About the Author

Karen Kopf

Karen Kopf and her husband Dale own Kopf Canyon Ranch in Troy, Idaho. They enjoy "goating" together and helping others goat. They raise Kikos primarily, but are experimenting with crosses for their new favorite goating experience: pack goats! You can learn more about them at Kopf Canyon Ranch on Facebook or kikogoats.org
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Articles by Karen Kopf

Herding Goats Hands-Free: Positional Strategies
April 30, 2025 · · Members Only, Ownership

Add to Favorites Herding goats requires a deep understanding of their nature and behavior and a careful balance of the different methods. Moving a large herd of goats from one …

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Goat Ear Tags and Other Types of Goat ID
March 1, 2025 · · Members Only, Ownership

Add to Favorites Many goat ear tags say, “UNLAWFUL TO REMOVE,” yet people remove them. Is it really against the law to remove an ear tag? Yes, in fact, it …

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What to Look for in a Breeding Buck
February 8, 2025 · · Members Only, Ownership

Add to Favorites A breeding buck is the fastest way to improve — or ruin — a herd of goats. Buck selection for breeding isn’t a decision to be made …

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Goat Meat: The Responsible Side Effect of Breeding
February 8, 2025 · · Members Only, Ownership

Add to Favorites How could anyone eat goat meat or sell such an endearing animal as meat? If you’d met us 15 years ago, we were there, too. Our farm …

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Managing Livestock Guardian Dogs
December 18, 2024 · · Ownership

Add to Favorites We can’t raise goats at Kopf Canyon Ranch without livestock guardian dogs (LGDs). A solid, reliable LGD is the most valuable tool on the ranch. On the …

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Meat Goat Performance
September 4, 2024 · · Members Only, Ownership

Selecting for high performance makes raising goats more sustainable. By identifying high-producers, we can reduced our management burden.

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How to Draw Blood from a Goat
August 31, 2024 · · Health

Learning how to draw blood from a goat is a valuable skill anyone breeding goats should master. Here’s how.

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Goats in Cold Weather
May 26, 2024 · · Ownership

When it comes to goats and cold weather, we must adjust our food, water, shelter, and even supplies management.

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Goat Mineral Buffets: Are They the Best?
May 1, 2024 · · Health, Ownership

When it comes to providing a good goat mineral, some producers are experimenting with “mineral buffets,” but do they work?

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Toltrazuril for Goats
March 7, 2024 · · Health

Add to Favorites TOLTRAZURIL, OR “TOLT” — check any forum, and you’ll find toltrazuril for goats recommended for its use to combat coccidia in goats. It’s a hot topic among …

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