Got a question? 🤔  Head over to https://thriftyhomesteader.com/pasture-grasses/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

Description

In this bonus episode with Dr. Woody Lane, a livestock nutritionist and forage specialist and consultant, who's the owner of Lane Livestock Services and the author of three books on forages, grazing, soils, and livestock nutrition, we are tackling some great questions submitted by several Goats 365 members.

Dr. Lane addresses warm season grasses–great for warmer climates–and the unique biochemical makeup that differentiates them from cool season grasses. He also gives important management advice that could prevent your animals from being sickened by the toxic compounds found in sorghum sudangrass and some tall fescue. He also answers the question we all want to know: “What is the best kind of pasture for goats so you can stop worrying about them dying?”

This the second half of Dr. Lane’s awesome interview which lasted more than an hour. If you haven’t yet heard the first half, be sure to listen in as Dr. Lane covers the four basic principles of good grazing, offers a practical way to measure how many goats per acre your pasture can support, and explains the amazing function of a rumen. 

See full show notes here >>  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/pasture-grasses/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Got a question? 🤔  Head over to https://thriftyhomesteader.com/good-pasture/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

Description

It can be a seemingly insurmountable challenge to balance the grazing needs of your herd with the necessity to maintain pasture and forage growth. If only there was a formula to strike that perfect balance between allowing your goats to get the nutrition they need while sustaining plant growth for future grazing. We have good news! There is a clear path to harmony when it comes to grazing.  

Today, we’re talking to Dr. Woody Lane, a livestock nutritionist and forage specialist and consultant, who's the owner of Lane Livestock Services and the author of three books on forages, grazing, soils, and livestock nutrition. In this episode, Dr. Lane delves into the world of management intensive grazing, a nuanced extension of rotational grazing. 

Dr. Lane details the four basic principles you need to implement in order to get the most out of your forage growth and grazing.  He also tackles the common question “how many goats per acre?” with a simple, yet brilliant, task you can perform to answer that question with precision for your specific land and herd. As a bonus, Dr. Lane reveals the reason it has been such a challenge to comfortably address that question in the past. 

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/good-pasture/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Who wouldn't love free food for your goats? But before you call your local brewer or distiller and ask if you can pick up their spent grain, listen to this episode with Dr. Robert VanSaun, vet professor and ruminant nutritionist at Pennsylvania State University.

Spent brewers grain and distillers grain are popular feed for cattle, but are less commonly used to feed goats. We've used brew grain to feed our pigs and chickens for about ten years, but have shied away from feeding it to our goats because it doesn't come with a guaranteed nutritional analysis or even an ingredient list.

In this episode, Dr. VanSaun discusses the nutrients we know are in brewer's and distiller's grains and what may or may not be in them, including potentially harmful substances such as sulfur and mycotoxins. We talk about what questions you need to ask the brewmaster before picking up grain, as well as other sources of spent grains.

Many thanks to our listener, Doris, who requested this episode.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/brewers-grain-for-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

What is the difference between a controlled study and observations that you make on your farm? In this episode, I’m talking to Joan Burke, Ph.D., who has been researching alternative dewormers in small ruminants for about two decades.

In addition to talking about some of her parasite research, we also are debunking some myths that you may have heard. Plus we are talking about the importance of randomly assigning goats to a control group (that receives nothing) to compare to a treatment group, as well as a few others important factors involved in figuring out what treatment caused what response.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/basics-of-goat-research/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

In addition to being the author of the newly released book, Grow Your Own Spices, Tasha Greer is also a homesteader and goat owner. Today we are talking about extended lactations in Nigerian dwarf goats, as well as making cheese without a recipe.

Although most people only milk their goats for a few months or a year at most, many goats are capable of continuing to produce milk for two to three years. This is something we've been doing on our farm for awhile, so I was excited to learn that Tasha milks her does for an extended period without rebreeding.

Tasha uses her goat milk to make homemade cheese for her family, and we also talk about how she doesn't let her cheesemaking be defined by recipes. Instead, she has created her own unique cheeses.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/extended-lactations-and-impromptu-cheeses/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Meningeal worm, also known as deer worm, is a worm that is normally found in white tail deer, but goats can become infected. In this episode Dr. Tatiana Stanton, a goat and sheep specialist with Cornell University Extension, is talking about how deer worm is different than intestinal worms that goats have, symptoms of an infection, and treatment. 

Although deer worm is not nearly as common as intestinal worms, they can be much more deadly. While a goat can walk around with thousands of roundworms in its digestive tract, a single deer worm in the spinal column or brain stem can paralyze a goat and even kill it, if it is not treated. Getting treatment started as quickly as possible also plays a big role in a successful outcome.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/deer-worm-in-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

For more information:

Deer Worm Factsheet for goat and sheep producers, Cornell University

Deer Worm Treatment Protocols, Small Ruminant Parasite Research, Cornell University

Meningeal Worm (Deer, Brain Worm) by Dr. Mary Smith, DVM, and Dr. Tatiana Stanton (PowerPoint presentation)

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you've had friends taste your cheese and tell you that you should go pro and start selling it, this is the episode for you. Years ago when that happened to me, I visited Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery in Illinois for a two-day workshop to learn more about turning my passion into a business. 

Unlike most of my guests whom I've only known online, I've personally known Leslie Cooperband and Wes Jarrell for more than a decade, so this is an especially fun episode for me. Leslie tells the story of why they decided to build a creamery and how they got started, as well as some of the lessons learned along the way.

 Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/prairie-fruits-farm-and-creamery/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com 

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you ask any goat breeder what is their favorite breed, they will most likely tell you it's the breed they are raising. However, there is no perfect breed. Each one has its own pros and cons. In the world of meat goats it is not uncommon to hear people say that boers provide more meat, whereas kikos have better parasite resistance — and the discussion usually ends with those two breeds.

Richard Browning, Ph.D., of Tennessee State University, has been studying the genetic differences between boer, kiko, Spanish, and myotonic goats since 2001. In this episode he talks about the differences that they have found in their research herd, which numbers about 250 head.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/meat-goat-genetic-research/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Note: We’re no longer using SpeakPipe, so SpeakPipe.com/ThriftyHomesteader  is no longer active.  

Got a question? 🤔 

Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/listener-qa-your-goat-medicine-cabinet/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! 

Description

Today we have questions from three listeners, so we are talking about 

1. urine scald, 
2. does in heat, and 
3. what you may want to have in your goat medicine cabinet. Remember that I am not a vet, and that this information is provided for educational purposes only. I'm talking about why people may have specific items in their medicine cabinet and what they may be used for. 

For more information on topics I discuss in this episode, check out these links:

• Copper Oxide as a Dewormer -- podcast
• Using Dewormers Correctly -- podcast
• Roundworms in Goats -- podcast
• Dewormer Resistance in Goats -- article

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/listener-qa-your-goat-medicine-cabinet/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Today's episode was sponsored by Standlee Premium Western Forage, which makes my favorite alfalfa pellets and timothy hay pellets!

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Whether you are facing resistance to chemical dewormers, or whether you prefer to use more natural remedies, copper oxide wire particles may be helpful in the fight against barber pole worm (haemonchus contortus) in goats and sheep. Joan Burke, Ph.D., has been studying the effects of copper oxide and other alternative dewormers on intestinal worms since the early 2000s. She has had multiple studies published in peer-reviewed journals, such as Veterinary Parasitology. In this episode, Dr. Burke talks about using copper oxide in goats, as well as her research on herbal dewormers.

Dr. Burke is also a member of the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control, where you can find links to more than a decade's worth of studies done on worms in goats, sheep, and camelids.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/copper-oxide-as-a-dewormer/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Many people who have owned pet dogs assume that they know all about choosing, buying, and training dogs, but livestock guardian dogs are a completely different animal. In this episode we are talking about those differences with Bill Costanzo from Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center in San Angelo.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/livestock-guardian-dogs/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis, usually referred to as CAE, is a disease unique the goats and sheep, which has no cure. It spreads easily because goats in the early stages of the disease have no symptoms, and some may remain symptomatic forever. In the 1970s, it was discovered that most goat herds in the United States and many other countries had multiple goats that were infected.

Since the disease is spread by bodily fluids, including blood, milk, and mucus, it is easy to control the disease when you know a goat is infected. After decades of taking kids away from their dams at birth, the number of goats with CAE has decreased dramatically. However, with the increase in the popularity of goats, I am hearing of more and more cases of CAE in the US.

In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Sandra Baxendell, a goat vet in Australia, who talks about how her country has started to bring the disease under control, as well as how other countries have eradicated it completely.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/working-to-eradicate-cae/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar
 

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Have you thought about renting out a room or a small cottage or cabin on your farm through Airbnb? Meet Tammy Gallagher of Texas who has done just that! In this episode, she talks about why they opened up their farm to guests and exactly how that works with her goats and other livestock.

Shady Paddock Farm - Willow House

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/airbnb-with-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you've been looking for a smaller breed of goat that's parasite resistant, has excellent mothering skills, and comes in a variety of colors, the Arapawa goat from New Zealand might be a good fit, especially if you are interested in conserving rare breeds.

In this episode, we are joined by Emily Nyman, Arapawa Goat Breeders Association President and Livestock Coordinator at Conner Prairie in Indiana, a living history farm museum that has a herd of Arapawa.

Their feral history means that this breed is very hardy, but there are also challenges for those who want to raise them, such as finding breeding stock. With only 300 total goats in the United States, you probably won't find them locally.

Emily talks about the Arapawa's history, appearance, size, and more in this exciting episode.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/arapawa-goats/ 

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

It might sounds like it's too good to be true -- take your goats to someone else's land and have them eat the brush and weeds while you are being paid. Goat landscaping is now more popular than ever, but it is not quite as simple as loading up your goats and having someone pay you while also providing free food for your goats.

Today I'm talking to Aaron Steele of Goats on the Go about what it's really like to run a goat landscaping business. He is talking about how he got started, pitfalls to avoid, and how he helps other entrepreneurs start their own goat grazing businesses.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-landscaping/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com
 
Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Have you ever dreamed of starting your own goat milk soap business? That's exactly what Jill Spruance and her family did almost a decade ago, and they are still going strong. They make about 20,000 bars of soap annually and sell them on their farm and online, as well as wholesale through 35 retailers across the country. 

In this podcast, Jill talks about why she started making soap, why they started selling soap, and how their business has evolved. She also talks about how they pivoted when COVID changed everything, as well as the wildfires near their farm in California.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-milk-soap-business/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

There is probably no other goat-related subject that confuses goat owners more than deworming. If you check five different online sources, you could wind up with five different recommendations about how to use dewormers. The problem is that there was not much research done on worms until the last 15 years or so, which means there are a lot of outdated recommendations still floating around online. And it's also challenging to get the new info to veterinarians, so some of them are even working with outdated information.

In this episode I'm talking to Susan Schoenian, a sheep and goat specialist with the University of Maryland's Western Maryland Research & Education Center, where she has been since 1988. That means she has seen a lot of changes in what is considered best practices for using dewormers. In addition to talking about the different dewormers and when to use them, she also gives us a little history on what used to be done and why the recommendations have changed.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/using-dewormers-correctly/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Rather than waiting for spring and wondering why your goats didn't get pregnant, now is the time to get your ducks in a row -- er, um, goats! In this solo episode I'm talking about all of the things you need to consider during breeding season.

• If you breed your goats now, will they give birth at a time when you are not traveling or overly busy with work? Will it be freezing outside?
• How old or how big should your does be before the first breeding?
• How old do bucks need to be to successfully service does?
• Should you "flush" your does before breeding? (What does that even mean?)
• What are the pros and cons of pen breeding vs hand breeding?
• What are the sign that a doe is in heat?
• What does normal buck behavior look like (and sound like) during breeding season?
• What does a successful breeding look like?
• Should you try artificial insemination?

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/breeding-season/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

For more information on breeding your goats:
My free course on Goat Breeding includes videos to help you recognize signs of heat, as well as successful and unsuccessful breeding attempts -- and more!

Goats need proper nutrition for successful breeding, pregnancies, and birthing. That means they need a good, loose goat mineral, NOT a "sheep and goat" mineral and not a block or poured tub.

To learn more about copper deficiency, check out my free course on that topic here.

Today's episode was sponsored by Standlee Premium Western Forage, which makes my favorite alfalfa pellets and timothy hay pellets!

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Dan Laney, a goat breeder and a judge with the American Dairy Goat Association, has been helping people in Nepal raise goats since 2014. In this episode, he talks about how being in a coma for a month and then losing his mother to cancer ultimately led him to finding more meaning in his life by helping others. In this episode he talks about how he got started, as well as how he has continued to help the people of Nepal with their goats in recent years, and what he plans to do when he we can all travel again. He also talks about how you can help.


Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goats-in-nepal/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Today we are talking about two separate problems that a lot of goat owners encounter -- milk that tastes "goaty" and does holding back their milk.

First I'm talking to Katherine Boehle, Ph.D., about how bacteria in milk causes a bad taste -- and it doesn't matter whether that bacteria is alive or dead, so pasteurization is not the answer. Dead bacteria tastes just as bad as live bacteria. 

Then we are talking about one of the greatest frustrations of anyone who has ever milked a goat (or cow or sheep or whatever) -- knowing that there is still milk in the udder but being unable to get it to come out. If you're an experienced milker, you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't experienced this yet, you will at some point if you are milking a goat that is raising her own kids.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/2-goat-milking-challenges/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Homeschooling with Goats -- another episode with Katherine talking about how growing up on a farm turned her into a science nerd.


2:30 Fixing Gross Milk in Kenya

5:00 How Bacteria Affects Taste

13:30 Milking Devons 

14:30 Getting Optimal Milk-Fat


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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

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If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Katherine Boehle is taking us on a trip down memory lane to discuss her upbringing on the farm, learning alongside nature, and using goats and other livestock as an educational tool. 

5:35 Exploring ecosystems and collecting bones

10:00 Rotational grazing

12:46 First field necropsy

Goats 365 Membership

19:09 Necropsy advice 

21:30 Goats as parenting training

22:45 Potty training goats

24:30 Writing about science  

Science on the Farm

30:30 Homeschooling advice

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/homeschooling-with-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Are your goats or goat expenses tax deductible? It depends! Learn the many ways goats can affect your taxes (or not) with Harley Raptor CPA and "Accountant Warrior" as she describes the different ways to treat goats on your taxes and what differentiates a business from a hobby.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/accounting-with-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com


2:00 What's the difference between a hobby and a business.  

 9 factors from IRS

5:39 Do marketing expenses help create a legitimate business?

6:28 Contractors vs Employees

9:58 Additional accounting expenses to think about

12:00 What are quarterly taxes and why do people have to pay them?

14:35 What if you file as a sole proprietor, LLC, or S-corp? 

 Goat Law Episode 

20:50 How do we keep good records for accounting purposes?

26:00 What criteria must you meet to write something off as a business expense. 

How to find Harley Raptor:

https://www.facebook.com/HarleyRaptorCPA

http://www.harleyraptor.com/

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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you ever thought about starting a commercial dairy, today's episode is for you. I am talking to a couple of New Yorkers who moved to Vermont to start a goat dairy selling gelato! Michael and Lisa Davis talk about the realities of having a goat dairy, from both the perspective of raising goats, as well as making gelato.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/gelato-with-nigerian-dwarf-goat-milk/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

3:20 the decision to start a herd of Nigerian Dwarf goats for the dairy

6:22 finances

8:00 growing a herd and selling goats

13:08 unusual expenses of having a dairy (cleaning agents, nutritional info on labeling, daily testing, and more!)

18:29 cost of infrastructure, budgeting, working with state inspectors

26:25 graduating from making personal ice cream in your home kitchen to creating a business selling gelato

30:16 why not sell ice cream or cheese?

34:40 the difference between gelato and ice cream


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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

The San Clemente Island Goat originally came from off the coast of California where they had become so invasive that the government started an eradication program in the late 1970s. Today less than a thousand of these goats are found in small herds around the US and Canada. In this episode I'm talking to Erin Link, who raises them and helped to start the new breeders association.

In addition to having a goat meat CSA, Erin also milks her goats and sells goat milk soap to raise awareness about the breed.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/rare-san-clemente-island-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

5:30 making soap
7:15 milk production
15:00 size of the goats
17:00 selling goat meat through a CSA
20:18 history of the breed
23:00 San Clemente Island Goat Breeders Association
26:00 registering goats

CIG Breeders Association website

SCIG Breeders Facebook page

SCIG Breeders Association Facebook page

EB Ranch LLC website

EB Ranch LLC Facebook page

EB Ranch LLC Instagram

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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Can goats threaten your health if you're a pregnant woman? If you are a woman, there are some specific precautions you should be taking with goats giving birth and also when using drugs for synchronization.

Dr. Jamie Stewart, Assistant Professor at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine and a reproductive specialist, is talking about zoonotic diseases that are of special concern to pregnant women, including toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, campylobacter, brucellosis, and q-fever. We talk about wearing gloves, a face mask, and even eye protection to protect yourself from unexpected splashes of goat body fluids, which can contain infectious organisms that can threaten pregnancy and the unborn child.

In addition to diseases, women of all reproductive stages can be affected by drugs like Lutalyse, Estrumate, and CIDRs when they come in contact with skin or mucus membranes. The potential for negative outcomes is much worse, however, for pregnant women.

One of the things we forgot to mention in this episode is that you should never perform mouth-to-mouth on a newborn baby goat because of the risk of contracting a zoonotic disease, a topic that we did discuss in our episode on Infectious Causes of Abortions in goats.

For more information, you can also check out our episodes on Zoonotic Diseases.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-diseases-and-womens-health/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Learn about your responsibilities and liabilities as a goat owner with Eva Moss, Farmer and Partner Development Manager at Farm Commons, which is a non-profit specializing in legal education for farmers.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-law/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  FortheLoveofGoats.com

2:50 zoning
6:20 goat yoga
7:20 liability
8:30 signed waivers
10:00 agritourism liability statutes
11:56 insurance
17:40 incorporation
20:49 types of business entitities
24:00 liability for goat bite and rabies
31:22 product liability

For more information about farming and legal issues, visit Farm Commons.

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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Steve Hart, Ph.D., of Langston University talks about roundworms in goats, including the infamous barber pole worm, which causes a lot of heartache and financial loss for goat owners every summer. 

Did you know ...?

• a barber pole worm can lay 2000-6000 eggs per day 
• can consume a pint of blood per week from your goat
• the larvae survives on pasture by eating the e.coli in the fecal pellets
• the larvae can survive on pasture for up to three months if temperatures are in the 50s

Dr. Hart explains why this worm is such a problem for goats and their owners, as well as what you can do about them. We also talk about other roundworms and how they cause different symptoms than the barber pole worm.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/roundworms-and-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

2:54 barber pole worm
9:50 risk factors for goats
10:55 dewormer resistance
12:14 integrated pest (parasite) management
14:00 FAMACHA
15:11 5-point check
17:20 using dewormers
21:35 Bioworma
23:12 creating a parasite management plan

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Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Do you want dairy goats but don't have a farm in the countryside? It is possible to have goats in many cities, but there are a few unique challenges. In today's episode, I'm talking to Glenna Rose of Vancouver, Washington about the Nigerian dwarf dairy goats that live in her backyard and provide her with milk that she uses to make ice cream, cheese, and more.

We talk about fencing, housing, milking, birthing, and how to handle neighbors who want to feed your goats or who may worry about your screaming goat in heat.

Today's episode is sponsored by Standlee Premium Western Forage, maker of my goats' favorite alfalfa pellets.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/dairy-goats-in-the-city/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Today I'm talking to Matt Ruben who has two pet wethers in Chicago. If you live in the city and wonder if pet goats are right for you, here's what we're talking about:

• choosing does (female goats) or wethers (castrated males)
• dealing with noise and being a good neighbor
• legalities of having goats in the city
• dealing with poop
• buying and storing hay
• challenges of finding a goat vet
• and more!

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/pet-goats-in-the-city/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Have you ever wished you could attend a few goat births with a mentor? That's the idea behind my newest book, Goats Giving Birth! In today's episode I'm reading the introduction, as well as the first birth story in the first chapter. The book includes more than 20 birth stories from normal to complicated to tragic. Each birth includes two parts -- the original blog post that I wrote when the birth occurred and then my thoughts on the birth today. It also includes dozens of full-color photographs of births.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goats-giving-birth/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you are thinking of getting goats, this is the episode for you. I'm busting myths and telling you about things you need to think about before buying your first goats. And yes, that's goats with an s at the end. Goats are herd animals, which means they need at least one other goat friend. You can't have just one, and I explain why.

This is also a good episode for breeders to share with potential buyers!

I talk about the need for goats to give birth before making milk, as well as the need for them to give birth again to continue making milk.

I explain why you can't just tie a goat out in the yard and why you need good fencing and housing to keep your goats safe and healthy. And if you were thinking about keeping a goat in your house, I'll share some stories from my youngest daughter's teen years when she thought she needed to have at least one baby goat in the house every spring.

If you live in an urban area, you'll definitely need to hear about the unique challenges faced by people who keep goats in a city.

 Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/thinking-of-getting-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com
 

For more information check out the following episodes that I talk about during the show:

• Forage and Feeding Goats
• Electric Fencing
• Housing and Equipment

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you own goats, you only get one chance to get fencing right. One of the first things I learned about goats was that they were too smart for me to use a sub-standard fencing option. When people say that goats are hard to keep fenced in, that's because they're not using the right kind of fencing. Any animal is hard to keep fenced in if you use the wrong kind of fencing.

In this episode I'm talking to Joe Putnam of Premier 1 Supplies, the company that  makes my favorite brand of electric fencing. I've been using it since at least 2004 or so. He talks about everything you need to know to get your fencing right -- the first time. We're talking about pulse, joules, volts, amps, and ohms, as well as energizers, conductors, and insulators. This information will be helpful to anyone who wants to use electric fencing, regardless of whether or not it's from Premier 1.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/electric-fencing/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

This episode includes a basic equipment list for goats, as well as what goats need for housing. You'll learn what you need -- and what you don't. We'll answer these questions:

• Why do you need a hay feeder?
• Why do you need a mineral feeder for loose minerals rather than just getting a mineral block?
• Why is a water bucket is better than a water trough -- and why are two 2-gallon buckets better than a 5-gallon bucket?
• What's the best kind of feed pan to use?
• Why do you need hoof trimmers? (Who trims a goat's hooves in nature?)
• Why do you need a thermometer?
• What can you use a milk stand for (other than milking a goat)?
• Why should your barn NOT be insulated or heated?

This is a must-listen episode for anyone new to goats. And if you breed goats, this is a good one to recommend to buyers so that you can be sure they have what they need before taking home your babies.

The full show notes include links to information on what goats eat and what minerals they need, as well as photos of housing, feeders, and other equipment and a hoof trimming video.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/equipment-and-housing-for-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you've heard that meat goats need to be finished on grain, you'll want to hear this interview with Jennifer Miller, DVM, a small animal veterinarian who raises meat goats with her husband on their small farm in central Illinois. Although Jennifer doesn't work with goats as a veterinary professional, you'll see that she has put a lot of research into their decision to raise their goats on pasture and hay. We talk about how they got started with goats and why they decided to raise them on pasture and hay. She also discusses their experiment with spent brew grain from beer breweries in her area and corn.

She also does the math and explains how a pound of protein from hay costs much less than a pound of protein from grain, which costs less than a pound of protein from a protein tub. She shared this formula for "Calculating Cost of Complete Protein," which means, figuring out how much you are paying for a pound of protein for whatever you are feeding.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/raising-meat-goats-on-pasture/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you are still trying to decide which breed of goat to raise, or if you're looking to add another breed to your farm, you might consider kinder goats. They were originally a cross between a pygmy and a Nubian, but today they are their own breed. In this episode, I'm talking to Sue Beck, president of the Kinder Goat Breeders Association, who has been raising kinders for 12 years. 

She talks about the milk, the meat, the myths, and the misconceptions that people have, and we also talk about the lure of getting goats from lines that tend to throw quadruplets or quintuplets. And if you've ever said that you couldn't eat meat from an animal that you knew when it was alive, Sue has a solution for you!

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/kinder-goats/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you've ever had a goat with wonky knees, today's episode will shed some light on the problem. When a goat has carpal hyperextension, it means that the knees bend backwards rather than being straight.

We are joined today by Dr. Erica McKenzie, Professor of Large Animal Medicine, Oregon State University and Dr. Leah Streb, 3rd year Laboratory Animal Medicine Resident, UC Davis, who are just putting the finishing touches on the first study ever to look at this disease. They are talking about how it is diagnosed and the possible genetic link that they are seeing, which may mean that the disease can be passed on to offspring.

The research on this disease is in its infancy, and if you would like to contribute to future research efforts, you can contribute through one of these options:

1. Send a check payable to OSU Foundation at 4238 Research Way; Corvallis, OR 97333. In the memo section, specify Large Animal Medicine/Wonky Leg
2. Make a gift online by going the college’s giving page here. In the field underneath “I want to give to” press the x, and instead select or type in “Large Animal Medicine Fund/Wonky Leg.”

Many thanks to goat owner and podcast listener Carole Zempel of Dragon Hollow Dairy Goats for letting us know about this study.

See full show notes here >>https://thriftyhomesteader.com/carpal-hyperextension-in-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

#006 Worms in goats are a common problem, and resistance to chemical dewormers is growing. Would you like to have an all-natural feed for your goats that was scientifically proven to kill intestinal worms, coccidia, and even housefly larvae in the goat manure? What if that food was also non-bloating and reduced the somatic cell count of milking does? Sericea lespedeza does all of that! 

Today I'm talking to Tom Terrill, Ph.D., of Fort Valley State University in Georgia, an animal science professor and researcher who has studied sericea lespedeza for more than a decade. Dr. Terrill talks about how to incorporate lespedeza into your goats' diet as forage, as pellets, or as hay. He also provides tips on planting and growing, as well as harvesting lespedeza hay. 

Here is a fact sheet about sericea lespedeza authored by Dr. Terrill. Want more to read? Here are more than two dozen other studies and articles about sericea lespedeza, most of which were written by or co-authored by Dr. Terrill.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/natural-parasite-control-with-lespedeza/

To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

#005 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 and personalities. She also shares her secrets on how they can co-exist with her flower farm.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/angora-goats-with-chris-mclaughlin/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

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 because mice will make a mess of them!) I'm also giving you tips and tricks for kidding in the middle of a cold winter so that you can reduce the risk of hypothermia for your baby goats.

Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/getting-ready-for-goat-birthing/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

#002 - Today we're talking to ruminant nutritionist Laura Marie Kramer, Director of National Accounts for Standlee Premium Western Forage, about the difference between different types of hay, as well as the difference between pellets and long-stemmed forage. But first we get nerdy about the whole ruminant digestive tract and how it is different from monogastrics.


Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/forage-and-feeding-goats/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com


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Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

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If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Join host and author Deborah Niemann as she tells you her goat story, which started in 2002, as well as why she decided to start a podcast and what you can expect in the coming weeks.


Full show notes here --- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/my-goat-story/
To see the most recent episodes, visit FortheLoveofGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Have you ever had a goat get an udder even though you are 100% sure she has not been anywhere close to a buck so could not possibly be pregnant? Normally, goats have to go through pregnancy and have a baby before they produce milk, but it's not impossible for a doe to start making milk without getting pregnant.

A precocious udder is one that fills up with milk even though the doe has not been bred. Most of these will just go away as mysteriously as they appeared with no intervention needed. However, that is not always the case.

In this episode, we are talking to Dr. Jamie Stewart, Assistant Professor in Production Management Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, about what causes a precocious udder and what we should and should not do in managing it.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/precocious-udders-in-goats/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?

Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Milk testing can provide you with a plethora of information about your does' milk production and the components of their milk, and they can even earn milk stars, but a lot of people never get started because they find the process daunting. 

Lisa Shepard, board member and former Performance Program Coordinator for the American Dairy Goat Association, joins us to talk about the different types of milk testing and how to get started. We talk about where to find a tester, as well as owner-sampler and group testing. You'll learn about one-day tests, 305-day tests, DHI, and DHIR. Lisa also explains how does and bucks earn milk stars, as well as the things that most commonly trip up owners when they are getting stared.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-milk-testing/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Some of the most common questions I receive from new goat owners are on the topic of manure management. Many new goat owners think they need to clean out the barn weekly or even daily, so in this episode I'm talking about how our barn cleaning practices have evolved through the years.

I am also joined by some of our Goats 365 Premium members so they can ask questions. We cover everything from the basics of mucking out stalls to deep bedding, stall mats, straw versus shavings, and different types of barn flooring.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/the-scoop-on-poop/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If your farm plans are bigger than your budget and you're not even sure where to start, help is available. Your local USDA's Natural Resource Conservation Service office can help you with technical assistance, cost-share programs, and grants.

Joshua Hammond, a public affairs specialist with the NRCS, joins us in the podcast to discuss some of the projects the government agency can help you with, including rotational grazing, fencing, and irrigation. For example, a specialist can come to your farm and develop a rotational grazing plan for you and then can help pay for it with a government grant. One hundred seventy conservation practices are at the root of what the NRCS does, such as using high tunnels, cover crops, composting, and irrigation water management.

See full show notes here >>  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/natural-resources-conservation-service/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

If you want to view everything we know about individual ADGA-registered dairy goats in one place, check out ADGA Genetics. It's the brainchild of Gene Dershewitz, who created the database and website. He also responds to questions from goat owners or wanna-be goat owners.

Gene says that most people are simply using the site as a pedigree viewer, but it has so much more to offer. In addition to a planned breeding function where you can see what a hypothetical breeding between a specific buck and doe would look like, you can see performance data on individual goats and more.

In this episode, we talk about how the site can be used when you are goat shopping, as well as how you can use it for goats you already own.

You can reach Gene through ADGA Genetics site or the Facebook page.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/adga-genetics/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

What do you do when your doe gets bred but doesn't get pregnant? There are a number of reasons why this can happen, and Dr. Jamie Stewart, Assistant Professor in Production Management Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, joins us in this episode to discuss five of the possibilities.

We are talking about the causes and treatments for cystic ovaries and false pregnancy (pseudo-pregnancy), as well as how nutrition and some plants can negatively affect a doe's ability to get pregnant. Finally, we are talking about does that might not really be does, meaning they don't have a complete reproductive system or perhaps are intersex.


To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Got a question? 🤔  Head over to  https://thriftyhomesteader.com/herd-shares/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

Description

Herd shares are often considered to be a sneaky way to circumvent state laws prohibiting the sale of raw milk. But did you know that herd shares themselves are not legal in all 50 states? In addition, there is far more nuance to the endeavor than simply selling shares in your herd–both in terms of legalities and liabilities.

Today, we’re talking to Alexia Kulwiec, an attorney and Executive Director of the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund. In this episode, Alexia discusses how herd shares work, the general nuances of state laws regarding herd shares, what a sufficient herd share contract should contain, and, most importantly, the steps you as the producer can take to protect yourself from legal issues.

She also touches on the Raw Milk Nation interactive map found on the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund’s website and reveals why maps like this are far from the end-all-be-all when it comes to determining if raw milk sales or herd shares are legal in your state.


See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/herd-shares/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?
Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Whether you are interested in finding buck service or renting out your bucks, you don't want to miss today's episode with Dr. Jamie Stewart, Assistant Professor in Production Management Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine.

Although it is important to be sure that all goats have tested negative for CAE, CL, and Johnes, that is only the beginning. Dr. Stewart is talking about a variety of diseases that can be transmitted during breeding. Some of them are not too serious, but others can cause long-term, tragic outcomes, such as an abortion storm in a few months.

Dr. Stewart tells us how you can protect your herd from these diseases and what tests are available.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/risks-of-buck-service/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love?

Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Losing an animal to a predator is every goat owner's worst nightmare. When it does happen, you want to know who did it and stop them from doing it again. But figuring out whodunnit can often be a challenge.

It this episode, we are talking to Gowan Batist, co-existence programs manager of the Mountain Lion Foundation. She is also a regenerative sheep rancher, hand-shearer, wool spinner, writer, and dog enthusiast who grew up outdoors with wildlife in Northern California and is committed to fostering a land stewardship ethic that increases and preserves biodiversity for future generations.

This episode is the wildlife edition of CSI as Gowan talks about how she helps farmers and ranchers figure out what predator killed their livestock and how to stop them. We also talk about the role that predators play in a healthy ecosystem.

Gowan talks about how and why different predators, including coyotes, lions, bears, and even birds and domestic dogs, kill goats and other livestock. She also talks about how different deterrents work for some predators and not others.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-predators/

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

Want to support the content you love? Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐