Got a question? 🤔

Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/cae-in-goats/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

Description

In this episode, Deborah Niemann welcomes back Dr. Melissa Holahan, a small ruminant veterinarian, Nigerian Dwarf breeder at Chubby Acres, and owner of Caprine and Ewe, to revisit a disease that still catches many goat owners off guard: CAE (Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis), recently renamed Small Ruminant Lentivirus (SRLV).

They break down what CAE is, why it can quietly enter a herd with zero outward symptoms, and how it spreads, especially through milk and colostrum via white blood cells. Dr. Holahan explains what “slow and progressive” looks like in real life, why goats can test negative early and later turn positive, and how to approach herd testing responsibly, including age timing, yearly screening, quarantine, and retesting before introducing new animals.

You will also hear a detailed, practical discussion on testing options (ELISA vs. PCR), what to do with a positive result, and why a single test should never trigger an immediate euthanasia decision. Deborah shares her own experience with a long-lived doe that repeatedly tested ELISA-positive but had negative PCRs and never spread CAE, highlighting the importance of confirmatory testing and working with trusted labs.

Finally, they walk through real-world management strategies for CAE-positive goats, including snatch-raising, colostrum and milk handling, heat-treating guidelines, and biosecurity considerations at shows. Whether you are building a herd, buying goats, or simply trying to reduce disease risk, this episode offers clear, calm, science-based guidance and reassurance that CAE is manageable when you understand how it works.

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Got a question? 🤔

Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/when-a-goat-needs-a-c-section/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

Description

In this episode, Deborah Niemann is joined by Dr. Melissa Holahan, a veterinarian and experienced goat breeder, to tackle one of the most anxiety-provoking topics in goat keeping: C-sections and difficult births.

Together, they walk through what actually happens when a goat needs surgical intervention during labor, why panic and delay often cause more harm than transport to a veterinarian, and how healthy does can tolerate long labors far better than most owners realize. Dr. Holahan explains the real reasons goats need C-sections, including malpositioned or tangled kids, immature does, malformed kids, and true failure to dilate — while also clearing up common misconceptions about labor timelines.

The conversation also covers how to recognize true emergencies like pregnancy toxemia and hypocalcemia, why nutrition in late gestation plays such a critical role in preventing complications, and what goat owners should expect before, during, and after a C-section. From anesthesia options to post-surgical care, herd management, and future breeding decisions, this episode provides practical, experience-based guidance grounded in veterinary medicine.

If you’ve ever worried that your goat “wouldn’t survive the trip to the vet,” felt unsure about when to intervene during labor, or wondered whether a doe can safely be bred again after a C-section, this episode will help you replace fear with clarity and confidence.

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐

Got a question? 🤔

Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/goats-in-nepal/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply!

Description

When people think about international development work, they don’t always picture goats at the center of it. In this episode, host Deborah Niemann talks with Daniel Laney, founder of Worldwide Goat Project Nepal, about how a lifelong love of goats grew into a far-reaching program that is improving lives across rural Nepal.

Daniel shares how a childhood dream of visiting Nepal eventually combined with more than 50 years of raising dairy goats and decades as an ADGA judge. What began as an effort to support dairy goat genetics—specifically Saanen goats imported to Nepal—evolved into a comprehensive, community-based project focused on education, sustainable agriculture, clean water, and long-term self-reliance.

In their conversation, Laney explains the early challenges of introducing dairy goats in a region where goats had been raised for centuries, but never for milk. From nutrition and water access to housing, forage, and mineral supplementation, he describes how small management changes led to dramatic improvements in goat health and productivity. He also shares how crossing Saanens with local khari goats created hardy, dual-purpose animals better suited to local conditions.

This episode goes far beyond goats. Daniel talks about working with schools to provide daily meals, supplies, and hands-on agricultural education; partnering on clean water initiatives to reduce parasite illness; supporting women’s cooperatives through fair-trade crafts; and helping communities build sustainable systems that continue even when he’s not there.

Whether you’re interested in goats, international development, nonprofit work, or simply what it looks like to live with purpose well into your later years, this episode offers an inspiring look at how one person—and a lot of goats—can create lasting change.

Thanks for tuning in!

If you’d like to support the content you love and help us keep bringing you new goat resources, you can do that through our Tip Jar.

No one ever said raising goats was easy, but it doesn't have to cost a fortune or drive you crazy! You just need the right information.

🔹 Check out Goats 365 membership

🔹 Or explore The Goat Academy

🔹Looking for Deborah's books? They can be purchased wherever books are sold, or you can get an autographed copy on our online store.

Happy goat-keeping! 🐐