Recordkeeping on the Homestead: Goat Records

Keeping records on your homestead goats is important. These record keeping tips will help you keep track of all the information you need on your goats, and how to organize your goat's important paperwork.

Recordkeeping on the Homestead: Goats

Even if you have just two goats, keeping records is important.

If you have more animals - a small goat herd, rabbits, chickens, etc. - the need for record keeping is multiplied, as well as the amount of information you need to keep.

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But record-keeping depends on, you know, keeping records. If I don't write something down, I will probably forget it.

Ok, let's be honest and just forget about the "probably" part. I will forget. But I've figured out what works for me, and I'm here to help you figure it out too.

Types of livestock records

Livestock records fall roughly into 5 categories:

Identification - information about a particular animal such as date of birth, description, sire and dam, etc.
Health - vaccination information such as type given, date and dosage, illness, deworming, hoof trimming, injuries and how they were treated.
Production - including how much milk a goat produces.
Performance - breeding dates, kidding dates, the number and quality of the kids produced.
Feed records - how much an animal is fed, including hay, grain and supplements. This information is directly related to your animal's performance and production, and can help you fine-tune your livestock management as well as your homestead goals.

Paper vs digital record keeping systems

The simplest way to keep goat records is on paper. This basic method is available to all goat owners and is perfect for the homesteader who owns just a few goats as well as those with larger herds.

Animal records can also be kept using specialized software. These digital records are usually kept by large enterprises such as commercial dairies.

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How I keep records for my goats

Like most small producers, I keep paper records. My record keeping system uses forms that I've designed, kept in a 3-ring notebook.

My goat binder holds all of the forms, sheets, the goats' registration papers, receipts and more in one safe and convenient place.

However, I don't have an office in my barn, or carry my goat notebook outside. It stays safely inside the house, and I need to bring information from the barn to my notebook.

I tried carrying a small spiral notebook in my back pocket, but it didn't work well for me. I kept losing my pen, and I hated that the papers got bent up and dirty. I dropped the whole thing in a water trough once.

I tried, really I did, but it just wasn't working. (Perhaps it will for you, but it didn't for me.)

So my current method is this: when noteworthy things happen outside, I write quick notes on my phone, such as "Phoenix bred," "goats dewormed," "gave CDT shots on 5/22."

Typing notes on a phone is just one way to record short-term information.

Those notes need to be written down in my goat binder.

3-ring binder with a black and white goat on the cover.

In the front of the binder, there is a calendar page for each month. I transfer the notes I made on my phone onto the day's square on the calendar.

I also write down farrier and vet appointments on the calendar pages, plus trips to the feed store and when we buy hay.

How much money do you spend on your goats?

You can't figure out how much you spend on feed or how much hay you need to buy to last next winter if you don't know how much you spent this year.

And you won't know that unless you keep records!

No matter which method you use, whether you keep notes on your phone, on a monthly calendar page or in a weekly planner, eventually these pages can get a little chaotic and it takes longer to find the information you need.

The solution to this is to have a dedicated place to keep those records so they are easy for you to find again and to access or compare the information.

What you need to write down in your goat binder

Information to keep track of

Each goat's individual information and pedigree
Medical/health records, including vaccinations and hoof trimming
When a doe was bred, the expected kidding date, the date she actually kidded, number and gender of the babies, and whether she is an excellent mother or if you had any problems with her
How many goat babies a buck sired in a year's time
Hay and feed records, what brand/kind of grain, supplements, and loose minerals you purchase
Income and expenses, and more

Breeding season records

When breeding season arrives, write down the dates when your female goats were bred and use this due date calculator to figure out they are due to give birth.

Oops! It happens to nearly all of us who own goats - occasionally a buck gets in the pen with the females when he isn't supposed to be there. If and when that happens, that date goes in my goat binder too, just in case.

It might end up being an "oops" breeding and I want to know when any babies might be due.

Here's how I plan breeding season.

Goat binder supplies

This goat record keeping system uses simple office supplies that you can purchase just about anywhere.

I use a 3-ring view binder, with a clear pocket on the front to hold a cover page.

I also use the following:

Sheet protectors to hold registration papers and other registry papers (so they don't have to be hole-punched)
Index dividers - this set of 12 tabbed index dividers might be enough for your herd. If you have more goats, you might purchase several sets of 12 dividers, or perhaps this set of 31 divider tabs would be better.
3-hole punch to punch the forms
Printable goat record-keeping forms - yes, this is why I created my Goat Record Sheets. Learn more about them here.
a monthly calendar, such as the 12-month calendar in my Goat Record Sheets pack.

Goat Record Sheets

Over the years, I've learned that good records are one of the most valuable tools a goat owner can have. They help you spot patterns, remember important dates, track your herd's progress, and avoid relying on memory when life gets busy.

That's exactly why I created my Goat Record Sheets. They bring all of your important goat information together in one organized system, so you can spend less time searching for information and more time enjoying your goats.

The Goat Record Sheets pack is an instant download, and you may print as many copies as you need for your own personal use.