× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! An interesting point has come up as I’m researching Vit. D pathways and methodologies and that is: in nature, animals consume D2. That’s what’s high in grasses, forbs, browse, yet we supplement with synthetic D3 in all commercial applications. The short answer appears to be: supplementing with D3 is better at raising blood serum D levels. But I am genuinely curious about whether or not that’s an accurate measure of impact of D. Because: From diet or skin, vitamin D enters the blood bound to vitamin D–binding protein (DBP) and is carried to adipose tissue, muscle, and liver. Is it simply that our measuring technologies focus on serum and not tissue, Read More
Category: Goat Nutrition & Minerals
Is Angel’s Trumpet Toxic for Goats?
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! The Short Answer Kind of. But probably not the way you think. If you’re here because your goat just ate angel’s trumpet and you’re panicking, take a breath. I’ll give you the practical steps first, then we’ll talk about why the internet has this one mostly wrong. If your goat grabbed a leaf or two while browsing: Monitor. Watch for staggering, dilated pupils, or rapid breathing over the next few hours. You’re most likely fine. If your goat sat down and ate several good bites: Give a dose of activated charcoal, then monitor. If symptoms show up, call your vet. Okay. Now let’s talk about what’s actually going on here. What Read More
Why Do Loose Minerals Have Sweeteners?
Loose mineral blends contain sweeteners to mask bitter taste but that bitterness is information. Here’s why plain minerals let animals use their innate sensing ability.
Do You Really Need to Copper Bolus Before Kidding? (What I Stopped Doing – And Why)
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! If you’re kidding in February, January is when conventional goat wisdom says to reach for the copper bolus gun and the Bo-Se. For years, I did exactly that. Every six months, timed around breeding and kidding. Copper boluses. Selenium injections. It felt responsible. It felt like what good goat keepers do. I haven’t done it in nearly five years. And my goats have never been healthier. The Twice-Yearly Ritual Let me paint the picture of what pre-kidding prep used to look like at my farm. First, I’d calculate copper doses – 1 gram per 22 pounds of body weight for each doe. Then I’d gather my supplies: copper rods, peanut butter, Read More
What Your Goats Are Craving in Winter
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! One of the things I love most about the mineral buffet system is that it turns your goats into data. Not in a cold, clinical way – in a “they’re constantly telling you what they need if you just pay attention” way. I recently pulled our sales data from last January to see what minerals goats across hundreds of herds were reaching for most. The results were fascinating, and once you understand the “why” behind each one, completely predictable. Your goats aren’t randomly grazing the buffet. They’re self-prescribing. The Top 5 Minerals Goats Wanted Last January 1. Copper Copper was the runaway winner – almost double the sales of any other Read More
Ideas for Selling Goats Locally (and Keeping Them Healthy in the Winter) | Goat Keeper Weekly 11/1/25
× Looking for minerals and goat supplies? Head over to our shop at GoatCare.com! Welcome to Goat Keeper Weekly! Every so often, I like to share little snippets from inside our Holistic Goat Circle – the funny stories, practical tips, and seasonal reminders that come up when goat owners start swapping experiences. Think of it as a peek into a thriving community of holistic goat keepers helping each other learn and grow. November brings that mix of muddy boots and grateful hearts – a season for slowing down, tending what matters, and sharing a little warmth with one another. This week, we talked about selling goats, mineral balance, and keeping hooves healthy through the wet season. Selling Goats Locally: The Power of Real Connections Inside Read More