Raising goats has become quite the trend. Just because everyone is doing it doesn’t mean everyone has to use the same management style. Three primary reproductive options are commonly used for breeding goats: natural breeding, artificial insemination and embryo transfer. Every operation has its own set of goals and management practices that best suit its […]
Category: Management Practices
Reproduction Options for Your Ewes
When managing your ewe flock, understanding the breeding options available can help optimize genetic gain, improve flock productivity, and adapt to market needs. Three primary methods of breeding your ewes include natural service, artificial insemination (A.I.) and embryo transfer (E.T.). At DuraFerm®, we create nutritional supplements for sheep and goats that support optimal digestion and […]
When is Lambing Season?
Have you ever experienced the sound of a newborn lamb crying for its mom? Have you seen those long, spindly legs attempting to take their first steps, standing to suckle their mother’s milk? The smell of wool, straw and newborn lambs is a scent that will stick in your mind for a lifetime if you […]
How to Prepare for First Time Goat Kidding
There’s nothing cuter than a baby goat jumping around, leaping onto its mama. That is unless it’s an entire pen of goat kids jumping and playing together. Before you get those baby goats to the point of playing you first have to get them born safely and healthfully and started in the right direction. At […]
What is Lambing? How to Prepare for the Next Generation
What is Lambing? In any aspect of livestock production, there is a waiting game. Sheep production is no different. Producers spend time and energy making mating decisions, breeding their ewes or transferring embryos into recips and waiting. And waiting. And waiting. What are they waiting for? Lambing season, of course, is when they can see […]
Goat Grooming: Getting your Kids Ready to Show Starts at Home
Everyone wants to look their absolute best when they go to town. Whether it’s putting on your Sunday best or getting gussied up for a night on the town, appearances should and do matter. It’s no different in the show ring. And though goats are judged on muscle expression, structural correction, balance, and eye appeal, […]
What do Sheep Eat?
Sheep are clever eaters. We like to call them nature’s first “foodies.” But what do sheep eat? We’re here to explore not only what sheep eat but also what they need to thrive while producing meat, wool, and milk. How Sheep Eat First of all, sheep are ruminants, meaning they have a complex stomach with […]
What Do Goats Eat?
Goats come in all shapes and sizes. But how do they get to be all those different sizes? Goats require nutrients to grow, and as a goat owner, you want to give them the best nutrition possible. But what do goats eat? It’s been said that goats will eat everything and anything you put in […]
Sheep AI Offers Options
Sheep AI One little lamb, two little lambs, three little lambs…all with the same outstanding sire. Counting sheep can be a lot more fun when using the advanced reproductive technologies available to you. Artificial insemination (AI) is becoming more prevalent within the industry as a way to propagate genetics from proven sires from across the […]
A Guide to Goat AI
Goat AI Artificial insemination (AI) is a technology that allows producers to propagate outstanding genetics at a faster rate. The does within the herd can be bred “artificially” with semen from an outstanding sire halfway across the country instead of using the genetics within one’s own herd. With goats’ popularity growing and the demand for […]
