Herd Management

Every farm has its own unique herd management style, and something that works well for them. Depending on the area you live and the agricultural practices in your area, it's quite likely your deficiencies will be different than ours, and so your practices might be different as well. We would like to share with you what works for us, but it is not the only way to do things, it's just the way we do!

Feeding Routines

Ample fresh water is an important part of our management program. We scrub the buckets weekly, using a brush, purchased from the dollar store. In the winter months, we take warm water to the goats twice a day. They drink significantly more water when we do this. We add apple cider vinegar to the water buckets to aid in digestion and prevent urinary calculi. Only a small amount is needed, a couple times a week.
Our standard feed is from Kalmbach, mixed with Black Oil Sunflower Seeds, (Black oil sunflower seeds are a great natural source of selenium) Alfalfa Pellets, Oats and Beet Pulp. Alfalfa grass hay mix is provided free choice. In addition, the goats love to graze and forage in our meadows that are both grass and wooded areas.

We don't give our goats a lot of grain, they get a little each evening before bed. They also get grain daily while they are in milk, because they need the extra calories for production. This is not something they would ever get in the wild, and if we could milk well without it we would probably try. We do love to spoil them though! Lol! We have tried many different things with feeding grain and will probably continue to mess with the process. They have free choice minerals provided by the Mineral Buffet from Little Avalon Farm. We had a couple fishtails and some rough coats that never seemed to grow in and we suspected it to be a zinc deficiency. It cleared up after we started them on the mineral buffet. We are not bolusing for copper anymore.

We also give our goats kelp free choice, and that we usually purchase through our local feed mill.

We choose to raise our families and everything here on the farm in the most natural holistic way we can. We strive to breed for a naturally resistant, hardy, herd with strong immune systems. Vaccines compromise the immune system and often are not effective, so we treat our animals with herbals instead, but you may choose to vaccinate and that is fine too. Here are some of the things we do on the farm and herbs we use.

Parasite Control

We worm our goats with a formula from Land of Havilah Herbals. We mix it with kelp as a 3/1 mixture and have it out with our mineral buffet. It is a great product that does much more than parasite control. It boosts immune function and we use it anytime a goat is looking unthrifty. I also have a kelp mixture with GI Soother from Land of Havilah Herbals that I put out any time I see a change in their poop, and most times that clears up whatever is off with their stomach. For external parasites like lice we use a mixture of tea tree and lavender essential oils diluted in a carrier oil at the rate of 2% of each. *** Update... since a lot of people ask me about the diluting ratio this is how I mix my oil. I use 16 ounces of carrier oil like coconut, almond, or Extra Virgin Olive oil and then I add 2 teaspoons each of the essential oils*** (This is then dripped down the spine as close to the skin as possible, not on the hair itself. This really works fabulously. If we are already having problems with lice, I will use a couple drops tea tree straight as it is neat and safe for the skin, a few times over a week until resolved. On babies with lice I'll put it behind the ears and by the hairline on the hooves as well. That may be more than you want or need to use, again it's just what works for me. We have also had good results with food grade sulfur for lice. Just dust along the topline.

When problems occur

Like people, goats can catch a cold or get pneumonia too. The first thing I do when a goat looks off is worm them with the parasite formula. My main formula I use is the parasite formula soaked in oil for 6 weeks, strained, and then add Oregano, Orange, Lemongrass, Eucalyptus, and Turmeric essential oils. This mixture is amazing and will most times clear up whatever is going on. I give it as soon as I see one of the goats is not eating all their evening meal or I see something else that is off, like a drop in milk production. We also make a garlic ginger paste with equal parts of fresh garlic cloves and ginger root. Peel and finely mince, then add to a sauté pan with a small amount of oil. Sauté gently on low until tender. Do not simmer. We then put it in a blender to create a paste. You can crush the mixture with a mortar and pestle also. It should be a paste. Just take a small amount on your finger and rub it up under the goat’s palette as many times a day as you can. Refrigerate the remainder. It keeps forever and the longer you have it the more potent it becomes. Another thing I keep on hand is, a kelp mixture with kelp and respiratory herbs.( I make a mixture of my own with dried herbs but you could use the Guardian Powder from Land of Havilah) I put this mixture out whenever it's rainy or a big change in weather or temperature.

Cayenne pepper is another go-to herb for us. It really is a little miracle worker, that is good for most things. Cayenne regulates body temperature, improves circulation, aids digestion, is antifungal, and can sooth your sore throat or cough. It breaks up mucous and congestion and can stop diarrhea. It puts your immune system into high gear and is a good addition to your protocol especially with a sick goat or newborn baby that isn't perking up quick enough. It can also work as a blood-stop if you cut your goat during hoof trimming. You can also get a Cayenne tincture from Little Avalon Farm

Breeding & Pregnancy

We generally breed our does in the fall for an early spring kidding.(January to May) When it's still cold enough that the ground is frozen hard, the risk for parasites like coccidia declines, and that is a good thing. I don't like to kid pass March but some years the girls have other ideas. Lol. We have electricity in the barn and usually have a barrel with a heat lamp on top. And they huddle under there. We don't increase feed till about a week or so before kidding for the does. We usually dry everyone off before breeding but it's not necessary to do that. They do need a 3-month break before kidding, however. Six weeks before kidding everyone gets a fresh trim on their hooves. It is hard on them to have a foot lifted for trimming in the last few weeks, so it should be done prior or if you forget, just wait until they have freshened. It's not going to kill them to put it off if need be. We give our girls a mixture of tonic herbs during the last 6 weeks of pregnancy as well. I mix this in bulk because we have a lot of goats here.

This is what we use...

Red raspberry leaves

Rose hips

Fennel

Cinnamon and alfalfa, if they aren't getting it in their diet.

I mix equal parts and give each doe a few tablespoons every day on their feed.

Toxic Plants

The list of toxic plants for your goats is too large to put down here. I really recommend reaching out to your local extension office and discussing this topic with them. I will list a few at the bottom. We have a lot of native plants in Pennsylvania that are considered toxic, and goats may nibble on them without issue from time to time. The babies will be more seriously affected of course. Know what is on your property and find a vet that will listen to you, because nobody knows your situation and your goats like you do. This is so important. Find a good goat group for support, and always contact your breeder if you have concerns!

Poisonous Plants: Brecken Fern, Buttercup, Common Milk Weed, Foxglove, Lantana, Loco Weed, Poke Weed, Water Hemlock, St. John’s Wart, cyanide producing trees like Cherry and Elderberry. Cultivated plants like Rhododendron, Azalea, and Rhubarb.

https://extension.wsu.edu/animalag/content/selected-poisonous-plants-of-the-pacific-northwest/