My long term goal for my life has been to learn to be self sufficient and put what I have learned into practice. One of the steps is to provide food for my family. That lead me in 2004 to dairy goats. I drink their milk as well as make yogurt, ice cream and cheese made from it. I have also made some wonderful Chevon Summer Sausage from one of the bucklings that I raised for meat.

I purchased two bred Toggenburg goats from a breeder that was recommended by a friend who has had goats most of her life. That year only one doe was born. The bucklings were sold. That same year I purchased my first Alpine, from another well know breeder.

May 2005, I took the girls to my first goat show.

I am a long way from where I want to be with the goats, but a plan is starting to come together. I have long and short term goals in mind. One was to have one of my goats place in the Reserve Grand spot at a show.  In 2008 I met that goal with Ida at the LEGS show at Muskegeon County Fair Grounds.  Looking for more in the coming years!

Another goal is to start breeding AI so that I have access to more potentially improving bloodlines. I am planning that 2008 will be the year to begin that. 

I was able to do AI in 2008 and did end up with two doelings who are now doing well and will be shown in 2010 as dry yearlings.

I did try AI in 2009, but only managed to settle one doe that way.  All the rest will be live cover, from a buck I am leasing.

I had Linear Appraisal done for the first time in 2007. That has given me a starting point and plan to use LA more often in the following years. Hopfully, 2010 will be another year for LA. 

My kidding management is quite simple, I remove all the kids from the doe as soon as they are born and they are fed heat treated colostrum and pasteurized milk. I do this for two reasons first, hand raised kids are so much more human friendly and second, as a prevention against CAE. CAE is a disease that can be passed from doe to kid through the milk.  Feeding treated milk can break the possible cycle.

This year 2010, I should have, nine does kidding. Some will be for the first time and some are pros. If all goes well there should be around 18 kids born sometime late in March through May. 

Come along with me on this journey of learning. Check out my site and see how I am doing.