Kidding season is one of my busiest times for emergency consults—probably a close second to the height of parasite season! For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Hannah, Founder of The Giving Goat, LLC. I’m a Professional Goat Care Consultant/Natural Goat Care Mentor, farmer, and friend. You probably see my blog posts, quick tips, and Q&As throughout social media. What you don’t see as frequently is the behind-the-scenes emergency and continuous support I provide to owners struggling with many different goat care woes. From the start of kidding season through weaning, I work every day, al ..read more

Given the FDA’s new order requiring vet prescriptions for over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotics as of June 11th, I have been putting together posts that will assist in educating on natural measures for both illness prevention and treatment. Today, I want to talk a little bit about mastitis and provide helpful tips and tricks to keep mastitis at bay in your does, with and without the use of conventional antibiotics. As a note, I do recommend having a relationship and a VCPR with a trusted veterinarian, or at the very least, an understanding with a local veterinarian who can provide emergency suppo ..read more

Many people are jumping on the trend of buffet-style mineral options for their herds—it’s slowly becoming more popular, especially within the natural community. As a natural goat care mentor and goat owner, I educate people on all aspects of goat health, and have a special focus on nutrition because as we all know, good nutrition is the baseline of good health! Mineral buffets are an important husbandry technique to discuss, and I urge people to fully think about the information in this blog post. The most important value that I strive to lead with in all of my consulting is that everyone’s si ..read more

Polio (Polioencephalomalacia) and Listeriosis (also referred to as “Listeria”) are two, unfortunately, highly common neurological illnesses in goats. Often when we hear about one, we hear about the other, because they appear very similarly. So much so that many people just refer to the issue as “polio/listeriosis.” When they treat for one, they also treat for the other. But there is actually a big distinction between these two illnesses, and I want to discuss that before getting into the treatment(s). While these issues can be treated simultaneously to confirm you cover all your bases, it is i ..read more

How much does your soil mineral content/forage mineral content actually impact your goats? I have heard from many industry professionals, vets, blogs, and goat owners to check and be aware of your soil mineral levels to determine how you need to supplement your goats. I cannot tell you how many people have come to me to determine what the selenium level of their soil is in their town/county to determine if they should supplement with selenium. It is perfectly fine to want to know this info, but please do not get caught up in it. Here is a walkthrough of why this matters less than you may think ..read more

It is so important for any creature who is a soon-to-be-momma to have proper nutrition. Why? Because it’s not just for their bodies, it’s for the bodies of their offspring as well. I cannot begin to explain how many occurrences visible at birth in goat kids can be attributed to poor nutrition of their dam during pregnancy. But feeding pregnant goats can be confusing, scary, and complicated for new goat owners (or those new to kidding)! While nutrition in general is a complicated topic, nutritional requirements of pregnant goats aren’t too daunting, or too different, from the general diet requi ..read more

Goat Medicine: why does it differ so much from the veterinary medicine of other ‘similar’ creatures? I mentioned this briefly in one of my Instagram posts, which sparked many people to request a longer explanation. I could write for days, but instead I want to focus on a few key reasons as to why goats require different healthcare than other animals. Every animal species is an individual—but plenty of general knowledge can relate to many of them, such as wound care. But where are goats’s medical needs different from other creatures?  I’ve chosen three very important examples which can pro ..read more

Goats are fed a diet of mostly hay these days—as they are domesticated and most owners don’t have miles of land for them to forage on. This is totally fine; however, your goats will always be healthier if you can switch up their diet in small, meaningful ways by adding in a variety of forage/browse products for them. Anything from fruits/veggies, to herbs, to trees can be a great treat for your goats. So that’s what we’re going to cover today – what foods, plants, and trees you can grow, source, and feed to your goaties! And just for giggles, I’ve added some of the benefits of these plants as ..read more

What is Coccidiosis? Coccidiosis is a parasitic infestation in goats caused by the parasite Coccidia. Coccidia is not a worm, it is a protozoa. This means that regular dewormers (chemical ones, in particular) do not affect it. Luckily, natural dewormers work very effectively for Coccidia. Coccidia (aka Cocci [pronounced Kok-see]) has been known to cause issues in young kids, stressed animals, and immune-compromised animals. Most goats will live with a small level of Cocci in their systems, but their immune systems are able to keep these levels within safe ranges, and the goats never show signs ..read more

Goat kids: bouncy, lovable, adorable…and difficult! Today I want to talk about goat kid care—everything from what to do right after birth, to bottle feeding, to weaning! Prepping for birth: While this is not a post dedicated to pregnancy, kidding prep, etc., it is important to have a complete first aid kit by your side ready for the newborn kids: NOTE: This post contains affiliate links from which I will earn a small commission. Any and all support is greatly appreciated! Puppy pads Thermometer Nasal Bulb Towels Blow dryer Dental floss Small Syringes Iodine Scissors Cayenne (tincture preferred ..read more