For the Love of Goats

Head over to -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/dewormer-resistance-in-sheep-and-goats-study/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! 
Show Notes
Parasite problems and dewormer resistance can look different from one farm to another. In this episode, Deborah Niemann talks with Cornell Extension specialists Amy Barkley and Jess Waltemyer about an applied research project with sheep and goat farmers in southwest New York.
The team looked at individual animals and farm management to better understand parasite burdens and dewormer effectiveness. Amy and Jess share why a fecal egg count is only part of the picture—and what surprised them as they worked with producers.
They also discuss selective deworming, FAMACHA and fecal egg count training, and how farmers can make parasite management fit their own operation. The conversation offers a look at what the project revealed and what researchers are investigating next.
Featured Guests

Amy Barkley is a livestock specialist and Team Leader with the Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops Program (SWNYDLFC). In her role, she works with on-campus faculty and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) agricultural educators in the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, and Steuben to bring timely research-based programming and consultations to the farmers across the region. 
Jess Waltemyer is Cornell PRO-LIVESTOCK’s Small Ruminant Extension Specialist.
For more information
NERME funded project summary
Final NERME project report webinar
Southwest New York Dairy, Livestock and Field Crops
American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control: FAQ
Doing Your Own Fecal Egg Counts
National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP)
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/cl-study-in-goats-and-sheep/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! 
Show Notes
An abscess on a goat does not automatically mean caseous lymphadenitis (CL). In fact, a study looking at 10 years of diagnostic testing at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory found that roughly two-thirds of samples submitted for targeted CL culture came back negative.
In other words, two-thirds of the goats that had an abscess did NOT have CL. 
In this episode, Deborah Niemann talks with Dr. Craig McConnel of Washington State University about what the study found and what those results mean for goat and sheep owners.
They discuss the difference between culturing an abscess and using a blood test to look for antibodies, why a positive blood test does not always mean an animal has an active infection, and why screening tests should not automatically be used to make individual animal decisions.
They also talk about Johne’s disease, OPP/CAE, test sensitivity and specificity, prevalence, and why it is important to have a plan for what you will do with both positive and negative test results before you test.
Featured Guest
Dr. Craig McConnel is a professor at Washington State University, where he serves as Director of Veterinary Medicine Extension and Director of Continuing Veterinary Medical Education. He earned his DVM from Washington State University and later completed advanced training in ruminant medicine, veterinary clinical studies, and epidemiology. His research has focused on livestock health, disease epidemiology, herd management, animal well-being, and the economic impacts of disease in dairy and ruminant systems. 
For more information
Prevalence and demographic trends of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (Caseous Lymphadenitis) in domestic goats and sheep: A ten-year retrospective study from the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory 
Episode 88 - Testing Goats for CAE, CL, and Johne’s
Episode 87 - CL in Goats: Caseous Lymphadenitis
Episode 91 - Johne’s Disease in Goats
Abscesses and CL in Goats (article)
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/homestead-decluttering/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! 
Show Notes
Clutter can build up quickly on a homestead. Tools, livestock supplies, equipment, canning jars, soap-making ingredients, and all those things we might need “someday” can slowly take over barns, workspaces, and even our homes. But when does being prepared cross the line into simply having too much stuff?
In today’s episode, Deborah Niemann talks with Melanie Cohen, founder of Thoughtfully Coaching and host of the Lighten Up: The Art of Living Clutter-Free podcast, along with several Goats 365 members. They discuss why decluttering should come before organizing, how to deal with “just in case” clutter, and how emotional attachment, cost, and fear of needing something later can make it difficult to let things go.
They also talk about the difference between clutter and preparedness, how clutter can affect productivity and stress, and why maintaining a decluttered space requires ongoing effort. 
Melanie shares practical ideas such as looking at what you have actually used in the past, borrowing rarely used equipment, setting aside short periods of time to declutter, and asking whether an item still serves you in your current season of life. The goal isn’t minimalism—it’s creating enough space to do the things you truly want and need to do.
Featured Guest
Melanie Cohen is the founder of Thoughtfully Coaching and host of the Lighten Up: The Art of Living Clutter-Free podcast. She helps people understand how clutter can affect productivity, stress, daily routines, and overall well-being, while creating practical habits for letting go of what no longer serves them. 
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/fecal-egg-count/ -- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! 
Show Notes
If you've ever been told that a high fecal egg count means you should automatically deworm a goat, this episode is for you.
A fecal egg count is one of the most valuable tools we have for monitoring internal parasites—but it's only one piece of the puzzle. It tells you how many parasite eggs a goat is shedding, not whether that goat is actually sick or needs treatment.
In this Goat Note, Deborah explains why two goats with the same fecal egg count can have very different parasite burdens and very different treatment needs. You'll also learn why a goat with a relatively low egg count may still require immediate attention.
This episode builds on the previous Goat Note about the difference between parasite resistance, parasite resilience, and dewormer resistance. If you haven't listened to that episode yet, it's a great place to start because it lays the foundation for understanding why fecal egg counts don't tell the whole story.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What a fecal egg count actually measures—and what it doesn't
Why parasite egg counts don't always reflect how sick a goat is
How parasite resilience affects treatment decisions
Why a low fecal egg count doesn't always mean a goat is healthy
What other factors should be considered before deciding to deworm a goat
Why "It depends" is often the most accurate answer when someone asks whether a goat needs treatment

Goat Note Takeaway
Treat the goat—not the fecal egg count.
A fecal egg count is an important management tool, but it should never be used by itself to decide whether a goat needs to be dewormed. Always consider the whole animal, including FAMACHA score, body condition, age, production stage, appetite, and other clinical signs before making treatment decisions.

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/kickstarter-for-farm-projects/-- and drop it in the comments—so we can reply! 
Show Notes
Kickstarter can be a useful option for farmers who have a creative project in mind but want to test demand before making a large investment. Instead of taking out a loan for equipment, products, or a new farm experience, a campaign can help show whether enough people are interested to make the idea worth pursuing.
In today’s episode, Deborah Niemann talks with Oriana Leckert, Head of Publishing at Kickstarter, about how the platform works and how it can be used for farm-related projects. They discuss why Kickstarter is designed for specific, creative projects rather than general business expenses, and why having an existing audience is one of the strongest predictors of a campaign’s success.
Deborah also shares what she learned from using Kickstarter to fund a glamping tent for her farm. She explains how the campaign helped her confirm that people were interested in staying on the farm before she purchased the tent. Oriana discusses how to choose a realistic funding goal, create appealing rewards, build trust with potential backers, and avoid common mistakes such as setting a goal that does not match the size of your audience.
They also talk about the difference between Kickstarter and GoFundMe, whether a campaign needs a video, how far in advance creators should begin preparing, and what to do if a project does not reach its goal. Oriana shares practical advice for first-time creators, including backing other campaigns, creating a detailed budget, involving your audience early, and beginning promotion long before the campaign launches.
Featured Guest 
Oriana Leckert is the Head of Publishing at Kickstarter. She works with creators to help them understand crowdfunding, plan successful campaigns, and bring creative projects to life. Although her primary focus is publishing, she shares strategies that can also be applied to farm products, agritourism experiences, events, and other creative agricultural projects.
Resources & Links
Kickstarter
Kickstarter Creator Resources
Check out our Goats 365 membership

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! 🐐