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So you've bought your first goats. Congratulations — and a warning: the first thirty days matter more than any other month you'll spend with these animals. What you do now sets the tone for health, temperament, and productivity for the rest of their lives.
This guide walks you through it, week by week. Don't treat it as a rulebook. Every farm is different. Treat it as a checklist of things to think about.
Before they arrive
Three things need to be ready before a single animal steps onto your property.
Shelter. Not luxury, but dry and draft-free. A simple three-sided shed with a roof is enough. Allow about 1.5 square metres per adult goat.
Fencing. Goats test fences. That's their job. Use 1.2m stock fence minimum, strained tight. If you have one weak panel, they will find it by Tuesday.
Water. Fresh, clean, always available. A 60L trough serves about 10 animals. Scrub it out every few days — goats won't drink from dirty water and will get sick trying to avoid it.
Week 1: settle them in
New goats are stressed. Don't fuss. Don't move them from pasture to pasture. Don't let the kids chase them. Let them find the water, find the feed, and find a corner to stand in.
Feed: stick to whatever they were eating before for the first five days. Hay and a small ration of balanced mineral lick. Sudden feed changes cause bloat. Transition slowly over a week.
Watch: for loose stools, coughing, or any animal standing alone while the others eat. These are your early warning signs.
Quarantine: if you're adding these animals to an existing flock, keep them separate for 7 days minimum. This is non-negotiable.
Do not: bath them, shear them, dose them, or vaccinate them in the first week unless a vet says so. They've already had enough change.
Week 2: start the routine
By now they know their names — or at least the sound of the feed bucket.
Feeding: transition fully to your pasture or hay routine. Small portions, twice a day, same times. Consistency matters more than exact amounts.
Mineral lick: goats in South Africa need supplementary minerals — especially copper and selenium. A block or loose mix is fine.
Observation walk: once a day, walk through the flock and look at every animal. Body condition. Clear eyes. Clean backend. Walking normally. Five minutes, catches 80% of problems.
Week 3: health baseline
If the animals are calm and eating well, this is when to do first health checks.
Parasites: check faecal condition. Don't dose unnecessarily — resistance is a real problem in South Africa.
Hooves: trim if overgrown.
Vaccinations: if anything is due, now is a good time. Check with your vet or with us if you bought from CK.
Tagging: you'll need tags for movement compliance. Now is a good time if not already done.
Week 4: first full review
Sit down with your notebook. Answer these:
- Are all animals eating and drinking normally?
- Is anyone losing weight or condition?
- Is the fence still holding?
- Did anything cost more than you budgeted?
- What surprised you?
Answer honestly. Call us or your vet about anything that makes you pause.
If something goes wrong
Signs to act on immediately:
- Any goat not eating for more than 24 hours
- Bloating or a drum-tight belly
- Staggering, circling, or head-pressing
- Discharge from eyes, nose, or backend
- A newly-delivered kid that hasn't suckled within 2 hours
WhatsApp us or call a local vet. Don't wait and see how it goes overnight. In livestock, overnight is too long.
What comes next
Month two is easier than month one. Month three is easier than month two. By month six, you'll be giving advice to someone else.
We're reachable on WhatsApp whether or not you've bought from us. That's the deal.
— The CK Livestock team