About the Author
Karen Kopf
Articles by Karen Kopf
Goat Lice: Are Your Goats Lousy?
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.
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When Should You Use Lutalyse for Goats?
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.
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Can Goats Eat Christmas Trees?
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.
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Biosecurity and Goat Husbandry: What You Should Know About M. ovipneumoniae
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 …
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Avoiding an Extension Cord Fire Hazard in Barns
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.
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Goats and Contracts
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.
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Conceiving Bucklings vs. Doelings
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?
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The Fear of Fescue
Red bag, abortions, thickened placentas, founder, necrosis, failure to freshen — all are symptoms of fescue toxicity … and yet tall fescue is one of the most common forages for livestock in both pasture and baled grass hay.
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Johne’s, CAE, and CL Testing for Goats: Serology 101
The “why” of blood testing is easy. CAE and CL testing for goats allows us to control diseases. The “what” is a question unanswered for many: What do serology tests do? What don’t they do? What should we do with the results?
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The Heritability of Udder Traits
Many udder traits are hereditary. Ideally, selection occurs when choosing a buck and doe for breeding. Neither should have undesirable traits.
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