Leslie's Favorite Goat Things
Here's where you can find all my favorite things for raising goats for meat. I love sharing the tools and resources that have helped me grow my herd and farm to, in turn, help others with raising goats as well.
You can find my Favorite BUSINESS + MARKETING Resources here.
You can find my Favorite BUSINESS + MARKETING Resources here.
Goat Health Care, Management, and Feeding Resources
Animal Health Guide for Goats: Holistic Goat Care
Holistic Goat Care is a my go-to for animal health care, along with my veterinarian. This is a comprehensive reference book grounded in both traditional goat health care research and holistic approaches.
Holistic Goat Care is a my go-to for animal health care, along with my veterinarian. This is a comprehensive reference book grounded in both traditional goat health care research and holistic approaches.
Herd Health Tools: Easy Keeper, iPad Mini with Life Proof case & stand/holder
I use Easy Keeper, a web-based animal health record system for goats, to manage my herd.
Try out Easy Keeper: sign up here and get a $30 credit towards your account.
I use Easy Keeper on an iPad Mini, using
-- This tablet holder/stand, I like the clamp. I can mount it on a gate, the Gator, or most other places
-- This Life Proof case
I use Easy Keeper, a web-based animal health record system for goats, to manage my herd.
Try out Easy Keeper: sign up here and get a $30 credit towards your account.
I use Easy Keeper on an iPad Mini, using
-- This tablet holder/stand, I like the clamp. I can mount it on a gate, the Gator, or most other places
-- This Life Proof case
American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control
Wormx.info is a great resource for parasite management research and best practices by University researchers.
Wormx.info is a great resource for parasite management research and best practices by University researchers.
Animal Handeling: Shepherd's Crook
I like using this Kiwi Crook with both a neck and leg crook. We have two of them: a "his" and "hers" It helps make rounding up a goat a little easier, quicker and less stressful for both you and your herd.
I like using this Kiwi Crook with both a neck and leg crook. We have two of them: a "his" and "hers" It helps make rounding up a goat a little easier, quicker and less stressful for both you and your herd.
Goat Mineral Feeder
I use the Behlen Country Three-Block Mineral Feeder mounted on 2x4 skids, the mineral feeder can then be attached to our pasture shelters (see pictures). The rubber flap keeps moisture out and it's low enough the goats can get into it. Our dogs have yet to chew it up.
I use the Behlen Country Three-Block Mineral Feeder mounted on 2x4 skids, the mineral feeder can then be attached to our pasture shelters (see pictures). The rubber flap keeps moisture out and it's low enough the goats can get into it. Our dogs have yet to chew it up.
Collapsible Round Bale Feeder
We use Ketcham's Collapsible Round Bale Feeder for feeding round bales. We have four of them. I wish we had at least two more. I love that they are easy to move by myself without equipment (of course equipment helps), and the best part is that the goats hardly waste any hay.
We use Ketcham's Collapsible Round Bale Feeder for feeding round bales. We have four of them. I wish we had at least two more. I love that they are easy to move by myself without equipment (of course equipment helps), and the best part is that the goats hardly waste any hay.
Animal Health & Kidding Supplies
I order most of my animal health supplies through Jeffers, Leedstone and Valley Vet. I'll usally watch for 10% or 15% off coupons to place my order with Jeffers. 15% is typically the best discount offered.
Locally, I'll pick up some items from Countryside Cooperative's Country Store in Amery, Wisconsin, or go to Fleet Farm.
I order most of my animal health supplies through Jeffers, Leedstone and Valley Vet. I'll usally watch for 10% or 15% off coupons to place my order with Jeffers. 15% is typically the best discount offered.
Locally, I'll pick up some items from Countryside Cooperative's Country Store in Amery, Wisconsin, or go to Fleet Farm.
Podcasts: Goat Talk with the Goat Doc, Working Cows
Education: Indianhead Sheep and Goat Breeders Association: Annual Small Ruminant Clininc
Education: Indianhead Sheep and Goat Breeders Association: Annual Small Ruminant Clininc
Goat Electric Fencing & Grazing Resources
Fencer / Energizer
I use the Gallagher M1500 Charger for our three pastures, along with four-strand portable paddock fencing.
I use the Gallagher M1500 Charger for our three pastures, along with four-strand portable paddock fencing.
Electric Fence Checker / Fault Finder
I use this Gallagher SmartFix fault finder to troubleshoot electric fence issues.
I use this Gallagher SmartFix fault finder to troubleshoot electric fence issues.
Portable Paddock Fencing - Four-Strand System
We have nine reels of the Gallagher Smart Fence to divide our pastures into smaller paddocks for rotationally grazing our goats. Each group of animals will use three reels to set up the current paddock and then set up/transition to the next paddock.
We had been using electronet style fencing, but this is way easier to use.
We have nine reels of the Gallagher Smart Fence to divide our pastures into smaller paddocks for rotationally grazing our goats. Each group of animals will use three reels to set up the current paddock and then set up/transition to the next paddock.
We had been using electronet style fencing, but this is way easier to use.
USDA NRCS - Technical Grazing Support and Cost Share Opportunities
UW Extension Pastures for Profit: The PDF is free. This a great guide to understanding the basics, science and math to rotational grazing. I often recommend this to folks as a resource to get started rotational grazing.
GrassWorks - State Grazing Organization, with a great annual conference.
Regional Pasture Walks and Grazing Conferences - Farmers work together to share grazing practices in formal programs and field day approaches. These are often a great way to see how to put grazing into practice and get new ideas to build on what you're doing already.
On Pasture: One of my favorite online grazing resources.
Stockman Grass Farmer: One of my favorite farming publications, focus on grazing livestock.
UW Extension Pastures for Profit: The PDF is free. This a great guide to understanding the basics, science and math to rotational grazing. I often recommend this to folks as a resource to get started rotational grazing.
GrassWorks - State Grazing Organization, with a great annual conference.
Regional Pasture Walks and Grazing Conferences - Farmers work together to share grazing practices in formal programs and field day approaches. These are often a great way to see how to put grazing into practice and get new ideas to build on what you're doing already.
On Pasture: One of my favorite online grazing resources.
Stockman Grass Farmer: One of my favorite farming publications, focus on grazing livestock.
Goat Meat - Butchering & Cooking Resources
Butchering Guide
Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering by Adam Danforth is a great reference guide for cuts of goat meat. I use it for special cut requests for our customers and then workting with our processor.
Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering by Adam Danforth is a great reference guide for cuts of goat meat. I use it for special cut requests for our customers and then workting with our processor.
Goat Recipes
Goat: Cooking and Eating is my go-to book for recipes for cooking goat meat. It has over 80 recipes from a diverse range of cuisines. It's written by James Whetlor, a James Beard Award Winner.
If you're raising goats for meat, you should be familar with the meat and ways to cook it. This is a great guide to do so.
Goat: Cooking and Eating is my go-to book for recipes for cooking goat meat. It has over 80 recipes from a diverse range of cuisines. It's written by James Whetlor, a James Beard Award Winner.
If you're raising goats for meat, you should be familar with the meat and ways to cook it. This is a great guide to do so.
Livestock Guardian Dog Resources
Livestock Guardian Dog Book
This book is a good guide on raising livestock guardian dogs as we use three of these dogs to help protect our herd of goats from predators.
This book is a good guide on raising livestock guardian dogs as we use three of these dogs to help protect our herd of goats from predators.
Livestock Guardian Dog Food
We buy Diamond Maintenace dog food by the pallet to get the best price per bag. We get it from our farm supply co-op, Countryside Cooperative. With three dogs we go through about one 40 lb. bag every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. We started with Diamond's large breed dog food, but switched to this line since it's comparable in fat and protein.
We buy Diamond Maintenace dog food by the pallet to get the best price per bag. We get it from our farm supply co-op, Countryside Cooperative. With three dogs we go through about one 40 lb. bag every 1 1/2 to 2 weeks. We started with Diamond's large breed dog food, but switched to this line since it's comparable in fat and protein.
Even More Tidbits
Farm Blog: Raising Goats for Meat
Visit our farm blog to learn about what's happening on our farm as we raise goats for meat.
Visit our farm blog to learn about what's happening on our farm as we raise goats for meat.
Farm Blog: Raising Goats for Meat
Visit our farm blog to learn about what's happening on our farm as we raise goats for meat.
Visit our farm blog to learn about what's happening on our farm as we raise goats for meat.
Raising Goats for Meat Community - Email List
Sign up for our email list to get monthly updates on what's happening on our farm, when we host farm tours or pasture walks, and share other tips and resources for raising goats for meat.
Sign up for our email list to get monthly updates on what's happening on our farm, when we host farm tours or pasture walks, and share other tips and resources for raising goats for meat.
Note some of these are “affiliate links” that we recieve a small commission for referring - thanks for supporting by buying through these links! But, I use everything on the farm.