Episodes

  • 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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    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.

  • 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:

    Send a check payable to OSU Foundation at 4238 Research Way; Corvallis, OR 97333. In the memo section, specify Large Animal Medicine/Wonky LegMake 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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    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.

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  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • 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 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.

  • A couple of months ago, we had a Facebook post that elicited a lot of very passionate responses and also uncovered a lot of myths and misinformation about worms in goats.

    In today's episode we are talking about many of the comments that were made on that post and explaining what current research says specifically about goat worms, which are different from worms in other species like dogs, cats, horses, pigs, and even cattle. We are joined by Dr. Michael Pesato, a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners specializing in Food Animal Practice. He most recently served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Food Animal Medicine and Surgery at Mississippi State University.

    We start by explaining what "smart deworming" means and what it does not mean, and what really causes dewormer resistance. We also talk about what fecals can and cannot tell you about the worms your goat may have.

    Dr. Pesato gets into the nitty gritty of why we should never use the calendar as a tool for deworming, whether you are talking about deworming in a specific month, every X number of months, or X numbers of days after the last deworming. These are all old practices that were not based on research. We also discuss when and where eggs hatch and how larvae mature, which is not commonly known.

    In addition to a thorough explanation of goat worms, we also talk about continuing education for veterinarians and why you can't trust Google to give you the latest information on worms.

    For additional information, check out our podcast episodes on Using Deworming Correctly (Episode 24) and New Guidelines for Using Dewormers in Goats (Episode 68).


    See full show notes here >>
    https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goat-worm-myths-and-misunderstandings/

    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.

  • Rotational grazing is the key to parasite control. After all, if you limit infection of your goats, you limit the potential for them to become severely parasitized. But there is more to rotational grazing than simply dividing up your pasture by a magic number.

    Heather Glennon, Associate Professor of Animal Science at University of Mount Olive and goat owner, is talking about pasture management for parasite control in this episode.

    She explains how different species of grasses have different ideal grazing heights, as well as how you can use annual forages and browse in your parasite control program. We also had a great discussion about forages rich in condensed tannins, and I realized why the chicory in my pasture might not have as much effect on parasites as sericea lespedeza.

    You'll learn how you can improve your forage quality to make it more nutritious for your goats and help them be more parasite resilient. We also discuss the role that other livestock and harvesting hay can play in cleaning up your pasture and reducing the parasite load.

    If you have questions, Heather can be reached via email.

    See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/pasture-management-for-parasite-control/

    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.

  • New restrictions on over-the-counter antibiotics used in livestock will start in June 2023. Until now, anyone could walk into a farm store and buy penicillins, sulfa drugs, and other antibiotics without a prescription, but that's about to change.

    In this episode, we talk to Kevin D. Pelzer, DVM, MPVM, a Professor, Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, about how these changes will impact goat owners and what they must do to prepare.

    The first thing to know is that it won't affect drugs used only in veterinary medicine, such as amprolium, used to treat coccidiosis in goats. It only affects antibiotics that are also used in human medicine. Dr. Pelzer lists all of the antibiotics that are being included in the new directive.

    We also talk about why having over-the-counter antibiotics was not the best idea to begin with. Although it allows owners to treat quickly, they may not always use the correct antibiotic because different drugs work on different organisms. So, you can't simply have a bottle of penicillin or a sulfa drug in your cabinet and assume that one antibiotic is going to treat anything that pops up.

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

  • It can be scary for a goat owner to see something bulging from the vulva of a pregnant goat days or even weeks before the doe is due.

    In today's episode, we are talking to Dr. Jamie Stewart, Assistant Professor at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, about what causes vaginal prolapses, the different levels of vaginal prolapse in goats, when to use a prolapse retainer, and when to call the vet.

    Dr. Stewart also talks about the difference between a vaginal prolapse and a uterine prolapse, including when you can wait and watch — and when you have an emergency situation.

    And finally, we talk about the genetics involved and when it's a good idea to stop breeding a doe.

    See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/vaginal-prolapse-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.

  • If you are raising goats for meat or other products, marketing is a big part of a successful business.

    In today's episode, we are talking to Leslie Svacina, owner of Cylon Rolling Acres, about what they do to market their goat meat.

    Luckily Leslie had a background in marketing before they started their goat farm. She gives you a timeline of how they got started selling live animals and delivering them to the locker and then moving on to selling individual cuts, as well as how they sold through a food hub.

    Now they have online sales, including a "farm club" subscription, which is similar to a CSA. Leslie talks about packaging and labeling for their retail products.

    You'll also hear how they use social media and SEO to drive traffic to their website. And if you don't know what to share on social media or in your farm newsletter, Leslie talks about that too!

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

    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.

  • Whenever a goat dies, we always want to know why. But the only way to know for sure is to get a necropsy, and that's what we're talking about in this episode.

    I was convinced of the importance of necropsies after owning goats for only five years when a seemingly healthy doe suddenly started screaming and was dead an hour later. Without the necropsy, we never would have known that she had died from Tyzzer's disease, which is not normally seen in goats.

    Dr. Jonathan Samuelson, Clinical Assistant Professor of Anatomic Pathology in the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, talks about what a necropsy is, what it can tell us, and what it can't.

    We talk about gross necropsy, histopathology, electron microscopy, and other aspects of a necropsy that can tell us why our goat died about 85% of the time, according to Dr. Samuelson. But even if the necropsy can't pinpoint the exact cause of death, it can rule out causes, which can also be helpful.

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

    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.

  • All these years I thought we were just lucky to have never had a case of hoof rot in our goats, but in today's episode, I learned that luck has nothing to do with it.

    Dr. Kevin Pelzer, Professor of Production Management Medicine at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech, talks about the bacteria that cause hoof rot and hoof scald in goats, how you know your goat has one or the other, as well as the treatment.

    We also talk about the prevention of hoof rot, which boils down to good biosecurity, and prevention of hoof scald, which means keeping your goats on dry ground.

    We also talk about laminitis, also called founder, and what causes it, as well as the treatment.

    Dr. Pelzer also gives us some bonus tips towards the end on how we can reduce the amount of time we have to spend trimming hooves.

    See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/hoof-rot-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.

  • Although it is a fairly common practice for goat owners to treat anemic animals with Red Cell after deworming, there had not been any research on whether it was helpful — until now.

    Today's guest, Joan Burke, PhD, Research Animal Scientist at the USDA, ARS Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center, is one of the co-authors on a study that looked at whether using Red Cell could help an anemic goat or sheep recover more quickly after being treated with a dewormer.

    Dr. Burke talks about the 4 different experiments that were done, using different dewormers, with and without Red Cell. She talks about how much Red Cell was used and the effect on the animals' packed cell volume (PCV) and fecal egg count (FEC) after one week and two weeks.

    We also get into a similar study that was done using injectable iron, and she even gives you a bonus tip at the end on treating strogyloides (threadworm).

    See full show notes here >> https://thriftyhomesteader.com/red-cell-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 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.

  • Almost everyone has a tetanus shot to protect us from a deadly disease that can be transmitted from an injury that breaks through the skin.

    Although some animals are not as susceptible to tetanus, such as dogs and cats, goats can get tetanus. Like humans, which have been protected by the vaccine since the first world war, goats can also be protected from tetanus by a vaccine.

    In this episode, which is sponsored by Colorado Serum, we are joined by Dr. Randy Berrier, Staff Veterinarian and Senior Vice President of Colorado Serum, which makes tetanus toxoid and antitoxin, as well as the CDT vaccine, which includes tetanus toxoid.

    We are talking about how the disease is transmitted, what the symptoms are, as well as the prognosis once an animal is infected.

    Dr. Berrier discusses the differences between the toxoid and the antitoxin and when it's appropriate to give each one, as well as how adding the enterotoxemia vaccine to CDT affects the timing of boosters.

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

    To see the most recent episodes, visit ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

    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.

  • Not only is a goat placenta very different from a human or horse placenta but how it functions is also different, as well as how it should be managed after birth.

    In this episode, we are talking to Dr. Jamie Stewart, Assistant Professor at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, about what the placenta does and how it functions in goats. Like all ruminant placentas, it is actually a big blanket of membranes and cotyledons, which is why it usually takes at least two hours after birth to be expelled but can take longer and is not cause for concern.

    We talk about what to do in case of retained placenta, including what does not work (although it is frequently attempted) and what you should never do because it will actually make the problem worse and could even cause death.

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

    To see the most recent episodes, visit ForTheLoveOfGoats.com

    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.