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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…

Frost seeding is a popular way to renovate an existing forage stand and is most effective in fields where patches of bare soil at least the size of a loonie are visible. With spring around the corner, many producers have questions about how to best use this technique to improve their hay fields and pastures. When can I frost seed forages? The optimum time to frost seed is when the snow has melted, but the ground is still frozen. Waiting until there is bare soil prevents the seed from being washed away with melt water. Frozen ground can support the weight of equipment and prevent ruts and compaction. Often the ideal window for frost seeding is very short, and sometimes…