ONE of the downsides of keeping dairy stock is maintaining productiveness through out the worst months of the year.

In most parts of the British Isles, with possible exceptions of the extreme north and south, this means January to the end of March. We are faced with much wet weather and at times intense cold. Since we all woke up to Global Warming, one of the other factors is the fickleness of the weather which can change almost overnight from sub zero to 6 or 7 degrees centigrade.

Animals are having to adapt far more than us to these changes.

For the most part we live in warm houses and when the temperature plummets up goes the heating - whatever form that takes - and on go the sweaters.

The reason goats are different to many stock is that scientific research has shown that they thrive in temperatures ranging from 16-20 degrees centigrade. This is because they originated from the warmer climates of the world. But what about Swiss goats? I hear you say. Well, Swiss goats have adapted over many generations to tolerate changes in temperature but the difference in the climate in Switzerland and the UK is that it is either cold and dry or wet and warm. The UK is notorious for wet and cold conditions. All animals hate wet and cold, particularly when it is also coupled with wind but goats absolutely detest it and will simply give up a die. If left out in it with out shelter from wind and rain.

The majority of UK goats will spend the winter months housed and this will, in theory, keep them warm. However we can then relate to human temperature management in the respect that if we stand or sit still for any length of time, we begin to lose body heat. The same can be said of goats. A goat that is using energy to keep warm will not be using that energy for milk production and the milk yield will fall dramatically or stop altogether.

Using energy to keep warm will ultimately result in a loss of weight which will further compound the production issue.

Bad news if this is your house goat but even worse news if she is feeding kids.

Coping with the problem

  • Housing: This should be dry and draught-free. Hang a piece of polythene from the roof and see how much it moves on a windy day. Address the gaps where draughts are coming in and stuff them with straw or paper sacks. Don't use anything made from polystyrene as this is fatal if ingested. Don't leave the "test" polythene in the shed either for the same reason!

Use straw bales around the edge of the stall if it is big enough to insulate the pen still further.

Make sure the roof is sound and that there are no gaps under doors. Ideally, there should be a top door to shut at night too.

  • Floors: Deep litter is a good way of promoting warmth at ground level but do make sure that it is very regularly topped up so that it remains clean to lie on and does not taint the goat's udder with the smell of urine or droppings. I have used rubber matting with a thinner layer of daily cleaned out bedding to good effect but your set up will dictate the options you choose.
  • Feeding: Make sure that you are using the best proprietory feed you can for your dairy goat. Some people prefer to mix their own and in that case you should aim at a protein level of around 12 to 16 per cent fed at a rate of no more than 1 kilogram a day spread through as many as four feeds if possible. For the average owner, purchasing a recognised goat mix is the best and safest option. Use a broad spectrum vitamin supplement such as Caprivite.

For people away from the holding all day, feed less concentrate feed twice a day and more top quality hay or tested haylage. Cooked, warm food is relished by some goats. Boiling crushed oats is appreciated, fed with the normal feed by reducing the feed by a teacupful and adding the same quantity of oats, perhaps once or twice a week. Soaked sugar beet is suitable for all goats except bucks and wethers (it can lead to urinary calculi in males) and can also be fed at a rate of a teacupful of soaked beet twice a day, normally added to the concentrate ration.

  • Hay/haylage: Should be fed ad lib through the winter months to goats and they will probably consume up to 3 kg a day each. This can be further supplemented if required with good barley or oat straw. Haylage should always come from a reliable source. If it is a branded variety, then tests will have been done. If it is a farm source, ask to see the test certificate to reassure yourself of protein and fibre levels and also of its cleanliness and micro organism content. Don't take chances with the life of your goat by buying cheaply from a non-accredited source; it simply isn't worth the risk. Never feed silage.
  • Other food: Root vegetables as available and leafy vegetables too. In my experience brassicas do not taint the milk unless fed to excess and you should never feed anything to excess in livestock. Nettles, dried or fresh, are a good source of vitamins for goats during the winter and many goat-keepers in days gone by, and now for that matter, swear by their effectiveness for improving milk yield.
  • Water: Change twice daily. Warm (tepid) water is much appreciated.
  • Grazing: In the milder counties of the country it maybe possible to turn the goat out to graze in the day. This has a twofold effect. First, it keeps the goat interested in life and gives a change of scenery. Secondly, she will be "on the move" and this will keep her circulation going and in turn help to keep her warm. Dry cold days are fine. Wet or very windy days are not. Don't leave the goat out without some sort of shelter with a roof unless you are available to bring her in should the weather change.

What else can I do? Contemplating a goat rug on the coldest days is a possibility or even a goat "New Zealand" rug for turning out. Rain and goats do not go together, they hate it and get saturated very quickly as their coats do not contain lanolin like sheep. An Angora goat should be treated like a goat, not a sheep, even though it seems to have a heavy fleece. Although the Angora will not be a milking goat, she may well be supporting two or more kids and needs her milk supply as much as your house goat.

Grooming is another possibility for stimulating circulation and helping to keep the goat warm.

In conclusion, the way to keep a productive goat all winter is to keep her warm and feed her well. Those goats such as kids and goatlings, wethers and bucks do best on ad lib forage (hay/haylage) Kids will get the best start in life after weaning helping them to become strong and productive adults for the future.

Goatlings will then be set up physically for early spring matings for July and August kiddings.

Wethers will just be spoilt rotten or be good freezer fodder for the early spring and bucks will recover well from a possibly busy autumn rut and be ready for a few more does in the early spring if required.