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GoatDairyLibrary.org A database of materials for the commercial goat milk producer

Table of contents Bibliography Building/Planning A-L Building/Planning M Building/Planning N-Z Conformation Conversions Definitions Diseases A-B Diseases C-E Diseases F-K Diseases L-O Diseases P-Q Diseases R-Z Diseases Misc. Forms Grazing Medical A-D Medical E-M Medical N-R Medical S-Z Milk Production Nutrition Categories Nutrition General Nutrition Grouping Nutrition Links Nutrition Rations Plans Producers Tips Reference Reproduction Seminar Notes Settng Up Value Added	Using the Library In the past, it was difficult to find information about setting up and managing a goat dairy. I felt that what was needed was a place where we could store everything we currently knew about goats and goat milk production, so it was easy to access. The Goat Dairy Library is my attempt to do that. I have extracted materials from professional articles, journals and books, and from interviews with experienced goat milk producers. Here is what you need to know before you begin to use the library. 1) The information is listed first by general topic, and then summarized and placed in alphabetical order on each page as much as possible. 2) You will find a shortened citation immediately following the materials that will enable you to locate the resource in the Bibliography, so that you can verify the accuracy of the information and possibly do more research. 3) You will find some meat goat material on the site, as well as dairy goat information. This is because most of the currrent research on goats is being carried out at universities with meat goat programs. We are grateful that much of their material also applies to dairy goats. 4) There are many opinions presented on the site, and they don't always agree. Each farmer must make his/her own decision about what works best on their own farm. There is absolutely no warranty that the information on this site is correct, or that it will work for any given farm. Our main goal is to enable producers and their veterinarians to locate information, not to give advice. Please consult with your local veterinarian and extension agent to get the most up-to-date and accurate information available for your farm. If your agent or veterinarian does not have experience with goats, you may want to tell them about the following resources: They can consult with a goat expert at http://www.usextension.org/goatspecialists.pdf Your vet can join The American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP), where they can post questions and get responses from vets who are experts in goat care. You might consider paying his dues! They should read http://luresext.edu/goats/field/dawson10.pdf, which is an an excellent summary of goat husbandry by Dr. Lionel Dawson. There are tables in the article that list the most currrent information on goat drug dosages, milk and meat withhold times. 5) Although drug dosages are given in some of the articles, farmers should never give medication to their animals without consulting with their local veterinarian first. Why? The drug regulations change all the time, so something you read on this site may at a later time be unusable. Your veterinarian will be able to find the most up to date information available. There are many factors to consider when giving drugs, such as the age, size, condition, nutrition, pregnancy and stage of lactation of your animals, soil components and availability and quality of water in your area. Making decisins about how these factors affect your animal's health requires training and experience. There are laws that govern who can give medications and those must be strictly adhered to if you want to stay out of trouble with the law. Most animal medicine lacks dosage information, as well as milk and meat withholding periods specific to goats. In order to use these medications, you must have an ongoing professional relationship with your vet, and he must give you medications labeled with his written instructions on how to use the drugs. You can read more about AMDUCA in the medical section of the site. Goat Dairy Library's goals providing education and support to Wisconsin's commercial goat milk producers promoting agricultural practices that preserve the environment and maximize goat health providing a link between the goat research community and commercial goat milk producers Copyright information Readers may make a single digital or printed copy of materials on the site for their own personal use. Teachers, 4-H and FFA leaders may distribute these materials to their students without requesting permission, within the provisions of the education exceptions to the copyright laws. Each digital and printed copy should contain the following information: "These materials are the property of Goat Dairy Library, www.goatdairylibrary.org, accessed on (date)." For all other uses, please request permission by emailing webmaster@goatdairylibrary.org. Under no circumstances may anyone other than the owner of the Goat Dairy Library use these materials for financial gain. Thank you for using The Goat Dairy Library
Return to the top Return to the table of contents Copyright Goat Dairy Library 2003 to present http://www.goatdairylibrary.org webmaster@goatdairylibrary.org

Table of contents

Bibliography

Building/Planning A-L

Building/Planning M

Building/Planning N-Z

Conformation

Conversions

Definitions

Diseases A-B

Diseases C-E

Diseases F-K

Diseases L-O

Diseases P-Q

Diseases R-Z

Diseases Misc.

Forms

Grazing

Medical A-D

Medical E-M

Medical N-R

Medical S-Z

Milk Production

Nutrition Categories

Nutrition General

Nutrition Grouping

Nutrition Links

Nutrition Rations

Plans

Producers Tips

Reference

Reproduction

Seminar Notes

Settng Up

Value Added

Using the Library

In the past, it was difficult to find information about setting up and managing a goat dairy. I felt that what was needed was a place where we could store everything we currently knew about goats and goat milk production, so it was easy to access. The Goat Dairy Library is my attempt to do that. I have extracted materials from professional articles, journals and books, and from interviews with experienced goat milk producers.

Here is what you need to know before you begin to use the library.

1) The information is listed first by general topic, and then summarized and placed in alphabetical order on each page as much as possible.

2) You will find a shortened citation immediately following the materials that will enable you to locate the resource in the Bibliography, so that you can verify the accuracy of the information and possibly do more research.

3) You will find some meat goat material on the site, as well as dairy goat information. This is because most of the currrent research on goats is being carried out at universities with meat goat programs. We are grateful that much of their material also applies to dairy goats.

4) There are many opinions presented on the site, and they don't always agree. Each farmer must make his/her own decision about what works best on their own farm. There is absolutely no warranty that the information on this site is correct, or that it will work for any given farm. Our main goal is to enable producers and their veterinarians to locate information, not to give advice. Please consult with your local veterinarian and extension agent to get the most up-to-date and accurate information available for your farm. If your agent or veterinarian does not have experience with goats, you may want to tell them about the following resources:

They can consult with a goat expert at http://www.usextension.org/goatspecialists.pdf
Your vet can join The American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP), where they can post questions and get responses from vets who are experts in goat care. You might consider paying his dues!
They should read http://luresext.edu/goats/field/dawson10.pdf, which is an an excellent summary of goat husbandry by Dr. Lionel Dawson. There are tables in the article that list the most currrent information on goat drug dosages, milk and meat withhold times.

5) Although drug dosages are given in some of the articles, farmers should never give medication to their animals without consulting with their local veterinarian first. Why?

The drug regulations change all the time, so something you read on this site may at a later time be unusable. Your veterinarian will be able to find the most up to date information available.
There are many factors to consider when giving drugs, such as the age, size, condition, nutrition, pregnancy and stage of lactation of your animals, soil components and availability and quality of water in your area. Making decisins about how these factors affect your animal's health requires training and experience.
There are laws that govern who can give medications and those must be strictly adhered to if you want to stay out of trouble with the law. Most animal medicine lacks dosage information, as well as milk and meat withholding periods specific to goats. In order to use these medications, you must have an ongoing professional relationship with your vet, and he must give you medications labeled with his written instructions on how to use the drugs. You can read more about AMDUCA in the medical section of the site.

Goat Dairy Library's goals

providing education and support to Wisconsin's commercial goat milk producers
promoting agricultural practices that preserve the environment and maximize goat health
providing a link between the goat research community and commercial goat milk producers

Copyright information

Readers may make a single digital or printed copy of materials on the site for their own personal use. Teachers, 4-H and FFA leaders may distribute these materials to their students without requesting permission, within the provisions of the education exceptions to the copyright laws. Each digital and printed copy should contain the following information: "These materials are the property of Goat Dairy Library, www.goatdairylibrary.org, accessed on (date)." For all other uses, please request permission by emailing webmaster@goatdairylibrary.org. Under no circumstances may anyone other than the owner of the Goat Dairy Library use these materials for financial gain.

Thank you for using The Goat Dairy Library

Return to the top Return to the table of contents Copyright Goat Dairy Library 2003 to present http://www.goatdairylibrary.org webmaster@goatdairylibrary.org