Eagleburra Pygmy Goat Stud

22/08/2024

Whenever I get asked the same question by three different people I compile the answers and write a blog post or article about it for our website so I have something to refer people to in the future :)

Click below to read the latest one summarising the various breed associations for Pygmy Goats and how they differ:

As Pygmy Goats gain popularity in Australia, navigating the various breed associations becomes essential for breeders and enthusiasts alike. These organizations play a vital role in shaping the future…

18/08/2024

I would like to confirm resignation this morning effective immediately and look forward to pursuing my original plans with exciting personal projects in the future.

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13/08/2024

🌟 What an incredible weekend! 🌟

I am beyond grateful for the incredible Judges Training Course organized by the National Pygmy Goat Association of Australia (NPGAA) this past weekend in Gidgegannup.

A huge thank you to the amazing US Pygmy Goat Judges and Breeders, Carol Hepner and Kelly Culp for so generously sharing their vast knowledge and expertise with us. The depth of information exchanged was truly remarkable (as was their patience and thoroughness in answering all our questions, preparing us so thoroughly for the exam and helping calm our nerves 😂).

It’s clear the future of the Pygmy Goat breed in Australia will be brighter and stronger thanks to their guidance and knowledge they have shared with all of us during their time here on both sides of the country.

Our heartfelt thanks to the committee members who worked tirelessly to make this course happen and to the breeders who brought their beautiful animals along for our hands on learning. It was such a pleasure to spend the weekend surrounded by fellow Pygmy Goat enthusiasts and new friends who are all so passionate about the breed and eager to learn.

The exam was really very challenging, definitely harder than any exam I sat in Uni 😂

I’m still a bit in shock, but so proud to be one of two in WA to have qualified as Licensed Pygmy Goat Judges along with another five who gained their Provisional Licences this weekend!🥳🍾🥂

Greg and I take the responsibility for the part we will play in the future development of this beautiful breed very seriously. I know from other breeds I've been involved in that being a Judge holds an even greater responsibility, so I’m thrilled to also have the opportunity to contribute to the Pygmy Goat breed as a Judge in the years to come.

A special thank you to Christine Falconer and family of Plumbago Stud for their wonderful hospitality letting us stay with you the past few days making it possible for us to make the 7 hour round trip so we could both attend and learn everything that we did!

Here’s to many more weekends like this, filled with learning, growth and shared passion for our amazing Pygmy Goat breed 💙

07/08/2024

For anyone interested in best practices for worm management in your herd!

🔔 Don't miss out on our upcoming goat worm management webinar. 🐐

Paul Meibusch will share ✅

💡 Treatment tips to reduce reliance on chemicals
💡 Strategies to slow down resistance development

These practical tips are crucial for maintaining productivity, health, and welfare in your herds.

🔗Secure your spot now! https://bit.ly/4cF0rcg

Australian Wool Innovation Meat & Livestock Australia Animal Health Australia

06/08/2024

Really good visual resource for anyone breeding goats (and sheep/cows).

I will be nervous as hell when it comes time for our girls to kid, but so grateful now for the experience I have with assisting malpresented puppies, lambs and calves.

Never thought I would ever be grateful to find myself shoulder deep inside a living cow, but here I am 😆

Normal positions for first and second kids. Abnormal kid positions that may need help being delivered. How to care for naval cords by Dr Sandra Baxendell, ...

28/07/2024

Its too wet and cold to be outside with the goaties this afternoon, so I'm studying for the Judges Course being held next month by the National Pygmy Goat Association of Australia.

LOL its been 30 something years since the last exam I had to study for in Uni so my old brain is struggling big time😂🤪😣.

I don't want to become a Judge at this stage (eventually I would, but I think a few years of breeding is required before I consider that plus I want to show my own goats first).

But the chance to learn everything that I can about this beautiful breed from two very experienced USA Pygmy Goat judges and breeders, Carol Hepner and Kelly Culp is an opportunity that I am very grateful for and know it will help us with our breeding program in the future.

28/07/2024

When the kids get a new toy to play with 😁

27/07/2024

King of all he surveys 😍

24/07/2024

23/07/2024

When its cold outside and your winter floof makes you look a little extra chonky 😂

22/07/2024

I love watching the interaction between twins Bella (light one) and Beauty (dark one). They are usually found hanging out together and frequently sleep using each other as a pillow :)

Beauty has always been slightly more dominant but recently Bella has been asserting herself a bit more - especially at dinner time 😆

The girls will be 8 months old in a few days and are still tiny!

22/07/2024

We have seen the end of the rainbow in a paddock here at Eagleburra quite frequently over the years, but this is the first time we have had BOTH ends of the rainbow on the property!

Not that the goaties saw it because it’s sprinkling and they refuse to leave their sheds😆

19/07/2024

🤣🤣🤣

18/07/2024

Oh Gretel, probably not your prettiest moment 🤣🤣🤣

15/07/2024

Interesting study on the options for colostrum replacement.

It will be a while before we will need to have colostrum on hand for when our girls kid. Ideally I plan to take and freeze colostrum from the first girls who freshen, but that plan is no good if the first kids need it.

The risk of CAE and Johnes Disease from fresh/frozen goat or cow colostrum has had me wondering just how good commercial colostrum replacer would be for our goat kids.

Colostrum replacement products for use in goat kids are sourced from bovine colostrum and often used by producers to supplement or replace maternal colostrum to prevent infections. To compare the colostrum replacement products fed on-farm to caprine colostrum a cross-sectional study was undertaken.....

14/07/2024

I love the interaction between these two. Presley prefers to play with Indi than Drover our Pygmy wether.

Initially I was a bit concerned Presley might hurt Indi (not the other way round as Indi is trained on sheep, ducks and chickens and is very gentle with the rabbits and Guinea pigs). So far Pres is being far gentler with Indi than he is during normal play with another goat 💕

14/07/2024

This free webinar by Dr Sandra Baxendell (Goat Vet Oz) is a great educational opportunity for anyone interested in goats of any breed.

You can register for this event on the Victorian Farmers Federation website (vff.org.au).

I have been busy doing the PowerPoints for this free webinar - over 100 now covering worm control and vaccinations. Enroll now.

13/07/2024

Send a message to learn more

03/07/2024

When you go out to check on the goats and the big one has pulled the shade sail down enough to climb on and weigh it down so the little ones can all climb on for some fun on the new goat hammock trampoline🤣

02/07/2024

I saw a meme the other day that said ‘If I had a dollar for every time my goats made me smile I’d be a millionaire’.

I couldn’t help but think ‘If I had a dollar for every piece of hay my goats wasted I’d be a billionaire’ 🤣🤣🤣

This is the third version of our hay saver wheelie bin. The first had round holes, the second had 10x5cm horse mesh panels but this one has 4x4cm hay slow feeder netting.

So far its doing as good a job at hay saving as the 2x2cm slow feeder nets, plus when full of hay it’s much easier to move from the hay shed to the goat paddock 😁

The hay just falls down as they eat it and we just top it up every evening so its saving us time as well.

Ours are so little they can't jump on top, but we have something shoved in the handle holes to prevent injuries just in case.

19/06/2024

Plumbago Presley, 10 months old today and looking mighty fine 😍. Love how this young man is growing up!

18/06/2024

Heading off for this training on Saturday. Going to be fun spending the day with other crazy goat people 😆

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14/06/2024

I can’t imagine how big these girls are going to get when they have baby bellies instead of just food bellies 😳

This is all hay belly, they only get a pellet feed every second day otherwise they get too fat😆

10/06/2024

I’ve had a few people ask about our brushing post, so thought I would share some photos to show how it was made.

It’s just an old pine pole sunk into the ground, with a bunch of brushes screwed into it. These brushes are medium stiffness, but I think fairly stiff bristles would also work and be appreciated by goaties.

The brushes are at Pygmy goat height, but you could add some higher ones if you have bigger goats.

Ours scratch their faces on the brushes as well as along their bodies.

It’s definitely a welcome addition to their paddock that they all use everyday.

10/06/2024

So for weeks bottlebrush has been off the menu. I mean I offered, but apart from a little nibble or two, they all turned their noses up at it.

Yesterday I gave them a broken branch in their paddock and it was suddenly their most favourite treat in the whole wide world.

Goats, am I right?

03/06/2024

The tagasaste has started to recover from being ravaged by the drought thanks to the rain we have had in recent weeks so I have the goaties their first taste test this afternoon.

LOL they weren’t particularly impressed, fussy little buggars😆

02/06/2024

A quick ‘around the farm’ tour before the rain came back this morning.

Very thankful that our goaties and horses survived the storm last night and we managed to add a very nice 36ml of rain to our tanks.

23/05/2024

I provide the brush and Presley provides the entertainment 🤣

13/05/2024

What a difference a week can make once the drought breaks!