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HERD MANAGEMENT

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There are many breeders from which you can purchase a dairy goat these days.  But not all dairy goats are created equal.  Each breeder will have different areas of focus and should offer information about that focus.  A "cheap" dairy goat rarely ends up saving money as you will likely end up paying more in veterinarian costs, lost ability to milk and not to mention heartache.

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At our farm we believe that the best way to approach animal care is by promoting excellent health preventatively in order to avoid costly treatments.  We feed top quality, organic goat ration, organic alfalfa, hay from our own land and free choice, high quality minerals to our herd.  We also include probiotics and vitamins as needed.  Dewormers and other meds are a rare need on our farm.  The majority of our goats have never had to be dewormed.  We use herbal preventatives, keep stress low and rotate pastures every month.  That said, we also know that on a farm no matter how well it is managed, sometimes things go wrong and the need for medicine is necessary.  In those cases we will treat an animal to save its life.

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Our focus is on three things specifically:

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Dairy Quality

Production, butterfat and protein in milk is measured through milk testing.  Strong udders, attachments and ease of milking are qualities we want to breed and continue to improve upon.  We don't attend goat shows; we would rather focus on the useful goat in terms of their production ability!

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Ease in Kidding

The ease in which a doe has kids, requiring no help or that help is rare.  Our goal is to breed only those who will have a long life with few issues in kidding over the years.

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Temperament

We want all goats we own and all that we sell, to be friendly, easy to handle and with a mild temperament making them a welcome addition to any farm.

 

Strong Immune Systems  

A goat can check all the boxes in terms of high ranking appraisals, show wins or milk stars, but if they are not healthy and strong with a healthy immune system protecting them, then there is much to lose.

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While there is no "perfect" goat and we will not say we have one, we do focus and watch closely when we are making decisions on breeding plans.  We will not breed or sell a goat with too many faults, or a known weak immune system. 

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Our goats will be sold to homes who can provide a minimum of the following:

* a clean, dry, protected shelter
* fresh water, good quality hay and minerals
* secure fencing to keep goats in and wandering dogs out
* a large enough area to run, jump, and play
* good hay for growing babies, and grain for lactating does
* routine hoof trimming
* a companion

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Since goats are instinctively herd animals, they require a "buddy" in order to be happy and healthy. We will not sell one goat by itself unless there is already at least one goat at the new home. 

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We keep our herd on the smaller side so each year we have the difficult task of deciding who will be moving to new homes and who will stay on with us here at Liberty Mission Farm. Meaning we occasionally have adult breeding bucks and does available. If you have a particular interest in a certain member of our herd let us know so that we can make note of it for future reference.

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We make every possible effort to breed healthy, productive, well conformed animals and because of that anyone considering purchasing an animal from us can be assured that we will do our best to provide them with the animal that they are looking for.

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We do not guarantee show height and we know of no reputable breeder who does.  We sometimes use over-height bucks for breeding in our program. We have learned over the years from our own experiences and watching other 30+ years, experienced breeders, that the use of over height bucks does not produce over height does. Some of the best bucks that we have known have gone over height in their 3rd year or beyond.  All of our does currently are within show height.

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We guarantee that our goats are healthy and free from disqualifying faults when we sell them and at time of pick-up or transport.  Since we cannot control the goat's environment once they leave our farm, we cannot offer further guarantees.

 

Stress is very common in both kids and adults of all ages when moved from one place to another. Illness and in rare cases death can occur if the animal is not properly handled or treated.  While we can't take responsibility for this once they leave our farm, we do take steps to minimize their stress by preparing them with natural herbal dewormers, vitamin B and probiotics. And we are happy to assist you once you get your goat home; if you should have any questions we are here!

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We have worked hard to gain and keep a good reputation and we wish to keep that good reputation, so we want you to be pleased with your purchase which of course will ensure that the goats live a happy and healthy life.

 

Thank-you for considering Liberty Mission Farms for your Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat purchases. We hope to hear from you soon.