Herd Health & Management

Revised 10/16/2026 because we're always evolving...

Dr. Samuel B. Guss in his 1978 book, Management and Diseases of Dairy Goats, said there is no substitute for the "Eye of the Master" in dairy goat herd management. I would agree and find myself lingering in the barn after chores, observing, thinking, and planning. We are also constantly evolving our protocols as a result of education and experience. 

We get compliments on how healthy, shiny, etc. our goats are. I just need to make a statement that the cornerstone of all of this is really, really good feed. These goats do not get anything denied them, hardly. Best alfalfa hay, if our fields don't make it, I go out and buy it. I finally got a custom mix that works for us, so thankfully we don't have to buy $26 per bag feed anymore, because there is a limit. But beyond that, minerals (Duraferm and Sweetlix, rotated) and in breeding season when I'm spending a mint on IVF stuff, they get the Duraferm protein tubs. Springtime means taking browse walks in the woods. So I guess I just want to say, you have to FEED them in order to keep them healthy.

BioSecurity -

• We have a strong bias for a closed herd. We rarely bring adult does in to our setting, several years ago providing a home for my mother's Nubian micro herd, and then after full testing, knowing her herd had been CAE negative for many years. And, there was that spotlight sale doe that time. She was tested for everything imaginable, though.

• We have brought in bucks from time to time, but have made a point to seek out herds that are either CAE negative (strongly preferred), or have a protocol of CAE prevention in place - plus a negative test, which we renew every year. We do not typically run these bucks with any does, and hand breed everything. The last time we bought a buck was in 2020, though have a 3-year running reservation from a well known herd, so hopefully 2027 is our year. Otherwise it's been AI and using sons from AI.

CAE / Johne's - 

• Our herd has so far remained CAE and Johne's negative. Since we have a long track record now, we have moved to testing only the pregnant does for CAE each January before kidding. We practice biosecurity at shows as much as possible, reducing nose-to-nose contact, tack pens as buffers, and knowing our neighbors. I almost forget to mention it because it's so rare outside of meat and commercial dairy now, but we have no CL in the herd.

Kids -

• We are in the midst of updating our kid raising, mainly due to our herd growth. Dam raising the way we did it was do-able for small numbers, but the management was very intensive. In 2026 we began pulling kids and placing them near their mothers so they would know them, but not nurse. I know, it seems weird. It worked pretty well though, as we still ran kids in with the herd and it was one big happy family.

• For 2027, again as numbers increase and a flood of does due at the same time due to IVF, we will likely have to move away from moms knowing their kids. We plan to pull and finally pull the trigger on pasteurizing milk. Though we remain CAE negative, it just seems prudent since we will be pooling so much milk.

• We disbud to prevent horn growth on all kids, even market wethers. The age we do this varies a lot, based on birth weight, horn growth, and kid size. We use a kid box to hold them - something that makes it much more humane for both parties. I do not do them in groups, I will heat up that iron for just one kid when it's the right time for that kid. Iodine and silver spray on the buds, back down to mom, and they forget all about it. One rule we've added on Lamancha bucks intended for breeding though, is 3 days old maximum. Just through experience, it's not so much the horn height, but the base width that will get you in trouble on those. We flex a bit on the Nubians as their horns aren't near so aggressive.

• We use an elastrator to castrate buck kids, usually at around 7 weeks or so. I go by their ability to extend and their increasing aggression toward their sisters. Banamine is used for pain and I always do this at dusk so they sleep through the first few hours. EDIT for 2023 - I did a pilot last year because we had a number of buck reservations and an extended kidding season, so I left buck kids intact until that 14 week mark when they were sent to market. This seemed to work fine, since Lamanchas are so seasonal at breeding. I may dispense with banding going forward, it's the most uncomfortable and risky thing I do to kids. I will update if this is permanent. Edit for 2026 - We have had 3 years of no elastrator and it's worked fine. I'd be the first to admit if we had any breedings. I always say to myself, well heck, if I wanted these darn things to breed in July they sure wouldn't. And so far with Lamanchas and Nubians, it's been fine. We tend to ship market kids out as soon as they start eating large amounts of grain, just from an economic perspective. The sweet spot seems to be around 12-14 weeks for best price.

• Kids are weaned when I feel like it, or if they feel like it. I have kids start turning down milk at that 14-16 week timeframe, or I can wean many at 8 weeks if convenient. They just grow really fast on milk and free choice creep. But if I've got the milk, may as well put it into growing babies, with an eye toward maintaining genetically the tolerance for early weaning. I just think that's good practice with a nod to commercial dairy suitability. We don't want to breed delicate flowers that need a lot of babying.

Health Protocols -

• In the beginning, we really thought that providing plenty of space and sunshine would keep health problems at bay. We started with CDT vaccination protocols as a baseline, and cultivated a close relationship with Anderson Vet in Zumbrota, MN. With their guidance and our experience in the last few years, these are the things we've added:

• CDT - mom's 1-month before kidding; Kids 8 weeks and 12 weeks booster.

• Grain - Free choice grower with decoquinate as a coccidiostat for the kids. We cannot use rumensin as we have horses on the property and I won't take the risk. 

• Inforce pneumonia vaccine to all kids before they hit the show ring. I mean, doesn't hurt anything. We think it's helped, though our instances of pneumonia are quickly cured with Nuflor.

• Each spring and fall, we have added mastitis cultures. I culture in Accumast plates and have sent follow ups to U of M mastitis lab through my vet. So far I've been 100% accurate on my readings, which is cool. It's my new hobby actually. This is mainly to track any instances of staph aureus or similar incurable mastitis strains. We have been clear of staph aureus, having had just one case 3 years ago which flared at freshening so was already isolated, and then ultimately euthanized (I tried and tried to dry her off, but she wasn't having it. Good little producer). She was near end of life, but still sad to have to do that to protect the herd. I don't want a repeat.

Sanitation

• Milking procedures include a pre- and post- dip Iodine, cup fully emptied between. I hand milked with gloves a LOT in 2026 as it's safest. But going in to 2027, that won't be sustainable. We therefore purchased a brand new Capralite machine, kept up in the garage, and meticulously cleaned and sanitized each day. We anticipate keeping a good number of our milkers to our larger, remote site and will purchase another machine for that barn, planning to keep in a sealed garden shed between uses. 

• We'll renew participation in milk testing to monitor SCCs monthly in 2027. We don't anticipate enrolling for stars with the association as I don't want to worry about a VT. But we'll test monthly just the same, so barn records will be up on CDCB for everyone.

Medicine Cabinet -

• Nuflor - the Inforce vaccine has prevented the pretty routine case of pneumonia from at least one kid from every show, but still will have the occasional kid get a fever and this knocks it right out. 

• Excede - my next level for respiratory, only have had to pull it out once or twice. But it's a good one to have just for the occasional need for another antibiotic.

• Draxxin - I have actually never had this, but just sticking this in here as I'm not opposed. Just this stuff is expensive and I've so far avoided needing to buy it.

• Banamine - any and all pain, fever control and even good for digestive upsets. Got the transdermal one and found out later, not great for goats. So back to injectable. Can't give for more than 3 days as ulcers may happen (see Meloxicam).

• Meloxicam - easy on the system pain reliever you can give for long stretches if needed. Little pills. Often start out with banamine for the heavy hit, then this if still needed. I just shove them in the back of their mouth and squirt water with a syringe to wash it down, or goats will eat the little pills right up with grain as they don't notice them.

• Dexamethasone - got a bottle of this steroid, handy for overall inflamatory responses. Don't be dumb and use it on PG does, I had to remind myself the other day. It's mainly supportive.

• PenG - old timey thing good to pull out for anything anerobic. Learned that from the vet on a cut down to the bone that kept getting infected as it healed.

• Antibiotic Ointment - just generic stuff, you just want to smear that on any little cut, etc.

• Desitin - diaper rash ointment, handy for anything weird looking that isn't a simple cut. Often overnight results.

• Tomorrow, Today, Spectramast mastitis infusions - just having them on hand is good. They are also used as topicals for injuries on my horse and under shoe pads, but now prescription only so that has been annoying.

Parasites -

• We are almost on a dry lot - though there is grass available, the does really don't touch it much with really good hay in front of them. Fecals have never yielded a treatable level, but in one case I did dose one with orally with injectable ivermectin as she was edging a little close. Our vet keeps an eye on FAMACHA for us and we'll run a fecal every once in awhile through them.

• Update for 2023 - ran one fecal (Luna), we continue to have no treatable levels. Goal is to learn to do these myself, I understand it's not difficult.

• Update for 2024 - still haven't learned to do fecals, on the list. Yearling milker Toast was our sample for this year, vet ran fecal, no treatable level. 

• Update for 2026 - we got a parasite infestation on elderly Nubian Lacey. She seems to succumb at times when her resistance is down, normally after kidding. Valbazen knocked them out. Everyone else was fine.

Freshening Yearlings -

• I'm going to add a section here in 2023, because I'm mulling this. I do have a bias to freshening yearlings, because I believe with the high growth rate I have and with reasonable management, it works fine. That, and kids often getting their dry legs (we are a show herd primarily), many times dries will just sit out the whole next season as no more wins are needed until fresh. 

• All that said, some of the bucks we've brought in recently seem to be throwing some kids that need that extra year. I'll continue to have a bias to yearling freshening because I think it's a worthy goal to breed toward, but will likely be keeping some dries out more than I have in the past, at least in the near term while we work through these lines. Two things I don't particularly like, "awkward phase" and "worth the wait." I'm not a patient person and I know I can make ones where you don't have to say things like that. But, for health reasons right now, I have a few who need that extra year.

Update for 2026 - so we swung all the way over to not freshening yearlings mainly because I wanted fewer does fresh and it was super easy just feeding them hay, keeping them dry for another show season. We are now swinging a bit back to freshening them for a few reasons:

• Risk of precocious udders - we've had 4 total. 2 were fine. 1 udder was ruined. The remaining 1 TBD, I milked, cultured (negative) and infused Tomorrow. But freshening them removes this risk.

• Need for additional freshenings - in at least 2 cases we've lollygagged in the 2 year old classes as the does don't have enough miles under their belts to be competitive until a second freshening. Not all of them, but often the ones that end up real good. So we have to wait until 3 yo year for rosettes, which is a haul.

• Fatty girls - I can manage most of them, but for instance Astra and a daughter of hers who is a carbon copy, would be terribly fat almost no matter what I do if they don't start to work as yearlings. You could argue, a good problem to have, though.

All that said, I just think we're moderating. I won't necessarily push a smaller doe - though did one this year and she grew wonderfully, so speculate the freshening triggers their growth? But she was very well fed through her pregnancy and lactation. However, we will still have some dry yearlings that fall into this category.

A Final Word -

• We will run a goat down to the vet in a heartbeat to get their input, as well as getting them on-site.  Dr. Amy and the rest of the doc's at Anderson Vet are one of the reasons we have experienced zero mortality in the 8 years we have had the Lamanchas. EDIT--2023 hit like a freight train and we lost two does. I guess we were due.