or Captive Bolt

Developing a euthanasia plan with your veterinarian ensures animal welfare in the worst situations. While some goat owners prefer other euthanasia methods, this sheet focuses strictly on the gunshot and captive bolt methods. Check your local laws to ensure all parts of this tutorial are legal within your area and decide if this is the best plan for your farm.

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Crossing State Lines with Goats

Each state has different requirements if you wish to enter with your goats. Check this list, and verify that no requirements have changed, before you begin your journey.

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Olé Cajeta Recipe

Like magic, a simmering pot on the stove can transform a few simple ingredients into a rich and creamy caramelized concoction to be used on ice cream, crêpes, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, cheese-cake, scones, fresh fruit, cheeses, and more.

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Determining the Best Hay for Goats
March 30, 2020 · · Goat Notes

When goats can’t browse, they need hay (3% to 4% of their body weight, per day) for their rumens to function properly. This can be fed free-choice or twice a day.

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