× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! Short cycling is when a doe comes in heat and then comes back in heat a few days later or any interval notably sooner than the normal 21-day cycle. While not all cases are caused by minerals–most are!–my first stop is always iodine in cases of short cycling or in does who cycle normally but don’t settle easily. Wish was a four or so year old doe who had consistently taken 2-3 cycles to successfully settle and when she’d kid, she’d have only one or two kids, down from my normal 3-4 in that line. She had only had one or two does in those years of breeding and was heavy Read More
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Megan’s General Philosophies for Raising Goats
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! These are the basic philosophies that guide my practices on the farm. They don’t have to also be yours to get use out of this website, but I want you to understand where I come from in my decisions so you can fully understand how they play out in real life. The Animal Usually Knows Best We’re taught in modern society that we cannot rely on ourselves, that we must turn to experts to know how to think, eat, act, be healthy, lose weight, etc. We have a tendency to apply this to our animals as well. I’d venture that in both cases, the self knows best. While this isn’t universal, Read More
On Microchips
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! Let’s talk about microchips. The general belief is that they are a benign way to permanently identify an animal. They are required in animal registries, cities, rescues, etc. and most folks have no idea there is another story lurking beneath the surface. A few years ago, one of the major chip brands was sued with the allegation their chips cause cancer. It was shushed and the outcome will never be known, but we can look elsewhere to find supporting data. Those chips are still on the market. There is absolutely no question the company is aware of what happens to animals who receive these chips. We all choose the path that’s Read More
Comfrey Root for Goats
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! Comfrey root is banned for oral use in many first world countries. At the same time, it is being trialed as a livestock feed with good results. I encourage you to do thorough research before deciding if you want to use this herb in your animal care regimens and I am including some research at the bottom of this post. In the first link, you can gain a lot of information by looking at the primary sources at the bottom and gleaning from those the meat of the issue. The FDA also banned comfrey for a time. Now on to my personal story. My husband had a significant tear in a Read More
Ever Refining the Path
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! As some of you who have followed me for awhile know, I’ve really struggled with the concept of selling animals vs. not selling animals over the last couple of years. For those who don’t know, here are the two posts where I initially announced I would no longer sell animals and then backtracked that spring to say I was wrong and had regained my senses😅:
Selenium Deficiency or Contracted Tendons?
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! Legs folded over at birth? Give it selenium! Actually, DON’T. This is one of the most pervasive Internet goat care myths to ever exist and it is my sworn duty to try to educate, so let’s talk about selenium deficiency, contracted tendons and slow unfolding at birth. Selenium Deficiency AKA White Muscle Disease First, let’s start with true selenium deficiency, officially known as White Muscle Disease. According to Merck, “Most kids affected by white muscle disease have been in good condition and are 2–3 months old (range, 1 week to 4 months).” As in, if you had a newborn present with selenium deficiency, that would be an exceedingly rare case, because Read More