Karen Kopf, Author at Backyard Goats

Deep Freeze! How to Keep Goats Warm in Cold Weather

January 20, 2022 · Karen Kopf · Health

How cold is too cold for a goat? Temperature can be the least of challenges when determining how to keep goats warm in cold weather.

Goat Lice: Are Your Goats Lousy?

January 17, 2022 · Karen Kopf · Health

Goat lice are very common in winter months, and finding them does not mean you are a bad herdsman. If you don’t see them, it doesn’t mean they are not there.

The Doe Code

January 10, 2022 · Karen Kopf · Ownership

Oh, the game is strong with this experienced one… She knows the Doe Code all too well! Contractions about a minute apart. Why is our goat in labor tonight?

When Should You Use Lutalyse for Goats?

December 31, 2021 · Karen Kopf · Health

There are risks to using Lute and other drugs. We prefer to avoid intervention in our herd unless there is a clear, unmistakable risk not to intervene.

Can Goats Eat Christmas Trees?

December 20, 2021 · Karen Kopf · Ask The Expert

Can goats eat Christmas trees? The simple answer is yes, they can. The real question is whether goats should. Trees can be treated with fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, growth regulators, color enhancers, and flame retardants during their lifespan.

Biosecurity and Goat Husbandry: What You Should Know About M. ovipneumoniae

December 9, 2021 · Karen Kopf · Health

Add to Favorites By Karen Kopf – At Kopf Canyon Ranch, just outside of Moscow, Idaho, we raise Kiko goats for meat and breeding stock. Our goat husbandry practice is to …

Avoiding an Extension Cord Fire Hazard in Barns

November 18, 2021 · Karen Kopf · Feed & Housing

Barn fires are common in winter. Unfortunately, selecting a safer heat lamp will not always eliminate the danger. There is also an extension cord fire hazard.

Goats and Contracts

September 21, 2021 · Karen Kopf · Ownership

We’ve bought goats with contracts, and we’ve bought goats without. Of all of the goats we’ve sold, we’ve done well with just a basic bill of sale with a few terms … except for the times we didn’t.

Conceiving Bucklings vs. Doelings

September 13, 2021 · Karen Kopf · Health

Have you ever wondered why some years, some sires — or even some dams — produce more of one gender than others? Can certain management practices favor one over the other — or is it random? Is one more desirable than the other in the goat world?