For the Love of Goats

Got a question? 🤔  Head over to https://thriftyhomesteader.com/champion-goats/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! DescriptionWelcome to the world of showing goats! Have you ever dreamed of picking the perfect breeding pair that produces such a successful combination of genetics that you wind up with a doe that wins the title of Grand Champion at the National Show? It is likely that more than a few of us have, and the reality is, with the right education on goat conformation and breed standards coupled with an exacting eye, it is possible to produce that winning goat.In today’s episode, we are talking to Ed Jodlowski, the breeder and owner of this year’s ADGA Grand National Champion doe. He is also the owner of Kickapoo Valley Dairy Goats and the current president of the American Dairy Goat Association. Having personal experience with all dairy goat breeds except Guernseys, Ed tells the story of the evolution of his own winning herd, and whether luck, skill, or both played into his success. He also fills us in on the pros of being a judge in the show ring, confirms the significant benefit of attending goat shows now even if you aren’t yet ready to show your own goats, and shares his surprising plans for the future. See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/champion-goats/To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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! 🐐

Cassy Streeter, an expert in near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy, leads a global NIR affiliate network and holds advanced degrees from Cornell University. She shares insights on the vital role of forage testing in optimizing goat nutrition. Cassy demystifies the sampling process, offering tips on using hay bale corers effectively. She discusses various testing methods and emphasizes the importance of understanding results to enhance livestock health. Listeners will learn how to avoid unnecessary feed costs and ensure their herd thrives.

Got a question? 🤔  Head over to https://thriftyhomesteader.com/pasture-grasses/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! DescriptionIn 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.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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! DescriptionIt 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.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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 conversation, Alexia Kulwiec, an attorney and Executive Director of the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, dives deep into the legalities of herd shares and raw milk sales. She explains how herd shares function and the state-by-state nuances regulating them. The importance of robust contracts and proper documentation to shield producers from legal issues is emphasized. Alexia also discusses how the interactive Raw Milk Nation map can be misleading, shedding light on the complexities farmers face in navigating these laws.

Got a question? 🤔  Head over to https://thriftyhomesteader.com/listeriosis-in-goats/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! DescriptionListeriosis 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.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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/farm-stays/ --  and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! DescriptionHave 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.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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 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.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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! 🐐

Mark McAfee, the chairman of the Raw Milk Institute and founder of Raw Farm, delves into the controversial world of raw milk. He discusses health benefits versus safety risks, shedding light on common pathogens like Campylobacter and Salmonella. Mark explains how proper handling and chilling of raw milk can mitigate risks, while also juxtaposing U.S. regulations with those in Europe. He emphasizes the importance of consumer education and direct relationships between farmers and buyers to ensure trust and safety in raw milk practices.

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.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jarThanks 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! 🐐