FlockWorks

Frequently asked questions - Animal Welfare

• Are your goats treated well?
  We like to think so. Our goats are treated like they were made to live naturally, but with some extra help and protection. We provide simple shelters (when the season and conditions call for it) but you are likely to notice that the goats sleep outside more often than not. Our shelters are built to be portable and keep off the sun and rain. They are made to allow airflow in the summer and block drafts in the winter.
  
  The electric fencing is very good at dissuading predators, so they are quite safe... much safer than on their own or even in a traditional barn.
• What about Shelter? 
  Goats are livestock and are quite hardy.  There are definitely times that they need shelter, but not for most of the year.  Basically we provide shelter if there is no shade in the hot months (most of our jobs are in woods, so shade is built-in.) or a place to be dry in the cold month.  If it's cool out and rainy, they certainly aren't thrilled about it, but they are fine.  Goats have a digestion system that basically acts as a heating plant for them. 
• What about water?
  Our goats always have access to water.  They often have a choice of water from more than one source and they very often are fenced up to ponds and streams.  All that said... goats in lush vegetation hardly drink any water.  All, or nearly all, of their fluid needs are meet by the lush foliage.  
• What about food?
  To us, this question seems preposterous, but we get asked it a LOT!
  The goats entire job is to eat vegetation.  The vegetation is their food.
  
  We know other people who manage goats think that goats have to have other inputs such as feed, grain, certain specific plants (we hear about kelp quite often), etc.  Our goats (with the exception of a few rescues) have never had any of that in their life!  Hay is the only thing we may give them, and historically that's only when there's snow on the ground and they can't get to their winter forage or occasionally to "buy some time" and not have to rotate pasture. 
• Do you retire your goats?
  At this stage we do not foresee retiring any goats from service. As herd animals, goats are not meant to be alone. Their digestion system also does not operate properly if they are not active with the food that they are accustomed to.  We see it as kinder for them to live out their days with their herd. 
• Do you sell goat meat or goats for butchering?
  No. Our goats work for us and are co-workers and friends. We understand the financial benefits to selling goat meat, but we have no intentions of doing so at this time.
• Who watches the goats?
  Who and how frequently the goats are checked on depends a lot on the setting.  In most cases the goats are checked on at least once per day.  In some settings it may be necessary to check more or less often.  In many areas we utilize remote surveillance and electronic monitoring.  Additional physical checks may be triggered by these tools.
• How do you keep the goats in place and safe?
  We use portable electric net fencing. This style fence keeps the goats in and the predators out!  It is thought by many that goats cannot be contained.  In fact, there is an expression that "if a fence can't hold water, it can't hold a goat". This is obviously trying to say that goats can't be contained.  This is simply not true!  We have (except for an infirmary area) no traditional fencing.  We keep our goats in electric net fencing year-round and basically never have an incident.  
• What about coyotes or other predators?
  The fencing is an amazing deterrent to predators! Many of our predators are shy and careful. They will not even try the fence unless it is there for several weeks.... which does not happen the way that we manage our herds. Other predators can be trained to the fence.
• What about rain?
  Goats do not like rain... or water... or to be wet, but they love to eat!
  
  Typically the goats make up for any rain delays at other times. When the weather is warm and it is raining lightly they typically keep eating. If the rain is heavier they will usually just lay still under a tree or brush until it slows down or they get especially hungry. If the goats are on your site in the shoulder season, when it's getting cold and rainy or snowy, we will provide cover based on a formula.  
  
  They also will choose to eat at least partly at night when daytime temperatures really soar.
• Does the second tier (male) herd suffer with less nutrition?
  No. Male goats have lower nutritional needs. Many experts strongly caution against feeding males and withers grain to protect their health. More details here.
  
  If you have a larger job, you will notice that they sometimes get "anxious" to move faster than the female herd, but they are not suffering, just looking forward to a broader selection of forage. It is often more common that the lead (female and offspring) herd is more interested in moving than the follow (male) herd.... they are a bit spoiled.