JR FRYE Goats

Since your thread quickly migrated to the next page, I thought I would open it up again.

You got some useful and some useless information which is normal, so you have to read between the lines.

I can't recommend a breed for you, but there is lots of information on the net. We raise Boers (meat goats) and they are very easy to take care of, and the kids sell pretty easy here near the Mexico border.
As for feeding corn, yes you can but keep it to a minimum. They can eat just about any pellet feed that cows or horses eat, and that is cheaper than corn now. 12% protein works well for me. They will also need hay, and they will eat the cheapest hay around. They are not real picky. As someone else said, the hay needs to be in a feeder as they will waste a lot of it.
If they are penned, be sure and have a good fence. Even on pasture you need good fence, goats tend to think everything on the other side is better. As someone else said they will rub along the fence and bring it down if not secure. The picture below is of a 16' section of panel, and I have to straighten it back up now and then. I have a big buck that thinks it's his personal rubbing wire and part of the time his battering ram.


And always keep some extra fence handy just in case.....


I took these pictures this evening at feeding time. This is one of my bucks with a few of his ladies.


And a few of the kids letting me know it's time to eat and that I need to quit taking pictures.


And this little guy thought the camera might be a treat. (They get cattle cubes for treats)


And now it's chow time for the kids. (about half the kids were pulled off their mommas a week ago)

JR ,I did not see the other post till this am. We have nigerian dwarfs, my daughter showed them in 4h many years ago. They are two weathers,castrated males,that are old now,and they have become my wifes babys now, They will probably outlive me!

Larry, do those castrated Billies still stink, and did you band them?

no, they dont stink at all,and they are real friendly, They were banded when they were young,the 4h group leader sold us the two babys,my wife bottle fed them and raised them

No, the bucks won't stink if you nut them early enough. They also become pretty docile too. Has to be done prior to about 6 months, and the earlier the better. I band mine if the buying customer requests, usually before they are 2 months old. Only had one issue banding where a band broke and the sack got bad infected. I dosed him up with antibiotics, rebanded and he was fine. Sack fell of about 3 days after the re-banding.