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Safeguard Dewormer

7/27/2014

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I had a bad experience with Safeguard dewormer when I first began raising goats.  At the time, it was the only dewormer labeled for goats so, being ignorant, I thought it was the only dewormer that could be used for goats.  I used it as directed on the label.  It failed miserably - I ended up with a dead goat and a large bill with the UT Vet hospital.  After that, I swore I would never use it again.

Last year was the first year my entire herd has ever really struggled with high worm loads.  I had a few individual goats with issues, but never the entire herd as a whole.  The weather last year however created the perfect conditions for parasites to flourish.  My vet told me that safeguard could indeed be used, but it had to be given at a much higher dose than how it is labeled, and had to be given for 3-4 consecutive days.  I tested that theory last year with two goats, and before/after fecal exams showed that it did work quite well.

Recently, one of my does became ill and needed deworming.  Since safeguard is the mildest chemical dewormer available, I decided to try that first in hopes that it would do the job without causing more stress to her already stressed body.  This time, the fecal exam gave me vastly different results.  After a 4 day regimen, the slide was still so full of worm eggs that someone who didn't know better would look at it and think the doe had never been dewormed.  Despite my best efforts, I lost the doe.  I'm kicking myself for it too because I am convinced that if I had chosen a different dewormer to start with, she would have improved.  

If Safeguard works for your herd, I am happy for you.  I however can no longer recommend it because its effectiveness is too unpredictable.  It might work, or you might be wasting your money and risking your goats lives.  I personally will never purchase it again.


Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 
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Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair

4/24/2014

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On Saturday, May 10th, I will be at the Anderson County Emergency Preparedness Fair in Clinton, TN.  This is the 3rd year this event has taken place, however it is the first year that I have participated.  I must confess that I was not aware of this fair before this year, but it sounds quite interesting, and very much like an event everyone will enjoy!  This is a free event, open to the public, and all of the classes offered that day are free as well.  There will be classes such as food preservation and canning, bread baking, and CPR certification.  
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I will be offering the following mini-classes as well.  These are short sessions and will not cover the in-depth information that is covered in my full classes, but will provide you with useful information on the specific topic covered, and will hopefully whet your appetite for considering participation in one of my full-length workshops.
  • 9:15am Laundry Soap (how to make it and use it) - A limited number of free samples will be available.
  • 10:30am Meat Rabbits (why you should consider raising meat rabbits, and different housing methods used)
  • 11:45am Goat Care (preventative care, with a focus on deworming practices used here on our farm)
  • 1:00pm Backyard Flock (why you should consider keeping chickens, and various feeding methods)
Start times on the above classes are approximate, so consider arriving a few minutes early.  Each class will last approximately 15-30 minutes each.

I will be sharing a table with Damnearafarm and our table will be inside, so we will be there rain or shine.  I will also have goat milk soap and some other handmade items available for sale that day, along with more information about the full-length workshops I offer.  Even if you don't have time for one of the mini-classes that day, please stop by and introduce yourself.  I would love to meet you!

Click here to download a printable flyer with more information about the event.
Please feel free to ask if you have any questions about the specific classes we will be presenting that day.  For general questions about the event itself, you will need to contact the fair organizers - contact information is provided on their website.
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Feeding sprouts

2/6/2014

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Have you ever tried growing sprouts, either for human consumption or for animal feed?

Most any whole seed can be sprouted.  This includes grains, beans, legumes, and other seeds (such as sunflowers).  There are several benefits to sprouting grains.  By sprouting the seeds, they become more nutritiously available - this means that when consumed, the body is able to absorb and use more of the nutrition from the same amount of seeds, than if those same seeds were consumed in their unsprouted form.  Sprouting seeds also increases the content of some nutrients - the specific nutrients and level of increase will depend on the specific seeds being used. Additionally, feeding sprouts to livestock, such as chickens, increases the diversity of their feed.  The chickens are able to consume both the seed/grain and the green sprouts they produce.

Sprouted fodder can be fed to most types of livestock.  If you would normally feed the grain to a particular animal, then you can feed the same grain as sprouts to that same animal.  As an example, whole oats can be fed to chickens, goats, and rabbits.  Sprouted oats can also be fed to chickens, goats, and rabbits.  The ability to feed the same feed to multiple species can be very convenient, and can also save on feed costs!


Growing sprouts can be as simple or as sophisticated as you want to make it.  There are sprouting kits of all sizes available from many different resources.  You can also make your own "kit" with basic items such as a canning jar for the initial grain soaking, and a shallow plastic tray or bowl for growing the sprouts.

I intend to experiment with feeding sprouted grains and seeds this year.  Since this is not something I have tried yet, I will leave the more specific "how to" information for a later post that I will share with you once I have actually done it a time or two.  It will be a learning experience, but hopefully a good one!  If any of you have experience in feeding this way, I would love to hear from you!


Here are some great websites with more information on the benefits of sprouting seeds/grain, both for human and animal consumption.
Animal Fodder:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/sprouted-fodder.aspx
http://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/growing-sprouted-fodder/72618
A video from Joel Salatin on sprouting grains for chickens
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhzph-4tyUI

Human Consumption:
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/01/why-sprout.html
http://nourishedkitchen.com/sprouted-grain/
http://sproutpeople.org/sprouts/nutrition/science/

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Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 
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Winter preparation for goats

11/19/2013

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Here in East Tennessee, we are well into Fall and have even experienced some wintery weather already this year (it’s too early for that, but the weather man didn’t consult me first)!  Today’s Q&A will discuss how a goat owner can prepare for such weather.

Q: How can I be sure my goats can tolerate cold weather?

A: If you haven’t already, now is a good time to provide your goats with some preventative care.  Put hands on each goat to check body condition.  Check FAMACHA scores on each goat, and run fecals if indicated, to determine whether any of them require deworming.  Consult your vet for information on which dewormers are safe for pregnant goats.  Check each goat’s mouth for good tooth alignment and overall oral health.  Goats in poor health will have trouble enduring winter, and these types of preventative checks will help you catch and treat health issues early.  Depending on your breeding schedule, this may also be a good time to replenish and prepare your kidding supplies.

Walk through your barn and look for cracks or holes in walls, doors, or windows that should be repaired.  Also check the roof for leaks and stability (a snow storm is NOT a good time to find out your rafters needed reinforcing).  Rodents are always a problem anywhere that feed is stored, but they are also looking for warm places to spend the winter.  Repair holes or cracks that may provide them with access to your feed room.  Entice your barn cats to spend more time inside the barn by offering food in the area where you would like for them to frequent.

Locate and install your water deicers.  The night-time temps have already dipped quite low a few times, and each new cold front brings them ever lower.  Having those deicers in place now will save you from an unexpected frosty morning of breaking ice in troughs and buckets.  If you use heated water buckets, go ahead and plug them in to ensure they are working properly.  Use good judgement and follow all manufacturers recommendations regarding placement of such buckets and cords.

Depending on your pastures, you may or may not have needed to provide supplemental hay already, but the time is coming soon when that will be necessary.  On especially cold nights, considering offering supplemental hay in addition to what you are already feeding.  A working rumen generates heat and helps goats stay warm and regulate their body temperatures in cold weather.

The best way to ensure your goats can tolerate winter is to provide preventative care.  Healthy goats that have draft-free shelter and adequate, quality food, tolerate East TN winters quite well.


What special steps do you take to prepare your goats for winter weather?

This post is part of a Q & A series on livestock care tips.  Click here for more posts in this series.

*This post may contain affiliate links where appropriate.

Disclaimer:
None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 
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New residents at the farm

9/17/2013

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Wildflower Valley Farm welcomed some new residents recently.
Fiona and Darcy are the founding matriarchs for my future satin herd.  
Fiona is the charlie doe on the left, and Darcy is the broken doe on the right. They are still a little too young to breed, so there won't be any baby pictures any time soon, but I have high hopes for these fine gals.
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Our newest caprine resident is the awesome girl you see here.  We're still tossing name ideas around but we do have a few ideas.  She is a nubian - lamancha cross, from good milking bloodlines and show quality parentage.  She is still a little standoffish, as she learns about her new surroundings and finds her place in the herd, but she is friendly and curious, which I see as good signs that she will come around soon.  

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    Hi, my name is Nicole and my friends think I'm crazy.  I love farming, and my methods can be non-traditional at times, but I love simple living, I love playing in the dirt, and I love life.

    Disclaimer:
    None of the information contained on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, or otherwise substitute for the care and advice from a qualified human or animal medical professional.  Please consult the trusted medical professional of your choice before using any of the information contained on this site. 

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