Herd Health and Management

Our herd is carefully managed to the best of our ability to ensure healthy, productive and happy animals. We spend countless hours with them observing their natural behaviors so that we will notice when one is not feeling well and be able act quickly to provide necessary care. The goal of our breeding program is to raise high quality animals with great conformation but who can also put milk in the pail!

Our does are fed a mixture of Sunshine plus pellets, Blue Seal E-Z Pels, barley, whole oats and black oil sunflower seeds on the milking stand twice daily. Our does also have Sweelix loose minerals, North Atlantic Kelp 24/7/365 and sodium bicaronate as needed. Hay and fresh water available at all times. 

During breeding season our bucks are fed a mixture of Blue Seal dairy goat grain, timothy hay pellets, rolled oats. Their grain contains ammonium chloride which is an essential ingredient to help prevent and/or help break up urinary crystals which could form and cause a blockage. Our bucks also have Sweetlix loose mineral and sodium bicarbonate (only when being grained) 24/7/365. 

Hay and fresh water available at all times.

Every month each animal gets a check up where their hooves are trimmed, FAMACHA is checked and their body condition is scored. All animals are assessed for signs of copper deficiency and are given copper boluses as needed. All animals have a health record that is updated as needed and follows the animal to their new home if sold, including all of our kids. Fecal samples are sent twice a year and as needed to manage illness and  internal parasites, animals are only dewormed when necessary to help prevent parasite resistance in our herd. Our herd is tested annually and was negative for CAE and Johnne's in September 2019.