Remember that every goatkeeper has their own way of doing things, and goats appreciate a routine. Here is a breif synopsis on how I manage my herd-

First off, I made sure I bought stock from CAE-negative sources, and I plan to test on an annual basis. We are whole herd CAE negative as of 05/08/07 through ELISA testing.

Feeding:

I feed my does a 16% protein dairy goat grain ration, and add black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) at a rate of about 6 to 1. In the case that I don't have alfalfa hay avalable I also add a rabbit or alfalfa pellet. Pregnant does and growing kids gets around a 1/2- 3/4 cup a day, and near-term pregnant and lactating does work up gradually to around 2-4 cups a day depending on their body condition. I find that this amount leads to lots of milk and big robust kids. Does that I do not milk and are not nursing young kids do not get grain. I used to continue to feed all the does grain even after they weaned their kids, but I found that this made them fat (I also used to feed alot more grain, which I'm sure contributed ;)
My hay is a high-quality second cutting of a timothy/alfalfa/clover mix, fed free-choice. I offer goat minerals in loose and block form, and baking soda free choice, and provide clean water twice daily, warm in cold weather.
Also in fall '07 I began copper bolusing the herd, and have seen nice results in coat color and texture.
I also occasionally give special horse treats or something similar- the goats love them!
I feed my bucks small amounts of a 12% protein allstock pellet with BOSS and whole corn, loose minerals, and timothy hay. I add ammonium chloride to their minerals to prevent urinari calculi. They also get fresh water twice daily.
Another habit I like is providing my goats fresh browse from the property, such as pine and tree branches of various types, either by me cutting them and putting them in their pen or by taking walks on the property. They also enjoy wild rose bushes and brambles, both of which grow in abundance here. (Do some research before giving your goats plant matter- some things are poisonous and fatal to them, like rhododendrons.)

Housing:

My does are housed in a small barn building with a cement floor, and I also have two seperate 6x8' pens in my large barn I use as kidding pens. The goat barn also has my milking and grain/hay storage areas, segregated from the goats with livestock panels. They have free access to their yard during the day, and also take walks with me often through the property for more exercise and grazing. I like to use wood shavings topped with straw for bedding, and clean it out frequently. The goat bedding makes great compost to fertilize for my organic garden!

My bucks have an airy shelter (an indoor area sandwiched by two open-slatted corn cribs) under which they also have a small shed for cold weather. The outer shelter works nice for any season, since it allows for constant ventilation, plus it keeps rain and snow out of their living quarters. The shed allows them the option of extra protection. The boys are housed away from the girls where they can't see each other, until I get them together for "dates."

Health:

I try to provide optimum conditions for good health, but in case a goat becomes ill I don’t hesitate to treat them. I keep a close eye on each one and this helps catch things early. I also have several vets I can call. Most importantly I have some great goatkeeper friends that can offer me practical advice and wisdom, which I have found to be more valuable than any book. Items I have found useful to keep on hand are:
syringes and needles (I buy 3 cc syringes and 22G, 1/2 inch needles,) a digital thermometer (normal goat temp is around 101,) Bo-Se injectable, Vitamin B complex, Pen-G antibiotic, CD&T vaccine, Zinc tablets, iodine and alcohol, electrolyte mix for drinking water, bloodstop powder or cornstarch, "Blue Kote" topical antiseptic spray, "Sheep and Goat Spray" for lice, Goat Nutri-Drench, Probios, and Sulmet liquid for cocci.
I worm the herd on a regular basis, usually with Ivermectin or Safeguard for Goats. We had no worms detected on our last herd fecal at the end of September '05. I also give them Probios during times of stress or after antibiotic use to promote rumen health.

Another important duty is trimming their hooves, which isn’t our favorite! However it is a necessity and I do it on a regular basis.

Kidding:

In preparation for kidding, at 5 weeks before the due date I do a final hoof trimming on the expectant mother, and also give a dose of selenium/E gel or a shot of Bo-Se. At 4 weeks before the due date, I give a CD&T injection. Also at this time I start increasing the grain ration, working up to around 2-3 cups a day by kidding. At two weeks before the due date I worm the doe, and worm again the day after kidding. Late pregnancy and after giving birth is a time when worms can get out of hand, so I try and prevent that. Then I just continue to closely monitor the doe, checking for anything unusual and keeping tabs on their tail ligaments. So far I've been successful at gauging when the doe is ready to kid and have attended most births, which the does were grateful for.
After kidding, I help dry and clean the kids, look them over, and get them nursing quickly. Then I dip the umbilical cords in strong iodine. After hanging out with mom and kids for awhile, I offer the doe some grain, clean up, and then I leave the new family to let them get aquainted.
For kids, I disbud them within the first week, sometimes longer for does. I have a Rhinehart 30 disbudding iron. When they start to nibble hay and grain usually around 2 weeks of age, I give them some Probios to help the rumen get going. I give them their CD&T injection around 4-6 weeks of age. Usually somewhere around age 5 weeks I give them a coccidiosis treatment using Sulmet. At 6-8 weeks of age the boys will be wethered, and sometime around this point I do their first hoof trimming and worming. Then usually between 8-10 weeks of age they're ready to go to their new homes.

A word about vaccinations: I come from a natural health mindset, being vegetarian and having worked in healthfood stores and seeing the health benefits produced by homeopathy and herbals in myself and my family. Therefore it comes naturally to me to apply the same thoughts to our animals. I strive to provide the best environment to encourage optimum health, as well as vitamin/mineral/probiotic therapy, and high quality feed and hay and clean water. There is a lot of controversy about the safety, efficiency, and long-term effects of vaccines on humans as well as in animals of all breeds. Studies have suggested that over-use of vaccines can be linked to auto-immune diseases and an overall weakening of the natural immune system response. I am not a veterinarian, but I give merit to these expert opinions. I therefore hesitate to overuse vaccines. I believe yearly boosters MAY be unnecessary and harmful, and studies have failed to prove that they actually do booster immunity. I also bear in mind that vaccines contain preservatives, foreign animal DNA, and other potentially harmful substances that are injected directly into the system in a way that the body normally would not encounter. There is so much information on both sides to consider, so please inform yourself as much as possible. My kids will be given shots once, since some available information suggests that a shot or two early in life may be enough to provide lifelong immunity- in this case the benefits would outweigh the risks. And also because I sell my kids to the public, I feel a certain responsibility as a breeder to vaccinate. I also give booster shots to pregnant does before they kid, in theory to pass immunity on to the babies. This method allows me to wait until the kids are 4-6 weeks old before vaccinating them.

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a veterinarian or an expert opinion- Please do your own research. I do not accept any liability for the use of this information, it is offered for informational purposes only. These are management techniques that I am developing to suit my own herd.

I recommend visiting the Fias Co Farm website
This site contains a wealth of information pertaining to goatkeeping, milking, and cheesemaking.