Briar Rose Farm

I work very hard to keep my animals happy and healthy to the best of my ability and it is very important that they continue to have a good life when they leave Briar Rose. Please read carefully as the following applies to all my goat sales. I may add and change this information as my experience grows so please come back at any time. We are ALWAYS learning!!!  I also want to say that what works for us may not work for you and thats ok, this information is simply a reference among many available to consider as I found it difficult to find much info about goats when I first started so wanted to share some of what I've learnt along the way. I embrace diversity :-)

It couldn't be more true; different strokes for different goats so please seek and gain knowledge wherever you can and from as many sources as you can. I am constantly changing ways of doing things when I learn new skills and techniques and meet new people.

I will help and support as best I can but ultimately you must be responsible for your own animals and seek to learn the skills required for their care.  

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Please don't be a stranger, if you have questions I am happy to provide ongoing assistance to the best of my ability, just please keep in mind I also work and have a young family so may not always be able to be contacted immediately. If unsure call you vet or you can seek counsel from members on the MGA or DGSASA groups which is why I recommend becoming a member even if its just socially to be in the loop. Being a member of the groups will allow you access to so much support and advice, its well worth joining in order to have that wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. 

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Earlyin 2021 when we did our annual JD & CAE blood testing (we've been testing the whole herd for 7 years now) we had a positive result on a single doe we brought 7 years ago as a 9 month old kid from Victoria. We chose to have her euthanized in order to get the fastest most accurate result we could and had her autopsied in order to verify the result and sadly it was a true positive that had tested negative even as recently as March 2020. We thought our journey was over with goats, you can not imagine the distress to our family at this time. However we have been working very closely with our local PIRSA Senior Veterinary Officer as well as our local long term vet and other experienced breeders to not only eradicate it from our property & clean our herd but protect all the animals in our care and those we sell that head off to new homes throughout the country.

After the shock realisation that testing results are not always a true reflection of a negative result as it does not always detect the disease until the animal has had it quite possibly for many years and but hasn't got to the stage it can be detected when the shedding starts which can be intermittent we have changed our management strategies. You can have multiple negative JD blood tests even if an animal is a carrier of JD. Not only have we blood tested clear all the animals over 12 months old on the property we have additionally fecal tested all the goats and sheep on our property with a negative result in July 2021 much to our relief. Fecal testing is far more accurate than bloods but still not 100% and we will carry this process out each year as an early indicator to asses our herds status. We have also vaccinated all sheep & Goats within our breeding herds with Gudair which is an incredibly powerful preventive to help protect our animals should they ever be exposed to the disease in the future. In addition we also decided to limit any new additions to our property to bare minimum and run our dairy herd and mini herds as separately as possible with designated areas for adults, calves etc. Pigs dont get JD so are useful ground vaccums lol. Any animal that was exposed to paddocks where this doe was kept for the past 2 years will not leave our property for at least 5 years excluding sadly the abattoir to contain it as best we can. We also chose to contact buyers within what PIRSA suggested to us was the most likely period that the shedding could have occurred from this doe, even though we didn't legally have to as integrity is very important to us. The only animals we have offered for sale since becoming aware of this doe have been raised on the bottle away from know contaminated paddocks and vaccinated. Or in the case of bucks and dairy animals not run in the areas this doe was kept as they are managed separately and bucks are hand mated to the does bar a rare cover buck being run with the herd in which case he will be retained under the same conditions as exposed does.   

All kids will be bottle raised with dams kidded down in paddocks clear of any previous exposure from this doe. Babies retained on our property will be vaccinated with Gudiar. Please note if you buy Gudair vaccinated stock this means that you can only fecal test for JD in their future as blood test will show a positive result due to the antibodies being present in their system. We have chosen to share our story because we believe in an open and honest approach regardless of the challenges this can sometimes impose. We also want to encourage the sharing of knowledge in order to provide the safest future for our animals and others and for learning from other peoples experiences wether they be good or bad. This can and does happen to anyone, no one is exempt from exposure unless they are truly a closed herd with 100% secure bio security controlled premises for at least 7 plus years . There's so much more to think about when buying animals than just a negative CAE or JD test, as they can be wrong and lead to a false sense of security. We are still an advocate for negative testing however as its an important tool to track your herds status among other tools and management strategies. What stock is run on borders and whats their status, do they buy in animals from all over the place, do they lend stock for breeding, show etc etc. Lots of questions to consider. Studs and properties that buy in lots of animals from markets or if they are ill are at highest risk according to PIRSA. If you want any more info I am happy to discuss it and I strongly recommend contacting PIRSA as the experts for assistance and information. As they have successfully eradicated and controlled not only JD but lots of other fatal diseases/virus from heavily infected farms so their advice is up to date and effective. Products available now were not an option in the past and so terrible experiences have left a very negative response to diseases such as JD in many peoples minds. If you are ever affected please know you are not alone and you have options. Don't be bullied or let fear push you into making decisions that will be hard to live with. It all come down to assessing and minimising risks as much as possible but realising that there is always a risk. You just have to make the decision about what level of risk your prepared to take. I will continue to share our journey each coming year, we have been advised by PIRSA that with our current strategies and vaccination program we will be un likely to see another positive case in our herd but of course thats not a guarantee. We can only be up front with you and let you make the decision about purchasing from us or not. We give our all to our animals and that is a guarantee and we are optimistic for our herds future, the pigs cant get JD so are helping to till over the soil and hopefully clean it more rapidly than the maximum 2 year life expectancy of the bacteria. 

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CONDITIONS AND INCLUSIONS OF SALE

Your new  goat will be from CAE & JD tested negative parents and will possibly be vaccinated with Gudair (JD vaccine) depending on when you collect them. They will be registered if required, vaccinated with Glanvac, ear tagged, drenched (if needed) and their feet trimmed if required before you take them home, all included in the sale price. Kids will also be dis-budded and wethered if needed. If you require further help in the future I have the following services available on site:

- Vaccination $5

- Worming $5

- Castrating free providing buckling is young enough

 

IMPORTANT: Check that you can have goats or pigs with your local council before committing to them. Please note I will not sell to residential blocks as it isn't a suitable home for them. I recommend at least a 1/4 acre.

 

***You'll need a PIC number (Property Identification Code) for your property as it must be provided to me in order to transfer ownership upon collection of your goats and pigs and is a legal requirement. Registration forms can be downloaded from the Biosecurity SA website. Alternatively, phone the registration team on 8207 7919 or 1800 654 688 (free call) or email PIRSA.picregistrations@sa.gov.au. Current cost at last payment was a little over $90 for 2 years.

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You will also need to apply for a pig pass if buying pigs. Please click on this link for further info pigpass.australianpork.com.au its a very easy process

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If you cannot provide a secure paddock with good fencing, shelter and/or are unable to feed your goats or pigs on a regular basis you are not quite ready for them. Please wait until you are completely set up before bringing your animals home or committing to them as it will save many hours of stress down the road for you, me and the animal. You will have a much better experience with them if you wait until you are totally prepared. I can provide photos of our fencing or your welcome to come and visit our stud to see what works for us (or doesn't in some cases lol) :-) before you go ahead with your new addition. We recommend electric for pigs.

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The following prices have been listed as a guide only, there may be exceptions to the rule depending on genetics/quality so please always check with me first.

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Wethers (castrated males are the best most affordable pets)

*Please note: dairy wethers must be pre arranged prior to birth so that they can be put on the bottle. I will not have any dam reared kids available for sale

- $350 Miniature or Nigerian Dwarf

- $150 each for diary wethers, cheaper if 5 or more taken at the same time 

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Australian Miniature Does:

- $750+ show quality registered does

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% Nigerian Dwarf Does:

- $1500 plus for 40% and higher 

 

Registered Bucks:

- from $400 for un registered dairy bucks $500 plus if registered

- $750+ depending on quality, age and grade for Australian Miniatures 

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Piglets 

- weaning age $150

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Servicing of outside does is no longer available due to tight bio security requirements bar very selective circumstances , sorry.

 

All my goats must go at the very least in pairs, NO SINGLES unless you already have goats for your new addition to bond with. Goats are herd animals and I have observed the more you have in the herd (within reason of course) the more content they are. If you provide good feed, minerals, shelter, company (in the form of other goats) we have found none of our herd feel the need to try and get out of their paddocks bar the very odd exception like we are walking towards a weak section with a box of wheatbix or if there is an obvious weakness in the fence line.

However, it is imperative that you don't tempt this very well know mischievous characteristic by providing anything less than excellent quality fencing for if they get out they quickly learn to repeat the behaviour, pigs are the same. Bottle babies in my experience tend to be the worst opportunists as they are trying to get to you, their family. Make sure your fences are tight and at least 1.2m minimum cause if they learn to jump you will have great difficulty in getting them to stop. Pigs will root under and push on fences with incredible force and electric fencing is highly recommended for them. Once these types of behaviours are established they can be extremely hard to break so just start out right and prevent them from occurring, you'll all be much happier. This also goes for goats going under or through a weak spot, stop it immediately or it will start a repeated behaviour pattern that can become almost impossible to stop.

 

Sales are not confirmed until a 50% deposit has been paid. Deposits will be retained if default on the sale occurs. I will assist in re-homing any of my goats should the need arise as much as I am able. Our bio security plan does not readily allow new goats onto the property however so I can't often take them back once they've left.

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FEEDING OUR GOATS

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Our personal preference is oaten hay and lucerne hay. They are supplemented with a mix of chaff/grain depending on the available grass and quality of it, weather conditions and stage of their breeding/milking cycle. Branches and veggies are given as often as we can. The Aussie minis do extremely well on pasture rarely get supplemented with additional feeds over the Spring/early Summer months. The rest of the year however hay is fed fresh every day or a round bale is available for 24/7 access. We don't overstock our property though which allows for good quality browse. Winter and Autumn are much more demanding seasons on the goats and they are given more protein in the form of grain/pellets. They won't browse in wet weather so they are fed inside during rainy days. Mineral blocks are always available.

 

***Lactating dairy does need to be on a grain mix of at least 14% protein to be able to perform and not drastically lose condition. They are production animals and to be able to perform at their peak require the best feed you can possibly afford. Once a milking doe has lost weight I can't begin to tell you how difficult is is to get weight on them whilst they are still milking so look after her needs right from the start, they truly  give you everything they possibly can at the expense of their own health if not supported. Our big Nubians responded well to a sheep  mix of 18% protein from Mt Compass fodder last year and where being fed around a kg of it every day whilst in peak lactation with lucerne their preferred hay with oaten also available. We also rugged the majority of our milkers to help them through the coldest winter months so they weren't expending additional energy staying warm. Quads isn't un-common for the Nubians so is a big draw on their bodies to then go straight into providing us and their babes with glorious creamy milk.

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Our grain mix changes depending on availability but often consists of the following (WARNING: bucks and wethers are given grain as a treat only or if extra weight is required and it is fed very sparingly. It can be bad for their health if given too often if the phosphorus/calcium ratio isn't correct by building up stones in their Urethra which can prevent them from being able to urinate and can ultimately be fatal. Roughage in the form of hay, veggies and branches is a much safer option for the boys :-)

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- un-pasteurised apple cider vinegar with garlic

- rolled, steamed or cracked barley

- cracked maize

- cracked oats

- cracked lupins

- Seaweed meal

- Soybean meal

- Lucerne chaff

- rough cut oaten chaff

- dolomite

- sulphur

- copper sulphate (very carefully added as too much can be lethal but it is an important additive if your in Copper deficient areas)

- sun flower seeds and sunflower oil

- molasses

- Livermol

- Copra

- cod liver oil

- speedi beet

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Amount of feed is increased or decreased to accommodate the number of goats I have and the condition they are in. My aim is to keep them in good healthy condition but not fat. Daily observation of the herd is vital to adjust their diet promptly to maintain their good health as there will often be one or more that needs a little boost whilst another may need to be put on a diet. It is imperative to intervene with drenching or treatment of illness promptly before significant weight loss occurs. A great aid in deciding when to drench is sending fecals off for analysts  to see exactly what your current situation is. Sites like worm boss Australia www.wormboss.com.au/ provide a wealth of helpful information.

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They require dry scratchy fodder to stimulate their rumen (stomach). In the wild they browse and mainly consume trees/shrubs/bark etc as they have a higher mineral concentration than grasses. Their roots go down much deeper in the soil to bring the plants the nutrition they need and in turn the goats will pick and choose what they also require. We provide our stock with a variety of different lick blocks and loose minerals.

Depending on the season and conditions the goats preference to which one they really prefer changes. Please avoid any blocks with Urea added. The basics are:

- 007 ( small red brick horse block)

- Sulphur block (helps to keep lice away)

- Olson's Peak 50 protein block for lactating, pregnant or weaning stock has also been very favoured by my herd

- Local fodder store speciality blend of loose minerals inc seaweed meal, dolomite, copper, calcium, magnesium is my #1 choice and the goats love it!

- Copper algcide blocks are added to their water trough (please make sure you do not add these if you have metal water containers) as their is evidence that it assists with worm control which goats can be very susceptible too, and also assists in better coat condition. They are given the option of plain water also so that they can take what they need. Certainly in our herd we have observed the goats choose the water container with the block in preference to the one we also offer without depending on the season.

- In addition to the above we also have on offer with varying success Bastlec Horse blocks and Pre lamber blocks.

 

At every opportunity please give your goats and pigs fresh produce. You can even make a garden specifically catered to your mini goats. The following is an example of just some of the feeds I have had good success with and is by no means limited to:

- Olive branches, pumpkin, rose bush, willow, oak (avoid the acorns which can be toxic), bark, most native trees and shrubs, spinach & silver beet, broccoli, peppercorn branches, salt bush, sunflowers (limit these as they can be very oily but the goats will gorge on them and it makes them shiny), corn stalks, blackberry and raspberry cuttings, wormwood, carrots and dried bread is a favourite treat along with Weetabix (small very special treats only), passion fruit and wisteria vine clippings, banannas, apples, carrots and oranges.

*** remember that sudden changes to diet can upset the stomach so make any changes in small amounts to avoid loose poo or any toxic reaction.

 

Be careful with stone fruit (ours love pitted peaches and nectarines though) and their leaves (we've fed branches fresh with no problem in the past but not once its wilted) and totally avoid rhodedrendrum, bulbs, avocado, sugar gum and most household garden ornamental if they leak a milky or jelly like sap although there's some exceptions here too. For a full list of poisonous plants please please research on the web it is not worth taking the risk of poisoning. If your not sure if its safe DON'T FEED IT. 

 

FEEDING PIGS

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Fresh milk, pig grower mix of grains, fruit & veg with no mould and access to pasture make for happy pigs. Do not feed pigs meat, or anything thats been in contact with any meat as it is a legal responsibility of yours and its also a massive biosecurity risk. Water is so important for these guys and they try to break nearly everything so ensuring a constant clean supply is really important. They like a mud wallow in warm weather and need draught wind proof shelter. They love straw and hay that they can nest in too, the thicker the bedding the happier they'll be. Please report any sickness in you animals to your local vet and or PIRSA www.pir.sa.gov.au to ensure any serious outbreaks of diseases and sickness can be contained.

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BOTTLE BABIES

 

Bottle babies although very cute are a lot of work and require very dedicated human parents so please be sure you are ready for this commitment before your baby arrives.

They leave our care after vaccinations at around 3-4 weeks old and are well established on a bottle, attaching on their own and starting to eat well on hay and other feeds that kick start their rumens. Please let me know what suits you best and I will endeavour to find the perfect match for your circumstances.

 

My bottle babies will be established on a mixture of fresh goats milk and full cream milk powder. You can obtain the powder at your local supermarket and it is mixed at a rate of half a cup of powder to half a litre of warm water. We add Penta-vite infant oral liquid to their bottles every 3rd day or so as a supplement and have had good success with doing so. Teats will be provided to you as they don't like change. We dont use milk replacers like the ones sold at ag stores as in the past found them much more likely to cause scours and bloat than the full cream milk powder.

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Initially when they leave the property most of my minis ones will be on approx. 375ml per feed 2-3 times a day and the dairys on 500ml of fresh milk twice a day. DO NOT INCREASE THESE AMOUNTS & OVERFEED YOUR BABY! There is no need to exceed 1 litre a day on these little stomachs (dairys can sometimes have a slightly bigger feed if handling it well), if they are still hungry provide browse to help their tummies get a good start! Overfeeding with a bottle, and I assure you most kids with tell you they are still hungry after guzzling their bottles, is the quickest way to cause gut problems which can result in scouring or bloat or DEATH. If they are still hungry after their bottle give them some hay, chaff or suitable branches like willow or rose to much on. Another vital point is DON'T CHANGE THE MILK FORMULA as it will cause scouring in most cases and make your baby very sick unless done very gradually. I feed milk warm erring to the cooler side. If you are adamant you want to change the formula, although I don't recommend this - do so very very slowly by adding it to their current mixture and slowly increasing the new feed and decreasing the old. NO SUDDEN CHANGES. Fresh water must be provided at all times.

 

I also recommend you provide a general goat mix heavy in oaten chaff and cracked grains to your growing bubs to stimulate the rumen stomach. An early weaner kid/lamb pellet added such as Venavite is a good additive too. Only put out a small amount of the mixture so its not fouled or wasted each day. Old grain can sour and ferment quickly and make for sick kids if not removed. This must be supplied fresh daily from around 1 week old to help them transition onto solid feed as they slowly begin the transition off their milk. Its vital to provide a good diet to gain strength and grow to their full potential. I suggest avoiding urea if using the calf rearing pellets though!

WARNING Venavite pellets must NOT be ingested by any animal other than those with a rumen stomach. Dogs, alpacas and poultry are a particular concern so please keep the pellets away from them as it can be fatal, horses cannot eat them either so just make sure you read and follow the instructions on the bag.

 

If I encounter a bottle babe with  the runs; and if scourban is not available I will make a paste from either feed quality dolomite lime, cornflour or crushed white non toxic chalk and add a little water then drench the kid (approx. 1 dessert spoonful of powder) from a syringe. If this doesn't fix the problem after missing a milk feed I will remove the milk for 24 hours and feed with Vytrate (electrolytes) served warm and mixed to the instructions on the sachet or bottle and then repeat the drench. If their poo doesn’t become more solid by the following day please contact me or seek vet assistance  as babies can go downhill very quickly if they become dehydrated and when babies get stressed which can sometimes occur with change of home/surroundings it can sometimes cause coccidosis which requires prompt antibiotic treatment (baycox is very effective) to successfully treat by a vet. Taking a sample of their poo will quickly ascertain if this is what the baby is facing. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any concerns with your baby, I will do my best to help. I have also added small amounts of slippery elm to the bottle with some success but find the cornflower works much better. Scourban is my first choice if available though. Probiotics such as yogurt or specific probiotic pastes for goats can also be helpful.

 

***MOST IMPORTANTLY*** Keep you baby warm dry and above all clean. Dirty or wet housing will quickly deteriorate the health of your kids and can lead to coccidosis, bacterial infections and worm burdens. Change bedding regularly and don't feed them directly off the ground, use buckets and be careful that their water supply is also clean and not too deep so they can't drown. Be careful they can't get caught or tangled in anything as they are very inquisitive and like to explore, climb and jump. And never leave babies unattended with dogs. They will need to be kept safe from foxes too until they are at least 6 -12 months old and big enough to defend themselves.

 

WARNING: If babies get sick they can go downhill extremely fast and if they become too dehydrated with diarrhoea you should seek medical attention by a vet ASAP! Offer electrolytes warm to encourage fluid intake in these circumstances. Try not to put your animal under high levels of stress, sometimes transport can be enough to start the imbalance, its just something all goat owners need to be aware of, if your unsure please seek advice.

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GUIDE FOR 2 MINI KIDS (DAIRY KIDS ARE ON 1 LITRE A DAY WHEN THEY LEAVE OUR FARM NORMALLY)

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The following is just what I feed my bottle babies in general, please increase or decrease amount of milk depending on how many babies you have. Please note that the below volumes are for 2 babies. I leave a minimum of 4 hours between every feed to ensure it is digested properly.

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1 week old ~ 4 feeds per day

750ml warm water (first 2 weeks), 3/4 cup of full cream milk powder added split between 2 bottles. Often little ones won't drink a full bottle for me in the first couple of days, and that's ok providing they feed strongly at every feed. They will increase the volume as their tummy grows dont force them if they are lively and growing well.

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2 - 8 weeks old  ~ 2 feeds per day

750ml warm water, 3/4 cup of full cream milk powder added split between 2 bottles

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8 – 12 weeks old ~ 1 feeds per day

1ltr warm water, 1 cup of full cream milk powder added split between 2 bottles

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12 weeks plus no more bottles :-)

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NEVER EVER GIVE KIDS WATER FROM A BOTTLE! IT CAN CAUSE BLEEDING INTERNALLY. IF THEY ARE THIRSTY THEY WILL LEARN TO DRINK FROM A BUCKET IF ITS CLEAN AND AVAILABLE.

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PRODUCTS WE USE

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Our basic medical/care kit contains:

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- Thermometer

- hoof trimmers (goats need their feet trimmed every 8-12 weeks)

- electric dis-budder

- aloe vera gel

- Worm drenches currently in use; Caprimec (we try to only worm individual animals as required and get fecals through our local vet to assist with identification of infected stock as we want to limit the resistance of our herd to drenches, rotating paddocks is a vital part of keeping worm burdens low if possible too) Q drench is our quarantine drench

- Vaccination currently in use; Glanvac 6, we choose to vaccinate every 6 months

- We also choose to vaccinate our herd against Johnes Disease with the Gudair vaccine

- Pestene powder for lice control or Cydectin pour on

- Lubricant

- Hospital grade disinfectant

- Baby wipes

- Scourban

- Probiotics

- Revive paste for weak or sick kids

- Opticlox (for pinkeye and for any infection in a cavity such as an infected ear tag)

- Betadine/Iodine

- Cetrigen spray

- Vytrate electrolytes either in the individual dry packs or concentrated liquid

- Syringes both for injecting and drenching so we have various sizes

- 22 gauge x 3/4" (0.70 x 19mm) needles

- Palastart Colostro-immune feed supplement

- Cornflower

- Inject-able vitamins; VAM, Vitamin C, B Complex, Vitamin B1, B12

- Antibiotics, Bivatop and Anti inflammatories (only administered under veterinary advice)

- Castrating rings

- Towels

- Tweezers

- Scissors

- Castor oil for bloat and constipation

- Bi carb for tummy upsets 

- Gauze/vet wrap

- Andis clippers for show prep BLADES 3F for thick coats, 10 for udders, feet and boy bits and 5 or 7 for the overall finish

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I hope you've found this information somewhat helpful. Like I've said before though what works for us won't work for everyone so keep a very open mind and don't be judgey if others do it differently. :-) Happy goating!