I do my part so they can do theirs...
Biosecurity testing for CL, CAE, Johnes, Q-fever...
I maintain a clean/closed herd and strict protocol for prevention of the introduction of disease, parasites and contaminants. I test annually for CL/CAE/Johnes and Q-fever through UBRL and am happy to provide test results upon request.
Additionally, any goats introduced to my property are quarantined for a minimum of 30 days and/or until lab samples come back negative for all of the above mentioned diseases. During their quarantine I conduct internal and external parasite, fungal and bacterial assessment and treat when appropriate, with a follow-up assessment to ensure treatment effectiveness.
Preventative Maintenance...
I'm a huge fan of preventative maintenance (cheap insurance), yet I believe in intervening only when necessary. There can be a fine line between the two, but I've found a good balance that I will continue to fine-tune as I work towards my goal of perfection.
Vaccinations:
I vaccinate at 30+- days of age, booster at 50+- days and annually thereafter with CD&Tet. Bred does get vaccinated approx. 30 days prior to kidding to pass immunity to their offspring.
I DO NOT vaccinate for CL (Caseous lymphadenitis) as I have never had a case in my herd, and don't want to introduce it via vaccine. Goat's vaccinated for CL cannot be accurately tested for the disease, therefore the herd can't be classified as a CL free herd. The CL vaccine doesn't prevent the spread of the disease but rather, reduces the symptoms/number of abscesses in an animal that is likely to contract the disease in a CL positive herd or contaminated facility/property.
Parasite management:
Kiko are prized for their natural parasite resistance/resilience, however, here on the Oregon Coast parasites thrive in the humid, temperate climate. To ensure that I keep their worm load down without overmedicating and risking parasite drug resistance, I use the following important tools: Genetics, Body Condition Score (BCS), FAMACHA scores and FEC (fecal egg counts) on all my livestock. As needed, I treat goats individually to target the specific parasite identified. I almost exclusively use herbal dewormers, and will only turn to conventional/chemical deworming options in life threatening situations (though, that scenario hasn't presented).
Hoof care:
Another downfall to living in a region that gets an average of 62 inches of precipitation annually, is maintaining healthy hooves. Keeping hooves free of bacterial infection has been one of my biggest challenges since introducing goats to the property. Increased drainage, mud management, and clean dry barns have been the primary answer, but in those months when the rain falls continuously, I will spot treat with a squirt of Tylan between the toes as needed. As I am selecting stong genetics for healthy hooves, I'm seeing a notable reduction in frequency and severity of hoof issues and with additional selective breeding, I'm well on my way to eliminating these issues entirely.
Identification...
Kiddos are ear tagged with USDA approved Scrapie tags, and microchipped if they are to be registered. Bucklings are tagged with green tags wile doelings are identified with orange tags.
Record keeping and Performance Data...
My single most important tool is my on-farm performance data. I record everything from birth weights, 30, 60 90, 150 day and yearling weights, ADG (average daily gain), udder and teat structure, hoof condition and issues, mothering instinct, birthing complications, and much more.
Here's an example of what my individual animal records look like:
Animal Welfare:
Happy animals are more productive! I believe this whole heartedly and always have my animal's welfare in mind. An animal that's distracted by pain is going to be less productive; less attentive to their offspring, consume fewer calories causing a reduction in weight gain and/or rapidly lose body condition. Additionally, stress and emotional discomfort can have the same effect.
What are we trying to achieve? The answer is healthy individuals who gain and maintain weight, produce well, and raise healthy offspring. If everything else in your program is ideal, is an unhappy animal worth getting in the way of all that?
Feeding Program:
-Primary source of caloric intake is browse on 18+ acres of rotational pastures
-Free choice mineral buffet system
-All winter access to our home grown/bailed grass hay for maintenance
-Girls get CHS Goat tender with kelp (approx. 1/3 lb per head per day)
-Boys get a handful of alfalfa pellets every night for a treat
The very best diet for a goat is a naturally foraged diet; something that cannot be reproduced by humans...
While I believe in providing everything my goats need to be healthy, I don't have any intention of pushing feed to them, creating unnatural growth rates or productivity. Additionally, in order to selectively breed the animals that thrive in this environment, I need to allow them to flourish or fail in the conditions provided, without excessive input. My goal is to provide consistent nutritional input year-round, i.e. in the winter months when forage is at its lowest nutrition value, I'll supplement with just enough pelleted feed to bump the values back up to what they would be during prime grazing months. For this reason, I don't feed alfalfa because it's not a natural crop in this region, could potentially raise protein values higher than even the best native forage would offer, and therefore yield an artificial outcome.
A Holistic Approach:
I have no hesitation using prescription and/or chemical options when necessary, but as I embark on a journey with a lower maintenance breed of livestock, I'm also finding I'm less dependent on conventional medicines. I no longer feel like I'm reactive; having to make knee-jerk, life or death decisions as they arise. But rather, I'm finally able to be proactive and take some time to educate myself on a more sustainable way of managing a healthy herd. I'm far from being 100% holistic, but that is my ultimate goal. some of the steps I've already taken include cutting and bailing our own hay, adding the mineral buffet system, turning to herbs for immune support, Oil of Oregano as an alternative to antibiotics, using herbal and/or Essential Oil dewormers almost exclusively and of course, observation/familiarity with my animals so I can get ahead of potential issues. The biggest step (and the one that have made the biggest impact) is providing my goats with a primarily forage-based, natural diet rather that a dry-lot system.
Mineral Buffet:
After various symptoms of selenium deficiency, I decided to add the mineral buffet system from Fish-or-Price Ranch in June of 2023, and almost immediately I noticed a glossier coats, fuller rumens and in general, overall thriftier animals. Over time, I've also seen noticeably less interest in supplemental feed, less time in front of the hay manger and more time out grazing/browsing. For my first kidding season after introducing the Mineral Buffet, I'm seeing better milk production, better kid's ADG and fewer mineral related birthing issues (i.e. White Muscle Disease, retracted tendons and retained placentas due to Selenium/Vit. E deficiencies, Iodine goiters, etc.). I'm excited to see how the herd continues to improve as I surpass the one-year mark on the Mineral Buffet System.
Protection:
Cami (Great Pyrenees/Anatolian) and Pilgrim aka Pil Pup (Turkish Boz /Anatolian), are indispensable for keeping my herd safe and providing me piece of mind. It took me a long time to finally decide that an LGD (livestock guardian dog) presence was needed on the ranch. I'd never lost any livestock to predation and am especially cautious during kidding season, keeping moms & kids close to the barn. But as my herd expands and I'm increasingly dependent on rotational grazing to keep the goat's diet varied, I knew it was just a matter of time before the ever-opportunistic coyotes learned of an easy food source. Cami is the perfect addition to the herd, as she lounges most of the day, and patrols the fence line all night. Pilgrim is naturally drawn to the goats, even at such a young age. These two make the perfect team, with one chasing off predators and the other staying with the herd.
