Biosecurity screening

We got our first goats in spring of 2017, and in 2018 we began testing the entire herd (every goat over 6 months old) yearly for CAE, CL, and Johne’s, with all negative results. In 2021, we have added Q-fever and brucellosis to our biosecurity screening. Test results will be provided to prospective buyers.

2021 – CAE, CL, Johne’s, Brucellosis, Q-fever – All negative, testing done via Rollins and Texas A&M

2020 – CAE, CL, Johne’s – All negative, testing done via Rollins and UC Davis

2019 – CAE, CL, Johne’s – All negative, testing done via Rollins and UC Davis

2018 – CAE, CL, Johne’s – All negative, testing done via UBRL

Management

Kidding: All kids are removed from their dams immediately after birth, and bottle/lambar fed. Dams are milked twice a day. All kids are disbudded.

Hay: Does in milk receive good quality alfalfa and coastal bermuda hay. During the dry period, they receive orchard grass and coastal bermuda hay. Bucks receive orchard grass hay during rut, and coastal bermuda during the rest of the year.

Feed: Kids and does in milk receive Blue Seal Caprine Challenger feed. During the dry period, they receive a small amount of Tribute texured senior feed. Bucks eat what is being fed to the does.

Minerals: All goats receive free choice Sweetlix loose minerals

Vaccinations: Kids receive their first CDT vaccine at 5-6 weeks of age, with a booster 4 weeks later. The whole herd receives CDT boosters twice a year, with one of the boosters being one month before the doe is due to kid. All goats receive a pneumonia vaccine for Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasteurella multocida, and does in milk receive a Staphylococcus aureus vaccine (Lysigin). In 2020, we also began vaccinating all adult goats for rabies.

Parasite management: We try to use integrated pest management to keep chemical deworming to a bare minimum, only using dewormers when necessary for the health of the goat. This slows down the development of resistance of the worms to the dewormers. FAMANCHA scores are checked at minimum every couple of weeks during the warmer, wetter parts of the year. FAMANCHA along with body condition scoring is used to identify goats that may have a parasite issue. This is always confirmed via fecal exam before deworming a goat, and then another fecal is done about a week after deworming, to make sure that the dewormer did its job. Additionally, grass is kept a minimum of 6″ in height during the growing season, and BioWorma is fed to the goats if fecal egg counts start to get a little high. Finally, breeding decisions are made with resistance and resilience to internal parasites in mind.

We have used Pro Bac C for coccidia prevention until kids are 12 weeks old.

Miscellaneous: Goats receive BoSe yearly, about one month before breeding season begins. Goats receive copper boluses periodically, and Replamin if needed.