Experimental Goats

If a herd has more than one breed of goat, odds are good that they also have some experimental goats, which are crosses of other purebred standard-sized goats. Bucks are determined creatures, and unplanned breedings happen in most herds. However, there is a huge difference between accidental crosses and crosses that are planned to create the best goats to meet your goals. For Erika McKenzie, head cheesemaker and dairy herd manager at Pennyroyal Farm, that means creating crosses of her three different breeds to create the goats with the best milk for making cheese.In this episode, Erika talks about her breeding strategies and why she loves being unencumbered by specific breed standards, as well as the dairy's business model and their cheese subscription program. She also discusses her early days with the goat herd at UC-Davis and how her goats wound up on ADGA's Top Ten list the year after starting to milk test.Full show notes here -- https://thriftyhomesteader.com/experimental-goats/ To see the most recent episodes, visit  ForTheLoveOfGoats.comWant to support the content you love?Head over to -- https://thrifty-homesteader.ck.page/products/love-goats-tip-jar

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