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Do you routinely test for CAE and Johnes?Yes. We test yearly to ensure that we remain free of both CAE and Johnes. We also maintain a closed herd.
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Can I come meet the goat/puppy before I commit to a purchase?No. Unfortunately this cannot be allowed. I have no idea what you are bringing with you when you visit my property. Your pets or animals you have been around may have been carriers of something that you could unknowingly bring to my property. This could lead to my animals getting sick. Bacteria and viruses can live on many surfaces including the dirt that you have on your shoes, so with you just merely walking onto my property my animals will be at risk. I do not wear my farm shoes away from the house for this very reason. Also we are a working farm which means heavy equipment and guardian dogs as well as large animals. For insurance reasons and your safety we do not allow visits of this kind. However, I am willing to live chat with you and take you to my farm virtually if you are uncomfortable or would like reassurance on anything. I want nothing more than for you to be comfortable with your purchase.
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Can I get my deposit back if I change my mind?No. All deposits are final and are not refundable unless the animal suddenly dies. If the animal is to die before leaving the property you can chose to transfer your deposit to another available animal or have it refunded.
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How do I pick up my goat/puppy?Pickup is subject to your location. I am always willing to meet within an hour of my location free of charge. The timing for pickup is subject to my availability and our private discussions.
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Should I get an older dog? Arent they more reliable and ready to guard?LGDS ARENT PLUG AND PLAY!! We try and breed the very best qualities and instincts that we can but contrary to what we would like to believe LGDs aren't magical unicorns and at the end of the day they are still dogs. They suffer the same stress as any other dog that gets uprooted from their homes, and honestly in my opinion are more affected by the stress due to their strong bonds made with livestock. This is one of the reasons that I HATE moving older dogs. I have done it and will likely do it again because that's the nature of things. My puppies that I breed are ALWAYS welcome back at ANY time no questions asked and no matter what. So I have zero doubt that it won't be something that happens here. Puppies aren't into much of a routine. They are little sponges and are just beginning things so it's MUCH easier on them generally than it is a dog that has grown with a herd and has bonded and matured and lived with certain stock for a period of time. Older dogs get set in their ways and stress can be a funny thing sometimes. While a LGD may be perfect in every way once they are uprooted from their routine, their stock and their home they are going to take some time to settle in a new place and with new stock. You are likely going to see behaviors that are out of character. You're going to have a 3 to 6 week (or so....because they don't read the book) period where things may be difficult or out of the norm and there may be things that are less than desired that happen. The best thing you can do is allow the dog time to settle. Keep things quiet and simple. Often times people get a lot of crap for saying this but I'm sure yall have heard of the "leave the dog alone and let them bond to the stock." Or the whole dreaded words of "hands off." This really IS necessary BUT not at all in the way people think. Typically these days humans find the need to "baby talk" to their dogs and give them treats and attempt to coddle in the way you would a human child to make the dog feel better. Or they want to be overly excited and emotional to a shy dog. Or with an excited dog they forget the structure because the dog is new and they want to be it's friend. When in reality these are all things that are going to add to the stress or escalate the bad behaviors that may come with the stress. LGDs bond so tightly to their stock and for them its their life. They are fully devoted and they want to keep them safe and they will do anything in their means to do so. So imagine for a second if you took them away from their stock and said, here, have some new stock and protect them. On top of that most of these dogs aren't traveling with their humans to the dog park because they are useless as LGDs of they aren't in the field working. Think about the stress that is going to cause them! Where are their stock and who are these and WHY is this happening!? So the "hands off" concept simply means, keep your interactions quiet and to the point. Don't start day one and get them overly excited. Don't coddle them and give them hugs and do all of these emotional things with them. Dont give them baths or trim their nails or do any of those things that aren't life or death. Say hello, give a scratch or two, feed them with the same routine they are used to and be done. Keep yourself neutral and calm and simple. Then leave and let them spend time with the stock and watch from a distance, either in the pen quietly off to the side or from your porch and just let them do their thing. Give them time to settle and get acquainted with with stock. You are providing their needs to survive, their meals and their water, they WILL still like you even if you don't talk to them like their a toddler. And in time when they have had a chance to settle you can talk to them however you please and I'm sure you will get the same tail wags and goofy faces that I do when I do it to mine!! Lol But the first few weeks just isn't the time. It doesn't matter how good of a dog they are they all handle stress differently, just like we do and just like all animals do when we make changes. To some it's a walk in the park and they take to it well. For others it sends them into a panic and they do things they never would before, like want to keep the stock in a certain part of the pen. For others they get overly excited and behave incorrectly with the stock trying to release their stress. Each dog is different and if you are wanting to take on an older LGD please keep these things in mind. They are not plug and play. They will need time to adjust and get reacquainted with their new responsibilities. Be smart in the stock you choose. Be fair and give them the time they need, but don't hold the first few weeks against them.
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How do I select my puppy?After the breeding has taken place and the pregnancy has been confirmed I start collecting a waiting list for the litter. It is free to get on this list. NO DEPOSITS ARE TAKEN UNTIL THE PUPPIES ARE A WEEK OLD. Those on my waiting list get told a few days in advance that I will begin taking deposits and they are allowed to place them before it is publicly open. THE PICKING ORDER IS NOT BASED OFF THE WAITING LIST BUT OFF OF THE ORDER I RECEIVE DEPOSITS. I do it this way because many people get on the waiting list and then take days or weeks to send their deposit and its not fair to others that have placed theirs in a timely manner. It has become my standard policy to not hold anything without a deposit and this includes picking order. PLEASE NOTE: That I frequently have puppies that go home in pairs. When this happens these PAIRS TAKE PRIORITY OVER THE PICKING ORDER. My biggest concern is for the dogs and their well being and I wont comprise that. Puppies are paired according to their preferences and needs. Some pups would do best with a buddy to play with or keep them company and others would be just fine on their own. I will make my pairs before opening up what is available for you to pick from. Once the puppies are roughly 5 weeks of age I will begin going through my picking order and speaking with you individually. If it has not been discussed previously I will ask you what you want in your puppy. What do you expect of your puppy? What personality are you interested in? What things take place at your farm? How much human traffic? These types of questions help me to determine the pups that would be best suited for you and youll be able to select from those puppies that I deem suitable. I DO NOT SELL PUPPIES FOR THEIR COLOR! I know that some puppies are adorable and I know that youll have to look at these puppies and feed them, however, cute doesnt stay cute if the adult version of your pup isnt what you had needed or wanted. For this reason I will not allow people to select their puppies before the puppies are roughly 5 weeks old. Lots of things are visible to me by then and if youre willing to wait then I feel more comfortable with you getting my puppy. I feel more comfortable that you arent just out looking for the next cute addition but will be truly dedicated to the proper raising of a working livestock guardian dog.
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How do I get on the waiting list for a goat?I no longer entertain a goat waiting list. It took up too much time to sort through only to get no answers from many, get told its bad timing or all sorts of stories and it just wasnt worth the time. Goats become available regularly and are always posted on my facebook page first as I dont have to take the time to sit down on the computer and update the website. Following us on Facebook will be the best way for those updates. GOATS ARE NOT HELD WITHOUT A DEPOSIT. They usually sell fast so I would have all of the "ask my husband" things taken care of prior to contacting me and be ready to place a deposit when you do.
Sales Policy & New Owner Information
THIS INFORMATION IS IMPORTANT AND CONTAINS ALL OF THE DETAILS OF THE SALE.
Please feel free to contact us to be on the waiting list for a specific goat(s) or a goat from a specific breeding(s) and we will let you know if we end up with what you are looking for. We no longer keep a non-specific waiting list or a waiting list for pet wethers. Wethers are sold on a first come, first served basis only. We do not keep a waiting list for pets. Our Facebook group, Five C Ranch, will provide the most up to date information in regards to what is available.
TO ENSURE THAT A GOAT IS NOT SOLD, you must put down a NONREFUNDABLE $100 deposit. Deposits are accepted by PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, or cash, and only hold your chosen goat for one week after the given ready date. I will accept a mailed check for a deposit with picture proof the check is being mailed out. If the check bounces your deposit is not valid and the kid will be sold. After one week, if you would still like to purchase the goat and not forfeit your deposit, there is a $10 daily fee for boarding. PayPal deposits MUST be sent WITH PAYPAL FEES INCLUDED. Paypal is no longer allowing Freinds and Family for business accounts. If they are sent in without the fees, we will refund your deposit minus the fees and you will be asked to send it again in order to continue further with the sale.
The remaining balance must be paid in cash at pick up. Do not arrive with a check or other method of payment. Cash, CashApp, or Paypal is all that will be accepted.
We will dam raise for buyers, but this is 100% at our discretion. We will be happy to bottle feed your kid(s) at our boarding rate of $10 per day billed weekly, per kid plus the cost of milk/supplements/vaccines/other routine maintenance. IF WEEKLY CARE PAYMENTS ARE NOT MADE ON TIME ALL PAID MONEY TO DATE IS FORFEITED AND THE KID(S) WILL BE RELISTED AND SOLD. Kids will go home on goat milk, cow milk, or a combination of the two. You will be given enough goat milk, if that is being used, to slowly transition to the milk of your choosing. Our first choice is goat milk, with cow milk coming in at a close second. We do not recommend replacers of any kind or goat milk from untested animals. If you choose either of those options, we will not be available for advice on further care. We use red Pritchard teats and/or human baby bottles with an x cut in the nipple and suggest buyers having both on hand when bringing home goat kid(s). **NEVER FEED WATER FROM A BOTTLE. ONLY ALLOW YOUR GOAT(S) TO DRINK WATER FROM BUCKETS, ETC.**
Kids will be disbudded before leaving.
We do NOT, under any circumstances, sell single goats to single goat homes. You MUST purchase at least two goats if you do not already have others.
Wethers are fixed male goats and make the best pets. They are always $150 each and must be brought back to be wethered by us or boarding fee paid until the kid is old enough to be done safely. It is up to the buyer to contact us to make arrangements when the buck is of age. If the buyer does not contact us in a timely manner and the buck becomes too old to wether by the banding method, then the buyer will have to make other arrangements. A buck sold as a $150 wether is never intended to be used as breeding stock and we are NOT responsible for the animal if you choose to keep it intact. There will be NO replacements given if a buck sold as a wether cannot reproduce. If you are looking for a breeding animal, we suggest choosing an available registered buck.
Registered buck kids will only be sold if requested. All bucks will otherwise be sold as pets. Registered buck kids are $400+ and their genetics behind them will dictate their price.
Registered doe kids are $500+ and their price depends on the genetics behind them. Unregistered doe kids are $250 and are only available at our discretion. Prices listed are non-negotiable unless otherwise noted.
IMPORTANT: Due to not monitoring the care received once leaving our farm, we cannot guarantee goats once they leave the property, unless the goat is proven by a veterinarian to have a defect that would have been present prior to selling. In that case, we will replace the goat after the return of the original goat's registration and within 12 months of purchase. Refunds will not be given, only replacements of comparable quality.
WHEN PICKING UP YOUR GOATS we will meet you within ONE HOUR of our location in Springfield SC free of charge. ANY DISTANCE OVER ONE HOUR WILL BE CHARGED FOR FUEL. We will use the fuel cost calculator to determine the price in which we will charge. IF YOU REFUSE TO PAY FUEL COSTS THEN YOU WILL FORFEIT YOUR DEPOSIT AND THE SALE IS VOIDED.
IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT I AM ON TIME MAKE SURE TO CONTACT ME MORNING OF OUR MEET DAY. I will not leave my house with the animal(s) until I have heard from you. If you fail to contact me until you arrive or until youre on your way it is likely that I will not be on time. Please make sure that you contact me to make me aware that our meeting time is still good.
All pickups and returns will be done at a meeting place decided prior to the sales completion. ANY RETURN WILL BE DONE AT THE SAME ORIGINAL MEETING PLACE. THIS IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.
When taking bottle kids (or even adult goats) home, it would be best to keep them in a small, escape proof area for the first few days until they are acclimated to their new surroundings. Stress is a serious health concern for goats; minimizing stress levels is key to good heath.
General Goat Care
For BASIC goat nutritional requirements, we suggest a pelleted goat feed for young and growing goats and alfalfa pellets fed daily and in equal parts. Most importantly they need roughage like hay. If you cannot provide safe brush for grazing then we recommend multiple hay types. Hay/Forage should make up the bulk of their diet. Read here for reasons why and what I feed my herd. There are lots of other things you can purchase to add and make a ration that suits your animals needs. As time goes on, you will have to research and feed what works for you in the amounts that work for you. Water is a necessity.
Goats also need minerals. The easiest minerals to find are Manna Pro loose goat minerals from Tractor Supply. Blocks should NOT be used at the main mineral source, only loose minerals that are fed free choice in a feeder should be the main source. We supplement with selenium and copper, both can be purchased online. Here we use New Country Organics goat mineral or Premier1 mineral mixes
We also suggest you have dewormers and a coccidia treatment on hand prior to bringing a goat home.
IF YOU ARE BUYING A WETHER, please be sure be balance your calcium and phosphorous at a 2:1 rate to as this is the best way to prevent urinary calculi. Another option is to provide adequate minerals that contain ammonium chloride or feed that contains ammonium chloride. Please research this if you are not familiar with it.
Occasionally, goats get lice. This usually happens in the spring, but can happen anytime. At Five C Ranch, we use a permethrin based fly spray applied down the spine, Cylence, or injected ivermectin. While they can be life threatening if not treated, it is normal. External parasites can come in on straw, bedding, shavings, or other goats. Do not be alarmed if you notice lice on your goats, but treat them as soon as you see them. We recommend checking for lice at least twice a month during the Winter/Spring, and at longer intervals during the warmer months.
WHEN BUYING A BOTTLE KID, please follow our directions exactly. Some goats go home eating more than others, so there is not a one-size-fits all description of how to feed bottle goat kids. Typically, kids work their way up to 24-32 ounces per DAY, divided between 2-4 bottles depending on the availability of the buyer.
PLEASE NOTE: Any sudden changes can cause upset in their digestion and cause things such as bloat. Please make any changes slowly. Any abrupt changes will cause unnecessary stress to the goat and could be fatal.
ALL GOATS CAN BE ADGA AND/OR AGS REGISTERED
If you buy a bottle baby from me I am offering bottles to be purchased at cost. Please inquire on the availability before assuming that I will have one available. Bottles are $7 each and will come with a pritchard nipple that your baby is accustomed to using while here.
Livestock Guardian Dog Puppy Policy
Puppies are $800 each. They will be born and raised in the goat barn/pasture and exposed to goats and poultry as well as children, horses, gun fire, tractors and they will learn to work alongside their parents as well as other adults. I often split larger litters up into smaller groups and I mix these groups up every so often in order to observe their behaviors and tendencies. This allows me to get an idea of what kind of home these puppies will need. During the weeks where the puppies are mobile I spend A LOT of time observing quietly and often at a distance. Your puppy will NOT come bonded to people and they often dont come seeking attention from a human. They are raised to work independently or with other lgds in the field. This does NOT mean that these puppies will not be social or unable to be handled. It does however mean that these puppies will not be bothered with being left outside without you and without the need for your attention. Remember that you are buying a working animal and not a pet.
We start a waiting list once we notice signs of breeding or pregnancy, and no money is required to have your name down. Picking order will be determined by the order deposits are received once puppies arrive and are deemed healthy.
The deposit to hold your spot is $200 and is nonrefundable/nontransferable, but will be taken off of the total cost. We try not to allow buyers to pick from birth as we like to get a feel for individual personalities and match puppies with the right home. This sometimes causes misunderstandings when buyers pick puppies. For example, if there are 3 boys and one is appearing to be best suited for a farm without free ranging poultry, we will NOT allow a person looking for a working dog to purchase him that needs him to guard poultry, even if the buyer was first on the waiting list. The buyer will have to pick from the ones who we determine will meet his or her needs. This method is the best way to ensure puppies are placed in an environment most suited to their needs and it is NOT negotiable. We reserve the right to deny any sale to buyers who do not approve of our way of picking homes.
Read here for information on what I feed my LGDs and why.
When you bring your working puppy home place them directly in with APPROPRIATE livestock. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT! The livestock teach your puppy manners and appropriate behavior FROM THE START that you will not be able to teach them. I have raised your puppy with livestock from the start and I will make any issues I see known from the start, however they have been with my stock on my property and changing property and surroundings can and sometimes does cause an issue to arise. I want to make it clear though that you cannot fix the issue by removing the stock. Im a FIRM believer in preparing and choosing the best livestock to raise your puppy. BEFORE you should be worried about bringing a puppy home you should evaluate your livestock. If you dont have livestock that are familiar with LGDs or if you only have babies then you need to make a decision on how you plan to raise this puppy to do its job. The best livestock for raising a puppy are adult animals that arent afraid of your LGD and that are willing to put the puppy in its place when necessary. Your puppy will learn and understand more from the livestock than from any training you can give. Training is a learned behavior that requires direction or a command. If you arent there to give that direction/command then there is no behavior and removing the dog from the stock weakens the bond that is detrimental to how an LGD works. This makes appropriate livestock extremely important! I am VERY critical on my LGDS and I will NOT keep anything on my property, let alone breed one that does not have the natural instinct required for guarding livestock. This is a genetic trait and not learned behavior.
LGDS ARENT PLUG AND PLAY!!
We try and breed the very best qualities and instincts that we can but contrary to what we would like to believe LGDs aren't magical unicorns and at the end of the day they are still dogs. They suffer the same stress as any other dog that gets uprooted from their homes, and honestly in my opinion are more affected by the stress due to their strong bonds made with livestock.
This is one of the reasons that I HATE moving older dogs. I have done it and will likely do it again because that's the nature of things. My puppies that I breed are ALWAYS welcome back at ANY time no questions asked and no matter what. So I have zero doubt that it won't be something that happens here. Puppies aren't into much of a routine. They are little sponges and are just beginning things so it's MUCH easier on them generally than it is a dog that has grown with a herd and has bonded and matured and lived with certain stock for a period of time. Older dogs get set in their ways and stress can be a funny thing sometimes.
While a LGD may be perfect in every way once they are uprooted from their routine, their stock and their home they are going to take some time to settle in a new place and with new stock. You are likely going to see behaviors that are out of character. You're going to have a 3 to 6 week (or so....because they don't read the book) period where things may be difficult or out of the norm and there may be things that are less than desired that happen. The best thing you can do is allow the dog time to settle. Keep things quiet and simple. Often times people get a lot of crap for saying this but I'm sure yall have heard of the "leave the dog alone and let them bond to the stock." Or the whole dreaded words of "hands off." This really IS necessary BUT not at all in the way people think. Typically these days humans find the need to "baby talk" to their dogs and give them treats and attempt to coddle in the way you would a human child to make the dog feel better. Or they want to be overly excited and emotional to a shy dog. Or with an excited dog they forget the structure because the dog is new and they want to be it's friend. When in reality these are all things that are going to add to the stress or escalate the bad behaviors that may come with the stress.
LGDs bond so tightly to their stock and for them its their life. They are fully devoted and they want to keep them safe and they will do anything in their means to do so. So imagine for a second if you took them away from their stock and said, here, have some new stock and protect them. On top of that most of these dogs aren't traveling with their humans to the park or the pet store because they are useless as LGDs of they aren't in the field working. Think about the stress that is going to cause them! Where are their stock and who are these and WHY is this happening!? So the "hands off" concept simply means, keep your interactions quiet and to the point. Don't start day one and get them overly excited. Don't coddle them and give them hugs and do all of these emotional things with them. Dont give them baths or trim their nails or do any of those things that aren't life or death. Say hello, give a scratch or two, feed them with the same routine they are used to and be done. Keep yourself neutral and calm and simple. Then leave and let them spend time with the stock and watch from a distance, either in the pen quietly off to the side or from your porch and just let them do their thing. Give them time to settle and get acquainted with with stock. You are providing their needs to survive, their meals and their water, they WILL still like you even if you don't talk to them like they're a toddler. And in time when they have had a chance to settle you can talk to them however you please and I'm sure you will get the same tail wags and goofy faces that I do when I do it to mine!! But the first few days/weeks just isn't the time.
It doesn't matter how good of a dog they are they all handle stress differently, just like we do and just like all animals do when we make changes. To some it's a walk in the park and they take to it well (which is ideal no doubt and the goal in our breeding) and others just may need a day or two to settle. We have to remember these dogs are treated like livestock and just like a horse may be off their game at first, so can an lgd. Each dog is different and if you are wanting to take on an older LGD please keep these things in mind. They are not plug and play. They will need time to adjust and get reacquainted with their new responsibilities. Be smart in the stock you choose. Be fair and give them the time they need, but don't hold the first few weeks against them.