Basic tips for would-be commercial goat keepers

Dear Daktari,

Thank you for your informative articles on veterinary issues. I intend to start keeping goats and would appreciate some basic guidance on how to do so, including feeding, handling, and veterinary care, among other topics.

Regan Onyango,

Nyadorera, Siaya

Thanks, Regan, for reading the Smart Harvest pullout and for your question. Goats are particularly advantageous for households with limited land and resources but eager to enter farming and generate some income. Goats require less space than cattle, making them well-suited to smallholder and peri-urban settings, as well as to limited acreage. Goats are easy to handle; do so calmly and gently to reduce stress. Early and regular human interaction helps animals become accustomed to handling.

Handling: Goats can be restrained by supporting the neck and hindquarters. Smaller or well-trained goats can be lifted carefully by supporting the chest and abdomen, ensuring safe posture to avoid injury to both the handler and the animal. Special care must be taken with pregnant goats. They should not be lifted. Goats should never be handled by pulling on sensitive areas such as ears, horns, legs, or tail. Training goats to respond to feeding cues can be a useful management strategy. Using consistent sounds and rewards encourages animals to follow handlers, making it easier to guide them into pens or shelters when needed.

Housing: Goats are naturally hardy and can tolerate a wide range of climatic conditions. However, prolonged exposure to wet, drafty conditions increases their susceptibility to respiratory and other opportunistic infections. Appropriate shelter is therefore essential. Open or semi-open housing systems protect goats from rain, wind, and harsh weather while still providing access to pasture. Shelters should ideally face away from prevailing winds and be open on the sunnier side. Bedding materials such as straw or wood shavings should be provided in the shelter. Good ventilation is essential. Regular removal of soiled bedding is necessary to prevent ammonia build-up, which can cause respiratory problems, especially in poorly ventilated structures.

Feeding: Proper nutrition is central to goat health and productivity. Where space is available, goats can be allowed to browse, but where they are fed in a zero-grazing system, the feeding area should be designed to minimise contamination by urine or faeces and to be easy to clean. Fresh, clean water must be available to goats at all times, as dehydration can quickly affect health and productivity.

Veterinary support: Although goats are relatively low-maintenance livestock, establishing routine veterinary care is essential. Preventive health measures, including deworming, vaccinations, parasite control, and disease monitoring, are critical to maintaining a healthy herd. Veterinary support is also important for procedures such as dehorning, castration, and nutritional planning. Having an established relationship with a veterinarian ensures readiness in case of emergencies and supports long-term herd productivity.

Hoof care: In natural environments, goat hooves are worn down by movement over rough terrain. In managed systems, regular hoof trimming is required to prevent overgrowth, which can lead to pain and mobility issues. Hooves should be inspected frequently, and trimming should be carried out using appropriate tools such as hoof shears. Training from experienced practitioners or veterinarians is recommended to avoid injury.

Milking dairy goats: Milking should be carried out twice daily during lactation. Proper milking techniques and hygiene practices are essential to prevent infections such as mastitis.

Grooming and fibre management: Certain goat breeds, particularly fibre-producing types such as Angora, require regular shearing, often every six months. Farmers can undertake this task after training. Other breeds may require periodic grooming to maintain coat cleanliness and prevent matting, especially in fibre-producing goats.

Dr Othieno is a veterinary surgeon and the head of communications at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), Kenya. The views expressed here are not necessarily FAO’s but his own.