Producer/veterinarian perspective

Adding value to small ruminant dairies

Abstract

Commercial dairying has broadened my understanding of the key factors affecting small ruminant dairies beyond my veterinary background. Owning a sheep dairy and managing a goat dairy has allowed for insights into what it really takes to survive the hardships, failures, and successes related to milking sheep and goats. Certain trends are present in successful and failing dairies that are easy to find, once you know what to look for. In this talk, we will review the commonalities of successful and unsuccessful small ruminant dairies.