First and foremost our goats are pets. Almost royalty for how they are treated. We started Goat Yoga in 2016 when the kids left for college and no one was playing with them. Goats crave attention and yoga was a way to give it them. We joke that yoga is a "voluntary program". We pull the trailer to the gate and there is a stampede to get on! They love to go. If one isn't in the mood to go, they are welcome to stay home. The babies are socialized at the yoga sessions guaranteeing we will have very social babies when they go home to their new farms.
You see goats are born very timid with humans because they are low on the food chain and preyed upon. Many "breeders" are folks that just have goats in a pasture with a buck and sell babies when they are born with no socialization. These babies often lead to disappointment because there are terrified of their new owners. If you are looking for a $50 goat or a "cheap" goat you will get what you pay for. There are plenty out there. I hope this page helps to explain the time and cost that goes into raising goats.
Our breeding program takes in the health of the mother first. We make sure our mothers are not deficient in vitamin E or selenium. Deficiency causes white muscle disease in the babies or their inability to walk or support weight at birth. We do this by supplementing with sunflowers seeds, pumpkin and dark leafy greens. In the winter when dark greens are in short supply, we grow various kales in the greenhouse. We also grow carrots and pumpkin to supplement in the winter as they can get deficient in vitamin A as well which can lead to eye infections.
We breed the goats only once a year. The bucks are always housed separately from the girls. Females can get pregnant within a month of delivering which does not give them sufficient time to recuperate after delivery when babies aren't even weaned yet. We never leave the buck in the pasture all year which many farms do.
I have been the lead financial officer for the goats yoga money and invested it wisely. All jokes aside, we have used that money to build two very nice barns for the goats. The baby barn has heaters and fans for temperature control. The birthing barn has stalls to allow moms to deliver privately but not be separated from the herd which can be stressful. We are always fencing and adding more pasture space or rotational grazing. This also allows us to work with an organic seed company to seasonally plant food for them in various pastures allowing time for that food to grow before releasing them into that pasture.
Finally, we avoid chemical wormers as much as possible. We use herbal measures to control worms along with rotational grazing. I prefer Land of Havilah herbs and mix it with peanut butter and garlic (which of course we grow) as a special treat they get 2-3x a week. We also send off random stool samples to prevent problems before they arise not fighting a problem after the fact or when goats are dangerously anemic.
Babies are raised by mom but supplemented with a bottle by me to reduce fear of humans. In fact, they become quite attached and "aggressively friendly" as we like to say. We try to be present at every birth assisting when needed. This alone is a full time job.
When you purchase goats from us you have a lifetime a free advice, teaching, and goat conversation. We don't just sell the goats and forget about you. There is a large learning curve that can take a year or too to get into a rhythm with. We start the education process before they go home and continue when needed.
We do offer a stud service but only to folks that have purchased from us. If you have does from us we ensure the stud service is with the appropriate breed and at the appropriate age and lineage. If you have goats from us we know they came from a clean tested herd. If you have other goats on your property not from our herd, we do require the entire herd be tested for CAE and Johne's first so no disease if brought back to our farm. We test our herd every other year.
We rotate our bucks because so many of our customers take advantage of that service. 2022 has introduced 4 new bucks for new coloring and coat length.
Stud service is a one time fee of $75. Most often this takes about 30 minutes. If boarding is required, there is an additional $5 a day per goat. While boarded they are given all the same feed and supplements as our goats and herbal worming.
If they are present during a stool sample rotation they would be included as well.
Myotonics are breed for their docile and friendly disposition. Mine rarely challenge a fence. They are also well adapted to low-input forage systems and seem to be more worm tolerant in this southern area. Being very slow growers they are not bred until they are 2 years old. We have the miniature Tennessee line not the larger meat goat line. They are rated on a scale of myotonia from 1-6 sometimes not expressing until 3-6 months. All goats are registered with MGR.
Doelings-$500
Wether-$300
Bucks-$300-500
I find these are the smallest of goat breeds often an inch or more shorter in height and length that Nigerian Dwarf goats or pygmy goats. They have all the personality traits of the myotonic goats but with long gorgeous coats. While fainting is not required of the breed, most do. They are an excellent option for smaller farms or folks that just need a smaller size goat.
Doelings $500-550
Wethers $300
Bucks $500
We suggest visits to the farm to determine which breed of goat is right for you. Pricing is based on the cost that goes into raising the babies and the mothers and is non-negotiable. We require 1/2 down at the time they are born. We usually have a waitlist. The remaining half is due at the time of pick up. We do not "meet" folks who purchase goats. We feel it is very important to have the time to show you how to trim hooves prior to going home and answer questions that come up. This can not be done safely at a gas station. We are proud of our farm and suggest you think twice about buying a goat from a farm you have never visited or will not allow visitors.