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!
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) and some are also registered with the American Goat Society (AGS). I am a member of both organizations and kids can be registered with either organization.

My herd is tested annually for CAE, CL, and Johnes with the most recent negative results received July 2020 (Note: the co-owned bucks are under the report for Anchors Aweigh Farm, which is owned by my mother. The rest of their herd testing is on their website). You will notice that Bee's 2019 result shows a positive for Toxoplasmosis. Just a few days after drawing blood for our annual testing, Bee aborted a beautiful litter of quads. Since WADDL already had the serum at the lab, I called and added a Toxo test before deciding whether to go-ahead with a full abortion screen (I suspected either a freak accident or Toxo, because Toxo is spread by cats after they ingest infected rodents. With the crazy cold winter in 2019, my new barn cats had spent a great deal of time in the goat barn (including defecating in the bedding), so Toxo was highly suspect to me even though its not something I've ever had an issue with before.) The result was positive. Its a relief to know what the cause is and steps have been taken to try and discourage the cats from using the goat pen as their litter box. Bee will not be affected going forward and, unless other does also ingest infected feces, it does not affect the herd. There were no issues at all in 2020.

July 2020 CAE, CL, Johnes
March 2019 CAE, CL, Johnes
March 2018 CAE, CL, Johnes. 

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.