Wisconsin's self-proclaimed moniker as "America's Dairyland" is taking on fresh meaning in the 21st century thanks to a growing market for milk from an animal that bleats rather than moos. This is a farm stay and there are cute, cuddly animals to help your stress melt away. MAY NOT BE USED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION. Nineteen LaManchas came home with By republishing articles online under these guidelines, you agree to immediately remove our content from your website if we contact you and request that you do so. to build up our commercial herd. Copyright 2023, Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We maintain a small herd so throughout the year will have stock available for your consideration. That differentiates us.". Republished articles may not be edited, except to fit an organization's style requirements, to address relative differences in time and/or location, or to shorten it. They may not be published separately from the articles with which they appear. These folks have created an amazing and unique getaway in the western part of the state. "Goats are a little more high-maintenance than cows, and getting a high level of performance means really tailoring the diet in some ways even more than cows," she said. Only stories with the button are available for republishing. For example, a pair ofmassive new farmsin Calumet County have demonstrated that, with enough capital, scaling up a goat operation in Wisconsin is possible. that we cannot fill. ADGA herd appraisals done (scores available through ADGA). James, Michael & Samantha Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association Share -a-kid Applications due - April 1, 2023 Contact: Andy Puetz 6835 Curve Rd Lancaster, WI 53813 andrew.puetz@gmail.com Follow link for more info and an application http://www.wdga.org/out-and-about/ WDGA Membership Meeting Sunday April 16,2023 All are welcome - members and non members alike Sunday April 16, 2023 Started. "My father started milking goats in 1945. The farmstead route can be an expensive risk itself, made even riskier by new producers who might find the notion of producing artisanal goat cheese more romantic than financially feasible, Thompson Hajdik said. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Mentoring offered to new goat owners. They have free access to kelp and loose minerals at all times, receive copper and selenium supplements, and an annual cd/t immunization. It seems the "kids" never left the farm, even . try to buy bucks who will complement our does needs. SALE POLICY: We like to keep a small herd so a lot of doelings will be It is important that all customers are happy with their new kids and that they receive the best of care after leaving our farm. Between 2002 and 2017, the number of dairy goat farms in the state grew by about 350, but that overall growth, concentrated in southwest and western Wisconsin, masks the industry's volatility. The goats at LaClare Family Creamery, near Malone, produce milk that is processed into dairy products on-site in what is known as a farmstead creamery operation. The owners have friendly young goats here. Dairy goat industry is strong in Wisconsin - Mid-West Farm Report You can learn more about all the amazing things this farm does on their website. Toll-Free: (800) 727-9540 Media Inquiries: Email: NASS-Media@usda.gov Other USDA Inquiries: Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time Monday - Friday, except federal holidays Toll-Free: (833) One-USDA Email: askusda@usda.gov Website: https://ask.usda.gov/s/ Civil Rights Office: June Turner, Director Email: / Phone: (202) 720-8257 us that day and so began our love affair with this short-eared breed. The U.S. Department of Agriculture counted more than 83,000 dairy goats in Wisconsin in 2017, far and away the most dairy goats of any state in the U.S. Goats are more finicky eaters than many believe, and producing quality goat milk requires highly-tailored diets. Two dairy farms, cheese plant assessed $190,000 penalty for violations This report was produced in a partnership between PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio. Meanwhile, Drumlin is a venture of the owners ofHolsum Dairy, another large dairy cattle producer in the state. You can still find the influence that Haute Caprine animals had on our herd Marran Dairy Goats Milton, Rock County, Wisconsin, 53563, United States 608-868-7177 marran@centurytel.net Show, DHI, AI breeding, CAE prevention Breeding stock available for show and milk AI Breeding +6 Mertens Family Farm W10713 County Road MM, Thorp, WI 54771 715-669-3046 mertensfamily@gmail.com Alpine Solandt had just graduated from high school and decided to follow his parents and attend college in the U.S., but tragedy struck two years later when a car wreck killed his father and severely injured his mother. "For people wanting to get into goats, the biggest thing is you've got to have a plant that's willing to take your milk before you take the leap," she said to WisContext. milk and in 1993 we made the decision to focus our energies on developing a MILK & LIQUID DAIRY PRODUCTS. These and other expenses can be too much for many new and smaller producers to handle, as evidenced in the churn of dairy goat operations in Wisconsin. Please enjoy our website and if you have any questions let us know. Anna & Katie, Randy & Andrea Kuhtz NEW BABY GOATS!! WisContext is a service of Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin. Living way in the pedigrees both past and present. Any color or colors, solid or patterned, is acceptable. Hills and deep valleys make large-scale agriculture impossible, and in the 1980s local farmers began pooling their products as a means of survival. These are not available for republishing from this site under these guidelines. WisContext serves the residents of Wisconsin, providing information and insight into issues as they affect the state. "I'm thankful I have a background with dairy cattle," she said. Events - LaClare Creamery - Malone, WI We are located just north of Elkhorn, Wisconsin between Madison, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois. Wisconsin Doubles Down on Dairy Distinction With Goat Farms With exceptional animal care as a top priority on the farm, the team continually looks for opportunities to learn, evolve, and adopt new strategies . Only articles credited to WisContext or its partners at Wisconsin Public Media Wisconsin Public Radio, PBS Wisconsin may be republished. While Ostrom visualizes LaClare as a fledgling business trying to compete with multi-national cheese corporations with operations across the world, he said the distinction between LaClare and the industry giants is its reputation for award-winning flavor profiles and high-quality cheese made using high-quality, fresh milk. We maintain a high quality herd, carefully selecting genetics to improve production and type. In fact, Thompson Hajdik said in a follow-up interview with WisContext, achieving high-quality goat milk can require even more nutritional care than in cattle. We require a $50 deposit to reserve a kid with the rest of the payment due We found something in Wisconsin that was very good.". Get more stories delivered right to your email. Known as a CAFO, this type of business must house an equivalent of at least 1,000 animal units, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which defines one goat as one-tenth of an animal unit. Ostrom said the merger with Drumlin Dairy makessense, especially with escalating commodity prices eating deeply into profit margins. Two Year Olds Our family moved to our 3 acre . Along Raintree-Calico Acres Dairy Goats Let us know about it in the comments! The finicky nature of dairy goats can also make scaling up an operation more difficult, Thompson Hajdik said, which is one reason why the average dairy goat herd in the U.S. includes only 15 goats. Our family moved to our 3 acre hobby farm "I'm thankful I have a background with dairy cattle," she said. Thank you for sharing! She's witnessed numerous people enthusiastically start milking goats without enough preparation only to realize how difficult it can be to produce high-quality milk and turn a profit. We try to keep a small herd with under 10 milkers so we usually have some Our primary goal is to humanely raise healthy, happy goats that produce the highest quality, premium milk. said Mills. arkuhtz@elknet.net. According recent data from the USDA, Wisconsin leads the nation in its inventory of dairy goats at 74,000 head, with runnerup California trailing at 39,000. The farms includeDrumlin Dairy, which milks about 8,000 goats and contracts with Saputo, as well as the nearby Chilton Dairy, which has capacity to milk between 6,500 and 9,000 goats and suppliesLaClare Family Creameryin Malone, in Fond du Lac County. Over the years, LaClare has experienced steady growth in cheese sales, necessitating the need to procure more milk. They are fed milk along As of At Rainbow Ridge Farms, youll find a much more laid back way of life. "It's a true merger between three goat-related business," said Ostrom. All farms or locations that house animals in Wisconsin are required to have a Premise ID Number. Solandt soon came to an agreement with the co-op to purchase milk, and together with his French partners purchased an abandoned cheddar processing plant in Preston, in Adams County. This button provides an easy way for you to copy and paste WisContext story text on to your website. Home - Oak Hollow Acres "One of the kind of grand myths out there about the dairy goat world is that goats will eat anything," Thompson Hajdik said in anAug. 12, 2019, interviewon Wisconsin Public Radio'sThe Morning Show. MAPLE-OAK FARM. The farm focuses on sustainable farming techniques and all of their animals are pasture/free-range. photos for our website. Quality Dairy Goat Producers Cooperative Of Wisconsin California came in a distant second, with some 43,000 dairy goats, while Iowa, Texas and Missouri rounded out the top five. USDA Invests $20.2 Million in Grants for Dairy Business Innovation That scenario was rectified in May 2016 when the Chilton Dairy goat farm, owned by Milk Source LLC just 10 miles away in neighboring Calumet County, became a major supplier of milk to LaClare.