Episode 46 For the Love of Goats If you look online for a list of plants that are poisonous to goats, you might think you need to chop down trees and pull up dozens of weeds to keep your goats safe. Those lists can include things like oak and maple leaves, which my goats eat regularly because my farm is covered with them. The fact is that goats … [Read more...]
Scrapie in Goats and Sheep
Episode 45 For the Love of Goats If you ever wanted to sell your goats or sheep to someone in another country, then you are already familiar with the US's problem with scrapie. It's not a huge problem, but having anything more than zero cases for seven years means that most countries will not allow our sheep and goats to be imported into their … [Read more...]
When to Wean Baby Goats
During the spring, I get a lot of questions about when to wean baby goats. And, as usual, the answer is...it depends. Still, I have a few guidelines that help me determine when it's the best time to wean baby goats. As you dig into this article, be aware that most of these tips are based on my experience with Nigerian Dwarf goats. With that being … [Read more...]
Agritourism on Ten Apple Farm
Episode 44 For the Love of Goats Margaret Hathaway and Karl Schatz first entered our lives in 2004 during their Year of the Goat when they traveled from coast to coast learning about all things goat. They were enamored with these amazing creatures, and they knew they wanted to do something with goats. But what? Instead of just reading a couple … [Read more...]
Avoiding Diseases with a Biosecurity Plan
Episode 43 For the Love of Goats There is an old veterinary saying that most animal diseases are bought and sold. It can be so tempting to buy every cute goat that you see, but there are some very good reasons to only buy your animals from reputable breeders who have herds that have tested negative for common diseases. In this episode, I am … [Read more...]
Should You Keep Pet Goats in The House?
Goats are adorable companions that easily steal our hearts. But should they steal our homes too? Because bringing a goat into the house is like signing over the deed. There’s a time and place to bring goats into our homes, and usually, it’s when they need a little extra support. Often, we bring bottle babies indoors when they’re not nursing. And sometimes, we bring hypothermic … [Read more...]
Zoonotic Diseases and Agritourism
Episode 42 For the Love of Goats Most of us love our goats so much and want to share their awesomeness with the world. Unfortunately, that is not a risk-free proposition because there are some diseases that goats can transmit to humans — even healthy goats! In today's episode, we are talking to Megin Nichols, DVM, MPH, DACVPM, at the Center for … [Read more...]
Copper Deficiency and Toxicity in Goats
Episode 41 For the Love of Goats If you're confused by everything you've heard about copper needs in goats, then hopefully this episode will clear things up. We are joined again by Dr. Robert VanSaun who teaches veterinary science at Pennsylvania State University and specializes in ruminant nutrition, and he debunks common myths while explaining … [Read more...]
Herbal Dewormers for Goats
Every once in a while, I get an email from a fellow goatherd asking why I don't recommend herbal dewormers for goats. Although I've used them, and I'm not opposed to using them, I only recommend treatments that have the research behind them that prove they work. Without such research on herbal dewormers, I'm not going to make a recommendation that could wind up causing … [Read more...]
Worms During Kidding Season
Episode 40 For the Love of Goats Although we are finally getting the word out that current research shows that you should not routinely deworm goats or deworm the whole herd at one time, one of the last old-fashioned ideas about dewormers is still hanging on -- the idea that you must deworm all does after kidding (or within a week or two before kidding). The … [Read more...]
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