animals. We will be run-ning a series on the vari-ous animals including sea-sonal advice and possible related skills for survival, barter, and even income.

Whether it’s a well-planned adventure, or ser-endipity, you should have an idea beforehand of what care the animal will require. Candidates for

Somewhere along your homesteading journey,

you will probably get the

itch to include some type of livestock. Or, you'll run

across an offer you can’t

refuse. Perhaps someone is giving away a flock of

'free' chickens or rabbits,

or you fall in love with a baby goat and decide this

is the right time to add See LIVESTOCK, 8

SHOULD YOU ADD LIVESTOCK

TO YOUR HOMESTEAD?

URBAN SURVIVAL: Key Differences Between the “Get Home” and “Bug Out” Bag

You've no doubt heard of the bug-out bag, the go bag, and the 72-hour bag (hint: they’re pretty much all the same). Lately, there’s been a noticeable uptick in chatter regard-ing something called the "Get Home Bag."

It’s a good thing that the “Get Home” concept is getting the attention it deserves. In fact, the focus that’s now placed on Get Home Bags is long over-due for reasons that will be explained later in this article.

See URBAN, 2

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 12 DECEMBER, 2014

WHY GOATS ARE A GOOD CHOICE FOR

LARGE OR SMALL

HOMESTEADERS

In many parts of the coun-

try, you'll be spending a

lot of time indoors. Those

long evenings by the fire

are the perfect time to

plan and dream about

your homesteading goals.

What livestock will give

you the most bang for

your buck? Goats are one

great option.

What can you expect

from the goats?

New homesteaders may

think they can buy a few

goats and just let them

forage without any supple-

mental feed. In fact, many

people don’t like the idea

of having their livestock

“grain fed.” Here are some

examples of why you

might need or want them

to be and when “grass on-

ly” is the better option.

If you have dairy goats,

and want good milk pro-

duction, you will need to

See GOATS, 10

your homestead run the gamut from goats, chick-ens, rabbits, ducks, sheep, turkeys, cows, pigs to even fish or bees. There is much to be said for practi-cal, hands on learn-ing. Truthfully, we have not always followed these tips. As the saying goes, hindsight is 20/20!

2 PATRIOT CALLER DECEMBER, 2014

Still, you’re not alone if

you’re wondering just how

many of these darn bags it

takes to be truly self-

reliant? Not to mention, if

you're going to keep weap-

ons in each of these bags,

that's a lot guns, knives,

and pepper spray to keep

track of...

Not to paint with too

broad a brush, but I'm

guessing that you're not

the type of person with

eight pairs of black dress

shoes, one for each nu-

anced occasion.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m

not saying you should dis-

miss the concepts behind

these bags. In fact, I’m

from URBAN page 1

recommending you do just

the opposite…

Why You Need a

"Get Home Bag"

With a self-explanatory

name like "get home bag,"

I'm not going to waste

time explaining this bag's

purpose. What I am going

to do is highlight why this

concept may inspire you to

seriously re-examine your

crisis preparations.

Do all of your backpacks

and supplies really serve

their intended purpose?

More importantly, are you

Continued next page

PATRIOT CALLER 3 DECEMBER, 2014

ones, well… come out of

the other side of the crisis

alive.

In short, roughly half of all the people with a bug-out bag sitting in their home/car/office have a vague and romantic no-tion about themselves roughing it in the wilder-ness somewhere.

That’s not a plan. That’s a fantasy.

Unless your SHTF plan

includes literally "bugging

out" to a very specific re-

mote cabin OR seeking

refuge in a very specific

location in the forest/

desert until things quiet

down, then you are kid-

ding yourself.

being completely realistic

when you imagine what

you truly need to be self-

reliant in a SHTF crisis.

You see, whether they

know it or not, most peo-

ple treat their bug-out bag

as a kind of hobby, i.e. an

escape from the daily

grind. Like most hobbies,

there’s a major disconnect

with any real world prac-

ticality by default.

The problem with this

mindset is, of course, this

is actually the bag you

plan to carry in a very se-

rious crisis -- your insur-

ance plan. The key factor

that decides whether your

bag is a success or failure

is that you and your loved

You don’t really expect

any campsites or cabin

rentals to be available in a

SHTF crisis do you? If you

don’t know exactly where

you’re going right now,

you’re not going to get

there in the worst of con-

ditions. Sorry.

Most Americans Will

Encounter Urban

Survival Scenarios

The truth is that the vast

majority of us are better

off adopting the "get

home" mindset, rather

than the “bug-out” mind-

set. Why? Because human

instincts make us want to

be at home with our loved

ones during a time of cri-

sis.

The primary difference

between these two mind-

sets has a lot to do with

the environment you'll be

carrying your backpack

through: Urban versus

Rural. Considering that

less than 20% of Ameri-

cans live and work in a

rural location, it's im-

portant that you be honest

with yourself about this

fact.

In a rural area, shelter

making materials, as

wells as fire tools and

hunting/fishing items will

be highly applicable. In an

urban environment, carry-

ing around a pack full of

fishing gear probably

won’t feel so smart, unless

you’re trying to fish a ten-

nis shoe out of a drainage

ditch.

In an urban or suburban

setting, you'll want to ap-

proach things with an en-

tirely different perspec-

tive. Form should follow

function with urban sur-

vival items. Get home

bags, specifically, should

be exceedingly practical,

as well as inconspicuous

to a fault.

Case in point, you're more

likely to encounter securi-

ty checkpoints, metal de-

tectors, and other crowd

control measures in a pop-

ulated area. This means

that you need to avoid

looking like a "bad guy" at

almost all costs.

You may need a

"get home" bag if:

You live in an urban/

suburban area

You work in an urban/

suburban area

You plan to shelter in

place during a crisis

You've stockpiled food

and supplies inside your

home

You don't have a crystal

clear SHTF destination

Your evacuation route

includes interstates and

major highways

After many years of ex-

haustive research, I feel

it’s safe to say that rough-

ly 90% of survival tips are

next to useless outside of

wilderness scenarios.

Most Americans spend

their days at work, typi-

Continued next page

URBAN (cont inued)

4 PATRIOT CALLER DECEMBER, 2014

cally in an urban setting,

and then commute to their

homes in an urban or sub-

urban setting. Thus, it’s

highly likely that, at the

very least, you’ll spend the

first several hours of a

crisis scenario in a popu-

lated urban environment.

Urban Survival

Considerations

As we all know, urban en-

vironments come with

higher concentrations of

law enforcement person-

nel and official controls.

When a crisis strikes, rad-

ical police action will like-

ly follow in order to man-

age recovery efforts, re-

store order, and protect

property.

If you do encounter au-

thorities, they are likely to

be full of anxiety, fear,

and raw adrenaline. If you

appear to be a looter, riot-

er, or virtually anything

but a fully obedient and

compliant peon, then you

risk being detained or

worse.

You’ve heard the saying:

When all you have is a

hammer, everything looks

like a nail? Well, what do

you think everything looks

like when all you have is a

baton, tear gas, and a

Glock 19?

The best thing you can do

is to avoid the police, FE-

MA, or other agencies by

getting off the streets as

quickly as possible.

That's food for thought as

you consider whether or

not to keep a guns or oth-

er overt weapons in your

get home bag. Attitudes

toward self-defense vary

from region to region, and

especially between police

departments.

Building an

Effective GHB

An effective GHB begins

with the right backpack,

preferably one that’s well

made, comfortable, and

with plenty of storage and

organizational features.

Last but not least, the

backpack you choose

should be expressly non-

descript.

Stealth is a key principle

when it comes to urban

survival. You don’t want

your gear to draw any at-

tention to you by looking

either too militaristic or

expensive. Looters and

thieves will target items

with any obvious value, so

laptop bags and camera

bags are not the wisest

option.

The next step in building

your bag is, or course, se-

lecting the items that

would be most useful to

you in a crisis scenario.

You’ll want to customize

you own GHB, of course,

but here is a list of a few

of the most universal

items:

LED Flashlight - While

there are lots of more ex-

pensive options available,

there’s nothing wrong

with the simple Mini Mag-

lite.

Cash and coins for

vending machines -

Cold hard cash is often

cited as the most common-

ly overlooked crisis item,

but I think coins are a nu-

ance that’s often over-

looked. Vending machines

will be extremely valuable

in the immediate after-

math of a crisis (before

others catch on).

Bottled water - At least

two 12oz bottles.

Portable phone charger

- A 1000mAh backup

phone charger can com-

pletely recharge your

smartphone 4-6 times,

depending on the model.

2 Way Radio - An inex-

pensive two-way HAM

radio like the Baofeng UV-

Continued next page

URBAN (cont inued)

PATRIOT CALLER 5 DECEMBER, 2014

doors for you, not to men-

tion turn screws, cut

through zip ties, open bot-

tles, etc.

Pry bar/Emergency

hammer - If you need to

break glass or pry through

any damaged doors, a tool

like this is very handy. It

doubles as a weapon too,

of course.

Paracord - This stuff has

a million uses; one is to

make a ridgeline for a

temporary shelter.

First-aid kit - A basic

kit with bandages, tape,

pain relievers, antiseptics,

etc.

Detailed regional map - Make sure to closely ex-

amine your own neighbor-

hood to make sure the

5R is a great backup com-

munications item for

when cell signals are

down.

Food bars - For a get-

home bag, skip the MREs

and go for something

that’s actually edible, even

tasty.

Pepper spray - Pepper

spray is easy to conceal,

and it won’t raise eye-

brows with most authority

figures should your bag

get searched.

4-Way Water Key - You

may need to open some

non-standard water

valves, e.g. industrial taps

on the sides of buildings

that are “tamper proof.”

Multi-tool - A good mul-

ti-tool can open lots of

map is current and de-

tailed enough.

Heavy-Duty Trash Bag

- A good trash bag can

double as poncho, emer-

gency blanket, even a tem-

porary shelter material.

Medications - If you reg-

ularly take medications

that are critically im-

portant to your health,

then it’s very important

that there’s at least a 48-

hour supply in this bag.

Since the GHB bag is de-

signed to be carried with

you every single day, you

may just want to change

your routine and keep

your meds in your pack.

The Everyday

Carry Concept

The key to success with

any of these bags is, of

course, carrying them at

all times in order to en-

sure that (drumroll

please) you have your

GHB when you need to

access it in a SHTF crisis.

One way to look at your

GHB is to incorporate it

into your daily life. For

example, you can use this

bag to carry your laptop, e

-reader, or that old paper-

back you’re reading dur-

ing your commute. De-

pending on your choice of

backpack, you may have

space for more everyday

items, or not.

Yet another way to ap-

proach the GHB is to

think of it like a concealed

carry weapon. The con-

cepts are very similar. In-

corporating these concepts

into your daily routine is

paramount. For any weap-

on to be effective, you

must have it in your pos-

session when you need it.

Combining these concepts

may help reinforce your

readiness, which brings us

to the next topic.

What to do

About Weapons

Perhaps the most contro-

versial topic when it

comes to you GHB is

whether or not you should

carry a dedicated weapon,

or a covert weapon. Local

laws will have a lot to say

about whether you can

legally carry a firearm in

your pack on a daily basis.

Also, your workplace may

have policies that prohibit

weapons, as many now do.

If you’re not familiar with

the NSRA’s official opin-

ion on carrying a pistol in

your backpack, we don’t

endorse it. If you plan to

carry a handgun, we rec-

ommend you carry it in a

secure holster.

A revolver in your back-

pack can be stolen. Your

backpack, for that matter,

can be stolen. If you en-

counter a deadly confron-

tation with your pistol in

your backpack, what are

you going to do? Ask the

assailant to give you a

courtesy timeout so you

can unzip your pack, lo-

cate your pistol, and rack

a shell?

Backpack guns are typi-cally only a good idea for

Continued next page

URBAN (cont inued)

6 PATRIOT CALLER DECEMBER, 2014

rural bug-out scenarios. It’s as simple as that.

4 Highly Effective Covert

Backpack Weapons

If, for whatever reason, circumstances prevent you from carrying a machete, hatchet, or pepper spray in your backpack, that doesn’t mean you can’t carry a damn good weapon -- even if that’s not the object’s primary function.

These 4 items can deliver fight-ending force without

even being classified as weapons. Some of these may already be part of your GHB’s primary car-go, thus once you add in their value as weapons, they’re now serving at least 2 very critical func-tions.

Tactical High Lumens Flashlight - Flashlights are great at creating di-versions, confusion, and asserting power in a dark situation. This is why the police are trained to ap-proach suspects with their flashlights focused on the suspect’s eyes.

Not only is the light tem-porarily blinding, but the

With a range up to 29 feet,

you can certainly shoot a

lot more than wasp nests.

In fact, you have enough

range to reach out and

stop an attacker at a pret-

ty comfortable distance. If

they come closer, you can

take a whack at them

with the actual can itself.

Conclusion

Over 80% of Americans

live in semi-densely popu-

lated urban or suburban

areas, not the wilderness

or even the “country.” Un-

less your crisis plans in-

clude very specific wilder-

ness or rural bug-out loca-

tions, then it’s time to face

the facts: You’re likely not

going to “bug-out,” but

instead go directly home

in a major crisis.

Knowing this, it’s time to

consider adapting your

SHTF plans to your real

situation, rather than

something romanticized

on cable TV shows. If a

crisis strikes while you’re

at work, running errands,

sitting in traffic, or visit-

ing friends across town,

you won’t need a

takedown hunting rifle

and MREs. You’ll need a

much more practical tool

kit to get you from where

you are to where you want

to be: Home.

person holding the flash-light can see exactly what their subject is up to, while the subject can see nothing. That’s quite the tactical advantage.

In addition, many

“tactical” flashlights are

quietly designed for use as

weapons. Ever wondered

what those flared teeth

things are around the lens

of a flashlight like the

model pictured (top left)?

Imagine those teeth hit-

ting you in the face, or

jabbing into your ribs with

a twisting motion. Plus,

have you ever heard of

hitting someone with a

roll of quarters in your

hand?

Long Handle Maglite -

We’ve all heard about how

Maglites are made out of

heavy-duty aircraft alumi-

num, right? Well this dual

-purpose flashlight dou-

bles as a heavy, 14.75”

baton in a confrontation.

Not only does this extend your reach, but it also re-quires nearly zero skill to use effectively. A directly blow with one of these flashlights to virtually any part of the body will cause

blinding pain, a glancing blow may be sufficient.

Pry bar/Emergency hammer - You can imag-ine the countless reasons you may want a pry bar in an urban crisis scenario. Self-defense is just the icing on the cake.

A good emergency ham-mer, like the 18” Annihila-tor by Dead On Tools (pictured below), is techni-cally a multi-tool. One of its major functions is a brutal battle hatchet.

Wasp Spray - Yet anoth-er unlikely, yet highly ef-fective self-defense weap-on is a can of aerosol wasp spray. Despite the fact that it’s the only single purpose item on this list, it’s effective range makes it a serious candidate.

We all know how repul-sive wasp spray is, right? Whenever it’s sprayed nearby, your body has an almost involuntary reac-tion to close your eyes, shut your mouth and hold your breath.

While we’re not sure what it would be like to get sprayed with this toxic substance directly in the face, unpleasant is sure to be an understatement. The Black Flag brand, pictured nearby, advertis-es that it “shoots up to a 29-foot spray to reach the nests.”

URBAN (cont inued)

PATRIOT CALLER 7 DECEMBER, 2014

PatriotCaller.com/Blog

No matter what is going

on outside, a little old fashioned resourcefulness

can always make your

home more comfortable...

With the cold weather and

snow already setting rec-

ords from coast to coast, many patriots are wonder-

ing what they can do to

keep their homes warm this winter... without

breaking the bank.

Most of us take our home's heating system for grant-

ed, but with the nation's

aging power grid in disre-pair, that's a dangerous

assumption.

What if a massive snow-storm knocks out electric

service in your area for

several days? Last winter, sections of Kansas, Mon-

tana, Massachusetts and

several other states lost power at the most critical

time -- during a brutal

winter storm.

Heating oil and electricity

costs are not coming down

anytime soon, so it's worth investing in a few low-cost

with a blanket when you

sit on the couch, you can

stay warm without adjust-

ing the thermostat.

Stay active Exercising is important all

year long, but many of us

get particularly lethargic

during the winter. The net

effect is that you don't

take advantage of your

body's natural heating

abilities. With just a little

light exercise a couple of

times each day, you can

benefit from your in-

creased metabolism.

Wear hats A significant percentage of

your body's heat loss oc-

curs through your

scalp. By wearing a hat,

you create an extra layer

of insulation that keeps

your head from getting

cold.

Avoid wet clothing

or hair Evaporative cooling can

work to lower your A/C

bill in the summer, but it

does the exact opposite in

winter. Dry your hair

thoroughly when you get

out of the shower and

change out of wet clothing

as soon as possible.

ways to make sure your home stays warm and

comfortable no matter

what comes. Plus, why not increase your family’s

comfort level?

Here are a few low-tech

ideas:

Place bubble wrap

over your windows Simply stick a sheet of

bubble wrap directly

against the glass and it

will stay in place. You can

still see the light through

the bubble wrap, but your

windows will be much bet-

ter insulated. Obviously,

you may not want to do

this to every window in

your home.

Limit your heated area If there are rooms in your

home that you rarely use,

consider closing the heat-

ing vents in those rooms

and shutting the doors.

This will divert more heat-

ed air into the rooms you

are using, while cutting

back on your heating

costs.

Dress in layers Wearing the proper attire will keep your family warm, even when your heater isn't running at full capacity. There's no rea-son to run you heater just so your family can dress like they're at the beach.

Infrared space heaters Highly efficient space heaters like the Eden-PURE can keep large rooms warm, allowing you to turn down your thermo-stat throughout the rest of the house.

Eat well Eating can elevate your body temperature and make you feel warmer.

Cook stews and

crockpot dishes Dishes that require boil-ing, or at least heating large volumes of water, release heat and humidity into the air.

Check your caulking

and weather stripping Don't let warm air out or cold air in. You'd be sur-prised at how much heat escapes through poorly sealed windows and doors. Check all of the caulking around your win-dow frames, as well as the weather stripping around your doors and replace where necessary.

Keep a blanket handy When you sit for an ex-tended period of time, your body temperature will naturally decrease. By covering yourself up

11 ways to stay warm without Raising your Heating Bill FROM THE BLOG...

8 PATRIOT CALLER DECEMBER, 2014

Of course, many home-steaders do not have the opportunity to raise do-

mestic livestock, either because of limitations of space or restrictive zoning ordinances. Sadly, these are becoming more and

more common. However,

before giving up on the idea of raising a few ani-mals of your own, check out the possibilities. You may find that ordinances are not quite as restrictive

as you thought. Or, the livestock 'police' are not as nitpicky as they could be.

from LIVESTOCK page 1

cure housing. Be aware of predators in your area and learn how to keep your animals safe. Make sure you have a way to get plenty of water to the ani-mals, even in subfreezing temperatures. Having eve-rything in place before the animals arrive adds a lot to the enjoyment of rais-ing livestock.

Which animal is the best one for you? That first de-pends on your ability to care for them and your

Perhaps, you could start a quiet little operation with zero 'nuisance value' and

attractive to your neigh-bors' children. Sharing eggs or other produce could be part of keeping in your neighbors' good grac-

es as well. As long as they

don’t complain, it may be that your mini-livestock operation will remain un-der Big Brother’s radar. It might be worth a try. Rab-bits, for example, are ex-

tremely quiet and unob-trusive, as are pigeons. You might find keeping a

small flock of laying hens raises no objections, whereas a crowing cock might bring complaints. You might even consider guinea pigs. In parts of South America, Africa, and Asia, they are an im-portant food source. They are easy to raise, even in the middle of the city.

Ask lots of questions and be ready for on-the-job learning! That said, try to be as prepared as possible, BEFORE bringing the new additions home. Build suitable fencing and se- Continued next page

PATRIOT CALLER 9 DECEMBER, 2014

even if just as a brush eat-er or pasture ornament.

All livestock require eve-ryday care. We recom-mend feeding your ani-mals twice a day. Cer-tainly, there are folks who feed once a day, but feed-

ing twice a day gives you

twice the opportunity to

head off a potential prob-

lem. 24 hours can make a

difference in the health of

your animal. Catching an

illness early can often

save the animal's life.

Weekly, more intensive

labor chores are needed,

such as moving hay bales

to the barn, cleaning stalls

and pens, and filling up

water troughs. Basically,

the larger the animal, the

larger the cleanup effort!

Finally, and this is just

common sense. Livestock

need constant care similar

to children. You won't be

taking long vacations or

going away every weekend

without making arrange-

ments for outside help in

that department. So, con-

sider that fact, and its ef-

fect on your lifestyle be-

fore you jump into raising

any livestock.

particular passions. If you love fiber crafts and yarn then you may want to raise your own sheep or fiber animal. If the thought of caring for a large sheep scares you, perhaps an angora rabbit would be a good choice.

Another important tip, buy from someone who has a similar management style to yours, or at least one that’s similar to what you are planning. For ex-ample, when buying dairy goats, buy from someone who milks their goats reg-ularly and keeps track of their milk weights. It's also a good idea to buy from someone whose health protocols match yours.

If you want to have an organic farm, you should buy from a breeder with an organic management

style. There are many

breeders out there who

inject kids with various

supplements and vaccines

within minutes after they

hit the ground. If they re-

ally need to do that to

keep their animals alive,

then those are not the ge-

netics you want on an or-

ganic farm.

Sometimes, it can be a

challenge to find organic

producers selling stock. If

you do buy animals from a

different management

system, be aware that

your results may vary,

and you may need to in-

clude 'hardiness' in your

list of reasons for culling.

Remember, culling does

not have to mean butcher-

ing. In many cases, an

animal that's not right for

your farm will be just

right for someone else,

LIVESTOCK (cont inued)

10 PATRIOT CALLER DECEMBER, 2014

as, you can purchase dairy

goats for under

$100. That is not a bad

deal! A friend bought one

last year that was a pure-

bred Nubian in milk for

$75.

You can keep bucks to

make breeding season

simpler. Yes, they can be

smelly during breeding

season, but otherwise,

they’re reasonably pleas-

ant to be around.

In fact, you don't need to

keep bucks at all, if you

know someone locally who

has one of breeding age.

You can haul goats around

in the back of a little

pickup with a canopy or

even a minivan (quite con-

venient)! Goats can be

“man-handled” by women,

your teenage daughters,

basically 12 year olds and

up. It is easy to load your

doe(s) up and take them to

the buck when they go

into heat.

The dwarf breeds have

higher butterfat than the

full size goats and when

fresh, the milk does not

taste goaty. Depending on

the breed, goat's milk is

slightly sweeter than cow

milk. Even goats not con-

sidered dairy breeds can

produce high butterfat,

and the cream does sepa-

rate. So you have the op-

tion to make butter.

Goat milk is more delicate

than cow milk so needs to

be handled more carefully.

It helps to chill it right

away. If the milk has a

goaty flavor, then there is

something wrong with the

goat: either what it's eat-

ing or the way the milk is

handled.

They are trainable, and

have great personali-

ties. Goats are said to be

seven times smarter than

a dog. They have fantastic

personalities, and I dare

anyone not to succumb to

their ways!

Goats are not expensive

to purchase. In many are-

feed them grain. If you

have meat goats and want

them to grow as fast as

possible to reach market

size, you will also have to

feed them grain. If you are

raising them for your own

consumption, however,

and you can wait longer,

grains aren't necessary.

If you want to cut out buy-

ing outside your opera-

tion, consider planting a

critter garden with corn,

sunflower and peanuts.

(The peanuts you can eat,

but the peanut hay and

the rest is for the animals.

You can even plant some

alfalfa if you have the

space.)

Pet goats and ones kept

for clearing brush don't

need extra feed. Be ad-

vised though, if you plan

to use your woods for sus-

tainable woodlot cutting,

goats will eventually put

an end to that.

from GOATS page 1

Animals in the US, espe-

cially commercial dairy

breeds, have been bred for

high production for a very

long time. Taking a high

production animal and

then cutting grain out is

not going to go well. If you

want a grass-only herd,

you need to select animals

that have been specifically

bred for that.

Milk Production

Goats produce a reasona-

ble amount of milk for a

family. If you are just in-

terested in simply provid-

ing milk for your family, a

goat will give a half gallon

to a gallon a day. That is

manageable for many peo-

ple. Two miniature goats

will keep your family in

milk, and if you stagger

breedings, they will keep

you in milk all year. Mak-

ing cheese is also an op-

tion.

Continued next page

PATRIOT CALLER 11 DECEMBER, 2014

come in a large array of

sizes. The average price is

under $5. They are de-

signed to slip over the

goat kid’s head, front legs

fit thru the leg holes. The

sweater covers the back to

the tail as well as chest.

The belly portion is usual-

ly tapered to allow a more

comfortable fit for buck-

lings. The sweaters are

machine washable and

last for more than one sea-

son.

Runs or play yards

Even if the weather is

cold, goats will need time

and space to run and jump

around. Exercise will help

keep energy levels high,

lungs clear, and appetites

hearty. As long as there

isn’t a lot of wind or heavy

precipitation, dairy goats

are better off outside play-

ing during the day. Mod-

erate snow on the ground

should not prevent the

goats from having some

exercise time outdoors.

Keep in mind that the

snow and ice can get

wedged in their hooves, so

take care to make sure

their feet are properly

trimmed and remove ice

as often as possible.

around the corner, a white

fuzzy layer of hair (called

the undercoat) is noticea-

ble. This undercoat is

what keeps the goat

warm. Some types and/or

bloodlines of dairy goats

do not develop this under-

coat. These goats are can-

didates for a nice, well-

fitted goat sweater.

Goat coats can be made

from fleece or other warm

material that fastens

around the goat with Vel-

cro or some sort of snap.

There are companies that

sell pre-made goat coats in

different materials, sizes,

and colors, or patterns are

available for those who

want to make their own.

Alternatively, you can ac-

tually get a large dog coat.

Many are made with dou-

ble fleece. It slips over the

head, and has a belly band

that fastens on the other

side with Velcro. When

soiled, you can easily

wash and dry it. Some

coats are big enough to

accommodate growth.

Kids have a harder time

maintaining their own

body temperature. Some

department or discount

stores carry knit dog

sweaters around Christ-

mas time. These sweaters

Having bucks can you

make a little extra money

during breeding season as

service animals. You can

also use them for meat.

Tips for winterizing

goat housing and cold

weather goat care

Preparing for winter isn’t

generally something that

can be done at the last

minute. Preparation of

barns, grounds, and goat

feed supplies should be in

place prior to expected

cold weather.

Preparing the barn

or shelter

Goats do not like extreme

temperatures, whether

hot or cold. Proper man-

agement of your goats will

dictate that you have

some form of shelter for

them. Goats are hardy

animals, but they are sus-

ceptible to pneumonia, a

possible result of being

subjected to damp, drafty

conditions. Dairy goats

can handle the cold tem-

peratures if they have a

shelter to get out of the

wind and have a good un-

dercoat of hair to protect

them from frigid tempera-

tures.

The ideal shelter for dairy

goats should have a door

or enclosure to block wind

and precipitation from

blowing in on the animals.

Goats thrive much better

in the cold if they can

avoid being wet. The dif-

ference between summer

and winter housing for

goats is the amount of in-

sulation from drafts re-

quired.

Never over-seal an animal

enclosure though. Proper

ventilation is vital to

avoid a buildup of ammo-

nia from urine. Keep your

housing areas cleaned reg-

ularly during winter

months and check on your

goats' condition daily.

Most healthy, adult goats

are better off self-

regulating their own body

temperatures and cozying

up with their herd mates

for added warmth. Place

heat lamps with extreme

caution for young or in-

firm animals. Many barn

fires have been started by

a heat lamp in close con-

tact with bedding or other

flammable substances.

Goats prefer to sleep and/

or relax up off the ground.

Wooden pallets are great

for this purpose because

they allow the goat to get

up higher, and bedding

can be placed on top of the

slats for added insulation.

Pallets are also easily

moved for cleaning pur-

poses.

Bedding should be fluffed

and rotated as needed. It

is important to make sure

the bedding is dry. Choose

a bedding material that

will drain well and fluff

up, like shavings.

Keeping warm

Most dairy goats, when

healthy, will grow a nice

thick coat of hair in the

fall. When cold weather is Continued next page

Continued next page

GOATS (cont inued)

12 PATRIOT CALLER DECEMBER, 2014

There are various udder

balms on the market that

prevent chapping and

wind chill protection. Bag

Balm is also a good reme-

dy for protection against

frostbite.

Nubian goats are also

more likely to have frost-

bite due to their long pen-

dulous ears. Udder balm

can be lightly coated onto

the underside of the ear

for protection. Another

suggestion is using a light

coating of Vaseline, which

will not freeze because it

is a petroleum product.

The downside to using

Vaseline is dirt and grit

stick to it.

Even in cold tempera-

tures, there are many lit-

tle things that make a

goat’s life easier and more

enjoyable. The most im-

portant is to prevent

drafts and moisture in

sleeping quarters. A little

preparation can go a long

way towards making win-

ter more enjoyable for you

and your goats.

GOATS (cont inued)

Feeding and minerals

During the coldest

months, eating is one im-

portant way that animals

maintain body tempera-

ture. Keeping good clean

hay available to dairy

goats at all times will

keep their rumens active

and energy levels high. If

they appear to lose weight

during the colder months,

increase feed accordingly.

Free choice minerals and

salt/mineral blocks should

be available for consump-

tion at all times. General-

ly, goats will only eat the

minerals when their body

needs them.

Water consumption

Water is as important to

animals as it is for hu-

mans. Without water, ani-

mals can dehydrate and

become sick. In the cold,

livestock tend not to drink

as much because of the

temperature.

Livestock supply compa-

nies sell electric tank

warmers for outdoor

troughs that ice over.

When purchasing a tank

warmer, look at where the

electrical cords join the

heater itself. Some cheap-

er model tank warmers

get shorts in them and can

give a shock to the animal

as they attempt to drink.

Another option is bucket

warmers that plug in.

There are several different

sizes to choose from.

Here's a tip if you are con-

cerned your goats are not

drinking enough. Pick up

gallon jugs of orange fla-

vored Gatorade from the

store. I'm sure you know

Gatorade has electrolytes

in it. Add a cup or two of

orange Gatorade to their

water. This ensures the

goats get plenty of fluids.

Worming

It is a good idea to worm

prior to winter. Goats that

are housed in a more con-

fined or enclosed shelter

have a greater chance of

developing a worm related

illness. Whatever the

wormer preference, it is a

good idea to follow up with

a dose of a probiotic to re-

activate the rumen. It is

also a good idea to worm

again 10 days after the

initial dose to stop other

worm eggs and larvae in

their additional stages of

development.

Frostbite prevention

Dairy goats that are out-

side in cold temperatures

run a risk of frostbitten

udders. Udders that have

been clipped are unpro-

tected and can suffer dam-

age from exposure to

freezing temperatures.