Please Visit our new website at
www.roseleaminatures.com.au
What I need to know before buying a goat
Do goats make good pets?
Yes - goats do make good pets, they have lots of personality.
Miniature goats are extra good as pets, because they are a much easier size to handle. They are best if they have been handled since a young age.
Miniature goats are extra good as pets, because they are a much easier size to handle. They are best if they have been handled since a young age.
Can I just buy 1 goat?
No, it is best not to have just 1 goat, as they get very lonely, because they are herd animals. We will not sell only 1 goat, unless you already have other goats.
How big are your goats?
All of our goats grow to height of between 23 & 27in, some of our goats are biger than you can register in Australia, but are still much smaller than Milking breeds.
What do I need to do to care for a goat?
Goats need to be wormed every 3 months
Have their feet trimmed every 6 -12 weeks
Have a shelter for when it rains - as they can die without it, due to the fact that they don't have much oil in their hair.
Check for lice etc, and treat as required
Also may require supplementary feed, depending on what is avalible in their paddock
Can I train my Goat to walk on a lead?
Yes - Most of the goats we sell have begun halter training.
Am I better to buy a Male or a female goat?
If you want it just as a pet then you are best to buy a wether, which is a neutered male. A Female will want to go in kid after she is a year old.
If you want to breed then you obviously need females, and a buck.
All the Male goats we have had have tended to be more friendly than the Females, too.
If you want to breed then you obviously need females, and a buck.
All the Male goats we have had have tended to be more friendly than the Females, too.
What kind of fences do I need to keep goats in?
A standard farm fence, made with 900 high chicken wire, strained top and bottom, with 2 plain wires above.
You can also you an off set electric wire, if you want.
Do not use barb wire
You can also you an off set electric wire, if you want.
Do not use barb wire
How old do goats live till?
Most live between 7 and 13 years.
Should I buy a goat without horns?
Not necessarily, all our goats have horns, we like them that way. When they are de-horned, they quite often grow small deformed horns. Horns are very useful for catching or holding them. The only time they might be able to hurt you with them is when, they first start growing.
How old do females have to be before breeding?
They need to be over 12 months old
Do goats breed easily?
Yes they do. Most of them just kid by them selves and are very good mothers. You need to make sure that both the mother and Father are a similar size, when breeding, So as not to get a huge baby, for a small mother.
How long are they pregnant for?
Approx 5 months
How many kids do goats usually have?
1-2 is the normal amount, twins being more common than a single, but triplets are not uncommon.
Should I bottle feed the kids, to get them friendly?
No, not necessarily, we leave our kids on their mothers, and just give them about 150ml of powdered milk once a day, from 1 week old - around 3 months, this seems to do just as good a job at getting them friendly, without causing so much stress on the animal and you.
It takes quite a bit of time to bottle feed an animal at the start. They also end up not getting the goodness from their mothers or learning a lot of useful things when you bottle feed them.
It takes quite a bit of time to bottle feed an animal at the start. They also end up not getting the goodness from their mothers or learning a lot of useful things when you bottle feed them.
They can be weaned of their mothers from about 3 months, but if the mother is in good condition, we quite offten leave the kids with their mothers till they have weaned them themselves at around 6-7 months.
Are there any laws in Australia in regards to keeping pet Goats?
Yes, there is.
Any goats, including pet ones need to have an ear tag on before moving them, this tag must have your PIC (Property Identification Code) on it, and must not ever be removed from the animals ear.
Any goats, including pet ones need to have an ear tag on before moving them, this tag must have your PIC (Property Identification Code) on it, and must not ever be removed from the animals ear.
How do I get a PIC number?
You can look up some info on www.dpi.vic.gov.au/nlis or you can also call the national livestock identification system on 1800 678 779, and ask for a application from for a PIC no. to be sent to you.
There is no cost involved in getting this no.
There is no cost involved in getting this no.
What is the idea of this PIC number?
It is so animals can be traced, back to where the came from should there be a disease outbreak of any kind.