Gain confidence that your goats won’t drop dead tomorrow OR be running all over the countryside.
Save money AND keep your goats healthier by not overbuilding your goat housing.
Save time by not searching the Internet and trying to weed through a dozen opinions.
Transform Your Goat Care with Goat Basics & Beyond!
Whether you have a couple of adorable pet wethers or you’re thinking about adding a few milkers to your life, Goat Basics is your go-to course for keeping them healthy and happy. Dive into essential knowledge on:
Proper Housing: Learn the best practices for creating a safe, comfortable environment for your goats.
Suitable Fencing: Discover how to build and maintain fences that will keep your goats secure and content.
Deciphering Pedigrees: Get the lowdown on goat pedigrees and make smart buying decisions.
Smart Buying Tips: Avoid common pitfalls and choose the best goats for your needs.
Start Raising Goats with Ease now!
Tackle Common Goat Owner Concerns
- Winter Worries: Ensure your goats stay warm and safe during the cold months.
- Fence Challenges: Master the art of keeping even the most stubborn goats fenced in.
- Livestock Guardians: Find out the best places to buy livestock guardians and which animal (dog, llama, or donkey) will best protect your herd.
- Pedigree Confusion: Clear up the mystery of goat pedigrees—what’s the difference between a buck with a *B and a +S?
- Health Checks: Learn how to listen to a goat’s rumen, recognize normal goat poop, and identify if your goat is underweight, overweight, or just right.
- Conflict Resolution: Know exactly what to do (and what not to do) when two goats are fighting.
Want a sneak peek? Here’s what you’ll learn inside!
Module 1: Your Essential Guide to Goats
Get ready to dive into the world of goats with Module 1 of Goat Basics! This module is packed with everything you need to know before bringing these charming animals into your life.
- 8 Things to Know Before Getting Dairy Goats (14:48)
- How NOT to Kill Your Goats (32:41)
- Anatomy
- Goat Skeleton and Body Condition
- Goat Glossary
- Milk Production and Breed Averages (4:54)
- Earning Milk Stars and Reading a Pedigree (29:44)
- Buying Your Goats (40:13)
- Bringing Home Bottle Babies (9:18)
- Shopping List for Goats
- Color Genetics in Goats with Dr. Phil Sponenberg (32:36)
Module 2: Fencing and Housing Essentials
Take your goat care to the next level with Module 2 of Goat Basics. This module dives into the critical aspects of fencing, grazing, and housing, ensuring your goats are secure, healthy, and well-cared for.
- Fencing (28:33)
- All About Electric Fencing (39:20)
- Gates and Fences (11:24)
- How to Make a Gate With a Livestock Panel (3:13)
- Difference Between ElectroNet & Poultry Netting (1:14)
- How to Move Netting (2:04)
- Rotational Grazing with ElectroNet (6:19)
- Rotational Grazing Layout Example
- Housing (20:04)
- Stall Mats (5:43)
- Remote Goat Doors (4:11)
Module 3: Daily Care and Feeding for Your Goats
Module 3 of Goat Basics is your comprehensive guide to the everyday care, health maintenance, and nutritional needs of your goats. This module equips you with the knowledge to ensure your goats lead happy and healthy lives.
- Livestock Guardians (38:13)
- Day to Day (32:42)
- Goat Hoof Trimming (4:23)
- Buck Spa Day (added October 2023) (2:33)
- Removing Small Scurs with Hoof Trimmers (added October 2023) (2:39)
- Removing a Large Scur on a Yearling (added July 2023) (1:37)
- Choosing a Good Goat Mineral (13:18)
- What do goats eat?
- What do goats eat? (Cheat sheet)
- Water buckets in winter (2:46)
- Basics of Bottle Feeding
- Milk and Meat Withdrawal
- Following Drug Use (PDF)
- Milk and Meat Withdrawal
- Following Drug Use (video) (3:55)
- How to Remove a Liver for Mineral Testing (4:46)
- How to Bury a Goat (3:02)
Module 4: Case Studies in Nutrition and Parasites
Module 4 of Goat Basics delves into critical health issues that goat owners may face. Through detailed case studies and expert insights, you’ll learn how to identify, manage, and prevent common goat health problems.
- Copper Deficiency Case Study
- Severe Barber Pole Worm Case Study
- Coccidiosis and Low Weight Gain in a Kid
Module 5: Efficient Record Keeping for Goat Owners
Module 5 of Goat Basics focuses on streamlining your record-keeping process. Learn how to efficiently manage and organize essential data to keep your goat operations running smoothly.
- How to Use Google Sheets or Save to Excel (1:07)
- Medication Record (Google Sheets)
- Breeding Record (Printable)
- Milk Production (Google Sheets)
Your Instructor Deborah Niemann
In 2002, Deborah and her family moved to 32 acres on a creek in the middle of nowhere to grow their own food organically. With the help of goats, sheep, pigs, and poultry, they produce 100% of their meat, eggs, and dairy products, as well as a large percentage of their vegetables, fruit, and herbs. They sold chickens and turkeys for more than 10 years, and are currently a licensed egg producer in Illinois and sell eggs to a grocery store and through a CSA.
Deborah is the author of six books, including Homegrown and Handmade, Ecothrifty, and Raising Goats Naturally, as well as her latest book, Goats Giving Birth. She also teaches sustainable agriculture courses online for the University of Massachusetts – Amherst. She has been teaching Raising Dairy Goats Sustainably since 2013 and Pastured Poultry since 2015.
In 2022, Deborah got certified as a FAMACHA instructor so that she and her students could feel confident that she was providing the most up-to-date information on parasite research and management.
See what’s included:
‣ 40+ lessons, including 29 videos you can watch over and over again. Once you buy the course, it’s yours forever.
‣ A discussion board with every lesson where you can ask questions
‣ Future additions and updates to the course
‣ 24/7 Lifetime Access
Why Choose Goat Basics & Beyond?
Comprehensive Content: Every aspect of goat care covered, from housing to fencing and feeding.
Practical Tips: Save time and money with actionable advice that’s easy to follow.
Expert Guidance: Benefit from the expertise of a college professor, author, and seasoned goat owner who understands the challenges you face.
Frequently Asked Questions
The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course – you decide when you start and when you finish.
How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like – across any and all devices you own. This also means that you will have access to all upgrades, additions, and improvements added to the course at no additional charge!
No. This course is for your own personal education. However, if you are interested in college credit or certification, Deborah also teaches Raising Dairy Goats Sustainably through the University of Massachusetts – Amherst online.
There are no required tests. The only quizzes are auto-graded and were created to help reinforce your understanding of a few confusing concepts, such as reading a pedigree.
We hope you will! Each lesson has a discussion board, and Deborah will respond to all questions personally.
