Goats have hooves that grow at an amazing rate, especially when they are provided with good quality feed and hay . Expect to trim your goats hooves every 1-2 months. Get the green handled hoof trimmers from Tractor Supply

Goat and Sheep Nutridrench is a nutrient rich formula designed to quickly deliver essential vitamins to a goat in various kinds of distress. This is also excellent to administer to newborn kids to get them off to a great to start. Some complain that they find the solution to be caustic to the mucosa membranes of a goats mouth, however we have never had a problem with this. Just be sure to give it a good shake before dosing to ensure the ingredients are adequately mixed.

Administer Vitamin B Paste anytime a goat seems "off" acting. Often used on our farm in conjunction with Nutridrench. I can't count the times this has given improvement within minutes. Often helps to keep a goat stable while a diagnoses is being made and allows for underlying issues to be addressed. 

One of the best pieces of advice I've received is, "to keep a healthy goat, think in terms of prevention." Goats are often prone to parasites, particularly just after kidding and during rainy months (which happens to also be in the springtime when does are kidding). There is much controversy in the goat world as to which dewormers to use and how often. We encourage new goat owners to research this topic for themselves to determine which methods best fit their farming style. We personally have concern with the overuse of chemical dewormers. Many types of parasites have built up significant resistance to chemical dewormers, therefore we have opted to use reliable herbal methods for parasite prevention in our herd. Our favorite is Molly's Herbals herbal worm formulas. 

Copper is a necessary mineral for goats. It effects their health in a number of ways, including gut health, fertility, coat and skin health, weight stability and more. In most areas, Goats will suffer from copper deficiency if not supplemented with a copper bolus every 4-6 months. Signs of copper deficiency include: rough or dull coat, fish tail appearance at the tip of the goats tail, weight loss, anemia, and a susceptibility to parasites. 

When herbal formulas have failed at preventing a worm overload, chemical dewormers may be necessary. The trick here is often one type is not enough (again due to parasite resistance) to eradicate the parasites. Typically it is now advised to use two types of dewormer. For example, in the case of a haemonchus (barberpole worm) outbreak we would advise to medicate with Prohibit along with Zimecterin Gold paste. We keep these both on hand.

Selenium is also essential for goats, and especially for does in a breeding program. Many areas in the U.S. have soil that is selenium deficient, in which cases a goat must be supplemented to maintain good health. Without proper amounts of selenium, doe goats may have trouble kidding and kids born may exhibit signs of weakness such as dragging their hind legs. Selenium deficiency left untreated often leads to a goats death. We do live in a selenium deficient area and we administer BOSE injections to our herd yearly. 

When a goat is acting unwell one of the first things to do is check their temp. You want a thermometer in your kit specifically designated for your goats. Check their temperature using a quick read digital thermometer rectally. Normal goat temperature is 101.5-103.5 F. 

Probiotic paste is definitely a staple in our goat care kit. Probiotic paste or powder is given to goats in times of stress, such as transportation, extreme changes in weather, illness and before/after kidding. 

Alushield and Blu-Kote are used for treating wounds and scrapes, and applying to disbudding sites. Our recent preference has been to tend toward Blu-Kote to avoid exposure to the aluminum spray Alushield. However Alushield has its place and can seal a wound more effectively. 

CDT vaccine protects against clostridium perfringins C and D as well as Tetanus. All of the goat kids born on our farm will have received their first CDT vaccine and will require a booster vaccine typically two weeks to one month after leaving our farm. This vaccine can easily be acquired at your local Tractor Supply or Atwoods.

You will use needles and syringes for administering vaccines, medications and drawing blood. 18, 20, and 22 gauge needles are most commonly used for goats. Use shorter needles (1/2 to 3/4 inch) for subcutaneous injections. 

Offer baking soda free fed, especially in times of year when they are turned out onto new pasture and eating things they aren't used to eating. Baking soda can help prevent and treat bloat.

Offer loose minerals to your goats at all times. Manna Pro Loose Minerals is our go to, offered in a homemade PVC feeder

This may seem like a no brainer, but it's certainly an essential! We love these water buckets from Tractor Supply! We now use a trough style feeder for giving grain to our herd, but starting out with a rubber feed bucket or two will do the trick.

Goats need clean, dry bedding for maintaining optimal health. We start with (animal safe) barn lime, followed by pine shavings and straw. 

Goats need good quality, clean, mold-free hay. Our goats' favorites to eat are bermuda and alfalfa. 

Provide a nutrient rich grain ration to growing kids as well as pregnant and lactating does.