When I took over the family dairy goat farm, I wanted to figure out exactly what I liked. So I made sure to experience every single dairy goat breed that I could find in the US.
What I found is that Saanens and Guernseys have the calmest, easiest, most placid personalities. They were the easiest to train, easiest to fence, and easiest to love.
When I started crossing them though, that’s when the real magic started. The little bit of a lazy, stubborn streak in the Saanens disappeared. And the common genetic weaknesses in the Guernsey bloodlines (weak pasterns and udder attachments, poor teat placement etc), strengthened up in a single generation.
And the personalities…. Indescribable. My (then 7yo) daughter was able to walk right up to a first freshener in the middle of the barn and milk her into a cup on the floor. My first-time milkers stop kicking within a couple days, even without any prior training. The babies accept a bottle within seconds, even though we regularly wait over 2 weeks to start. And besides the occasional gate being left unlatched, we haven’t had a single goat escape in YEARS.
I breed specifically for sound, productive goats, with the absolute best personalities. And that is a Saansey.
We have very few health issues on the farm, even with 10-25 goats at a time. When we do, we try simple, natural remedies first. Fir Meadows GI Soother for diarrhea, raspberry leaves for assisting labor, eucalyptus oil on the nose for coughs or stuffy noses, etc.
Our other commonly used items that aren't strictly herbal:
Jumpstart oral gel for lethargy, B12 pellets for appetite stimulation, CalMPK for milk fever, selenium paste if babies have weak ankles, etc.
Always trying for the most natural option, that still packs a punch.
That said, the survival of the goat is always my top priority, and if a goat needs antibiotics, they will get them. I do keep meticulous notes, so I always know which goats have needed that level of intervention.
Herbal (1)-Conventional (10) 1-10 Scale: 4
Parasite Protocol: We very rarely have trouble with worms. Because of the infrequency, I do use chemical dewormers. I usually treat only a couple goats a year, and it is carefully recorded, so any buyer can be informed whether or not that goat has received any chemical intervention.
Vaccination Protocols: No Vaccinations