How can you raise goats in extremely cold weather? How hard is it to raise them in winter?
Raising goats in cold weather is actually be very simple. As long as your goats aren’t very young (under weeks) or geriatric, have a good winter hair coat (no significant hair loss) and are in good body condition Your goats can handle the extreme cold without any significant intervention.
If you are new to goats or are thinking about buying goats, check out our beginners guide!
Water
Having access to water is very important during cold spells. Your goats are prone to dehydration while while their bodies work to keep them warm. When you cannot supply a heated trough or water bucket, I recommend offering a bucket of warm water 2 to 3 times a day minimum. Try and space it out so they aren’t going without water for 12 hours maximum.
For example: I offer water at 6:30 or 7am (before my children are awake) 12pm-1pm, 8pm-10pm (this will be one of the last things I do before bed).
Yes, this is very inconvenient. It’s definitely not ideal. But this effort for a few days, is a lot easier than dealing with a dehydrated animal.
Feeding
Offering free fed access to hay is extremely beneficial during a cold snap. Goats are ruminants and metabolize and break down their feed through a process called rumination. The rumination process is often recognized as “chewing their cud”. If your they are happy and healthy, you will often see them “chewing their cud”.
The rumination process in cold weather is important in keeping your goats warm. As your goats are ruminating, their bodies will burn calories to help keep them warm. Offering free choice hay, will ensure they can eat as much as they need to be full and warm. Seeing your goats “chewing their cud” will help indicate they are content in the cold weather.
With a larger group (if you have to feed hay everyday), spread out hay on the ground to prevent anyone being pushed away from the hay feeder. With the hierarchy in herds, you will have some animals who will wait to eat after everyone else is done and ruminating. By spreading the hay out, it will help make sure everyone has access to it. If you have a round bale in a feeder, every goat should get access to hay regularly without competition.
https://www.albertagoats.com/nutrition
Shelter
A three sided shelter with a roof is great. The shelter does not need to be insulated or closed with a door. The biggest concern is cutting the wind. The windchill will be harder on them than the cold on it’s own.
If you have a larger group (5 or more) you will notice that not all the goats are allowed into the shelter (herd hierarchy). You do not need to stress. I spread straw around the outer walls of my shelters to give everyone an opportunity to be out of the wind. They don’t necessarily need a roof to protect from the snow.
https://www.albertagoats.com/shelter
Bedding for your goats
My favorite bedding to use is straw. Because of the hollow shaft of the straw, it is great at insulating body heat as they lay down in it. But hay and/or wood shavings are also a good option to help keep your goats warm.
Covered in Snow
“My goat is covered in snow. Should you be concerned?”
Seeing your goats covered in snow is actually a good sign. That means that your goat’s winter hair coat is offering them great insulation from the cold.
When snow melting, causing their hair coat to be wet is concerning. A goat like that may require to be put in a stall with a heat lamp or blanket.
Are my goats hooves too cold
Goats can be extremely sensitive animals. You may noticed that they frequently lift their feet when standing on the snow and ice. This is not something I would consider concerning. If that same goat limps as it is walking through the snow or ice, I would catch it and look at it’s feet. They can sometimes get ball’s of ice and snow between the claws of their hooves.
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