Add to Favorites Reading Time: 6 minutes Photo: Moroccan goats of Ghazalia and Barcha type around a Berber house in the Sahara desert. Adobe Stock photo. BREED: There are around six million goats in Morocco, about 95% of which are native landraces. Most are small black goats who thrive in mountains and are remarkably well adapted to arid conditions. These are collectively known as Black goats (and sometimes Moroccan Berber goats). Regional populations also have local names. Studies have defined at least three closely related types that they name Atlas, Barcha, and Ghazalia. A distinct native ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 8 minutes Goats build tight-knit social groups and have subtle ways of communicating with each other. Recent research has confirmed that goats attempt to communicate with people too.[1] It is helpful to understand goat body language and bleat meaning, so that we can address their needs, identify problems, and manage the herd efficiently. It is also important to understand how goats perceive our actions and how our behavior affects them. Most goat keepers want to know when their goat is happy or sick or in pain, so that they can take appropriate action. And there ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 2 minutes By Hannah McClure Y’all, chili is one of my favorite dishes to make and eat! Especially when it’s paired with fresh cut French fries! It takes the winter feels of a big pot of chili to a summer dish alongside a burger or as a meal on its own. While I have written this recipe to be used with fresh cut fries, you may substitute it with the fries of your choice. No matter what your preference on fries may be, I hope you enjoy this recipe!  You Will Need: For the Chili 1 tablespoon bacon grease  1 pound ground meat of your choice (Beef, goa ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 4 minutes You cruise into your local feed store to pick up vaccines for your annual herd vaccinations. There are three or four choices on the shelf labeled for sheep or goats. You remember your trusty herd veterinarian telling you something about Clostridium something or other, but how do you choose which clostridial vaccine is right for your herd?  There are a variety of clostridial vaccines approved for use in small ruminants. Generally, if a vaccine is approved for use in sheep, it’s safe for use in goats as well. Prior to use, you should always consult ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 5 minutes Whether one is looking for a better cheese, a creamier milk, great quantity, or some other nutritional factor, there is certain to be a dairy goat breed that can meet the need. Sherri Talbot  When talking about “milk” in the United States, most people automatically think of the product of cows, the juice from an almond, or perhaps soy milk. However, since all mammals produce milk, sheep, water buffalo, yak, camels, and horses have had their milk harvested in various cultures throughout history. Cow milk is actually the outlier for much of human hi ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 6 minutes Most cheesemaking recipes only call for three or four ingredients, yet hundreds of different kinds of cheese exist. We can make so many varieties from such a short list of ingredients because when we vary the amounts of the ingredients, along with the time, temperature, and techniques we use, the cheeses will take on entirely new characteristics; of all these factors, temperature is probably the most impactful.  How does temperature affect your cheesemaking efforts? There are many points in the process where it is vitally important, starting with ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 5 minutes Turning the home dairy into a lucrative small business that nourishes the community with healthy, delicious dairy products is a dream for many goatherds.  As goatherds, we all understand the beauty and value of goat milk firsthand. And while the dairy market for it is quite niche in the U.S., others undoubtedly share the same craving. If you’ve studied local-based dairy markets anywhere, you have likely noticed that opportunities for cow milk abound. But when it comes to goats, there are far fewer avenues.  It seems almost unfair. A full arra ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 5 minutes Story and Photos by Sarah Howell Butcher May 15–21, 2023, marks the ninth annual International Heritage Breeds Week. Created by The Livestock Conservancy in 2015, it’s celebrated every third week of May to promote global awareness of endangered heritage breeds. The week brings stewards and the community together to share stories of how these breeds have influenced their lives, environments, and local economies.  The need for livestock conservation is significant. Ten percent of livestock breeds have become extinct, with an additional 26% at r ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 5 minutes Whether one is looking for a better cheese, a creamier milk, great quantity, or some other nutritional factor, there is certain to be a dairy goat breed that can meet the need. Sherri Talbot  When talking about “milk” in the United States, most people automatically think of the product of cows, the juice from an almond, or perhaps soy milk. However, since all mammals produce milk, sheep, water buffalo, yak, camels, and horses have had their milk harvested in various cultures throughout history. Cow milk is actually the outlier for much of human hi ..read more

Add to Favorites Reading Time: 4 minutes Fascination with goats and their antics can come about through unanticipated circumstances and in surprising ways. Some people have learned to love and appreciate their goats after unexpectedly receiving them as gifts, after a trial as newbie homesteaders, or by searching for a second career or hobby. Reports of people becoming acquainted with goats and their unique behaviors abound, and the following tales track the lives of three goat owners, none of whom thought they would ever own, enjoy, or begin a new lifestyle with their ‘kids.’  Wedding G ..read more