Goat Care & Health    Goats are very low maintenance pets. But like all pets you can not just put them out in the paddock and forget about them. (You wouldn't dream of doing that to your dog!) A well cared for goat will have minimal health problems and live to a ripe old age... Goats need a well balanced diet, good shelter and routine health care such as hoof trimming, worming, vaccinating, etc. Goats with a lovely undercoat of soft cashmere just love a regular brush, especially when they shed their warm undercoat in spring. You can expect the support of your breeder to answer questions and provide the basic facts on good goat care. In addition to this you will find a wealth of knowledge on the internet. There is information available on basic care, including diet, videos of hoof trimming, kidding, etc.  Please visit the Great Goat Links page on this website for a list of the best Goat sites on the internet where all of your health questions can be answered. The Miniature Goat Breeders Association of Australia welcomes all pet owners (you don't have to be a breeder to become a member) and it is very cheap to join. This Association is extremely helpful with experienced members offering great advice on a wide range of general goat care and health topics.

Please note that I am not a Veterinarian and the information contained here is from what I have read and my own limited botanical knowledge. I would welcome feedback of any errors or omissions.

A word of caution on poisonous plants... Many of the excellent goat websites are based in the USA and contain lists of poisonous plants. These lists are helpful as most plants that are poisonous to goats in Australia are exotic introduced plants commonly found in our gardens. Always check if it is safe to feed your goats before you give them any type of garden prunings. The best Australian site is:    www.weeds.mangrovemountain.net/ruminants.html Examples of prunings that can be fatal are all stone fruit trees including plum and cherry trees. Another example is the oleander tree. Australian native plants: Most Acacias are fine in large quantities. Eucalypts are OK in moderation. Patersons Curse  and Capeweed should be limited to small quantities. Lantana and eremophila species can be fatal. In the SW of Western Australia, all Oxalis species are fatal even in tiny quantities as they naturally contain the 1080 poison. They can be difficult to identify, so it is best to avoid letting your goats browse on any small native plant or shrub with flowers shaped like a pea  flower.