We want to welcome you to Stinnett Family Farms (SFF)!

We are a
small family owned and operated farm located in South Arkansas.
I am Travis, and my wife is Crystal. We have three beautiful
children Jordan, Katie, and Levi. We operate our own homestead
complete with a farm stand coming soon!!
This program is designed to help as you learn from our experience
as well as our mistakes in the process of starting your very own
homesteading journey.
Grab a cup of coffee and sit back as you read through the You
Can Homestead Series

Copyright 2013 by Stinnett Family Farms All rights

reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be
reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the
express written permission of the publisher except for the
use of brief quotations in a book review.
Printed in the United States of America
First Printing, 2013
ISBN 0-9000000-0-0
Stinnett Publishing
Sparkman, AR 71763
www.stinnettfamilyfarms.com
www.crawlycrittersreptiles.com

Table Of Contents
Chapter 1 Why Goats? 7
Chapter 2 Goat Breeds 8
Chapter 3 Feeding Goats

Chapter 4 Goat Housing 11

Chapter 5 Buying Goats 13
Chapter 6 Dairy Goats 16
Chapter 7 Meat Goats

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Chapter 8 Breeding Goats 19

Chapter 9 Health & Safety 22

Chapter 1
Why Goats?
Goats can fill several needs when it comes to homesteading.
Why should you raise goats on your homestead? That is a
question only YOU can answer. By the end of this eBook I
hope to be able to help you in the decision making process. I
also hope to give you the basics of how to buy, raise, and
then use your goats most effectively on your homestead.
Goats come in many shapes, colors, and sizes. They also
serve different purposes on the homestead according to the
size and body style of the goat you decide on. If you search
online and do a little research there are literally hundreds of
different breeds for your to choose from. Im not going to
begin to break down every breed. It would take a whole
volume of books to do that. What I AM going to do is break
down the two breeds we produce here at Stinnett Family
Farms.

Chapter 2:
What Breed Is Right For Me?
Not only will I break down the breeds we raise, but I also will
tell you WHY we chose these breeds.
The first breed we selected to raise
here on our homestead is the
Nubian goat. The Nubian goat was
selected as a dual purpose goat for
us. First the larger body makes it
great for meat production. Second is
for the large quantities of milk they
produce.

The second breed we chose is the Nigerian

Dwarf goat. The Nigerian Dwarf is small in
size, less than two feet tall at the shoulders.
This doesnt make for a good meat producer,
but that is not why we chose them. However,
even though they are not large goats, they
produce some of the best tasting milk out of
all the goat breeds. The smaller Nigerians
produce much sweeter tasting milk.
We would be happy to help you in your goat breed research
if there is a different type of goat you prefer, but these are
the two we know the most about because we raise them
ourselves.

Chapter 3:
What Do I Feed My Goats
Feeding goats is fairly simple. You want to keep them a fresh
supply of hay every day. Dont allow the hay to get wet and
nasty before they have time to consume it. If you dont have
a barn to put it under, be sure you only put out
approximately 2 lbs. of hay for each 50 lbs. of goat you have
eating.
They will obviously need more during the winter to be sure
to adjust your feeding schedule accordingly. They wont have
much, if any, forage to eat when there are no leaves or grass
growing.
As for grain, feed approximately 1 lb. of fee per 100 lbs. of
goat. I personally use All Stock that I buy for about $7.50 a
bag at our local Atwoods. For the Nubians (milk producing
does only) you can fee them a good quality dairy goat feed
for better milk production.
I was recently told by a couple goat raising buddies you
should never feed bucks the dairy feed, especially young
ones. I think it even says it on the feed bag.
Also, I have talked to a couple Nigerian Dwarf breeders and
they say not to feed the dairy feed to them either because
they do not do well with it. It is better to just feed them the
All Stock.
On top of the hay and feed be sure they have plenty of
pasture to graze.
As for treats, goats absolutely love, love, love any and all
extra treats you bring them. They like animal crackers, dry
cereal, fresh pulled grass, raisins, or just about any healthy
snacks you can find.

Chapter 4:
What Kind Of Housing Do My Goats Need?
Shelter for your goats can be very easy and cost effective, or
it can be extravagant and very expensive. It really depends
on your personal preference. As for the goats, they need
very little in the way of shelter. Just be sure you provide
them with a place they can stay warm and dry.
What we use here at Stinnett Family Farms can be found in
the Cattle Panel Structures eBook in the You can
Homestead series. It is an 8 by 8 goat barn made from
cattle panels and minimal lumber. Most of the materials can
be salvaged free from construction sites, or torn down family
barns (like we did). I will have mine built for roughly $40 for
the cattle panels, and $20 for the cover to go over it.
As far as fencing is concerned, goats are the Houdinis of
the animal world. If they can get out, the WILL get out .
Fencing will work as long as it is 4 to 5 feet high. Just make
sure you dont have any weak spots or the goats WILL find it.
SERIOUSLY! As long as you build a GOOD fence, and give
them at least 200 square feet each, they will be happy and
have plenty of room to move around.
The only other thing I suggest, to make your goats happy, is
to build a small play area. Anything from platforms and
ramps to piles of large rocks for them to climb on will make
them happy, happy, happy. They also like old tires and
barrels to climb and jump on. I promise if you build them a
playground they will give you hours of entertainment,
especially the kids!

Chapter 5:
Where Can I Buy The Breed I Have Picked Out?.
One of the easiest ways to find goats is online. Just do a
Google search for (INSERT BREED) Goats For Sale (INSERT
YOUR CITY/STATE). I assure you, there will be several
breeders within driving distance of your location. You should
be able to find a reputable breeder quite easily.
One thing that is very important is to not jump into a
purchase. This will be an investment for your homestead and
you want to make sure you are making wise decisions.
If possible you want to open up communication with the
breeder. If the breeder doesnt want to talk to you about
their goats its probably not wise to buy from them. When I
look for a new line of goats I always have lots of questions
for them. If they cant or wont answer your questions, move
on to someone else. It is very important to acquire healthy
goats in order to start a healthy breeding program.
Next, you want to make sure the breeder will allow you to
come and look at the goats. You not only want to examine
the goats you are thinking about buying, but also look at and
interact with the goats they use as breeders.
Here are a few things to look for:
Make sure the goats are sociable. If the goats are
scared of you then nine times out of ten the breeders
are not interacting with their goats very much.
Look the goats over good for any health issues. Inquire
with the breeder about any health issues such as runny
noses, watering or runny eyes, and any obvious
abscesses or skin conditions. If the breeder allows you
to their farm they probably wont mind you looking at
and observing their animals.
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 Make sure the breeders have records of any

vaccinations or worming they have already performed
on the goats. Goats are susceptible to internal parasites
such as worms. The following is a worming and
vaccination schedule we found during our research that
we use here on the homestead.
o 30 days before we breed our does we worm them,
and the bucks, 3 times with 10 days between each
dose.
o At 100 days gestation you can re-worm the goats
that need it again by looking at their poop. I know
its a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.
o 30 days before the does kid vaccinate with c, d&T,
pasturella, and BO-SE. Now is a good time to trim
their hooves and dust them for lice as well.
o Two days after kidding worm them again 3 times
with 10 days between doses.

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Chapter 6
What If I Choose Goats For Milk?
One of the main reasons we wanted to add goats to our
homestead was for the milk production. We plan to have at
least 5 Nubian does here on the homestead for an estimated
milk production of about 3 quarts to 1 gallon of milk per day
per doe. I am guessing we will get roughly 4 gallons of milk
per day give or take a quart or two.
Our main reason for the excess milk production is for making
cheese, butter, and for our personal and family use. Any that
is left will be turned into soap, lotion, and other personal
care items.
With the Nigerian Dwarf goats, we also plan to make cheese
and butter, as well as producing personal care items.
The bloodlines we have chosen for both breeds of our goats
are hand selected. We hope to produce award winning show
quality goats in both breeds. We plant to incorporate a very
selective breeding program.

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Chapter 7:
Do I Want Goats For Meat?
The Nubian is obviously the choice for our meat production
here on the homestead. Seasoned Nubians can sometimes
be nearly as large as a deer and produce just as much meat.
Meat goat selection will be part of our process in our
breeding program. Select bucklings and doelings will be
raised for slaughter, especially if they present with
imperfections for showing or milk production.
Stay tuned in future updates to this eBook for more
information, videos, and photos about harvesting and storing
meat from your goats. We plan to show you EVERY part of
the process so you will be completely confident and ready
when you embark on your goat raising journey.

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Chapter 8:
Honey, Are We Really Ready For Kids?
Ok, now that you have your breed or breeds of goats
selected, it is time to start thinking about raising your own.
The kidding season (the time when your does will be
delivering their bundles of joy) is a joyous time. I say bundles
because goats are known to produce twins or triplets
regularly and sometimes can even have quadruplets. For
some this can be just as special of a time as having your own
children. If you plan to milk your does and bottle feed the
kids it will be almost as labor intensive as having real babies.
Goats go into season, or heat, for the first time around 8
months of age. Their heat cycle usually runs about 17 to 23
days. It is a controversial issue as to how young you should
breed your does. I have heard both sides of the issue. One
side says you can breed at 8 months old and the does will
grow just as well as the ones you wait to breed. The other
side says you should wait until the doe is 1 years old
before breeding so that she will kid at around 2 years of age.
I have a goat farming friend in Southern Missouri that follows
the 2 year old kidding age. She says she has learned over
the years that if you wait until the goat is older they have
easier times during their first birth and that the births go
much more smoothly. We have decided to go with this
process of waiting the extra time before breeding.
If you are going to invest in goats you might as well invest in
having the healthiest, happiest, best quality goats you can
for them to be profitable in both their meat and milk
production as well as a possible income source.
Once your goat is ready to breed and has come in season
you are ready to introduce her to the buck. Here at Stinnett
Family Farms, we are setting up a process where we bring

14

the buck to the doe and put them together for 1 hour. You
want to see that your doe is bred at least a few times before
taking the buck back to your buck yard.
In order to know when your doe is bred watch for her to arch
her back when the buck thrusts. Once you see it happen you
will definitely know what to look for the next time. We will
eventually be adding a short video showing this process in
the future.
Be sure to mark this date as the date your doe was bred. If
your doe does not come into heat again in 18 to 21 days you
will know that she has been bred and you can prepare for
the approximate kidding date. The average gestation period
is approximately 5 months for goats. Does will usually kid
anywhere from 145 to 155 days after breeding. Kids born
before 130 days gestation are considered premature and are
at risk for complications.
As long as your does are fed properly and are well taken care
of they should do fine during your breeding season.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at
www.stinnettfamilyfarms.com and we will do our best to
answer or direct you to somebody that can. We want you to
have the best possible experience from the very beginning.

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Chapter 9:
What Kind Of Health Problems Should We Look For?
Lets start with a few basics. The normal temperature of a
goat is 102.5 to 104 degrees. The average pulse rate runs
between 70 to 80 beats per minute. Respirations should be
between 15 and 30 per minute.
Average puberty for goats is between 7 weeks and 8
months. It is best if you remove bucks to a separate area
away from young does by 2 months of age.
The average life span for does is 11 to 12 years. But, usually
the death is related to kidding. If your does are retired from
breeding around 10 years of age they can live for 16 to 18
years. Wethers (castrated males) average life span is 11 to
16 years. Bucks live an average of 8 to 10 years. The stress
of the bucks going into rut every year causes them to have a
shorter life span. Goats usually reach their full size at about
3 years old. That is another reason we choose to wait until
our girls are older before we start breeding them.

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Thank you again for your interest in

the You Can Homestead Series.
We value each and every one of
you in the highest regards!!
This eBook, like the rest of the
series, is a work in progress. As we
run across new additional
information we will update and
revise the series. As soon as an
update is available we will send it
to you as long as you are on our
mailing list. Shoot us an email at
travstinnett@ymail.com and I will
add you!
If you have something you would
like to share for an upcoming
revision please also email us at
travstinnett@ymail.com and let us
know. We would love to feature
your homestead in an upcoming
issue!!
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