Canadian Goat Supplies?

Hello, everyone.

I was hoping that someone could tell me the name of one or more Canadian companies that have goat supplies. I just went to my friendly neighborhood farm supply co-op, and they haven't got a single thing in their computer with the word "goat" in it. I'm in a small town in Saskatchewan. She said they could special order food or minerals for me IF it was in their system. They didn't have "foot-rot shears" for sheep, I don't know enough to pick a mineral or food, and I'm feeling a little discouraged. Only a little, though.

I'm interested in suppliers of anything related to goats and dairy - hoof trimmers, feed, minerals (although I'll probably try to make do with what's here or get my MIL to bring me these two from Edmonton), cheese cultures, milking pails, etc. Who have you used?

No offense to the fine US goat suppliers, it's just that paying duty can get really expensive, really fast. I made that mistake once and paid nearly as much for duty as for the items that I ordered!

Thanks!

Yes, one of the hardest things for me to adjust to when I moved up here from the States about 8 yrs ago was the extreme lack of domestic mail-order sources for almost anything whatsoever It is REALLY annoying. Fortunately I visit the States twice a year to see family, so order stuff from Premier/Jeffers/ValleyVet/Hoegger/Caprine/Etc to be delivered to my parents' address and then just hand-carry it over the border (it is under the exemption limit for me)... but I totally feel your pain

All I know of on this side of the border is the following:

www.wool.ca (actually takes you to http://www.seregonmap.com/SCM/index.htm but that is correct) is the Canadian Wool Growers Cooperative, which sells livestock supplies through a store whose (rather disorganized) website you will find linked from the wool co-op site. I have not actually ordered from them. I know that there are sort of resellers or franchises or whatever in Ontario, where people sell stuff from their line out of their homes; dunno whether any of that exists around you.

That's where I'd suggest looking first, especially for foot shears. For other vaguely goat-related items:

http://www.berryhilllimited.com/ sells various "country living, hobby farm, boutique-y yuppie countrified doodads" type things, including a rather basic assortment feeders and milking stuff (no foot shears tho as far as I know). Also some basic cheesemaking stuff. Go to their website and look under farm supply, then under 'dairy, cheese and goat supply'. I have ordered from them and been happy with delivery and customer service, and with return service when a thermometer didn't work right.

http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/ sells cheesemaking stuff, and has excellent customer service and gives good advice too.

Also, I notice that at large fairs/shows and at the Royal, there is sometimes a vendor set up selling show goat/sheep/cattle supplies there. I have never paid attention to who, but if you have a large livestock show near you, it is worth keeping eyes open.

Honestly though, as far as trimming feet, I do not think you NEED a special item... you can use pruning shears (like for the garden), or my farrier says he just uses a rasp to do sheep.

If you find out any other Canadian livestock mail-order suppliers I'd sure like to know about it!

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

Bumping up this thread because we have several Canadian pals on the board and it would be nice to know more about where to go there when supplies are needed.

Try peaveymart.com