Seven Winds  & Anchors Aweigh Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Seven Winds Farm
My small farm is located in central Montana, just outside Great Falls. I selected my herd name as Seven Winds because the wind is always blowing around here and it comes from every different direction, sometimes changing direction multiple times in one day. Despite the wind, I have a little piece of paradise to share with my goats, horses, chickens and dogs. I will be keeping a small herd, breeding for quality animals that excel in milk production and are structurally sound. 

I purchased my first registered Nigerian Dwarf doe in December 2014. My mother lives approximately 60 miles away from me and decided to join me on this goat adventure! Our first year was very busy; we participated in Linear Appraisals, DHIA milk tests, and successfully competed in 2 ADGA sanctioned shows. We have continued to participate in these programs and look forward to many more years of fun with our goats!

In 2018 I purchased my first LaMancha doe and completely fell in love with the breed. I started reducing the Nigerian Dwarf herd and by 2022 I had sold all the Nigerian Dwarves and had "officially" converted to LaManchas only. In 2022, I held back a LaMancha wether to start as a pack goat. The genetics I have are large framed and have excellent dispositions, they will make exceptional trail companions.  
Picture
The view from Seven Winds Farm.
Herd Registration & Health
All of my does and bucks are registered with the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) .

My herd has been tested annually for CAE, CL, and Johnes since 2014 with the most recent negative results for all three received March 2022 and CAE only in March 2023. Starting in 2023, I will be moving to annual CAE testing and every-other-year testing of CL and Johnes. After nearly 10 years of continuous testing and very few new animals coming in anymore, I don't feel its necessary to continue the annual testing for all three diseases. Any animal I sell over 1 year old can be tested for all three (and other blood tests requested) at the buyer's expense before they are sold. 
Click here to view the 2022 CAE CL Johnes results. 
Click here for the 2023 CAE negative results. 

While testing can never guarantee with 100% certainty that the herd is free from these diseases, I feel the testing is important to herd health. For information about these diseases, I recommend that you visit WADDL's website (Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab) and read their Frequently Asked Questions about each of these diseases and the testing of these diseases. Each of these tests can produce false negatives or false positives, but I still choose to test so that I can make necessary decisions to keep my herd healthy. I do not purchase goats from untested herds, either. I do not allow outside breedings  to my bucks unless a doe is purchased from me and bred before she leaves my farm.