Five Must-Have Consumable Items for Goatkeepers

Some time ago I shared with you the ten items I think are must-haves for goat owners. Those items were "equipment" rather than "consumables". In other words, equipment is something that you buy once (unless it gets lost or broken or you want more than one) and consumables are things that you use up and must buy again.

This time I'd like to share with you the top five items on my list of must-have consumables for goats. My list might be different from yours; you might find that you use other items more often, and have never used one on my list. My goal is to get you thinking, and if you are new, to give you a starting place in your goat-raising efforts.

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So here, in no particular order, are my top five must-have-on-hand consumables for goats:



1. Goat minerals (affiliate link) - I offer these free-choice to my goats (although sometimes I forget to refill the feeder). There are several brands available; use the brand your goats like best, because it won't work if they don't eat it. I recommend loose minerals rather than a mineral block. It's too much work for goats to lick a block and they won't get enough to do them good. My feed store carries bagged minerals; I pour them into a cat litter bucket to keep them dry.

2. Herbal wormer - There are also several sources of herbal wormers such as Fir Meadow and Molly's Herbals; I use one from Hoegger Goat Supply. If you don't use an herbal wormer, you will want to have commercial (chemical) wormers on hand.

3. Molasses (affiliate link) - I mix the herbal wormer powder with molasses to make wormer balls. Molasses mixed in warm water is a treat for a cold goat in the winter and provides energy to a tired doe that has just kidded.

4. Baking Soda (affiliate link) offered free choice to balance the pH in my goats' rumen, and to keep their digestive system running smoothly. Like free-choice minerals, the goats will eat it if they need it. I use so much of this I buy it in bulk bags.

5. Disposable syringes and needles in various sizes. My most-used size syringe for goats is 3cc, and I use 1/2-inch 20-gauge needles. I have diabetic syringes and needles for goat kids.

There are, of course, many items in my animal first-aid kit that I consider pretty essential too, but we can take a look inside that on another day.

Some of these items can be purchased from online sources such as Amazon, Hoegger Farmyard or Jeffer's Livestock, and you might find them at your local feed store or a farm store such as Tractor Supply. Others can be purchased at the grocery store.

What consumable items are on your must-have list?


Related posts:
Ten Must-Have Items for Goat Keepers
20 Ways to Re-use Kitty Litter Buckets
Goat Fencing

This post contains affiliate links.

Read my full disclosure here.

This post has been shared at some of my favorite blog hops.


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My hope is to inspire you, and to encourage your homesteading plans and your dreams of a simple, self-reliant, God-dependent life. You can follow me at:
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