Goats

The ideal environment

• Provide a stable which is draught free and watertight, made from solid and resistant materials. Ensure that the stable can be ventilated.
• It is not necessary to insulate the stable because goats are perfectly equipped for winter.
• Make sure the stable is sufficiently high up to prevent rain or ground water from entering. You could also lay a concrete floor.
• Goats can be allowed on to pasture both in summer and winter, but they still need a place to shelter from rain.

Reproduction

• Goats go into heat when days start to get shorter. Autumn (August-December) is the primary mating season.
• The heat cycle lasts between 18 and 30 days.
• The kidding season occurs in spring, reaching a peak in February and March.
• Kids reach sexual maturity around the age of 4 or 5 months. However, make sure that they do not mate before the age of 7 to 8 months.