Watch this before getting Dairy Goats: A Beginner's Guide to Maximizing Your Herd's Potential

We cover the lessons learnt since getting our fantastic Saanen dairy goats. They give us abundant milk and have become part of the family. If you would like to have dairy goats of your own, this episode is for you! A list of all topics covered is contained in the chapter breakdown below.
#dairygoats #homestead #foodsecurity
Chapters
00:00 Our Saanen Dairy Goats and brief introduction
01:05 Breeding you goats
01:57 Kid birthing and our experiences.
03:37 Our favourite resources on kidding and goat health/nutrition
04:56 Leaving the does with their kids
05:48 Morning milking routine
06:14 Their morning feed including the minerals we add and why we add them
07:39 How to see copper deficiency in a black goat
08:24 Morning milking routine continued
08:48 Our milking stand
10:19 Hygiene procedure before milking
11:35 Goat milking techniques. Tips and tricks from us both.
14:21 After milking hygiene procedure
15:41 Dealing with the milk
17:42 Hoof maintenance
20:05 Goat grooming
20:26 Mental health needs
20:48 Our goat shelters
21:46 Our goat feeders for hay and browse
22:50 Keeping your goats entertained
23:42 Pros and Cons of keeping dairy goats
23:48 Goats are hard to fence! Their enclosure and electric fence set up.
27:16 Proximity. They want to be close to you all the time.
28:17 They will eat anything.
29:04 Good for blackberry management and other feral species
30:02 What to do with baby bucks (bucklings) and our experiences with elastration.
33:42 Fantastic manure for the garden and our experiences with deep bedding.
35:24 The kids are incredibly CUTE. They bond with you strongly.
36:43 Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis. A brief overview.
38:27 Hardy and easy to maintain.
39:19 They are a big responsibility and you need to spend time with them to form a strong bond for easy management.
40:29 Thank you and wrap up (with a very cute sleepy Hugo our baby wether)
RESOURCES
Fias Co Farm website by Molly Nolte
fiascofarm.com/
Natural Goat Care by Pat Coleby
www.agriculturalsolutions.com...
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FREE PROVISIONING GUIDE
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Music Credits
Our theme tune (outro and/or intro song) Aquarium by TEVO. You can listen to his music here: soundcloud.app.goo.gl/4MAfa
All music sourced from Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com)
On the request of one of our patrons we put together a playlist of some of our music on Spotify. Follow along and listen here: open.spotify.com/playlist/4Qe...

[@chrispnwhite]

The world needs more folks like you two. Good job, Troy & Pascal - please keep sharing . . .

[@campbellmj9405]

Well, there should be at least one more arriving down the road...

[@J0EYbagaDONUTS]

I know Pascal loved the boating life but she's adopted to the farm life quite nicely. Her bonding with the goats is so heartwarming , it's easy to see what a great mom she will be when the time comes .

[@Cookie-cy5my]

Greetings from Florida, USA! Thank you for your excellent videos. I marvel at how you two went from sea lovers to land lovers and appreciate all your hard work while making it look so easy. Continued success in all you both do!!

[@kbhorseman]

My mare passed away leaving us with a 1 month old foal. We jumped in head first into dairy goats since he refused milk replacer. He surpassed the older foals his age in size drinking 3-4 gallons a day. We are expecting our first kids next month. I have loved the fresh milk and never imagined I would be milking goats daily. 😊

[@Mass-jab-death-2025]

You guys settled in from a completely different environment at sea to what now seems like you are old hands at farming with so much knowledge to share. Seems like you guys would excel at anything you put your minds to. I look forward to each and every post.

[@MrAmigolim]

Im so glad this video came to my feed as a surprise because I am thinking about getting a couple of goats some time soon. Awesome information!! Thanks

[@user-hw5fz1rn1g]

Hey Troy Happy 50th b/d! Congrats on being a Senior stay at home Dad, great achievement!!

[@mariasalvana1026]

I love your video is very educational and informative. great job.

[@user-ge2of6kd3m]

Goat are something else. I had a herd of 17 does to milk at my peak. Used a milk machine and fed calves... I wasn't so crazy about the milk, but loved the meat... The calves did so good on that milk... Really enjoyed the podcast...

[@nevinkuser9892]

I want the meat.

[@florsmith4554]

I'm a new subscriber to your channel. I am a Filipina who is retiring to my country in June. We plan to raise goats once we get there and I want to thank you for sharing your experience/tips in raising goats.

[@danielorr2972]

Enjoyed the video. We had Nubian goats for about 5 years. They were registered and showed them in fairs. The kids never nursed the mothers, so they bonded with us readily because we bottle fed them. The highlught was when our goats won champions and grand champion ribbons Pleasant memories: How good is ice cream made with goats milk? The best😊 ever!

[@mmoore102]

I know nothing about goats, until now. Great video…

[@kranzonguam]

Great information! Thank you both!

[@bertieb9510]

I love yiur aittude to all your animals. They are defiitely working animals and not pets. But you go out of your way to give them an enriched living environment and at the same time you obviously get great pleasure from intreracting with them. Just how it should be.

[@alanrobinson5109]

Hi Troy & Pascale, interesting and quite technical, you guys are so inspiring. All the best to you from the UK.

[@russellneville7145]

Very interesting, I now know what possibly happened to my old goat. Keep up the good work guys, I'm still enjoying your Chanel, even if you're not on a boat, haha. SV Kiwi Lady Opua Bay of islands New Zealand 👍🏿

[@barbsoddznendz1896]

Thank you for all the information!!

[@bernardkings9168]

Love watching your videos and all the trials and information you share. Thanks for sharing. I'm from Cape Town South Africa and want to start farming some time.

[@bishopkinlyside8477]

Hi Troy, and Pascal , thank you for the very informative video , I’ve never had anything to do with goats, but I’ve always liked them and always fascinated me. Thank you once again , can’t wait until your little baby to arrived. Cliff from Logan City Queensland Australia 🇦🇺 from the big island 🏝️

[@bombadil776]

I love these videos. Thank-you for your art.

[@trainwrecker101]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@hawkeye-nh7pl]

Outstanding as usual

[@thomasspainhour1112]

Thank you for sharing this, NC USA 🇺🇸

[@uncleericrocks]

Well done 👏

[@scotty6435]

What an amazing video, I love your goats and philosophy that drives what you do. I'm not in a position to buy land like this and don't want to take on a daily, long term responsibility like this but it's wonderful to see what that can look like

[@FreeRangeLiving]

It's a position we can definitely appreciate as it is a big responsibility. People told us this type of life is a lot of work but I think they were underselling it 😆

[@patrickp9304]

Excellent excellent video!

[@joeleenwilkinson4950]

Your video is absolutely fantastic! My goat had babies for the first time 2 days ago, we are so excited and learning how to milk. I was curious could you post links to all your feed and mineral sources. I think your mix that you feed during milking is amazing and I would love to easily replicate that.

[@jinksto]

Really well done video! Thanks for all of the effort that you put into these.

[@andrewelliott3576]

Thank you for your easy instruction. More importantly thank you for your kindness. You are an inspiration.

[@stephenmurphy8259]

Lovely couple. Brilliant video. Thanks!

[@MoniqueAduSustainableLiving]

This was so helpful. Especially when just learning about keeping goats. Thank you!

[@MrRourk]

Those goats are loved and happy

[@richardp4544]

Excellent presentation Ramshackle Crew. Thank you for all that really sound advice.

[@poorstudioguy6434]

Thank - you for the video! Very practical and very important info! Troy, you're the Australian version of Matt Greiner. The drummer from August Burns Red.

[@americanbornwalkaway9110]

IT IS always AWESOME to watch your Videos.....SUCH Good Information ALL the time!!!!! CANNOT WAIT for the Baby!!!! YOU are going to Absolutely ROCK as Mommy and Daddy!!!!!!

[@rusty1850]

Thanks!

[@mikeherbert7664]

Very interesting video about goats well done keep up the good work

[@darrylmcleman6456]

With my first and last attempt to milk Laverne,a Saanan goat, I got about a litre of milk in the pail and the goat looked at me and deliberately put her foot in the milk!!! My stomach tolerates goat milk better than cow"s milk! CHEERS from Westcoast Canada!

[@TheBluegrassFamily]

Thanks so much for sharing! We’re adding some milk goats to our farm!!! This has been very helpful!

[@simonmaton]

Great as usual thanks! XXX 🙂

[@naturally_danii]

Flash chill, brilliant idea!

[@Quarry4x4]

No content rammed into us and no kidding around you provided quality information. Thanks for not acting the goat. I feel like I milked some of that comment best I hoof it.

[@IXAirwalkerXI]

Very informative and great video. You guys seem like really nice ppl. I'm milking 2 goats.

[@paulzammit4195]

I can't believe I like video well done pascal and troy

[@janliljeberg3769]

Thanks, Troy & Pascal, I love your Free Range Sailing videos, looking for starting again after 50 years of absence. And today this lovely side of your lives came up, farming! Wow, what a contrast, are you now done with your live at sea, I see Pascal, you are now pregnant? Congratulations! Are you living in west Australia, Perth region? I too love goats, but have no experiance at all of farming, but love what you are doing. A full life!

[@DominicScatto]

Thank you both so much for this! We're getting our first Nigerian Dwarf goats in the coming weeks and this is very helpful!

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Our pleasure!

[@SuperNova-Steve]

Great Vid, good info. I've thought of having goats this is an excellent insight. BTW I use a dremmel to keep dog claws nice. Goat claws look like they need the real deal as you showed. Wouldn't mind seeing some info on the Guinea fowl. I used to see them in the bush in Africa all the time, never knew they could be domesticated.

[@tammyyoung5279]

Hi Guys! Very informative vlog. We had goats when I was growing up, a Nubian and a Saanen, and we used to milk them sitting on our haunches, we would clip their collar onto the fence, and then rest our head in the ‘crook’ of their hind leg and belly, which would help to prevent them from kicking the milk pail. A milking stanchion would definitely have been easier, but it is possible without one😀

[@robertscholz4486]

I've got to be honest ... I miss the boating ... you guys were really good at it. Great ideas with the refit and fun adventures. Farming just isn't my thing ... good luck.

[@tomwitman7465]

Please forgive me. I've been remiss and missed this episode. :( I ABSOLUTELY loved it as you slowly and meticulously went through the whole journey of falling in love with goats!!! You covered it so well. I enjoyed every second of the episode. I've followed you for years and you continue to be one of my favorite channels. Bravo.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

It's true. Goat people really do fall for their stock. Exasperating at times but always lovable.

[@nooneanybodyknows7912]

Fascinating information I will probably never use. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed listening and learning. You and your animals are dearly loved. ❤️ Thanks for sharing.

[@catherinemalcolm8125]

Another way I have seen milk cooled quickly is over what is in essence a radiator, through which cold water is run. The milk is poured through a filter at the top and runs down over the cool radiator to be collected in a trough which opens to a churn underneath. But of course if you made one to size you could fill bottles instead.

[@CraigHort-cw6yk]

Thanks

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Incredibly generous. Thank you very much and glad you are enjoying our videos.

[@peternairn4474]

Thankyou, quite a bit in it, the bonding being key,, I wunder if that connection we all long for can be found in animals and people, I guess so with all the dog n cat owners , people being in a category of there own,, thanks

[@englishmaninfrance661]

Not that I'm ever going to keep goats :) but this was very interesting

[@kandismueller7716]

Thank you! Very informative. I am planning on getting Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats on our suburban half-acre lot when (if) the local stores close. In my life I've kept horses and helped with foaling, but I am learning about goats now. Your description of bonding makes a point other videos have left out.

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Perhaps left unsaid is that the bonding process, while important, is also very satisfying. We love to walk our goats in the evening (along with the cats and dog!)

[@wildtimbrown]

Hi Pascal, I work with Bird of Prey talons! Mr. Brown ;-)

[@joebuck49]

I had goats and your spot on in your assessment. Planted 200 pine trees the goats had a snack a day or two later no pines. The milk makes the best ice-cream. A Billy stinks to high heaven and he will rub up against you so you can carry his sent to far away places.

[@davidsears5576]

Wonderful video had some goats when I first moved to Oregon very entertaining. Do make goats cheese ?

[@nabillayoun]

I'm in Canada. It's nice ⌚️/ learning from you guys . I have 17 saanen pure bred girls . Not bred yet . But six pure bred saanen I'm getting this weekend 19th Feb 2024. They are registered & and bred by a very well known registered buck ( I'm getting the buck also. I never had goats before. I lost my wife 19 months ago . So I got the goats to help me emotionally ( I have 300 acres mostly trees / bush . I'm 65 years old. I may be crazy but I like to use them to clear land . And I wish to become a caring shepherd with 4 great Pyrenees and 2 border collies. My question dear is could I sell milk / cheese to private homes ?

[@Kd4stt.]

I am curious of what breed of buck was your young Saanen were bred With? They are beautiful kids.❤

[@shervinmokthari1251]

❤

[@nabillayoun]

Actually this summer I'm going to cut willows and dry lots for winter Also I wanted to try to use a chipper, chip willows and young poplar trees and silage a bunch for winter ?

[@suzannechance5876]

On the dairy we did not keep the bucks intact because of those very traits. I love goats, they are intelligent and friendly. We kept the herd CAE by careful breeding, sanitation, and hand feeding. The bucks can be very aggressive and will attemp mounting anything that looks at them, man, woman or child. Lol i thought them funny until I went into the pen with a faulty cattle prod! Adventure for sure!😊

[@woodsmn8047]

being a former cow hand milker I can tell you that the milking procedure is exactly the same as you demonstrated for your goats .. unless you have a power milker .. I had a neighbor who had a power milker for his very small jersey cow and I told him that the washing of all parts of his milking machine took longer than if he just milked by hand .. to which he said ... if I only had one cow and she had only one teat .. I would still have a power milker or she wouldn't get milked ...!

[@woodsmn8047]

one of my other neighbors got four small white goats like yours and the next morning I got a call that the goats were on top of his two story farmhouse and how can I get them down ...? he had firewood stacked against the back of the house where the roof was lowest

[@chshrkt]

Goats milk is naturally homogenized, that is why it is hard to get the cream layer on top like with raw cows milk. My family raised Toggenburgs and Saanens for 20 years, best part of my childhood.

[@nevinkuser9892]

How much land are you guys on? I guess I should ask how much land are the goats allowed to go on?

[@TheBeaker59]

I am setting up a lifestyle block right now and my wife and I talked about goats I don't think they are right for us and our land. My wife is still unsure we shall see. For me its about the commitment I doubt I can give them enough time and effort even though I do like goats and thier products. Anyway the question not touched on is Hugo, wethers on a farm only have one purpose really, is that something you are considering? I really enjoy eating goats they are delicious. I have access to plenty of feral goats so I eat a fair number of those and don't need to raise them for that purpose, but back to Hugo would you process him yourselves.

[@hicoteo]

Goats are vegetarian dogs, totally loveable. If your queen is well domesticated and doesn't challenge the fence, the others won't either. So, train her well. Surgically castrating them is very easy and less stressful believe it or not. They're jumping around minutes after. Goat poo can turn a desert into a food producer for sure. I keep a billy full time. Change them until you find one with the right character. Just don't pull his beard during mating time. It will be rather sticky. 😅

[@HelenEk7]

What do you do with a billy you no longer need? Can you use it for meat, or will the meat not taste good due to the male hormones etc?

[@hicoteo]

@@HelenEk7 Males are great for protein. Some don't like females but they are fine, too.

[@HelenEk7]

@@hicoteo Oh, so its the other way around. Good to know!

[@diannadarling699]

1 ❤️

[@brandynash1409]

We’ve dealt with severe CAE. What I’ve come to realize raising goats for a decade is if you keep the worm load down, then it never “wakes up” in their immune system.

[@mikaylakooper]

Does Saanen goat milk taste "goaty"?

[@libraryofpangea7018]

If you're really concerned about hygiene & intend not to pasteurize, you should consider investing in a microscope. Learn how to identify microbes so you're not depending on guess work with how clean your milk is. It also helps you monitor the health of your goats and helps you fine tune ferments.

[@mmoore102]

Was that a fart at 15:03😀

[@cujo3097]

That’s certainly what I thought, and Troy even shifts himself around as if lifting a leg… hahaha

[@ImTheDudeMan471]

With 1-2 liters of goat milk a day, vegitables, peppers, squash, pork & chicken, yogurt, fruit, how are both of you not 150 kilos?? How is dog Jet not 50 kilos?

[@indian-lj2ve]

You are from

[@user-cl7du5gf2r]

Do goats stink.my buddy had a goat and he stank so bad

[@harrywhalen3571]

Thanks!

[@FreeRangeLiving]

Thank you very much. It's appreciated.

[@searunner4898]

❤