Listen Now

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. For more information:WebsiteFacebookInstagram 

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.

Today we have questions from three listeners, so we are talking about urine scald, does in heat, and 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. If you would like to ask a question that may be used in a future Q&A episode, click here to record your question. Click on one of the podcast players to listen, or page down to read the transcript. For more information on topics I discuss in this episode, check out these links:Copper Oxide as a Dewormer -- podcastUsing Dewormers Correctly -- podcastRoundworms in Goats -- podcastDewormer Resistance in Goats -- articleToday's episode was sponsored by Standlee Premium Western Forage, which makes my favorite alfalfa pellets and timothy hay pellets!Standlee Premium Western Forage We've been using and loving hay pellets from Standlee Premium Western Forage for more than 10 years!

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. 

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. For more information, visit Bill on social media or via email:InstagramFacebookYoutubeWebsiteEmail

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. For more information:Goat Vet Oz — https://goatvetoz.com.au/Let's Eradicate CAE from Australian Goats — https://www.facebook.com/EradicateCAEinGoatsTwitter — https://twitter.com/goatvetPinterest — https://www.pinterest.com/goatvetoz/LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrabaxendell/YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/c/SandraBaxendell/

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 HouseStandlee Premium Western Forage We've been using and loving hay pellets from Standlee Premium Western Forage for more than 10 years!

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. Goats on the Go For the Love of Goats Podcast ArchivesFor the Love of Goats on Facebook

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. 

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. 

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?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!Standlee Premium Western Forage We've been using and loving hay pellets from Standlee Premium Western Forage for more than 10 years!

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.

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. 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 Kenya5:00 How Bacteria Affects Taste13:30 Milking Devons 14:30 Getting Optimal Milk-Fat

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 bones10:00 Rotational grazing12:46 First field necropsyGoats 365 Membership19:09 Necropsy advice 21:30 Goats as parenting training22:45 Potty training goats24:30 Writing about science  Science on the Farm30:30 Homeschooling advice 

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.2:00 What's the difference between a hobby and a business.   9 factors from IRS5:39 Do marketing expenses help create a legitimate business?6:28 Contractors vs Employees9:58 Additional accounting expenses to think about12:00 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/HarleyRaptorCPAhttp://www.harleyraptor.com/

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.3:20 the decision to start a herd of Nigerian Dwarf goats for the dairy6:22 finances8:00 growing a herd and selling goats13:08 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 inspectors26:25 graduating from making personal ice cream in your home kitchen to creating a business selling gelato30:16 why not sell ice cream or cheese?34:40 the difference between gelato and ice cream

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.5:30 making soap7:15 milk production15:00 size of the goats17:00 selling goat meat through a CSA20:18 history of the breed23:00 San Clemente Island Goat Breeders Association26:00 registering goatsCIG Breeders Association websiteSCIG Breeders Facebook pageSCIG Breeders Association Facebook pageEB Ranch LLC websiteEB Ranch LLC Facebook pageEB Ranch LLC InstagramStandlee Premium Western Forage We've been using and loving hay pellets from Standlee Premium Western Forage for more than 10 years!

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. 2:50 zoning6:20 goat yoga7:20 liability8:30 signed waivers10:00 agritourism liability statutes11:56 insurance17:40 incorporation20:49 types of business entitities24:00 liability for goat bite and rabies31:22 product liabilityFor more information about farming and legal issues, visit Farm Commons. 

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 goatthe larvae survives on pasture by eating the e.coli in the fecal pelletsthe larvae can survive on pasture for up to three months if temperatures are in the 50sDr. 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. 2:54 barber pole worm9:50 risk factors for goats10:55 dewormer resistance12:14 integrated pest (parasite) management14:00 FAMACHA15:11 5-point check17:20 using dewormers21:35 Bioworma23:12 creating a parasite management plan

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. Standlee Premium Western Forage We've been using and loving hay pellets from Standlee Premium Western Forage for more than 10 years!