Episode 5 For the Love of Goats Angora goats are not just cute. They also produce mohair, which is an exquisite fiber used in clothing, tapestries, and rugs. In this episode, Chris McLaughlin of Laughing Crow & Co Flower and Fiber Farm talks about her angora goats. Since she also raises Nigerian dwarf dairy goats, she explains how the angoras have different needs … [Read more...]
Getting Ready for Goat Birthing
Episode 4 For the Love of Goats Spring is when most goats give birth. Are you ready for kidding season? In this episode I'm talking about what you need to have ready before kidding season starts, and I'm sharing some of the things we learned the hard way so you don't have to make the same mistakes. (Like -- don't leave your clean kidding towels in the barn … [Read more...]
Packing With Goats
Episode 3 For the Love of Goats Today we are stepping out of the milk, meat, and fiber goat worlds. We are talking about the elite athletes of the caprines -- pack goats -- with our guest Marc Wornke of packgoats.com. We're discussing how to choose future pack goats, as well as training, and feeding. These are not your typical pet wethers that spend their … [Read more...]
Forage and Feeding Goats
Episode 2 For the Love of Goats One of the most common questions I get from readers is, "what should I feed my goats?" But there is no short answer. The reason you hear so many different answers is because the right answer can be different for different goats. In this episode, ruminant nutritionist Laura Marie Kramer, Director of National Accounts for Standlee … [Read more...]
My Goat Story
For the Love of Goats Episode 1 Join me as I tell you my goat story in the first episode of my new podcast. I also explain why I decided to start a podcast and what you can expect in the coming weeks. In addition to doing a few solo episodes like this one, I'll also be interviewing a lot of other goat lovers and experts. You can subscribe to the podcast through … [Read more...]
How to tame a goat
Many years ago when we started to have a few too many kids and didn't give them enough attention, we got a crash course in taming wild kids. We learned very quickly that you can't just leave baby goats out in the pasture and expect them to be as friendly as the family dog. How to tame a goat Even friendly goats tend to run more when they're in a big pasture, so start by … [Read more...]
Do goats need grain during pregnancy?
Every winter, when most dairy goats are pregnant, someone will post a link to this study in an online group and ask if they should be feeding their does grain during pregnancy. After all, they don't want a bunch of dead kids in the spring, which is what this study says will happen if you don't feed your does grain during the middle of their pregnancy. Although this is a … [Read more...]
Kidding in winter
No, I'm not talking about cracking jokes. When they give birth, cows calve, sheep lamb, and goats kid. Because calves are so big and lambs are born with a wool coat, winter birthing doesn't cause anywhere near the issues that it does for goats, which are smaller and have less insulation. The smaller the goats and the lower the temperature, the more you need to … [Read more...]
Changes in Purina and Sweetlix Goat Minerals
Purina and Sweetlix, two of the most popular goat mineral companies, have both changed their formulas. This may be a good thing in the long run, but they did nothing to alert consumers to these changes, which could have negative consequences. Many goat breeders supplement their goats with additional copper and other minerals beyond the free choice minerals. Because the new … [Read more...]
The Best Pet Goat Breeds — and more
When people think about getting pet goats, they sometimes think it is just a matter of choosing the best pet goat breed. Although breed is important, I'll also talk about the difference between male and female goats, as well as the difference between bottle-fed and dam-raised. Best pet goat breeds Although the smallest goat breeds often make great pets, some of the larger … [Read more...]