Goat classes on Saturday

For those of you who are in Illinois or nearby, I'm offering two goat classes Saturday.

Goats 101

10 a.m., Saturday, April 10, 2010

Learn the basics of keeping goats, whether as pets, for milk, or for meat. Most of this class will be held in the barn and pasture, as we discuss what goats need for housing, fencing, and nutrition. We’ll also talk about basic health care, including deworming. You’ll see first-hand how to administer medicine to goats and how to trim their hooves.

Goat Breeding and Birthing

1 p.m., Saturday, April 10, 2010

If you want milk, you have to breed your goats to freshen yearly. In this class, we'll talk about how to detect heat, pen breeding vs. hand breeding, nutritional requirements during pregnancy, signs of labor, and the birth process. Three goats are due around the date of this class, so you should get some hands-on experience in checking tail ligaments, assessing udders in relation to kidding time, seeing how the belly changes when a doe is close to kidding, and perhaps even seeing kids born, if timing is just right. (Does are due Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!) You will probably see newborn kids and learn to determine if a kid is polled. We'll talk about bottle-feeding vs. dam-raising kids and how to do each one. Castration, disbudding, and tattooing will also be covered.

Be sure to wear closed-toe shoes and long, well-worn pants or jeans. Be forewarned that our goats are very friendly and may jump on you like a dog, and their feet are not always clean. Both classes are free for anyone who is purchasing or has purchased a goat from Antiquity Oaks. Otherwise, each class is $15 per person or $25 per couple, children free with parent. If you want to attend both classes, bring a sack lunch to eat around noon. Even if you're only attending one class, you're welcome to join us. No doubt the conversation will revolve around goats! I'm hoping for nice weather so we can eat outside.

Send me an email (deborah at antiquity oaks dot com) to register. If you have questions, post in the comment section, since other people might have the same question.