Paticipating in a new academic research project at NC State.

[OneFineAcre]

We recently participated in a study with the Vet school at NC State University on e-Coli in goats. There were a couple of incidents over the last few years of e-Coli making people sick at the NC State Fair that they "traced" to the goat barns. They took fecal samples from all of our goats over 6 months old, and milk samples from all of our lactating does to test for the strain of e-Coli that had made the people sick. We were negative. In fact, they did not find any samples of the strain of e-Coli on any of the 50 farms tested. As part of the test they tested all of the fecals for all parasites.

Because we had a 0 incident of barber poles and very low counts of other worms, they have asked us to participate in another study on goat worms/parasites.
We must be doing something right.
My incredibly smart wife is emailing them daily making suggestions on how they should do the study.

 

[elevan]

Congratulations! I'm looking forward to hearing how the study goes for you

 

[Southern by choice]

Very exciting!
So what will they be studying?
Looking forward to see what comes about!

 

[promiseacres]

Congrats! Great news for your farm.

 

[NaturesPace]

You guys are lucky. it's rare to have that kind of peace of mind. Seems like I'm always wondering if they have some parasites/worms.

Perhaps you can share some of your practices? dry lot, rotating fields, food, supplements...

 

[OneFineAcre]

You guys are lucky. it's rare to have that kind of peace of mind. Seems like I'm always wondering if they have some parasites/worms.

Perhaps you can share some of your practices? dry lot, rotating fields, food, supplements...

We are dry lot. That's 99% of why we dont' have worms. No pasture, no means of transmissiion.

I'm not suggesting that this is the best practice, in fact it has a lot of shortcomings as far as raising goats is concerned, but it defintely is a positive when it comes to worms.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Very exciting!
So what will they be studying?
Looking forward to see what comes about!

What you would expect.

What type of browse is available, are they on pasture, etc.

We have to identify every type of tree on the property.

They specifically asked about Lespedeza

What wormers we have given.

They are coming back out to check the trees and plants on site, and take more fecal samples and blood samples.

Let's be honest, our good fortune is because we are dry lot. It's not really anything we are doing specifically.

Maurine's suggestions were mostly related to the original study on e-Coli, specificaly that they should test animals at the fair when they are under stress. Which they wanted to do. However, the fair would not allow that for fairly obvious reasons. If they identified specific animals with a strain of e-Coli that had caused an illness, youl would expose the breeders to potential liability.

She suggeted that perhaps they should sample at our spring show, where you do not have the numbers of people coming through and you may have the same effect. We are going to try to work this out wiht them.

 

[Southern by choice]

I think this is great!

I do want to say that not all people who are dry lotting have those same results.

You all really keep it VERY CLEAN!
Your animals are very well taken care of and truly that plays a big part in your success! Management is just as important as the environmental factors. Give yourselves a pat on the back!

 

[OneFineAcre]

I think this is great!

I do want to say that not all people who are dry lotting have those same results.

You all really keep it VERY CLEAN!
Your animals are very well taken care of and truly that plays a big part in your success! Management is just as important as the environmental factors. Give yourselves a pat on the back!

It's even cleaner now.
Maurine lost her job.

But, she really has plenty of time now for the goats

 

[HoneyDreameMomma]

Congratulations! I'm looking forward to hearing how the study goes for you

x2! Sorry to hear about Maurine's job Hope it works out.