Goat Raising Practices
We raise American Range Goats that have been developed from several breeds, which were in turn were developed over hundreds of years to thrive in arid, brushy areas with cold winters such as ours.
We select for the healthiest goats and only use healthy, disease free, friendly goats with good confirmation in our breeding program.
Instead of breeding Does twice a year as many do (and is more profitable), we choose to breed only once a year so that our Does can fully recover between pregnancies, raise two healthy Kids per year, and live a longer, healthier life.
The American Range Goats we raise are large, hardy breed with mature weights of up to 300 pounds.
Our goats come from genetic stocks that were developed to grow, mature and fatten on native shrubs, trees and weeds – not grains, alfalfas or single plant species that take a large carbon footprint including artificial irrigation and fertilization to grow.
Our goats roam every day in large, beautiful fields with abundant natural water, and they have sets of twins every year (in the barn where they have heated floors and very clean, safe conditions). All our goat herders and caregivers (our head herder is “imported” from Peru where he grew up herding goats) are trained in gentle handling techniques and our pens and fences are designed to help us care for the goats without them being injured or scared. In fact, starting as young kids, our goats are trained to come to a whistle and most of the time one herder with a whistle and a trained (L.A.D.) livestock assistance dog (trained not to bite) – can move goats from one field to the next by themselves in just a few minutes.
During the winter, our goats eat a slightly different diet than in the spring, summer and fall –we have preserved (dried and baled) the various grasses as hay and stored all of it in barns so it stays as wholesome as the day it was cut, and they get all they want every day. In addition, we also provide cuttings of shrubs and trees for them to munch on every day – and rocks to climb on for fun!
The goats are provided naturally warmed water (60 degrees) instead of creek water at 32+ degrees to encourage them to eat and drink all they can. When they do, their rumen microbes produce their own onboard furnace that warms them in the winter!
So that they can raise healthy babies, our goats are kept in barns in the winter. Crowding in barns is unnatural and can cause all sorts of foot diseases (from the concentrated manure) and lung diseases like pneumonia from being too close together, but our barns are all designed to avoid these issues. The barns keep them dry and out of the wind, but are very light and have great air circulation and drainage, providing our goats all the protection they need in the winter.
When on pasture, our goats are protected from predators by PALs (Protect All Livestock) dogs. These specially bred and trained dogs (most Great Pyrenees) live with the goats, and while friendly to people, livestock and other dogs, their very presence causes most predators to leave the area. Rarely, when a predator does attach the livestock, the PALs defend the goats and other livestock.
Corrals and livestock handling facilities are all designed to be used with gentle and safe (for both livestock and humans) handling techniques. Prods are never used with goats on Silvies Valley Ranch. Our primary working facilities are made of metal so that the goats can see out and won’t be scared by the activities outside the corral (very different from cattle). We have invested in scales and state of the art chutes so that there is less chance of injury and that the goats are handled efficiently and safely.
Our paddocks where the goats are kept in the winter have large rocks piled in them for the goats to climb and play on – keeping them mentally as well as physically healthy!