Posted on November 30th, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson Caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) is a contagious – and potentially fatal – viral disease in goats. It can be transmitted in several ways and, without a specific treatment, it is best to follow a strict mitigation program to decrease the frequency of CAE-infected animals on your farm.
Posted on October 8th, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson Dry doe nutrition is an important part of a successful dairy goat operation. However, many producers don’t invest enough time and/or resources into this important stage of a dairy goat’s life to capitalize on the benefits it provides.
Posted on July 14th, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Jon Urness, Vita Plus national forage specialist, retired Nutritionists sometimes use RFV and RFQ to describe how a certain forage is feeding. However, these two values mean more when you compare the relative dollar value of different forages in the market.
Posted on June 1st, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson While any number of factors can cause diarrhea and scours, coccidia becomes the more likely cause when goat kids are between 3 weeks and 5 months of age. Since it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate coccidia form the environment, it is best to understand the impact is has on your herd and then develop a herd-specific treatment and prevention plan.
Posted on April 15th, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson Keeping comprehensive records is important for any business to grow and thrive, and dairy goat farms are no different. The Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA) is a great way to keep individual milk records on each of your does.
Posted on February 3rd, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson Previously, we discussed how important it is to have a maternity and fresh doe checklist. Now we will address the items you should have on a newborn kid checklist to ensure a safe start to life.
Posted on January 15th, 2020 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson Kidding season is right around the corner - are you ready? Having a maternity pen and doe checklist can help ensure a smooth delivery for the animals and make sure staff are prepared.
Posted on November 19th, 2019 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson, Vita Plus dairy goat specialist While most producers know it is important to give their does a dry period, many only give them 40 days. Is that long enough? Research shows it can take between 40 and 60 days to complete the necessary stages before a doe is ready to be an efficient producer again. In this post, we look at the stages of the dry period and explain why it needs to be longer.
Posted on October 30th, 2019 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson, Vita Plus dairy goat specialist The incorporation of the right buck could quickly improve your herd’s production and genetic potential. When you are considering a new buck, ask yourself these questions.
Posted on October 30th, 2019 in Dairy Goat Performance
By Sarah Adamson, Vita Plus dairy goat specialist With breeding season is right around the corner, buck health should be at the top of everyone's mind. When evaluating buck health, focus on these five areas.