Sheep and Goat Production

This article was written by John Molenhuis (Business Analysis and Cost of Production Specialist, OMAFA). This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 issue of the Dairy Goat Digest. Introduction Planning for expansion will bring with it many questions that need to be considered before shovels hit the ground. This article will highlight some of these key considerations and a suggested thought process to ensure the expansion is a success. Think Strategically First While strategic planning may seem too removed from the practical day-to-day operations, expansion decisions need to start here: what are you trying to achieve and is expansion the best choice to achieve it? Before pursuing expansion, evaluate your current productivity and profitability measures. Some common measures…

This article was written by Angie Wilson (Dairy Specialist, OMAFA). This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 issue of the Dairy Goat Digest. Introduction While goats generally tolerate heat better than other livestock species, they are still susceptible to heat stress. Heat stress has immediate and long-term negative effects on goat production and health. For example, individual studies have reported that heat stress in dairy goats is associated with approximately a 29% reduction in feed intake, a 10% reduction in milk production and a 14% decrease in milk protein (Salama et al., 2021). What Causes Heat Stress? Heat stress occurs when environmental conditions become too hot for goats to dissipate heat, and they can no longer regulate their…

This article was written by Juliet Germann (PhD Candidate, University of Guelph). This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 issue of the Dairy Goat Digest. What’s being done? This study is using a product called Glo Germ to simulate the spread of infectious fluid during abortion events on three different types of goat farms: meat, fibre, and hobby operations. Glo Germ is a powder that becomes visible under ultraviolet (UV) light and is commonly used to demonstrate cross contamination. In this study, it is being used as a proxy for environmental contamination. Glo Germ is applied to a defined area at the centre of a goat pen to represent a contamination event. The spread of the Glo Germ…

This article was written by Madison Penney (PhD Student, University of Guelph). This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 issue of the Dairy Goat Digest. Introduction Allowing goats to express natural behaviours can reduce hoof overgrowth, aggression, and destructive behaviours. Providing enrichments could help promote positive natural behaviours like browsing and scratching. Goat farmers in Canada are required through NFACC’s Code of Practice to provide at least one form of enrichment to their goats. Therefore, it is important to know current practices and to study the effectiveness and feasibility of enrichment options to inform future best practices. What we did: We surveyed goat farmers across Canada to understand current practices surrounding the use of housing enrichments. We asked…