Weekly Bible Verse: Psalm 104:18 The high hills are for the wild goats; The cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.

Psalm chapter 104 praises the sovereign Lord for His creation and providence.  For he has created the earth and all that lives in it including goats and the high hills for them to climb on ( Psalm 104:18).  Goats do love to climb and God has given them high hills.

Creature tip:  I have been breeding goats since 2008 and I have learned a lot about goats and I still continue to learn (no one ever knows it all). The ideal age to start breeding your goat is 18 months.  At 18 months the majority of the goat’s growth is complete; however goats are usually full grown at 24 months and sometimes not until 36 months depending on the breed.  Some breeders will breed their goats as early as 8 months, but I would not recommend breeding your goat before 12 months old.  You need to wait until your goat has completed the majority of its growth.  Breeding a female goat too soon could cause their growth to be stunted and the mama can have other serious health problems.  A growing goat needs extra nutrients but if the goat is pregnant at a young age the babies and mama will have a hard time getting enough nutrients and vitamins/minerals.  To prevent early breeding keep your buck securely locked up.  Bucks are able to break through fencing and/or jump over into another pen if a doe is in season so make you’re your buck’s pen is very secure!  Some goats are able to breed as early as 3 months old so be sure to separate buck kids from does at an early age.  The gestation period for most goats is about 5 months.  The Pygmy goat comes into season every month but most other breeds come into season only twice a year.  I recommend breeding your doe no more than once a year.  Breeding your doe twice a year, will be harder on the goat’s body thus shortening her life.  If you have a doe that you are milking, be sure to let her dry up a few months before her next kidding.  Breeding a goat and keeping her in milk all the time is very hard on a goat’s body and will shorten her life.  Raising goats is very rewarding but things do not always go as planed.  Whenever breeding animals you must always be prepared to see death and also be able to pay any vet bills that may arise suddenly.  One last thing, make sure you feed both pregnant and lactating goats a good nutritious diet with sufficient protein and vitamins/minerals.  You can talk to your vet or a reputable breeder about nutrition for your goat and you can also see our goat care guide for more info on goat nutrition.