08/11/2026
Copied from Rebecca White and adapted to fit our farm info/program… we have gotten this question A LOT in the last year and I couldn’t have said it better than she did.
The question has been posed many times in the last year to us and the people we're close with: What are the Keeney’s doing differently than us... what are we doing wrong?
Hand to God, we feed Tall Towers only. We do not feed ANY other supplements or additives.
The main thing that we put above all else is herd health and management. We are not any different in the fact that we have messes, and weeds, and stuff isn’t always picture perfect. BUT that husbandry piece is our number one priority, every single day. We watch and observe, get eyes on every animal, making sure they are acting like they usually do, stare at them while they eat, notice their behavior. You would not believe the amount of things that we have stopped from happening just from awareness of each goat. The trick to this is keeping a manageable number friends, I know, it's hard… goat math is a thing 😆.
Secondly, water is critical. We bleach buckets one-two times per week, more often if the situation calls for it. Water testing may not be a bad idea if you have UC concerns. Our water runs through the softener and we don't have calcium issues. If an animal does not have fresh clean water THEY DO NOT DRINK the same amount and your feed conversion decreases as a result!
Let's talk about hay. We feed a high quality primarily alfalfa hay (some grass mixed in to keep the leaf on the stem) The higher the alfalfa content, the better. Without this type of forage, Tall Towers will not work for you the same way it works for us--it's too important in the rumen and it aids in creating the mass. When they aren't eating hay well, it shows in their appearance.
Genetics. We do not have high dollar goats. The most we spent on a goat was $1600 and those purchases are not made lightly. Most of our goats are what we MAKE, and we show what we make. If we don't have a good kid crop, we either don't show them or wait until they're ready, which is sometimes 14 months. We are learning every day and getting better at determining who stays and who goes, perfecting that critical eye is an ever evolving process.
Feed program--if you can get Tall Towers, we highly recommend it! But I put feed at the end of this list because that is where we rank it. The other things I mentioned need to be incorporated into a herd first, and there will be noticeable changes in no time at all.
We cannot recommend enough to get a mentor!! We are happy to help anyone who asks questions or is starting out. Not that we know it all, no one does!! We were lucky enough to have many breeders do the same for us along our journey. Someone that lives near you is the best if you are just starting out. Mentors and people you're close with will change over the years, and that's okay. You and the herd are also ever-changing. Mentors will help you with the ins and outs, and the right mentor at the right time can make all the difference!
We try to combine superior herd health and management with an excellent forage, water and feed to genetics that we've spent years selecting, while taking into consideration the advice of our mentors. That's really it and it works for us!
And last but not least. If you have any questions or we can help please don’t hesitate to reach out or just stop us and say hi.
