Resources

Resources for New Goat Owners

What we tell every family that takes a goat home from Wild Haven Farm. These are the suppliers, products and teachers we rely on ourselves, in use on our farm in North Branch, Minnesota. Where we think a common choice is a poor one, we say so.

Last reviewed September 2026. Product lines and prices change; confirm with the supplier before you order.

Goat Fencing

There is no one perfect goat fence. Every farm we know, including ours, uses a combination: electric netting to move animals around pasture, permanent fence on the perimeter, and rigid panels where nothing else will do. Expect trial and error. Flexibility and ingenuity matter more than any single product.

Electric netting

Electric netting is how we rotate goats through pasture. Our preferred supplier is Kencove. Their netting is made for professional grazers and holds up accordingly. Premier1 also sells netting, and it is good, but Kencove's is better. We have both on the farm; come and compare them before you buy.

Netting stops working once the snow arrives. Snow grounds the lower strands and drifts bury the net. Here in east-central Minnesota that makes netting a three-season tool. Plan a different form of containment for winter.

What we useKencove electric netting →Built for professional grazers. Choose the height and stay spacing for your animals.

Permanent fencing

For permanent perimeter fence we like Timeless Fence System. Their PVC posts outperform steel posts. We are replacing our own perimeter fencing with Timeless in fall 2026.

What we useTimeless Fence System →PVC posts that outperform steel. Our own perimeter is being replaced with Timeless in fall 2026.

Cattle panels

Cattle panels from Tractor Supply work for small fixed enclosures and for reinforcing gates and corners. They are rigid and quick to set up. They cannot be electrified.

Everyday fencing hardware

Premier1 Supplies is our go-to for everyday farm supplies. Their electric fencing, energizers and insulators are far superior to what Fleet Farm or Tractor Supply carry. One small item to buy right away: their jumper leads for joining runs of netting. They are inexpensive. Get a couple.

Where we shopPremier1 Supplies →Energizers, insulators and fence accessories. Get a couple of their jumper leads for the netting.

Fence Energizers

Buy a good energizer, and buy one much bigger than you think you need. Netting carries a lot of conductor, and vegetation touching the fence pulls the voltage down all summer. An undersized unit produces a fence that goats learn to ignore.

Look for a unit that runs on both mains power and battery. You will use both. Avoid the energizers sold at Tractor Supply and Fleet Farm. Premier1's energizers are the ones we would buy.

Sizing depends on your layout, so ask us when you visit. It is easier to work through in person than to summarize here.

Minerals, Salt and Baking Soda

Goats need loose mineral, salt and baking soda available free-choice at all times, not on a schedule. We use Redmond Goat Mineral. Beside the baking soda we also put out Redmond Conditioner.

Plain sodium bicarbonate is all the baking soda needs to be. The Arm & Hammer box from the grocery store is fine. Some goat keepers find their animals do better with the conditioner offered as well, and that is what we do.

Mineral is not a substitute for the copper bolus program described in our Care Guide, which is about parasite control.

What we useRedmond Goat Mineral and Redmond Conditioner →Loose mineral out free-choice, with the conditioner beside the baking soda.

Heated Water Buckets for Winter

A goat can do without a lot of things in a deep freeze. Water is not one of them. Buy two heated buckets and keep one as a spare. They fail, usually at the worst time, and a spare on the shelf is the difference between a chore and an emergency.

The 2.5-gallon flat-back size is right for goats. It hangs flush on a wall or panel and is small enough to empty and scrub.

What we usePremier1 heated flat-back buckets, 2.5 gallon →Buy two. Keep one as a spare.

Winter Shelter

Goats do not need a heater. They need a good windbreak and insulation between themselves and the ground; excess hay does the job. Given those two things they will cuddle up together and grow a winter coat.

Winter also raises hay consumption. The Goat Hay Calculator will help you budget for the extra, including bedding.

CDT, SafeGuard and Other Health Supplies

CDT vaccine and SafeGuard (fenbendazole) are best bought at Fleet Farm or Tractor Supply. Both stores carry them.

For what each one does and how it is given, read the Care Guide sections on the CDT vaccine, SafeGuard and the copper bolus. Syringes, needles, copper boluses and SafeGuard are also among the supplies we keep on hand for adopters, listed below.

Hoof Trimmers

Hooves are trimmed as needed, which usually works out to about once a month. Good trimmers are a worthwhile investment. There is personal preference involved, so expect to try a pair or two before you settle. The ones we currently use are the ARS 140DXR.

Clean trimmers between animals; see equipment sanitation in the Biosecurity guide. For the trimming itself, the Care Guide covers hoof trimming, including the signs of overgrowth and when to call for help.

What we useARS 140DXR hoof trimmers →From Premier1; also sold on Amazon.

Supplies Available From the Farm

We buy several things in bulk and will sell them to adopters in the quantity you actually need, so you get the bulk price without buying a full bag or case. Grain and minerals can be packaged in any size. We almost always have in stock:

  • Redmond salt, mineral and Conditioner
  • Syringes and needles, for CDT injections and SafeGuard dosing
  • Copper bolus
  • SafeGuard

Ask when you visit.

Learning From Other Farmers

For fencing and grazing, anything by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms is worth your time. He does not run a channel of his own, but many of his talks and farm walks are on YouTube; search his name. For small-scale permaculture, Justin Rhodes of Abundant Permaculture posts practical, hands-on videos.

  • Polyface Farms — Joel SalatinSalatin's farm in Virginia. Start with his talks on electric fencing and moving animals; the principles scale down to a few goats.
  • Justin Rhodes on YouTubeSmall-scale permaculture and homestead livestock, shown rather than described. His written guides are at abundantpermaculture.com.
  • Goat Care GuideCOWP bolus, SafeGuard, CDT vaccine, FAMACHA scoring, body condition scoring and hoof trimming, step by step.
  • Biosecurity for Goat OwnersQuarantine for new arrivals, visitor protocols, equipment sanitation and the early signs of illness.
  • Goat Hay CalculatorHow much hay your goats will eat and what it will cost, with a winter allowance.
  • IdentificationMicrochips, BuddyID registration and the USDA Scrapie tag your goat already carries when it leaves the farm.
  • Customer PortalAdopters can view their goat's farm records, log their own care, and reach these guides from the portal.
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