TO: ALL

RE: GOAT NEWS

DATE: 17^th APRIL 2003

WHY NOT SOME GOATS ?

·Increased revenue and profitability from the sale of meat or fibre

·Improved productivity from the livestock presently farmed

·Improved pasture quality by controlling weeds

·Improved crop production by lower cost weed control

·A non chemical alternative to weed control

These benefits are not limited to one type of farming but would be a benefit to most farming systems including beef and dairy cattle, sheep and cropping. Weed control plus an extra income around intensive pig and poultry sheds. One potential grower has purchased some Goats to run around fish and marron ponds.

As the world demands more and more food and clothing without chemical contamination the control of weeds and animal diseases will have to be controlled by more natural chemicals or other means such as Goats for weeds.

Most people who enquire about running Goats are frightened off by old wives tales such as ‘Goats eat everything including the clothes off the line’ ‘They will get out of any type of fencing’ ‘Goats are hard to handle’ etc

A few of the challenges people see which in most cases can be overcome are:

·Controlling the impact on trees is one of the biggest problems when running Goats in paddocks with a small number of younger trees or small paddocks. Studies have not shown much but it could be boredom, chasing roughage or mineral deficiency.

·The resistance impact of lice and internal parasites from Goats to other animals, mainly sheep. The lice on Goats, research has told us will not spread and survive on sheep. Internal parasites in Goats are just as easy to control with drenching as any other animal. If you follow the proper drenching or vaccination recommendations you will have no more worries with resistance than any other animal will have.

·Marketing Meat and Fibre, especially here in WA is not a problem, as a few would like you to believe. Would you go to a Dentist to get a broken arm fixed or would you go to a Doctor, like wise if you have a product to sell you go to someone in that trade.

·Try not to kid down in the cold winter months in open paddocks or you will have problems as you would with any other animals.

·Know your breed, if you run Angoras or Cashmere animals don’t shear them in rough weather and expect them to survive without some sort of shelter.

·Foxes are a major problem which you will have to take control yourself either with baiting, shooting. Some success has been recorded by using a stock guard animal such as dogs, alpacas, donkeys or flashing lights etc

The more complicated your management the more problems you will have so Keep It Simple with Good Feed, Clean Water and a Health Program and the economical rewards will follow.

For further details contact Mick Doak on Mb 0428439978 or Ah Ph/Fax 08 93093225 or Email: doakmick@bigpond.com.au