Dairy Goat Shelter

Providing your goats with protection, particularly in often harsh and hostile New Zealand conditions, is a must. This is particularly the case for goats bred for optimum dairy genetics, as the very DNA that allows them to produce such high yields tends to leave them susceptible to weather extremes, by focusing their energy more on milk production than on hardiness.

What’s more, providing your property with a hub from which to maintain your herd will allow you to maximise your investment.

It is recommended that you allow 1-1.5m² of space per dairy goat if you house them in an enclosed space. We can help you to work out your space requirements and ensure that your goats are kept as comfortable, healthy and productive as possible.

There is no single dairy goat pen layout that’s better than the rest. The best layout will be one that suits the needs of you and your animals; one that keeps the goats healthy and productive, facilitates easy management, and enables efficient milking.

SmartShelters’ dairy goat shelters are available in a range of layouts both standard and custom, which feature a variety of different spans, pen plans and capacities. At SmartShelters our expert team can design and construct a dairy goat shelter with a pen layout that works for you.

Being bred for milk production, dairy goats can tend to be more susceptible to extreme conditions than non-dairy goats. Housing your goats makes it far easier to keep them healthy, by:

• Ensuring regular and easy access to food
• Providing shelter from the elements and more comfortable temperatures (SmartShelters dairy goat shelters are 3-4C cooler in the summer and 3-4C warmer in the winter)
• Centralising your herd, facilitating easier management

While outbreaks are somewhat inevitable, disease in your dairy goat shelter is a relatively easy thing to mitigate and manage if you have firm processes in place. The following strategies will help to minimise the likelihood of disease, and manage an outbreak if one should ever occur.

• Ensure all feeding and milking equipment is scrubbed with detergent/sanitiser and hot water
• Spray down the shelter on a regular basis with a broad spectrum disinfectant, while being careful not to apply it to feed and water troughs or the animals themselves
• Utilise a separate pen to quarantine any sick goats, keeping them away from the healthy animals
• Disinfect any areas used for treating sick goats
• Wear appropriate clothing when in contact with goats, and clean it after every use

Yes, dairy goats can be somewhat more sensitive to heat than non-dairy goats, as they have been bred for milk production rather than hardiness. As such it is vital that you provide them with adequate shelter from the summer heat, like that provided by a SmartShelters dairy goat shelter.

Contact a member of our experienced team today to discuss a truly smart shelter solution for your property.