#I can’t get enough of Nigerian dwarf goats!!!

[happyheidi]

𝖳𝗁𝖾𝖡𝗂𝗀𝖶𝖱𝖺𝗇𝖼𝗁𝟣𝟤

[buchananbarnes1991]

Unus Annus Sentence Meme Starter

“Hey buddy buddy buddy buddy!”

“Our long time colleagues are 419 hours a day deny you here!”

“Peoples dream, must first be full of blood!”

“When we arrived in my backyard, we stopped the fire.”

“We quickly eliminated the enemy, and the fight was depressing.”

“Boy am I hungry!”

“Zip zap zop!”

“I don’t know if this was your idea, but we’ll roll with it.”

“This wouldn’t be the first time like, ‘hey I’ve got an idea.’ when we told you it weeks ago.”

“With the guidance of a guardian angel, you can do anything.”

“What am I teaching you how to do?”

“You don’t need to make it! I’m making it!”

“Have you washed your hands? You should wash your hands.”

“You can have the knife when you need the knife.”

“Close the door and never go back!”

“I want you to do something for me. Take a balloon, stretch it out..nice and wide.”

“Some of us are more gifted than others.”

“Okay, so what are we doing here? What is this?”

“I think that the way that I’d kill you is..’take you by the hands. come this way. I’ve got something to show you. just something you HAVE TO SEE.’ “

“In highschool. I dated a girl...her name was, Abigail. Very smart and driven. I was a stupid boy.”

“I still hadn’t let go, but they called me to tell me. She’d let go.”

“She looked down at the ground and then looked back up me. She giggled a bit and then said ‘Oh, don’t you know? I have feelings for Troy.’ “

“When you’re a late bloomer and you spend most of your time alone in a dark room with various ‘websites’,  it turns out that feeding my entire adolescences with perverted thoughts from various unsavory sources makes a distorted impression of the act of making love.”

“After about thirty minutes of dry thrusting, I found myself incapable of completion.”

“The first time I ever had sex, I had to fake my own orgasm..just to get it over with.”

“I too was a late bloomer. I didn’t know anything about intercourse or foreplay or anything.”

“We heard the tent unzip, her thirteen year old brother came through the tent! He didn’t see us. But, we were there. He said ‘Dinner’s ready.’ Under the protection of the sleeping bag we were replied ‘OKAY!’, He exited and I-- *giggles* exited.”

“I think that’s enough therapy for one day. Remember, it’s okay to talk about embarrassing of your life.”

“You stand here..I’m gonna take my shoes off.”

“I need to climb around you.”

“Using teamwork and trust and...t-t-t....team work, you get one person from one end of the body, all the way around to the same end.”

“You think you know us, but we only show you what we want you to see.”

“Let’s get climbing.”

“I thought we were gonna watch a movie.”

“And then I PILE DRIVE YOU’RE SPINE...paralyzed for life.”

“I AM ALWAYS STABLE. Don’t even try to unstablize me.”

“Felt like an emotional burden unloaded.”

“Death comes for all of us and we’ve gotta prepare.”

“It’s a beautiful world, with a lot of caskets.”

“I’m just thinking about America...it’s not a great time to think about America.”

“Can we see some different caskets? Can you show us some metal ones, some wood ones?”

“Let’s start with the highest! And then we’ll work down to where we’re comfortable.”

“Why is Mahogany like the universally known wood? It’s used in all the movies, everyone talks about it. If they want quality, they want a Mahogany.”

“Obviously it’s a beautiful wood, but what makes Mahogany so special?”

“With Mahogany if you look at it. If you pass your eyes to the side, it changes. It goes with you.”

“You are supposed to be buried in dirt. From dust to dust.”

“I don’t want it to be too comfortable. I’d like to stay alert.”

“I don’t know, what does it mean to be afraid? I’m not afraid of death.”

“I don’t like the feel of velvet. I mean, I’ll touch it.”

“Mmh....velvet...”

“That’s the thing! Like old production stuff was built to last, FOREVER!”

“For now you can kneel.”

“They’re Nigerian dwarf goats. They’re gonna be your yoga partners today.”

“I twisted a man into a pretzel. I could do the same to you.”

“I twisted myself into a pretzel.”

“It’s so much more fun to do a plank with a goat on your back.”

“The goats come to you. The motto that we like to have it ‘trust the goats.’ “

“Oh, wait. Wait! I didn’t know we were competing.”

“When I did hot yoga. I kicked everyone’s ass.”

“There’s a lot goatin’ on.”

“You flinchy bastard.”

“Alright, there’s a goat there.”

“I always tell people that they will fire their massage therapists because goat massages are way better.”

“Yeah, it’s real firm.”

“Ow, oh god. Your tallons!”

“Oh, tight pants..tight pants!”

“Those are quitters who think that you have to have the perfect conditions to do things but if you can do things in times of adversity that’s when you know you’re really committed to a cause!”

“Anyone want kisses?”

“It’s okay to show emotions.”

“CRY LITTLE BITCH, CRY!”

“No one’s crazy enough to do it!”

“We knew this year was going to be hell.”

“Hey! Seven days..”

“There’s always still time for things to go wrong.”

“We’ll save them for the future.”

“No, there’s no future.”

“I hope I die in a hilarious way. I hope my death can be told as a joke, like it’s so funny how I died. People can get one last joy. One last laugh.”

“I’m not afraid of death, but I am afraid of dying.”

“Okay, we only have our sixth sense to see with. Okay? Much like Bruce Willis in the show Sixth Sense, spoiler, I know it’s new. He sees dead eggs everywhere.”

“You can do it with dominoes too, but be careful with that one cause once to get a hundred or more dominoes and you spill ‘em all over, it’s gonna take all afternoon to set ‘em back up.”

“So you better fucking see with your brain or else you won’t be able to have a good time.”

“Ouch ouch ouch! That’s not an egg.”

“I think you need to go a little slower.”

“Oh...Puppies!”

“Should we turn on the emergency camper light?”

“I’m just such a neat freak.” “You know we need to try and escape.”

“What a profound man, that shot out the load that is Tony Stark.”

“This is a literal don’t show it. Oh god, all of his nudes are right there!”

“Gone gone, forever.”

“Two idiots cause ten care pile up from buttplug dropedge.” 

“Hook car batteries up to my nipples? I’ll say yes every time!” 

“I’m not a masochist. I’m really not. I’m glad I have this uninterrupted moment to talk about this. I’m not a masochist. I’m just curious.” 

“I’ve never been hit by a car, outside of my car? What’s that like? I DON’T KNOW!” 

“Sometimes, I am an idiot and..I match your intelligence level. THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT!”

“We’ve been edging father time for a year.”

“Recognize my face, thank you.”

 “Oh it was terrible. You didn’t tell me about all the bears along the way.”

“Nice camel toe.

“Do you want me to get nurse Tracy?”

“When we tried to crush those melons, SHE TOOK TWO!”

“I was thinking the other night, what if the next melon is [insert muses’s name here] skull?”

“I just like doing what I’m told.”

“A man of few words, a man of action.”

“Are our faces being used as Capchas’ now?”

“Thank you god, thats’s a good idea.”

“God said we could!”

“Doesn’t matter what you do, to keep it from ending. Once it ends. It’s gone forever.”

“I don’t know you but you’re here, a lot. I guess you’re fine.”

“I couldn’t get it off, I felt like I was gonna rip your skin off.”

“YOU WERE GONNA RIP MY SKIN OFF.”

“We got all this time that we can relax! We’ve got like a week to relax...”

“Neither of us have ever been pepper sprayed. Let’s get pepper sprayed!”

“It’s burning as if there’s some hot oil.. on my eyes.”

“My eyes are okay now.”

“This fucking sucks so bad.”

“I would not recommend getting pepper sprayed.”

“When I was a young lad. All I had was my imagination and the woodland creatures.”

“You shot me twice! I get to shoot you with a paintball at some point in the future.”

“There is no easy!”

“Math wasn’t my strong suit, nor was anything.”

“He’s an idiot but he can read well.”

“Look at me in the eyes boy, you’ll never be stronger than me.”

“How do you have time for anything, do you not sleep?”

“Your shirt needs to be off.”

“I think you just want me to take my shirt off.”

“Ugh...I’m fine.”

“I need gloves, I need gloves, hang on, I gotta get gloves!”

“I don’t wanna do anything with drainage.”

“What bone would you say hurts?”

“That’s what the picture said to do, breast feed your patient.”

“Your bed’s not very comfortable.”

“THE GONGOOZLER!”

“It not over, it’s close.”

“In six hours, we’re done.”

“It’s hard to say goodbye, but it’s important.”

“Beautiful, a sailor’s dream to come across the mermer.”

“DELETE ME!! CUT ME OUTTA HERE!!”

“I’m being an asshole now.”

“It’s not hope, it’s delusion.”

“You can’t speed your way into heaven!”

“Have you ever looked at your tongue too long in the mirror and it no longer looks like it belongs to you?”

“Biology is just a constant nightmare.”

[akwardkisses]

Meet Lucy Lucy is a dwarf Nigerian with enough goatitude to make anyone proud. She's a handful y'all but she's mine and I couldn't be happier. I have literally been wanting dairy goats for years. It's taken a lot of planning and work to get to this point. She's got two little doelings who are about two months old and so cute I nearly can't stand it. These two are not yet named and I'm having a hard time thinking of names for them. I'm hoping for some good suggestions though. Best of all Lucy is still in milk which is a huge bonus. I had intended to raise a couple of does and have milk at some point in the future. I've never actually milked a goat (or anything else for that matter) so this should be fun. It looks like I'm going to need to figure it out right quick. But once I do there's all kinds of dairy goodness in my future. I'll be posting about it while I learn how to make my own cheese, yogurt, and butter. Wish me luck. Happy Saturday my friends, I hope you're all having as good a day as I am. #poverty_hill #homestead #goats #stayathomegoatmom #dwarfnigeriangoats #lucy #lucythegoat #dairygoats #goatsofinstagram #goatitude #doelings #ruralpa #countryliving #farmher #slowliving #stayinghome #simplelife #funonthefarm #myhappyplace #myhappylife (at Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCzpSyjAMui/?igshid=15a3zvvs91adr

[josephkitchen0]

Want to Offer Goat Cheese For Sale?

Many people who keep dairy goats would love to offer their goat cheese for sale. But how easy (and legal) is this to do? Unfortunately, for most of us in the United States, not very. It may be easier to let people buy goat milk from you, but even that has its challenges and depends on what state you live in.

Folks are becoming increasingly aware of the many raw milk benefits and would love to get their hands on your delicious, nutritious, farm fresh milk. But whether or not you can legally sell the milk depends on what state you live in. In some states it is just illegal no matter what. In other states you can find raw milk right on the shelf of your local grocery store. In still other states, it is only legal through a raw milk CSA (community supported agriculture), also known as the herd share program. In these cases, you have the opportunity to “buy into” a herd of dairy animals and then pay a monthly fee to gain access to “your” animal’s raw milk. You can check with your state’s health department to  learn the laws and rules in your state.

Okay, so that’s milk. But what about offering your goat cheese for sale? Well, that gets even trickier and legal options for the home cheesemaker are even more limited. To my knowledge, the only state that allows the sale of homemade cheese is Wyoming, thanks to their relatively new Food Freedom Act.

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At my cheesemaking school in Colorado, I’ve had quite a few students come down from Wyoming to learn about home cheesemaking, and then go back to their state and make a decent little income off their cottage industry. One such couple is Lindsey Washkoviak and Ben Elzay from Slow Goat Farm in Lander, Wyoming.

Lindsey with a wheel of homemade cheese.

I recently talked with Lindsey about their cheese business and here’s some of what she told me:

GJ: What kinds of dairy goats are you raising and why did you choose this breed?

LW: We raise Nigerian Dwarf and ND crosses because they have the richest, least “goaty” milk out of all goat breeds. They also have the highest butterfat and give good cheese yield. They are mini-goats so they give us a fraction of the milk of standard dairy goats. Its quality over quantity with these ladies!  We also love their personalities and their size.

Ben with the Nigerian Dwarf herd at Slow Goat Farm. Photo credit Ann Finn

GJ: How long have you been making cheese?

LW: Ben and I devote our lives to the pursuit of food so it only seemed natural to try making our own cheese. We are self-taught cheese makers, originally learning from books and countless experiments for about six years now. We have also taken a local beginning cheesemaking course and a three day cheesemaking bootcamp from the Art of Cheese. We started off making cheese thanks to cow milk shares with local dairies. About the time the Food Freedom Act passed, someone offered us three goats. We figured we would try it out and started making goat cheese to sell at the local farmers market.

  GJ: What is your top performing goat cheese for sale?

LW: Our bestselling cheeses are flavored chèvres and chèvre-derived products. We have experimented with hard cheeses but find it hard to price them adequately to cover the milk and time costs required to make them. We really enjoy making raw milk, mold ripened cheeses to share with the community. Most people don’t know that Wyoming is the only state in the U.S. where you can buy real raw milk mold-ripened cheeses under 60 days old.

Raw milk mold ripened cheese at Slow Goat Farm.

GJ: Where do you sell your cheese?

LW: We make and sell cheese out of our unlicensed, uninspected home kitchen thanks to the Food Freedom Act, which allows us to sell directly to informed consumers. This means we can sell directly to anyone for personal consumption but cannot sell to restaurants or through stores. Right now we sell our products at the Lander Valley Farmers Markets and through our email list. We hope to start selling at additional farmers markets across Wyoming.

Suanne and Dave Miller at their micro-dairy in Paonia, CO

GJ: How has the Food Freedom Act benefitted you?

LW: The Wyoming Food Freedom Act is the only reason why our business exists. It has given us the opportunity to try making/selling cheese to our community without the initial startup and infrastructure costs that go along with being a commercial dairy. We probably wouldn’t have even gotten goats if it wasn’t for the Food Freedom Act … how different would our life be! There are many businesses like us that have popped up in Wyoming thanks to the Act. It has really allowed our local food economy to diversify.

The cute goats at Slow Goat Farm. photo credit Ann Finn

GJ: Do you know of any problems that consumers have had with buying from unregulated cheesemakers?

LW: So far everything has worked out okay.  The responsibility is placed on the consumers, the community, and the farmers markets to regulate each other.

  Sounds pretty intriguing, doesn’t it? Almost makes me want to move to Wyoming! Of course, most of us DON’T live in a state where we can legally sell homemade cheese, so the other option to offer goat cheese for sale is to become a regulated micro-dairy. This is a much more involved and expensive option, but it does allow one to sell cheese to a much wider audience and is an option in all the rest of the states that don’t have a Food Freedom Act.

Another student of mine went this route. After taking almost all of my classes, Suanne Miller and her husband, Dave, sold their Boulder home, bought a herd of Nubian goats and Saanen goats, and moved to a small farm in Paonia, Colorado where they have recently opened Western Culture Farmstead & Creamery – A USDA Grade A micro-dairy.

Suanne making cheese in her micro-dairy creamery.

For any of you considering this option, here are some tips from Suanne:

GJ: How long did it take to get your facility built and licensed?

SM: It took 2 ½ years from the purchase of our farm to licensing and then a few more months until we were in production.

GJ: What was the approximate cost to get it all up and running?

SM: Our equipment for the dairy and creamery was about $50K and the building construction cost ran about $70K. By the time we put in the barn, fencing, hay fields, and new septic system, our total costs were up around $250K (yikes!).

GJ: What’s been the best part of running a micro-dairy?

SM: What I love most is being able to see my concept take shape and become a reality. I also love doing farm tours with school kids and seeing their surprise at how much they love the milk and cheese. The reception from our community has been wonderful — we sell out of cheese and milk regularly. One of my biggest sellers is Dark Chocolate Almond Goat Milk. I also really love goats.

Suanne with the goats at Western Culture.

GJ: What’s been the biggest challenge?

SM: The hardest thing is not having enough money. The long days can get tough. Losing a goat is heart wrenching. Keeping up with packaging can be a challenge.

GJ: What advice would you have for a hobby goat owner who is considering getting into the cheese-selling business?

SM: My advice to hobby cheesemakers who want to sell is to connect with CSA outlets and develop a CSA market and also to register with their state’s raw milk registry (if they have one). Also to have a separate space that they could develop as a cheesemaking kitchen if they plan to market and sell it.

Western Culture Farmstead Creamery cheese.

So, if you have the time and money, that is the legal way to offer your goat cheese for sale. Of course, there is always option #3: the black market! Now I’m not advocating breaking the law or doing anything unsafe or unsavory, but the fact of the matter is that many folks who own a dairy goat farm DO help to offset the cost of owning goats by having goat cheese for sale to their friends and neighbors “under the table.” Whether or not this is a good idea is not for me to say. But if you are making goat cheese, you sure can’t eat it all yourself!

Originally published in the September/October 2018 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

Want to Offer Goat Cheese For Sale? was originally posted by All About Chickens

[happyheidi]

I had goats growing up and the last two were twin Nigerian dwarf goats named Dot and Dash and they were hell on wheels. Their hobbies included screaming, escaping and turning the hazards on on the tractor by kicking it. I miss them they were the best chaos girls 🥺

Omg are u kidding?? Ohhh you lucky duck you!! And twins nonetheless! Twice the cuteness 🥹🥹 pretty pls, if u have any pics of the chaos girls themselves, pls send them to me so I can add it to this post (you’ll remain anonymous) cus I can’t get enough of them! 😵😍 <3

Ppl see 4 urself how adorable they are: here

[josephkitchen0]

All About Nigerian Dwarf Goats

The Nigerian Dwarf goat is a miniature goat of West African origin. Nigerian Dwarf goats are enjoying a rise in popularity due to their small size and colorful markings. Their small stature means they do not require as much space as larger dairy goat breeds, and their gentle and friendly personalities make them good companion pets. They are easy to handle; even small children can be at ease with these little goats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also approved the Nigerian Dwarf goat as a livestock dairy goat, which makes them eligible for youth 4H and FFA projects.

Nigerian Dwarf goats are easy to handle; even small children can be at ease with these little goats. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has also approved the Nigerian Dwarf goat as a livestock dairy goat, which makes them eligible for youth 4H and FFA projects.

The Nigerian Dwarf is a Miniature Dairy Goat

A healthy Nigerian Dwarf doe can produce a surprising amount of sweet milk for her small size – up to two quarts per day. The Nigerian Dwarf goat milk benefit is that it is higher in butterfat (6-10 percent) and higher in protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds. However, many Nigerian Dwarf owners do not raise their goats for milk but for the pleasure and companionship these little caprines bring to their lives.

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Nigerian Dwarf Goat Conformation

A Nigerian Dwarf goat’s conformation is similar to that of the larger dairy goat breeds. The parts of the body are in balanced proportion. The nose is straight, although there may be a small break or stop at the level of the eyes. The ears are upright. The coat is soft with short to medium hair. Any color or combination of colors is acceptable, although the silver agouti pattern and color is a moderate fault (pygmy goat-specific markings).

Ideal height of Nigerian Dwarf goats is 17″ to 19″ for does with does up to 21″ allowed in the breed standard. Ideal height for bucks is 19″ to 21″ with bucks up to 23″ allowed in the breed standard. Ideal weight is suggested to be about 75 lbs. Animals are disqualified from the show ring for being oversized for the breed standard and/or for other faults: having a curly coat, roman nose, pendulous ears or evidence of myotonia (a breed characteristic of fainting goats).

Nigerian Dwarf Goat Temperament

Dwarf goats are gentle, lovable and playful. Their calm, even temperament, and engaging personalities make them suitable companions for all, including children, the disabled and the elderly. Even breeding bucks are handled easily. They make wonderful pets and great animal projects for young children in 4H or FFA. Breeders of other types of goats find their Dwarfs blend in with the rest of their herd and do not need special quarters; just adequate fencing to contain them because of their small size. Many Nigerian Dwarf goats share pastures peacefully with other livestock such as cattle, horses, llamas, and donkeys. In fact, they will often improve a pasture by removing brambles, undergrowth (including weeds) and ivy (even poison ivy) that other livestock won’t eat.

Accommodations

Goats should be kept in clean pens free of dampness, drafts, and pests like flies and rodents. They also require adequate fencing due to their small size. Nigerian Dwarf goats should not be housed in airtight buildings; they need to have ventilation for optimum health. For one to just a few goats, many owners find that an oversized dog house or two does the job. Pens or houses should be kept clean with fresh hay or straw for bedding. Many owners find that providing a few “toys” for the goats provides them with hours of caprine entertainment. Tree stumps, rocks or large cable spools are great for “king of the mountain” games and jumping. Just be sure to keep them away from the fence to avoid giving herd escape artists means to roam your neighborhood!

Breeding Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Dwarf goats breed year round. Many owners breed their does three times in two years, giving the doe at least a 6-month break. Of course, this is a personal choice for each breeder. The gestation period for a doe is 145 to 153 days. For the most part, Nigerian Dwarfs are a hearty breed with few kidding problems. New babies average about 2 pounds at birth but grow quickly. Watch out for those little bucks! Bucklings can be fertile at as young as 7 weeks of age. Make sure you wean does and bucks separately to help you avoid unintentional breeding.

Does can be bred at 7-8 months of age if they have reached a mature size. Some breeders prefer to wait until they are at least 1 year or older. Dwarfs does can have several kids at a time, 3 and 4 being common with some quintuplet births occurring. Dwarfs are generally good mothers able to take care of their babies should you leave them to do the raising of the kids. They can also provide a surprising amount of milk for their size if you decide you are interested in goat milk or making goat cheese.

Bucks are able to be used for service as young as 3 months of age and easily by the time they are 7 or 8 months old. Dwarf bucks are vigorous breeders but are gentle enough to be used for hand breeding (contained) or pasture breeding where one buck is available for several does as they come into estrus. Both methods are used successfully.

Feeding Dwarf Goats

Most breeders feed a 12 – 18 percent protein goat feed or dairy ration. It must not contain urea as this is toxic to goats. Many breeders give less grain if good pasture and browse are available. Hay or pasture should always be provided in abundant supply. Fresh water in clean containers should also be available at all times.

Health Care

Dwarf goats, like all other breeds, need some basic care for good health and long life. Hooves should be trimmed regularly, about every 4-8 weeks or more often if needed. A properly trimmed and shaped hoof should resemble those of a kid goat’s hoof. Vaccinations for tetanus and types C&D centermost are the basis types given. Check with your local vet for other vaccinations recommended for your area. Some experienced breeders may immunize their own goats; new owners and breeders should take their goats to the local vet for vaccines. Worming should be done several times a year. Your vet can suggest any special supplements (such as selenium), additional immunizations and a recommended wormer and worming schedule for your particular herd based on your area and known preventative health measures.

Nigerian Dwarf Goat Registries and Shows

Dwarf goats are registered in 5 registries: four in the United States (NDGA, AGS, IDGR & ADGA) and one in Canada (CGS). Dwarf shows are growing in popularity and are becoming more readily available all over the country. Shows are fun, educational and a great way to meet other breeders and owners. They are a place to sell your goats or obtain superior stock for breeding. Shows or event information can be obtained through registries, local goat clubs and organizations, including NDGA.

What’s the Difference Between a Nigerian Dwarf and a Pygmy Goat?

Although they have similar origins, Nigerian Dwarfs and African Pygmies are separate and distinct breeds, with recognized differences. Pygmies are bred to be “cobby” and heavy boned. Dwarfs are bred to have the length of body and more elegant structure that’s similar to their larger dairy goat counterparts. Pygmies are also primarily “agouti” patterned, with black, silver and caramel being the most common colors.

Nigerian Dwarf Goat Coloring

Color is one of the factors that makes breeding Dwarfs so popular. You can never be sure what color the babies will be until they are born; even then you can’t be sure because many times their color may change. Main color families are black, chocolate, and gold with virtually every color combination imaginable being produced. Dwarfs can be dalmatian-spotted, pinto-patterned, tri-colored or just classy shades of solid jet black, white, chocolate or gold. Buckskin patterns are also popular, described by contrasting facial stripes, a “cape” around the shoulders with a coordinating dorsal stripe and leg markings. Brown eyes are the most common; however, dwarfs with China blue eyes are becoming increasingly popular and available.

How Much Do They Cost?

AvThe averageost for registered breeding stock is between $200 and $500 per head, with champion pedigrees, milk production recorded animals and unusual coloring at premium prices. Pet quality stock often costs much less with wethers (neutered males) generally available for $50 to $100.

Reprinted with permission of the Nigerian Dairy Goat Association (NDGA). The NDGA is a not-for-profit registry, show sanctioning and breeder support organization that is dedicated to the development and promotion of the Nigerian Dwarf Goat. NDGA was formed in 1996 and is the only registry and show sanctioning organization dedicated exclusively to the Nigerian Dwarf breed. NDGA is funded through goat registrations and transfers, annual membership dues, and fundraising activities. They also publish a quarterly journal, called “Nigerian Goat News,” in addition to an annual membership directory and calendar for members. All of these publications are included with membership.

Photos courtesy of Livin My Dream Farm. Video courtesy of Fairland Farm.

All About Nigerian Dwarf Goats was originally posted by All About Chickens

[josephkitchen0]

Goat Varieties for Hot Climates

Different species of livestock react to heat waves and hot climates differently. Some goat varieties are more tolerant than others.

All animals should receive special consideration and adjustments during periods of high heat. Even goat varieties that are well-accustomed to high temperatures and hot sun should have plenty of water available at all times.

A few factors come into play when small ruminants, such as many goat varieties, endure high heat. Heavy fiber, such as with Angora goats, can raise body temperature. Lactating goats require more water in order to produce milk. Larger goats can be less heat tolerant than smaller goat breeds. The very young and the very old goat will be less heat-tolerant, despite the goat varieties they represent. In addition, darker-colored goats attract more of the sun’s heat and can overheat faster than a white goat. On the other hand, sunburn is a factor with light-skinned and light-colored goat varieties.

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Some goat breeds have loose skin or floppy ears. Both characteristics are good adaptations for heat tolerance. Horns can also dissipate heat. Angora goats are covered with a warm fiber coat most of the year; the horns are an adaptation that helps heat flow from the body, helping the Angora stay cooler if temperatures rise.

Basic Requirements for Goat Varieties in Hot Weather

Keeping your goats in good condition helps them adapt to weather stress. Goats that are not overweight, have a healthy diet of good quality forage, and plenty of fresh water available at all times, can survive periods of extreme heat. Goat varieties that are in good condition can even thrive in a climate of intense heat. Knowing the basics of caring for goats will help you decide on the best goat breed for hot climates.

Shade

Providing shade for your goats adds to their comfort. Trees add shade over a sunny pasture area but if you don’t have trees, run in-sheds, tarps, lean-to structures, and open barns can provide shady areas for rest. Try to make the shade structure big enough for all the goats. I have noticed that our goats often all rest at the same time. If there is access to electricity, a fan can provide cooling air flow and increased ventilation.

Water

Goats need full access to fresh, clean water. Cleaning the water container more frequently is also necessary. Algae and scum forms in water that sits in the sun but a quick scrub will loosen the growth and it can be rinsed away before the container is refilled.

Let the Goats Rest During High Heat

Extreme heat periods are not the time to work your goats. If you do have to handle them for routine care, try to arrange the work for cooler morning hours. You and the goats will tolerate the hoof trim better during the cooler times. Wait for cooler weather before moving goats from one area to another.

Signs of Heat Stress in Goats

Heat stress can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Goats pant a lot when the weather is hot. If a goat can’t stop panting, stops eating and drinking, and can’t get up, it may be suffering from heat stress. Rectal temperatures over 105 degrees F are a serious threat to the animal’s recovery from heat stress.

During heat waves, our goats rest in the barn most of the day. They pant to expel heat. I frequently refill the water buckets. If I walk up to the goats, they will get up and check me for treats.

Look for the following signs of heat stress, during a heat wave:

The goat is lethargic.

Goat exhibits excessive panting.

The goat is too weak to get up.

Act quickly to address these warning signs of heat stress. You need to take steps to bring the animal to a cooler location and bring the body temperature down. Frequently offer small amounts of water. Non-fiber goats can be misted with water to assist in bringing the body temperature down.

Goat Varieties for Hot Climates

Living in a hot climate might require more planning to successfully raise goat varieties. Research the effects of heat on different breeds before you begin raising goats. Next, think about the purpose you have for owning goats. Will you be breeding to sell kids, goat milk production, meat, or fiber?

Spanish Goat

Spanish explorers introduced goats of the Mediterranean type to the New World. The goats adapted well to North America and proved to be great at foraging. The Spanish goat breed is an American breed derived from the early goats and the purebred Spanish goat is on the Livestock Conservancy Watch List. It is considered a landrace breed of goat. Spanish goats were used for milk, meat, and leather. In many cases, they are crossed with Boer goats for meat production or bred for increased cashmere production. The Spanish goat is hardy, and the does are good breeders and prolific. They are horned, which adds to their ability to withstand high temperatures.

San Clemente Goats

There seems to be a mystery about the origin of the San Clemente Island goat. The feral breed was possibly left on the island by early explorers or at a much later date in a different story. In either case, the San Clemente goats were left to breed and run free. After the U.S. Navy began operations on the island, the goats became a problem for land use. The goats were rounded up and domesticated but most males were castrated before being moved, and the breed became critical in status. San Clemente goats are considered a dual-purpose goat for milk or meat. The breed forages well, is small boned, and quick.

San Clemente Island goat doe and kid. Photo credit: Laurel Sherrie, Bella Vita Canyon

Alpine Goats

Alpine goats are originally from the French Alps. Although that region is not known for extreme heat, the Alpine goat is hardy and adapts easily to most climates. This breed is usually kept for milk. Alpines can be almost any shade or combination of colors, and they normally have horns.

Galla Goats

The Galla originated in Kenya and is the milking choice in the East African country. Gallas are large white goats, with calm dispositions. The Nyando district of Kenya is plagued by poverty and hunger so researchers developed the Galla breed as an answer to the hunger crises. High milking potential gives the people of the Nyando an alternative to the scrubby, mixed-breed goat varieties that populated herds. The Galla does mature early and are good moms. The breed shows great promise for the hot and drought-riddled area.

Pygmys and Nigerian Dwarf Goats

These small breeds of goats withstand extreme weather fairly well. Both breeds are efficient foragers and easy keepers. Nigerian Dwarf goats are a good breed for milk production, and hardiness.

Nubian Goats

Of the commonly found milk-producing breeds in the United States, the Nubian is one of the more heat-tolerant. Nubians prefer warm weather and often do not tolerate the cold as well. They have a thin coat and the large, pendulous ears may be factors in heat tolerance. Dairy goat buyers should look into the various dairy breeds available in their area. Take into consideration the level of heat that the goats will have to endure and compare the breeds based on heat and drought tolerance

Are you living in an area prone to hot, dry conditions? Goats will be a good choice for your homestead or small farm needs. Providing shade and plenty of fresh water help most goat varieties avoid heat stress.

Originally published in the July/August 2018 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

  Goat Varieties for Hot Climates was originally posted by All About Chickens

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A DIY Homemade Cheese Press Plan

This homemade cheese press plan will get you off to a great start when you’re ready to tackle pressed cheeses with your milk.

Like most dairy goat owners, when I first began making goat cheese, I started with chèvre — the classic soft goat cheese. I made a lot of chèvre. I’d flavor it different ways, from adding chopped Kalamata olives into the cheese, to rolling the chèvre into a log and coating it with fresh herbs, to adding honey for a sweet and tangy treat. And at the end of each milking season, I’d make a bunch of chèvre and freeze it so that my family could enjoy delicious goat cheese all winter long. Eventually, I got sick of it!

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So then I learned to make mozzarella. And ricotta. And fromage blanc and cottage cheese and several other soft, fresh cheeses. These were delicious but I yearned for more. I was ready to make pressed and aged cheeses. I’d always heard that soft cheeses were easy and hard cheeses were hard, so I was a little intimidated to get started. Of course, hard cheeses aren’t really all that hard to make, but they are a bit more involved and require more planning, preparation, and time. I had to decide what cheese to make and where to get the cheesemaking supplies, most notably, a decent, affordable cheese press. I was also unsure about how to make a DIY cheese cave. I found good supplies online but it seemed that many of the presses available were quite expensive, up to $275! Boy, I’d have to make a lot of cheese to justify that expense. I found a number of homemade cheese press plans online so I started with one of them.

The first press I built required purchasing two heavy, quality wooden cutting boards (not exactly cheap) and then drilling big holes in each corner for a set of four wooden rods that connected the two boards. The idea was to put the cheese curds in their form on the first cutting board, and then top that with the second board with a bunch of free weights on top for pressure. This sounded doable; my husband had an old set of metal weights in our home exercise room. I bought supplies, made the press, made my cheese curds, loaded them into the form, put the weights on top, and waited. Within just a few minutes, the curds shifted as they released whey, and the weights shifted to one side and promptly slid onto the kitchen floor. It made a huge racket and left two giant, black skid marks on my linoleum floor that remained until the day we put in new kitchen flooring. At least no one’s foot was down there!

Feeling that was a major failure, I decided that following a homemade cheese press plan might not be for me and that maybe I needed to just buy a press. I settled for one that I found on eBay for about $50. It had springs and a screw that you’d tighten to create the pressure for the cheese. It was anyone’s guess exactly how much to tighten the screw to get the desired pressure, but at least it all stayed in one piece and didn’t damage my house!

Eventually my husband felt sorry for me (or grew impatient waiting for the perfect pressed cheese) and he bought me that expensive press I had seen online. I loved it and it worked well. But I learned a few years later, when taking a 3-day cheesemaking course from Linda & Larry Faillace from Vermont, that I could have made a press that would work just as well, if not better, without spending a dime. So that’s what I did and I’m here to show you how.

Introducing, the Bucket Press!

This is the best homemade cheese press plan I’ve seen and the concept is so simple I almost felt silly when I first learned it (like how I felt when I made my first batch of chèvre — see my “Life Lessons from the Barnyard” story at the end of this journal). Here’s how it works:

1.  Go to a local bakery or deli and ask if they have any three-to-five-gallon food grade buckets that they’re getting ready to throw away. They’re usually happy to have you recycle them. You’ll need either two or three buckets of the same size. (Note: if you can’t find free buckets, they are inexpensive from a restaurant supply store.)

  2.  Drill holes in the bottom of one bucket with a power drill. The more holes the better, but not so many that you compromise the strength of the bucket base.

photo by Becca Heins

  3. Fill a gallon jug water. Pour that into the other bucket, and then mark the water line with a permanent marker. Label that line “eight pounds.” Do that again, and label the next water line with a “16.” If your buckets are big enough, do it one more time and mark that line with a “24”. Now you can go back and fill in a few lines at the half way points to represent 4, 12, and 20 pounds (or you can estimate where 5, 10, and 15 would be as shown in the picture).

photo by Becca Heins

4.  That’s it! You have a homemade cheese press plan that will accommodate at least 15-20 pounds of pressure. (You can always use additional weights to make it heavier or skip the water and just place weights inside the bucket.)

How to Use:

If you only have two buckets, place the one with the holes directly into your kitchen sink. (Be sure it’s a very clean, disinfected sink) If you have three buckets, place the one with holes into one without holes and the bottom bucket will serve as your sink.

Put your cheese form into the bucket with the holes, put a piece of cheesecloth into it, and then scoop your curds into the form and put the follower on top. If needed, put a can on top of the follower to give you something to rest weight on.

Put the remaining bucket, with the appropriate amount of water or weight, right into that bucket and on top of the follower. You may need to put a kitchen towel or pot holder in between the buckets to keep the top bucket from wobbling, especially at first when the curds are still full of whey.

Now all you do is wait! Your cheese is being pressed and the weight will follow the curds as they release the whey. Expelled whey will drip through the holes into the lower bucket or sink.

Pretty nifty, huh? Best homemade cheese press plan ever! Now figure out what recipe to start. I provided recipes for queso fresco and Guido’s Italian Cheese earlier in this issue. More good pressed cheeses to start with are Colby, Monterey Jack, and some farmhouse Cheddars. (I’ve had varying successes with the latter; not all recipes yield the same results.) Don’t forget to follow this link to learn more about making a DIY cheese cave. 

  Kate Johnson runs a cheesemaking school in Longmont, Colorado where she and her family also raise Nubian and Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. Visit www.theartofcheese.com or email her at kate@theartofcheese.com

To learn how to make cheese in the comfort of your own home, check out her Cheesemaking Made Easy DVD!

  A DIY Homemade Cheese Press Plan was originally posted by All About Chickens

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How to Breed Goats: Preparations For Kidding Season Reduce Stress

By Alex Becker – Most dairy goat breeders look forward to the spring kidding season with great anticipation. When you know how to breed goats, what can be better than delivering healthy babies and then watching them bounce around the pen, playing with siblings, nibbling at new grass, or even harassing the older goats? It’s a wonderful feeling to watch a goat pregnancy come to fruition with a successful kidding season.

But most seasoned herdsmen know that there is a much darker side to the spring. The side that we all wish wasn’t there, the side where not every kid makes it. Some die at birth, some get sick, some get injured, some never even draw breath. When I was a newcomer to the world of dairy goats and learning how to breed goats, no one warned me about the hard times that could accompany the joy of kidding season. But, now, with several years of highs and lows under my belt, with hard choices and even harder losses to bear, I still can’t wait for kidding season to begin. There is something so special about welcoming new babies into the herd. I couldn’t live without this craziness in my life; which means I have to learn what I can—and share what I’ve learned so maybe some others will enter the dairy goat business and want to know how to breed goats are more prepared than I was.

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I remember over a year ago writing a story for class about kidding season. I was writing about how I use every sense when I go to the barn around kidding season. There is just something about a newborn kid that changes the atmosphere and everything about the barn, even with with 20 kids already born that season. I still remember my first Nigerian kids being born. It was only the second year we had any goats kid, I was still learning how to breed goats, and I still had no idea what I was doing. I was washing dishes and had a window open and heard one of the goats crying in the barn. It wasn’t a normal cry, so I ran out, literally drop­ping the dish I was cleaning. I wasn’t really any help to the doe, but I re­member her bawling up a storm until I stepped in the stall. She looked up at me, heaved a sigh, and lay down as if saying, “My human is here, so every­thing is fine.” I was blessed to see her first kids born, healthy and strong; it was a herdsman’s dream really. I didn’t have to lift a hand if I hadn’t wanted to, I helped dry them and get them standing and she did all the rest. They nursed quickly and were off.

But we all know that that isn’t how it always goes. Just like when you’re learning how to raise goats, there’s more to having a successful kidding season than you might think. The trick to a successful kidding season when you’re learning how to breed goats is knowing what to do when things go wrong. My first sug­gestion for when kidding goes bad is to be calm. It doesn’t do anyone any good to start panicking. Sometimes that’s easier to do than others; and I wish to just share a few pointers to relieve the stress and panic that often accompany kidding season.

One of the best ways to ease some of that panic when you’re learning how to breed goats is to have a good relation­ship with a trusted veterinarian and have them on speed-dial. It doesn’t fix everything but it does ease some of the stress. Another option is to have a good relationship with a local expe­rienced breeder. Though the breeder may not have access to everything the vet does, he or she probably has a list of tricks of the trade that have been learned over the years. Having these contacts to fall back on means that a new breeder just learning how to breed goats will have a better chance of saving a kid if something goes wrong. After a few years, and a couple times watching and learning when a kid needs to be pulled, a goat breeder gains confidence to take care of prob­lem births (at least until the vet can be reached). I learned a lot about how to breed goats from the local vet when she helped pull a stuck kid, then ended up a couple years later us­ing that knowledge to help a doe de­liver four kids.

The best way to personally lessen kidding stress however, is to be pre­pared ahead of time. This means hav­ing secure and clean areas set up be­fore does go into labor. The last thing needed in the chaos of kidding season is to find out that the designated area isn’t ready for kids. That means mak­ing sure that stalls or pens are strong enough to hold goats in and dangers out. Recently at BB Goats, we finally got smaller stalls in our barn. That means we incorporated six-foot by six-foot chain link stalls (dog runs es­sentially) into our horse-style stalled barn. We have found them to be use­ful if a doe with a weak kid in the winter needs to be kept close to a heat source. If the doe can get too far away from the heat, her weak kid may try to follow and get chilled, a condition which leads to other life-threatening problems. The kidding area must also be clean. A dirty area could automati­cally cause problems for a weak kid, since their immune system is already compromised. For example, a minor herd lice problem becomes out-of-control if a doe kids and is penned in a small lice-infested area. The re­sult is a miserable, condition altering beginning for a helpless baby. Being prepared also means having a safe area. This includes making sure fences are secure, limiting holes for babies to slip through, and checking that water provided doesn’t become a drowning hazard to the kid(s).

When kidding actually happens there are a few things that I make sure are easily accessible. The num­ber one piece of equipment is simply towels. I make sure to always have at least two clean towels near the door so that at most it takes two minutes to grab needed towels when on the run to save a baby. Our number one pri­ority with newborns is to make sure they are breathing and getting their faces cleaned of mucous. I help my Nigerian Dwarfs clean their kids, but our Kikos don’t often give me much of a chance to “help” their kids. I try to keep a few other items readily available during kidding as well. One of them is our heating pad. It’s just a small simple one with three settings, ensuring it doesn’t get too hot. Placing newborns on a heating pad is an easy way to warm up cold kids when other business is at hand, like milking the colostrum for that first feeding. I also keep iodine handy for the kids’ na­vels. Finally, it is a good idea to have clean surgical gloves available. Gloves are recommended to manipulate a kid in the birthing canal, or if for clean­ing a kid without getting dirty. With healthy kids and strong does, having towels, iodine, and a heat source just about guarantee the breeder will get things off to a good start.

Problems often surface when the kid or the doe isn’t healthy. If you’re raising goats for milk, keep some extra milk handy during kidding season. One thing that helps is having frozen milk and colostrum on hand from the previous year, if pos­sible, when caring for a weak kid or problematic doe. We mix our formula in the bottles, part kid-milk replacer and part goat milk or whole cow milk. We have found this mix prevents scours and keeps the kids healthier than when we tried just straight com­mercially prepared milk replacer.

On our farm I’m the main one who handles the bottle babies, that doesn’t mean the others in my family don’t help but that I’m the one who wakes up throughout the night. We all have our roles and it is practically expected that I help with kidding and feed the babies just as it is expected that my sister take care of butcher­ing and most of the showing. Having these designated roles helps us func­tion better when in emergency mode, but, that being said, the last thing that I could tell anyone learning how to manage their own kidding season, would be to have a game plan. Hav­ing an idea who will be willing to get up throughout the night, who’s will­ing to handle the babies and take care of them, will help relieve stress im­mensely.

My summary of suggestions for those light on actual kidding experi­ence are: 1. Have a relationship with a lo­cal vet, and his/her number on speed-dial.

2. Have secure stalls/ area for kid­ding that is clean.

3. Have towels easily accessible during kidding season.

4. Have something set up to keep kids warm if weather is cold.

5. Have frozen colostrum and milk or formula on hand before kidding season starts.

6. Be ready to bring weak kids into the house for special care or for bottle-feeding, if needed.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong during kidding season, but it can be extremely rewarding too. I love the kidding season, hate the deaths, but love the energy and joy. And I hope every goat breeder finds suc­cess this year with happy, healthy goat kids.

Originally published in 2015 and regularly vetted for accuracy.

How to Breed Goats: Preparations For Kidding Season Reduce Stress was originally posted by All About Chickens