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Managing a goat dairy requires thorough knowledge of the reproductive cycle of goats. It is vital to know when a goat is ready to reproduce and when to expect heat cycles. This knowledge allows the dairy farmer to regulate milk production so that the milk supply can be constant throughout the year. Goat doelings come into …
Automatic feeders for cattle are one of the great ways in which technology has improved the life of a dairy farmer. There are now so many day-to-day tasks on a farm that can be automated, freeing the farmer to focus on less-routine things. Let’s look at the details, benefits, and possible disadvantages of implementing feed …
One of the essential things dairy farmers should do is test the quality of the milk they produce. So many factors could go wrong and adversely affect the milk, which could lead to severe health risks. That’s why the government controls milk production so strictly. So, how can you test the quality of your milk, …
Mastitis is a dairy farmer’s nightmare and a condition that most must deal with at some stage. It is a common disease in dairy sheep, occurring in five to ten percent of a herd. Dairy farmers must know how to deal with mastitis, including how to milk a sheep with mastitis. Sheep with mastitis cannot be …
Buying gifts for friends can be challenging. It may be difficult to choose a gift that suits the person’s lifestyle and interests. A good idea is to consider gifts that might be helpful in their everyday lives. Dairy farmers are people that eat, sleep and breathe their work. Here are nine unique gift ideas for …
Sheep milk is a versatile and nutritious dairy product that is enjoyed around the world. Not only is it an excellent source of protein and minerals, but also it has a wide range of uses. From cheeses and yogurts to soaps and lotions, sheep milk is a multi-purpose ingredient that can be used in many …
No farm would be a dairy farm without a milking parlor, which is why they are one of the biggest financial slices of a dairy farmer’s initial investment. The cost isn’t just a one-off amount either, since there are also operational costs to consider. But how much should an aspiring dairy farmer prepare to spend on …
Did you know that foot problems account for two-thirds of antibiotic use in sheep? Yet, despite its significance, foot health is often overlooked in sheep. A lame sheep cannot graze adequately and becomes stressed if it is left behind when the flock moves off. A sheep unable to walk to the water trough soon becomes …
If you are a goat farmer who milks their herd daily, you quickly learn how much milk to expect from each of your goats, and you immediately notice when one of your goats starts to produce less milk than usual. There are several reasons why a goat may produce less milk. Goats may produce less milk …
Many people know that puppies and kittens like to play, but they are surprised to learn that lambs also play. Stock animals such as lambs, calves, and piglets are not often viewed as playful animals. So it is surprising for some that lambs like to play, and they may want to know what lambs like …
Sheep are thought of as docile, calm, gentle animals. Generally, they are, but as with any species, a sheep can become aggressive. Many people are not intimidated by sheep, but a charging sheep should not be taken lightly. They can cause significant blunt-force trauma to the human body. Knowing what to do if a dairy …
Locks are things that people don’t often think about when they set up a dairy farm. After all, what difference does the type of lock really make? A dairy farm obviously needs the same locks as any other farm, home, or building, but there are also some unique requirements, like locks that can keep animals …
I love making goat butter. It’s like a little science experiment in the kitchen that you can do in increments. If you’re observant (and remember what you’ve observed), you can start to see patterns in the process. Each little homestead has its own method based on its goats, milking, and kitchen setup. But is it …
Sheep milk is used for producing specialty cheeses, and the United States imports more than 50% of the world’s specialty cheeses. So, the country has a growing market for commercial dairy sheep farming. It’s still a small market, but it’s got huge potential. So, how can we get ewe to produce more milk? Dairy sheep will …
Before going into dairy farming, whether you are doing it on a commercial or homestead basis, it would be beneficial to consider a few essential factors. One of the most crucial factors is the type of farming you choose. A popular choice is going into cow dairy farming, but another option exists, goat farming is …
Dog ownership is fraught with many differing views on almost every aspect, including nutrition. There has been widespread information on the dangers of cow milk for dogs, some scientific and other ‘facts’ based on hearsay, and popular science myths. Many people promote the use of goat’s milk for puppies, but is this a good idea? Goat …
Dairy sheep sometimes reject their lambs, causing a major problem for farmers and shepherds. Lambing is a work-intensive time for shepherds, and having complications with ewes rejecting lambs adds to the general mayhem and exhaustion. It is useful to know what to do if a dairy sheep rejects her lamb. It allows the shepherd to …
When it comes to the snacking habits of goats, there is an underlying belief that goats have stomachs of steel, and they often get the reputation of being avid eaters of anything put in their path. In reality, there are numerous plants out there that are poisonous to goats. So if you plan on keeping …
On commercial dairy farms, lambs are often taken away from their mothers a day or two after they are born. This is quite traumatic for the lambs and the ewes. The wonderful thing about having a small-scale sheep dairy is that you can approach the process in a more ethical, humane way. A lamb should be …
How you store hay and feed it to your animals should minimize losses as far as possible while ensuring their nutritional intake is stable. Hay that is not stored well is subject to losing its nutritional value or becoming moldy. Additionally, how hay is fed to the animals will determine the percentage of feed loss …
The goal of a milking parlor is to milk dairy animals efficiently and ergonomically without causing them stress or harm. Ruminants need to spend most of their day resting and eating so they can make milk. They shouldn’t be cramped in holding areas for extended periods because the milking parlor is too small. But how …
The maturity of animals is usually measured by how soon they can or should reproduce. For large-scale farmers, the sooner the animals hit maturity, the better, as it leads to a higher turnover and, hopefully, productivity. However, breeding goats before they are physically mature can lead to kidding problems and higher mortality rates. Goats can reproduce …
If you own a herd of horned dairy sheep, you may have experienced the challenges that come with dealing with a broken horn. The injury can cause a significant amount of bleeding, which can be difficult to stop, and it’s essential to provide prompt treatment to ensure the well-being of your sheep. But how serious …
Sheep milk has slowly gained popularity in the United States dairy industry. Of the 40,000 estimated dairy farms in the US, only 200 are sheep dairy farms. However, people are learning of the health benefits of sheep milk and the advantages of sheep farming as a whole. United States law states that sheep milk must be …
The feral sheep of the old world didn’t have much wool. Instead, they had more hair than wool. Through selective breeding over the years, we’ve got a plethora of wooly sheep breeds that are useful for meat and dairy production, too. However, shearing sheep costs money and takes a lot of effort, so sheep farmers …
Having a goat milking stand set up is extremely convenient if you’re a goat owner. Not only are they perfect for milking your goats, but you can also use them if you need to give your goats shots, trim hooves, perform an ultrasound, or take blood. If you plan on making your goat milking stand …
It’s utterly sweet watching lambs frolic around their mums in green pastures, but even that season must come to an end. Lambs must be weaned, ewes dried up, and everyone sorted before the next breeding season begins. Commercially fed ewes will take up to two weeks to dry up after weaning. However, they must be prepared …
Manual cream separators are perfect for small dairies and homesteaders who like to process their own dairy products. They speed up the gravity separation process and efficiently separate all kinds of milk – even naturally homogenized goat and sheep milk. But what happens if you get a manual cream separator without instructions…how do you use …
It is common practice to allow dairy goats some time to rest between lactation and falling pregnant. The rest time the goats have helps them improve their body condition, gain some weight, and prepare for the next milking season. But how do you dry up a dairy goat that keeps producing milk? The most common method …
With dairy goats becoming increasingly popular for homesteads throughout the United States, there are more of us interested in making goat cheese or butter. Besides its unique flavor, goat milk and its dairy products are much easier on human digestive systems. But separating goat cream from the milk takes time and a lot of refrigerator …
As a sheep owner, one of your biggest concerns should be ensuring you feed them properly. A vital aspect of this proper feeding regime is knowing what to avoid feeding your sheep. As any sheep owner will tell you, controlling everything your lovable woolly friends eat is almost impossible. Still, you can try to mitigate …
A dairy farm can be lucrative, but, like any other business, the legal hoops and red tape can be daunting. It can be even more daunting in the United States because you must follow federal, state, and county laws, which can differ from region to region. So, with all of this, how can you register …
Cattle feed is a crucial topic for any dairy farmer, and cattle feed blocks are an essential part of that. Much of the success of your dairy farm depends on giving your cattle all of the nutrients they require, but that can be a time-consuming process. Cattle feed blocks are a popular solution, and you …
Pests such as flies are an incredible nuisance for cows and farmers. They irritate the animals, cause weight loss, and carry disease. There are many different fly control methods, but one of the most popular is cattle fly tags. An important question to answer is how long ear fly tags last on cattle. Fly tags provide …
Butter is a staple ingredient in many popular dishes, but very few recipes specify that you should use goat or sheep butter. Yet there are many benefits to using these alternatives to cow’s milk butter. But what are the differences between goat and sheep butter? What makes each unique? Goat butter and sheep butter have distinct …
The maturation of lambs is measured according to their complete independence from their dams and when they reach puberty. Until the age of one year, lambs are called ewe lambs or ram lambs, depending on their gender. After that, they are referred to as fully-grown ewes or rams. Lambs are considered mature and fully grown by …
Having a dairy goat with no horns certainly frees up some space at the feeding trough and saves on fence repairs. We had gorgeous Saanens but kept needing to do a perimeter check (with wire cutters) because they kept getting their heads stuck in the fence. However, my mum insisted we never disbudded the kids …
Dairy farming is a challenging but rewarding industry. Proper milk cooling and storage are crucial for maintaining milk quality and safety, and small milk cooling tanks are a practical solution for small and medium-sized dairy operations. In light of that, the following are among the five best small milk cooling tanks on the market.MilkPlan 30 …
The Guernsey and Jersey dairy cows are known for producing some of the tastiest milk. But what else do these two breeds have in common, and what makes them unique? What can we learn if we compare these two dairy cows? Who will be the “dairy queen”? The Guernsey and Jersey cows are domestic cattle breeds …
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