As temperatures drop, winter preparation moves to the top of every herds(wo)man’s priority list. Ensuring your goats have adequate shelter and access to clean, fresh water is crucial during freezing temperatures. While goats are hardy and acclimate to cold weather as fall ends, here are some steps you can take to make winter easier for them.
4 Tips & Tricks for Goat-Keeping During Cold Weather
Shelter
Unless you live in the Arctic, most livestock do not require heat during the cold winter months, and goats are no exception. In fact, using a heat lamp can create more significant temperature fluctuations, which can interfere with their ability to thermoregulate. Heat lamps also pose a fire hazard in your shelter and require extra caution.
As long as your goat is healthy and has a full coat of hair, the most important factors to address are drafts and moisture. A winter shelter must be dry and windproof. If your goat(s) can stay dry, get under cover, and avoid the wind, they will stay warm even in the coldest weather. Keep this in mind when selecting a new shelter location or winterizing an existing one.
Woven poly tarps can effectively block wind in drafty shelters, and adding insulation—either to the structure or as bedding inside the shelter—will help retain warmth.
Bedding
Bedding provides both insulation and keeps your goats off the ground. Shavings help keep your shelter dry, while hay and straw improve heat retention. The manure packing method can also generate heat in sheltered areas, but you must keep the area dry, as bacteria and protozoa (like coccidia) thrive in moist conditions.
To check if your pen is too wet, put your knee to the ground. If you notice moisture on your clothing when you stand up, you need to add more bedding. This is especially important during kidding season.
If you can smell ammonia in your manure-packed shelter, you likely need to improve ventilation or add more bedding.
Water
Ensuring your goats have access to clean, free-flowing water becomes much more challenging in freezing temperatures. If you have electricity near their shelter, several options can prevent their water from freezing. Tank heaters for large water tubs are a cost-effective choice for larger herds, while heated water buckets work well for smaller pens.
If you don’t have a consistent way to heat water at the pen, you can plan to swap out frozen buckets and tubs multiple times a day. To thaw frozen buckets quickly, flip them upside down and pour warm water over them.
Be sure to unhook water hoses from spigots and hydrants to protect your water lines. After using hoses, drain them to ensure they’re ready and usable the next time you do chores.
Nutrition
Goats, like people, burn more calories when experiencing cold stress. It is very important to make sure that they are fed high-quality feed. This includes feeds such as our 16% Goat Grain or Goat Granola®, and mineral, such as our Goat Mineral Block, when grass is not available, especially during the winter months. Fortified feeds are a balanced source of vitamins and minerals and are a more concentrated source of energy than forage alone. Keep an eye on body condition and be prepared to add more grain to their ration as-needed. During kidding season, it is a good idea to allow your baby goats early opportunities to eat feed. This can be done by offering feed in a creep feeder or in a separate pen from your does. Should you end up raising bottle babies, make sure that the milk replacer you offer is mixed with warm water – never cold.
Article By: Hattie Hartschuh | Courtesy of Kalmbach Feeds