For the Love of Goats

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If you’ve ever wondered about the importance of forage and hay testing to ensure your herd is receiving maximum nutrition, today’s episode will provide you with lots of valuable information. We are talking to Cassy Streeter, an expert in near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) who directs Dairy One’s NIR affiliate network of more than 30 members in 16 countries. She also holds both Bachelors and Masters degrees in animal science from Cornell University.

Understanding hay quality can help you optimize animal nutrition and productivity, whether you’re raising goats for meat, dairy, or both. Forage testing can be a component in balancing and managing your herd’s nutrition, and even keep you from spending money on unnecessary supplements or expensive feeds.

Wading into the world of hay testing can feel overwhelming. Cassy clarifies the entire process–from collecting a sample, choosing which test best fits your needs, how to send your samples to the lab, and what to do with your results once you receive them.

Cassy also offers some great advice on accessing hay bale corers, also known as hay probes, for sample collection without having to make a costly investment. More importantly, she outlines how to use them correctly. She also pulls back the curtain on how forage testers process and analyze hay samples for accurate results. 

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

To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

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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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

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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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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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

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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

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Thanks for listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

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

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

Thanks for listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

Listeriosis can strike fear into the hearts of goats owners, not only because it needs prompt treatment to increase the odds of survival, and because it can be difficult to diagnose due to the fact that it shares symptoms with several other serious illnesses, but also because Listeria bacteria exist everywhere. 

Today, Dr. Melissa Holahan, a postdoctoral researcher from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, is joining us to talk about listeriosis and how we can prevent these zoonotic bacteria from sickening both our goats and us. She details the symptoms to watch for, the most common approach to treatment, and the medications you should have available on your farm in order to offer swift treatment.

Dr. Holahan also touches on popular fermented hays, such as Alfahay and Chaffhaye, and whether or not they are putting your herd at risk of listeriosis. She also stresses the importance of proper hay storage to reduce mold and keeping feeding areas clean.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/listeriosis-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 listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

Have you ever thought about hosting guests on your farm for additional income, but were too unsure about the logistics to take the first step? Today’s podcast will offer clarity and may even inspire you to finally venture into the world of agritourism.

We are talking to Scottie Jones, co-owner of Leaping Lamb Farm in Oregon and the founder of FarmStay USA, a national marketing and referral website for working farms that offer agritourism opportunities. 

Agritourism has been growing in popularity for some time. First it was glamping, and now Airbnb has added a “farm stay” category. It is obvious that agritourism could help many farms not only survive, but thrive.

Agritourism is also an essential educational tool in bridging the gaping divide between urban and rural life, especially in a time when many no longer understand where their food comes from or how hard it can be to produce it. 

In this episode, Scottie discusses the necessary insurance requirements, how FarmStay farms differ from other “farm stays” offered on sites such as Airbnb and VRBO, how to offer a true experience rather than just “a place to stay,” how to effectively market your farm, and her top tip for those looking to get into agritourism. Scottie also addresses the most asked questions: how much should I charge, and how much can I expect to make?

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/farm-stays/  

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 listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

If you ever wondered about the benefits of milk testing, today’s episode contains an abundance of valuable information. Today we are talking to Jeremy Leather, a field technician at Dairy One, a milk testing lab in New York State. While Dairy One offers multiple services, including forage and soil testing, we are focusing on their excellent milk testing services and how milk testing can have a major positive impact on the health of your herd.

Jeremy discusses the basics of milk testing and the most common things goat owners test for and why. He also explains the usefulness of the data that comes from each test and how testing could even help your veterinarian provide more effective treatment to a goat suffering from mastitis. Speaking of data, one benefit of milk testing is that you will always have access to it. No more losing binders containing years of collected data on your herd. Replacement data is always available online.

Finally, Jeremy touches on the added perk of testing for pregnancy through milk testing and the many reasons you should begin milk testing in your herd right away.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/milk-test-reports/

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 listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

Have you ever wanted to try raw milk, lauded for its health benefits, but were concerned about the safety? Like all raw foods from lettuce to oysters, there is a risk of contamination, but there’s a lot we can do to be sure that all of our raw food, including milk, is as safe as possible.

We are talking to Mark McAfee, the chairman of the Raw Milk Institute, which was founded in 2011 to help meet the growing demand for safe raw milk and to educate consumers on raw milk safety. He is also the founder of Raw Farm, the largest producer of raw milk in the world.

Raw milk has been a controversial topic for some time. The debate rages between those who praise its health benefits and the regulators who insist that consuming raw milk holds far more risk than benefit. So, what is the truth? And if we choose to consume raw milk, how can we be certain that it has been handled properly – from the milk stand to cold storage – and is safe to drink?

In this episode, Mark discusses common pathogens present in raw milk, the basics of what makes raw milk more beneficial than pasteurized, the historical reasoning behind the pasteurization of milk, and how we can ensure that the raw milk we drink is clean and safe. He also touches on the process behind commercial dairy-to-store pasteurized milk.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/raw-milk-safety/

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 listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

Every goat owner has heard that goats don't do well with anesthesia, so we are always understandably nervous when our goats need to be sedated. Dr. Kelly Chen, Veterinary Anesthesiology Resident at Cornell University, joins us in this episode to talk about why goats are so challenging when it comes to anesthesia.

First, we discuss the difference between anesthesia and analgesia and then we talk about some of the common procedures where anesthesia is used.

Dr. Chen talks about pain associated with disbudding and what the options are for veterinarians who disbud, as well as owners who do their own disbudding.

For c-sections, there are three different anesthesia and analgesia options, and Dr. Chen talks about why general anesthesia is no longer preferred.

In severe cases of urinary calculi, anesthesia is required for a couple of the different treatment options.

Dr. Chen also talks briefly about other surgical procedures being done on livestock now, such as joint replacement, pacemaker placement, and mastectomy, which require anesthesia.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/anesthesia-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 listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.

Send us a text

New goat breeders frequently ask where and how they can sell their goat kids. When I started with goats in 2002, I bought goats from breeders who had websites, so I assumed I would also need a website for selling my goats. That has been the only sales channel for my goats forever.

In this episode, Emily Nyman and I discuss what information you need on your website, such as an about page, health history of your herd, photos of your breeding stock, pedigrees, and terms of sale.

We also talk about user-friendly options for building your website, so you don't have to hire a web designer.

Because the cornerstone of every good goat breeder website is the photos, we spend a lot of time talking about the time of day, shadows, lighting, position of the goat, where to take photos, and more, including equipment.

In addition to breeding goats, Emily is also a professional photographer. You can see her photography at her website Emily Nyman.

See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/creating-a-website-for-your-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 listening!

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. Click here to learn more about our Goats 365 membership.

Or see my other goat courses in Thrifty Homesteader Academy.