Thinking about starting a dairy goat herd?

Whether you’e aiming to supply your household with fresh milk or simply bring a bit more personality to your paddock, starting a dairy goat herd takes planning.
Goats are productive animals, but they’re also curious, clever, and full of character—often becoming the unexpected stars of the backyard. This introductory guide covers some key fundamentals: choosing a breed that suits your goals and region, setting up housing and fencing, feeding for health and production, and staying on top of common health issues. It’s a solid starting point
for anyone ready to take the leap into goatkeeping.

 First Things First…
Goats are not easy. They are complex beings with complex needs—but if you meet those needs, they’ll give back tenfold.

Why Dairy Goats?

• Fresh, nutritious milk: Rich in flavour, easier to digest than cow’s milk, and perfect for cheese, yogurt, and soap-making.
• Small-scale friendly: Ideal for homesteads, even with limited space.
• Lower startup costs: Compared to a house cow, goats are more affordable and easier to manage.
• Big personalities: Goats are clever, curious, charming—and endlessly entertaining.

How Do You Start a Dairy Goat Herd?

To start a dairy goat herd, choose beginner-friendly breeds like Saanen or Nubian, build secure housing with proper fencing, provide a balanced diet of hay, grain, and roughage, and follow a regular health care routine including hoof trimming, vaccinations, and parasite management.

The BIG 4: Start-Up Tips for New Goatkeepers

1️. Choosing the Right Goats
Start with breeds that match your needs, production goals, and lifestyle. A few good starting breeds to consider:

• Saanen: Large, gentle goats known for high milk volume and a calm temperament—ideal for cooler climates or shaded areas.
• Anglo Nubian: Chatty, affectionate, and heat-tolerant. They produce rich, creamy milk perfect for yogurt and cheese.
• Toggenburg: Medium-sized, curious, and beginner-friendly, with reliable milk production and good butterfat content.

2️. Housing and Fencing
Goats need secure, comfortable housing:

• Shelter: An all-weather, dry, draft-free space with good ventilation. Simple three-sided sheds often work well.
• Spaciousness: Goats like personal space and room to rest in family groups—essential for physical and social health.
• Security: Secure housing is important during kidding or when containing bucks.
• Bedding: Straw or wood shavings help keep things clean and cozy. Regular cleaning is essential.
• Fencing: Goats can be escape artists. Use stock-tight wire fencing with top wires at a good height, and back-up electric fencing as needed.

3️. Feeding and Nutrition
Healthy goats = happy, productive goats. Nutritional needs vary depending on
sex, pregnancy, and lactation. A basic diet should include:

• Hay: Pasture, oaten, or lucerne hay are all good options.
• Grain: Milking goats benefit from a combination of grain mix, ‘goat muesli’, and pellets for energy and milk production.
• Water: Fresh, clean water at all times is non-negotiable.
• Roughage: Goats are browsers, not grazers. If bushland isn’t available, regularly provide cut branches from fodder trees.

4️. Health and Wellness
Preventative care is key:

• Hoof trimming: Every 6–8 weeks to prevent lameness.
• Vaccinations: CD&T (Clostridium perfringens types C and D, and Tetanus) is standard—consult your vet for local needs and timing.
• Worm management: Internal parasites can significantly affect the health and survival of your flock.
• Observation & quick action: Watch for lethargy, poor appetite, behavioural changes, or abnormal droppings—and act quickly.

Final Thoughts and Invitation

Goats are intelligent, curious, and social creatures that thrive in herds and respond to routine and interaction. They’ll surprise you with their personalities – some openly loving, some mischievous, all endearing.

Goatkeeping isn’t just about production – it’s about showing up, paying attention, and learning to work with nature instead of against it. Your goats will test you, teach you, and sometimes drive you a little nuts. But they’ll also remind you to slow down, stay humble, and care deeply. In return, they’ll give you more than milk. They’ll offer moments of joy, connection, and a whole lot of character. So take a breath, pull on your boots, and picture yourself walking out to the goat shed. One day, the herd will be there, doing their thing – and you’ll be right there with them.

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My word for kidding time is ‘intrepid’, a combination of bravado, audacity and joy!

There’s something about goats. They are charming, endearing, smart, engaging. They are also testing, frustrating and, frankly, at times exasperating. You either get them or you don’t. But if you do then you are blessed for sure.

It’s goat kidding season right now. This year we have 5 does in kid and they will birth across September. Five isn’t a lot on the scale of things but as we have goats for our personal needs only – milk and cheese – then that’s plenty. Each doe will likely have 1 or 2 kids, although it is not uncommon for there to be more. Not that we want that. 2 kids is perfect – goats only have two teats so anymore and life gets complicated. And two means that they will play together, sleep together, do everything together. It’s a joy to watch the bond between siblings and between kids and their dam (mother). Some dairy goat breeders ‘catch’ the kids at birth and bottle feed them but that’s not our way. We love seeing the kids and the mums mixing together, getting to know the rest of the herd, learning how to be goats and socialise. We do bottle feed all of our goat kids though, usually just once a day. This is by way of ensuring they will stay people-focused, which is important because as a domesticated animal they will have a life-long relationship with humans. Besides, who doesn’t like to bottle feed a baby goat, right!?

I’m writing this whilst on goat birth-watch actually. Our two maiden (first year to give birth) does are due to kid in the next few days but I have a feeling they are going to come early.

We choose to be at the birth of all kids, to reassure the does and in case of complication. Our bond with these goats is strong; when you milk an animal by hand a robust relationship forms. They also put a lot of trust in us and so we like to be there with them. But back to our two pending first-time dams, Rose and Tilly … typical of their Toggenburg bred they are cheeky and robust. These girls are 2 years old and it being their first kidding, we don’t really know what to expect. We’re not anticipating any complications, they are both healthy and in good birthing condition but it’s best to be sure. Mothering doesn’t always come naturally either, it depends a lot on their heritage. These does were both dam-raised though so we anticipate that they too will be good mothers. Good luck Tilly and Rose, we’ve got you!

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