Helmstead Mobile Goat Services

08/07/2026

Buying your goats from a disease tested herd ISN’T just for registered herds!!!

While commercial (unregistered) goats may be less of a financial investment, they are no less of an emotional investment. They should still be disease tested periodically and the sellers should be able to provide some proof of that screening. At the least, a seller should be willing to have animals screened prior to their sale (sometimes at the buyers expense, which is fair for commercial sales).

What you don’t know CAN hurt you. Testing is cheap compared to having to cull your entire herd. Call your vet or call me out and get blood drawn for testing. Use your vet or call me for PPE’s, too! Don’t risk it!

08/07/2026

Thank you for your patience and understanding! I’ll be back Monday!

08/06/2026

🚨 TOXIC PLANT ALERT🚨

Coffee Senna - here is what it looks like in early August. Probably waist high now. It will eventually have pretty yellow flowers and FLAT, elongated seed pods that do not rattle. When you touch it, your fingers will smell just like coffee - hence the name!

Although generally unpalatable, livestock WILL consume it and ALL PARTS of the plant are toxic. Seeds are especially toxic.

This toxin damages skeletal and heart muscles, the death of which cause dark urine. Livestock remain alert and will eat/drink but go down and generally are dead within 48 hours.

I thought I had it all eradicated on my property - but I didn’t put in a garden this year and look what popped up in the overgrown weeds!

I recommend pulling this by the roots (wear gloves!) and discarding it in trash bags. It can be in large stands in pastures, it was here! But I no longer have it in any of my pastures with consistent pulling. The first year we were here, it was THICK!

08/05/2026

Mmhmm

08/04/2026

What is a CRYPTORCHID? Buyer Beware!

The question really is, “is my wether REALLY a wether?”

Since I’ve run into two “wether-bucks” recently (one actively breeding his doe herd mates) I think an info post is needed!

A cryptorchid is a male born with one (sometimes two) undescended testicles. It is usually genetically linked (so these animals should NOT BE BRED). They cannot be castrated by a layperson - they must be surgically castrated by a veterinarian as the undescended testicle(s) are intra-abdominal. What’s happening is laypeople are banding the available testicle and selling the goat as a wether (castrated male) to unsuspecting buyers. Fast forward several months and your does are being bred, your pet is suddenly aggressive and urinating on himself and you’ve grown attached to an animal that requires a $1k surgery.

What to look for? Real wethers just look like girls. They will not have long facial hair (but they can grow small beards) or long body hair. They will not “woo woo” or urinate on themselves (but they may mount other goats, as females also might display mounting behavior). They will not smell musky or bucky at all. Not even a little.

BREEDERS - don’t do this! The appropriate thing to do with a cryptorchid is NOT to hand it off to an unsuspecting person. Leave the single testicle and “off to market” they go OR dig into your own pockets for the surgery to castrate.

Photo is of a doe who’s pretty offended I used her for this post 🤪😂

08/03/2026

Week at a Glance

Monday - moving daughter into her dorm for her SENIOR YEAR!! 🎉

Tuesday - Ross Prairie to West Dunnellon
Wednesday - Floral City
Thursday - open
Friday - off for a family medical

It’s the slow season so I’m pretty openly available! PM to inquire.

07/31/2026

07/30/2026

“What do you mean, you haven’t had Kate out to help your herd?!”

From hoof care to whole herd management - I’m here to make your life a little easier and your goat’s life better through education and management suggestions.

I am accepting a limited number of new clients for all services. Send a message to find out more! Based near Ocala with a