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MSM™ - suitable for all Herbivores Discovery of MSM (Methylsulphonylmethane) results from a 25 year research effort on Sulphur nutrition, proving MSM to be nature’s way of providing the body with free Sulphur. Without knowing why, breeders, trainers and farmers have long since recognised the nutritional value of fresh forage for the maintenance of good health in their animals. MSM is present only in fresh feedstuffs and is the prime source of bioavailableSulphur. It is volatile and is readily driven out during drying, processing or refining, so it follows that animals fed cubes, grain and dried hay are apt to...

For goatkeepers out there who are after high milk yields, then Saanens are the goats for you. They are heavy milk producers, sometimes producing up to 15 times their own body weight in a single day. OK, that last part wasn’t strictly true, but trust me, it’s a lot! The milk itself usually has a fairly low fat content, typically 3-4 % so it’s great if like me you’re watching your weight. Actually, goats’ milk has numerous health benefits, but that’s another topic for a different time.... Anyway, where were we? Ah yes, Saanens. The breed itself originated in Switzerland...

The humble Toggenburg, is another of the ‘dairy’ breed of goats and another of the breeds originating from Switzerland. Partial to a drop of milk the Swiss. Images of Heidi running down the mountain with a yoke across her shoulders, fetching milk to a background cacophony of goat bells spring to mind. Or was it her Granddad that fetched the milk? I can’t remember... Anyway, Toggenburgs produce lots of the stuff, and with a fairly low fat content, typically between 2-4%. The oldest registered breed, Toggenburgs (like Saanens) are named after a region in Switzerland: the Toggenburg Valley. The British...

As the name suggests, Anglo Nubians originated from British and Middle Eastern stock. The breed is generally kept as a ‘milk’ goat, although some of the larger types are suitable for meat. The milk these goats produce is lovely, quite creamy and with a high butterfat content, typically about 5%. It’s hard for me to talk about milk without mentioning cheese, such is my addiction to it and Nubian milk is perfect for this. Now I’ve got Chevre stuck in my head... They are very distinguishable goats, with big floppy ears and a big roman nose (although they’d probably say...

Boer Goats are the only goats that have been bred specifically for meat: this seems a bit of a one-sided deal when you consider that Goats have been managed by man for over 12,000 years and are usually considered companion animals (next to the bog standard dogs and cats). Over this time, we have had many thousands of breeding generations where we should have made ‘improvements’, so we should have got it right by now… And I think we have. The Boer goat originated in South Africa: it is totally different in appearance from dairy goats that give their own...