Raising Dairy Goats Online Class

Instructor: Deborah Niemann-Boehle; 13128 East 2700 North Road; Cornell, IL 61319

Webpage: https://www.thriftyhomesteader.com/

See the announcement of Deborah Niemann-Boehle’s new book HERE!

REGISTER HERE

Raising Dairy Goats Course Overview: This course explores the differences between conventional, organic, and sustainable methods of raising goats and managing a dairy, whether for home or commercial use. It will cover planning and managing the dairy, as well as natural methods of raising goats. It will integrate current research on goat health issues with management practices. Breeding and birthing issues will be discussed in detail, as well as raising kids. Basics of cheese and soap making will be included, as well as composting waste and using milk or whey as fertilizer or to raise other meat animals, such as poultry, pigs, and calves.

Learning Objectives – students will learn to;

• Explain the difference between goat management systems that employ conventional, organic, and sustainable methods.
• Plan housing, fencing, and milking infrastructure required for the number of goats they plan to milk.
• Evaluate goats to purchase.
• Explain how management practices can impact the use of antibiotics, anthelmintics, and coccidiostats.
• Recognize behavioral and physical changes of a sick goat, a doe in heat, and one about to give birth.
• Recognize the normal birth process, as well as variations and danger signs.
• Make simple cheese.
• Make milk soap or a meal with goat meat.
• Develop a plan for extra buck kids.
• Develop a plan for using whey from cheese making process.

Raising Dairy Goats Course Components: The course is presented in an online learning environment through PowerPoint presentations, videos, audio lectures, and online discussions.

Grading: Because this is an online class, there will be some type of written assignment every week, such as an online discussion or blog post. There will also be a short quiz every week.

1. Four blog posts* (2 @ 10 points each; 2 @ 20 points each)
2. Quizzes (questions 1 point each)
3. Online discussions (3 points for initial post; 1 point for each response to other students’ posts)
4. Final exam (20 points)

* Blog posts will provide an opportunity for students to experience the difference between writing as a marketing tool and writing as a scholarly activity. The blogs will be written as if you owned a dairy and were writing them for your customers. The difference between them and the online discussions is that your instructor and classmates will be the only audience for the discussions. In the past, these discussions have provided a place for students to talk through potential issues that might cause marketing challenges in some areas, such as selling extra bucklings for meat.

Raising Dairy Goats Required text:  Niemann, Deborah. (2013). Raising Goats Naturally: A Complete Guide to Milk, Meat, and More. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC.

Learn more and register HERE.