# Goats and Minis



## MajorClementine (Oct 17, 2014)

I am wanting to get a dairy goat for my family. I really want a cow but the cost is too high and I don't know how I'd go through THAT much milk. So a goat it is. Goats seem to think any animal with hooves is a friends so I was thinking about keeping my goat (Nigerian Dwarf I'm thinking) with my minis. I would, of course, get one that was dehorned so there wouldn't be a worry that way. Does anyone keep minis and goats together? Any reasons NOT to do this?


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## shorthorsemom (Oct 17, 2014)

I have minis and goats. They share a common fenceline and seem to enjoy seeing each other... However, on the two occasions when the goat got in with the horses.. The horses HATED the goat and bit and chased. It was scary. They don't mind sharing a fence, they hate sharing common space.

I have heard many times that folks have done this, but it has not worked here.


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## fourluckyhorseshoes (Oct 17, 2014)

My minis now don't seem to have a problem with our Nigerian dwarfs. We did have a gelding that chased them.


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## paintponylvr (Oct 17, 2014)

I recently borrowed two goats from a friend and kept them in the back yard (turning the forest into cleared ground). When they got out and were in the barn, I moved them into the round pen pasture with 6 young mares (2 2 yr olds up to 6 yrs old). There is a yearling and a 3 yr old plus a yearling stud colt in the round pen - getting fed free choice food.

The young mares flattened them several times in the first couple of days. I took the goats back out and tied them in the area between my barn and the pasture where the young mares were and then tried again. This time it worked... At least I didn't see them flattening the goats or flat out chasing them... I think they were in the pasture for a week and a 1/2 before they went back over to my friends' home...

They are barnyard mixed goats and both the doe and her doeling have/will have horns.

In the backyard







Doeling in round pen, goat in pasture







This didn't work so much - the doeling helped the three w/ eating the alfalfa pellets free choice. The resulting "goatie" diarrhea was NASTY... I then kept them out of the round pen! It worked for a couple of days before they went home, LOL.


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## amysue (Oct 17, 2014)

My mini stud, Timmy is practically joined at the hip with his goat, briggs. I cannot separate them without the goat crying and timmy screaming. Some of my other horses do not like my goats and they will chase them down. I would introduce them slowly, maybe pen the goat inside of the horse's pen until they learn to respect each others space. Some goats will chew on horse's tails or blankets so maybe keep an eye on that. I also tie my goat up while feeding grain so he does not eat all of the horse grain. Good luck, goats are a lot of fun.


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## Miniv (Oct 17, 2014)

We had pygmy goats when we bought our first minis and everyone got along fine....that was over 20 years ago.

More recently someone dumped a male pygmy/fainting goat at our place and he would escape through fences and visit

all our different groups. The horses "put up" with his male advances and he did get warning kicks occasionally,

but overall it worked out.

What I HAVE heard is that sometimes goats will chew on the horses' tails, but we never experienced that personally.


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## Miniv (Oct 17, 2014)

Post Script!!! One thing to remember is that goats should be fed their grain separately.

I can't remember details but there are minerals in the horse grain that's bad for goats

and visa-versa.


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## shorthorsemom (Oct 18, 2014)

And goats can not have alfalfa hay from what I have heard.

My goats might have worked it out with my horses eventually, but it was too un nerving to see the reaction and the chasing. To me it is kind of like putting minis with biggie horses.. some folks can do it and some folks get nervous about the size difference. My goats have horns... but they are fainting goats and keel over and are more vulnerable. My Nigerian goats I had for a couple of years were much tougher but not tough enough for my geldings. They are escape artists and enjoy rolling under the smallest gap in the fence. I LOVE my goats and they do a good job on eating poison ivy and weeds in the horse pasture. I just prefer keeping a fence divider.


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## MajorClementine (Oct 18, 2014)

So I guess it might be a "try it and see" kinda deal. Hmmm.... my dry lot is actually divided into two sections. I usually just open up one panel so the minis have run of the place but I can close it and have a separate place for the goat (or two goats if the horses don't play nice. Goats seem to need a "herd"). I don't grain my minis so I don't see that being a problem and the hay they get is almost straight grass. Maybe a little alfalfa if it is going to be -10F or below at night.

My fence is livestock panels with welded wire calf panels attached to the bottom. It should keep goats in BUT I've had pygmy goats that a prison fence wouldn't have kept in.

Hubby isn't sold on the idea of a dairy goat. He says he won't like goat milk. I keep asking him how he knows without trying it but he says "everyone says it tastes like goats smell". I've been doing a lot of reading and think maybe he'll be able to drink Nigerian milk. We'll see.

Hopefully the minis will accept a goat but Major is pretty protective of Clementine and will charge the fence at the big horses sometimes. I didn't think he would see a goat as a threat but from the replies I'm thinking he may not be kind to the new addition. Guess that means I'll just need two. Now to get another doe or a weather??


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## shorthorsemom (Oct 18, 2014)

Goats really enjoy goat buddies. Doe or whether is usually fine. I have both. I enjoy the fainting goats but have a friend who has Nigerian goats and that is her favorite. I think goats are so different from breed to breed in personality that you need to find your favorite. I started with Nigerian dwarf goats but now only have the fainters.


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## fourluckyhorseshoes (Oct 18, 2014)

Miniv said:


> Post Script!!! One thing to remember is that goats should be fed their grain separately.
> 
> I can't remember details but there are minerals in the horse grain that's bad for goats
> 
> and visa-versa.


I think you may be thinking about copper. I know it is toxic to sheep, but I'm not sure about goats.


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## Miniv (Oct 18, 2014)

Yes! Copper...It's toxic to goats too.

Goats are also prone to "bloat" and it's been advised to keep a dish of baking soda down for them to help that.


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## AngC (Oct 18, 2014)

At one point, I was thinking of getting a goat to keep Nicky company (...I really don't like goats; used to have to milk them when I was a child and have negative memories of the smelly billy goat,) but for Nicky I was open to anything. Since I didn't much like goats, I borrowed one from a neighbor to see how NIcky would react. Nicky was just fine when the goat was on the outside of his area. Nicky seemed curious and interested.

But, as soon as we brought the goat into Nicky's area (goat on a leash) Nicky literally freaked. It's the one time I've seen him look like a *real* stallion... ears pinned back, charging, with a weird squeal-whinny sound. I'm glad I didn't just go out and get a goat for NIcky, because then I would have been stuck with it. I didn't test the goat on the girls.

So maybe you might want to check out whether your horsies like goats?


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## hylights (Oct 19, 2014)

I keep goats and mini's, they are kept separate with adjoining fence lines, when the goats do get in with the minis the minis go wild running , kicking and chasing, the goats ignore this activity, I haven't left them together, I think they would eventually work it out.

Goats do have copper in their grain, but male goats need ammonium chloride in their feed to prevent urinary blockage, and I wouldn't let my horses have that. Goats do need other goats , please consider getting 2 related goats.


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## amysue (Oct 19, 2014)

Out of curiosity. ..if you are planning on raising the doe to milk her, are you planning to buy a buck to breed her or borrow one or send her out? As others have said, goats do best with other goats. If you really only want one, I would consider a larger one like a nubian or Alpine (best dairy goat I ever had) so there would not be such a size difference between the goat and your mini. If your goat and horse do bond, don't forget that when it comes time for her to deliver her kids, she'll have to be seperated from the mini and they may not like that. I have had issues with seperating animals once they have bonded. Maybe you could take a goat on a trial under the agreement with the seller that if they do not get along, she can go back (reputable sellers should do this to ensure their stock go to good homes). If nothing works...consider a mini cow! Dexters are quite nice.


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## secuono (Oct 19, 2014)

Lots of goats lack copper in their regular diet and need added copper or copper bolus every 6mo.

Sheep cannot have any added copper, so they need their own, real sheep loose mineral. (hard to find in non-sheep areas)

My 4 horses don't mind my sheep and they didn't mind the 3 goats I had and they don't mind dogs. But your horses might hate the goats terribly.

Goats and other herd animals need a friend of their own kind, castrated male or another female. Bottle raised goats are annoyingly friendly, dam raised are more independent. (I prefer those) My 3 goats were golly annoying and escaped magically and constantly...They're like puppy-monkeys on a sugar high....


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## Kim~Crayonboxminiatures (Oct 19, 2014)

I grew up with goats and have owned them for many years! Last 6 years I've had Nigerians, I love my Nigerian Goats! I would be cautious about putting them with horses, only because some will chase/kick them. I think if you can give them fence to fence time to get used to each other it will probably work to keep them together. I would recommend a pair of goats, so they can buddy with each other if they will be living with more than one horse. I would separate to feed grain, not because it would harm either, but because of potential of stealing each others feed. I wouldn't want my Minis eating goat grain, only because they would get too fat! And the goats shouldn't have joint supplements, there are some ingredients that are not safe for goats, and also beware of medicated goat grain that is not safe for horses.

You will need to feed some alfalfa either hay or pellets along with grain if you are milking, they will need the calcium to produce milk and stay in good condition. If you want all the milk for your own use, you will have to buy an alternative to feed the kids, or milk and bottle feed them. It can be time consuming to milk & bottle feed. And unless you purchase a bred doe, you will need to find a way to get her bred either by AI or place that will accept outside does for breeding. Can be hard to find for small scale breeder.

I've milked dairy goats a lot in the past, but haven't tried my Nigerians yet. I know a lot of people do milk them and it works really well because it's not such a large volume of milk. The Nigerians do have richer milk, so will be creamier than standard goat milk. If you want milk that doesn't taste "goaty" I would stick with Nigerian, Alpine or Nubian breeds. Toggenburgs and some Saanans will have stronger flavored milk. It's also important to cool it right away (put in freezer for 15 mins) after milking that helps keep the flavor better too.

Copper is not toxic to goats! They need copper, sheep can't have copper. Goats are more sensitive to mineral deficiencies so they should have loose minerals available free choice, and baking soda free choice which allows them to balance the ph of their rumen. And of course a salt block.

Goats also do better with hay fed in racks or nets off the ground, if fed hay on the ground like horses they will waste a lot of hay. I sometimes use big tubs, but they will still waste some. Goats are great in pasture to compliment horses because they will eat weeds/brush over grass (they will graze if there is nothing else, but not graze grass short like horses).

There is lots more I could write, let me know if you have other questions!


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## MajorClementine (Oct 20, 2014)

amysue said:


> Out of curiosity. ..if you are planning on raising the doe to milk her, are you planning to buy a buck to breed her or borrow one or send her out? As others have said, goats do best with other goats. If you really only want one, I would consider a larger one like a nubian or Alpine (best dairy goat I ever had) so there would not be such a size difference between the goat and your mini. If your goat and horse do bond, don't forget that when it comes time for her to deliver her kids, she'll have to be seperated from the mini and they may not like that. I have had issues with seperating animals once they have bonded. Maybe you could take a goat on a trial under the agreement with the seller that if they do not get along, she can go back (reputable sellers should do this to ensure their stock go to good homes). If nothing works...consider a mini cow! Dexters are quite nice.


Funny you should mention Dexters. That was the breed of cow I was looking at before looking at goats. Still a large volume of milk though. I could probably find neighbors to share with...

Thanks everyone for the info. I'm beginning to think two does might be the way to go. I would bring a buck over for breeding rather than owning one. There are actually several in my area that I have found. Lots of 4H kids and families who show livestock at local fairs and whatnot. I've been reading up on raising dairy goats and I keep coming across the same info on kidding and raising the kids. Letting them nurse for the first 2 weeks then taking them off momma at night, milk her in the morning, then put the kids back with her. I would probably do something similar to this. It might be nice to have a little break from milking.

In any event, we won't be getting a goat until I round up some goat milk for hubby to try. The Alpine breed also interested me but I keep reading that the Nigerian milk is so close to cows milk. Hubby isn't big on new things


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## shorthorsemom (Oct 23, 2014)

For me size is important on goats. I didn't want anything so big it would be a wrestle for hoof trims. The Nigerians are sweet. Kim of the crayonbox does a great job with her goats and is my go to person for questions. She has done some milking too.


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## Shari (Oct 27, 2014)

Sheep don't need as much copper as other livestock.

Goats need copper, nearly the same amount as horses.

Here is everyone together during the winter. Because the sheep are in there, I have to do things different with the minerals.

You will not have those problems if you just have goats.

As for goats and mini's getting along,, just depends on the goats and minis.


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## shalakominiatureshowhorses (Oct 27, 2014)

We have three minis in the same pasture with two boehr(?) goats. My 38" gelding, Bentley, absolutely loves them. He naps with them during the day and will guard and protect them if he feels they are in danger. Otherwise, the horses and goats hardly ever interact.


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## Miniv (Oct 27, 2014)

Sorry for thinking it was copper that was in horse grain and not goat grain....wasn't sure.

There is a different mineral between them. And to make baking soda available for

the goats. Whethers (fixed males) can be prone to bloat and the baking soda helps keep that at bay.


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## Bess Kelly (Oct 27, 2014)

I have minis & milk goats. They do fine mostly -- they will pretty much keep into separate groups if in same pasture. As said, an occasional chase or kick will be sent toward them if they get too close. Generally, they are not run together but will run the goats in a field that has had minis, to browse. They LOVE things like honeysuckle, low tree growth and WILL eat all the bark from a young tree, fruit tree, etc. killing it. So, be aware they love that "stuff".

The males, more than females, are known to get crystals in urine if they eat too much alfalfa. The milking does really do need the alfalfa but, if you have a male & female, give alf pellets at milking time in her feed. You won't have the male in there at that time.

Different goats have different milk. The Nigerians have a higher fat content, often 8-10%, so great for cheese. Nubians are often in the 6-7% range and the Alpines, Saanens, about 3.5-5% (almost same as a cow %). Full milk does taste richer than say, 2%. But my Saanen has awesome milk!! In full production I get 1 1/4 gallon per day(she is full sized) I milk 2x day and have worked her into 1X day for my own convenience in past milkings.....which you can do over a short period as they produce as used....so take less and they will slow production for you. There are many who milk 1X day. The Nigerians will give between 1 qt & 1/2 gal a day. Like all things, each animal is a little different and we can give you only generalizations. One of my Nubs is a full sized, other 2 are mini Nubs. Minis are crossed with Nigerians early on to bring down size. I expect 1/2 gal from each mini, 1 gal + from full size Nubian, per day. First fresheners generally give less, increasing with subsequent kiddings.

By the way, if you run your buck with your milking does, you may get "off" flavored milk. I do not do that....and am only milking 1 of 4 adult does. In Spring I will be milking all 4 as the Nubians will then kid out. Oh, I make milk goat soap, cheese, yogurt, sour cream and have made butter. I would not make butter again without a separator! LOL My own kids (grown) won't even taste the milk -- too bad, it is their loss. My is used raw, kept in glass. It is great milk. This year I'm working to make the hard cheeses, which take longer to age, etc. Milk goats are a commitment but, you can dry them up if it is more than you want to do. I find it makes me more self sufficient and I like the milk time, generally. But, I'm retired and work a little part-time only. Besides, it only takes a short time -- you just can't not milk if the doe is used to being milked -- painful and not good.

My buck runs with a little stallion.....who is 27.5" and the buck is 29". They are good buddies.

Be careful that they do not get into cattle feed as it often has urea in it and that can kill a goat.


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