× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! I have raised goats for 17 years and in that entire time, the ONLY hay I’ve fed to all classes, including wethers and bucks, is second cutting alfalfa. My herd size in that time has ranged from 4-6 goats all the way up to a high of somewhere around 40. I’ve only been on buffet for 4 years, so they were 13 years without a free choice source of phos. Where’d I learn it from? All the producers who feed it with no issues. It is a common online myth that alfalfa is dangerous. By FAR the vast majority of cases of urinary calculi come from too much phosphorus in the Read More
Category: 2-Minute Goat Care
Is My Goat Skinny/Fat/Getting Enough to Eat?
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! A large belly doesn’t indicate body condition, but does usually indicate good rumen function. You’ll often see their bellies grow larger toward the end of the day as they store up food to ruminate on overnight. The most accurate way to assess whether your goat is fat or skinny is to learn how to do body condition scoring, which is basically just feeling for fat deposits on certain areas of the body. Body condition scoring is a great tool that can be used monthly to see how your goats are faring on your feeding program. Body condition along with goat behavior can tell you if your goats are satisfied or hungry Read More
Short Cycling in Goats: A Natural Approach to Treatment
× 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
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
Thoughts on Vaccinating with CDT
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! This is my personal experience and my thoughts on my decision not to vaccinate my herd with CDT. I share it here to give a point of view, not to suggest one way or another what you should decide for your herd. CD is enterotoxemia, a bacterial overgrowth often caused by management issues. It’s called ‘overeating disease’ because it is usually significant increases in feeds that bring it about. You can read more here. Tetanus comes through wounds but is not as common as we’re led to believe. Importantly, oxygenated wound environments protect against tetanus, which is why in disbudding, for example, you want to avoid putting a salve or any Read More