Dairy Goat Keeping

Having decided that we might be keeping goats or dairy cows sometime in the future we thought it a good idea to learn more - and so what better than to have some first hand practical experience. Cue the DASH Dairy Goat Keeping course run by expert Peter Oldfield. After group introductions and the obligatory health and safety announcements we headed out to meet the goats, mainly Golden Guernseys but also some pygmies. We were introduced to the Billys first - handsome chaps but their aftershave was rather pungent. The ladies, however were an absolute delight - refined and well mannered. No running or raised voices, we were told, as it would upset their equanimity.

We had plenty of hands on practice; during the course of the morning we tried lassoing your goat,i.e. putting a lead around its neck, assessing their condition (vital if looking to make a purchase), trimming the feet, injecting and drenching (giving oral medicine). The foot trimming was extremely valuable as I don't think I would ever have understood how to do this from a book.

After lunch we learnt about the 5 freedoms that animals are entitled to and about feeding and housing. Then we went back to the goat shed for a go at hand milking - everyone managed this eventually.

I left feeling that owning a goat is a real possibility for the future and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Altogether it's a course that I would definitely recommend if you are thinking of keeping a goat - easier to make a decision when well informed.