#Caprine acres free

The Farm currently houses two breeds of meat goats, Boer and Kiko goats. Melissa started talking about starting a large animal practice, Sam was thrilled and very excited to contribute her expertise as a dairy goat breeder, producer and manager to help Caprine & Ewe clients have a comprehensive and proactive approach to herd health.The Research Farm of the Tuskegee University Research and Education Unit is located at the George Washington Carver Agriculture Experiment Station and provides the livestock, facilities, and support personnel that are used in research and extension activities.

However, she knows that not everyone has the benefit of working with a vet, and since her 4-H days, she has experienced the challenges that come with the shortage of ambulatory small ruminant vets in SE Michigan. Melissa, and appreciates that every day they can make management, husbandry and routine care decisions which improve their own herd’s health and productivity. Sam counts herself lucky to manage a herd with a brilliant vet like Dr. At the same time that Sam was remembering why she loved goats, Melissa was ready to take the herd out of the barn and into the show ring and so the “goat wives” were born. Sam started co-managing the Chubb E Acres Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats in 2019, after meeting Melissa through the MSU Tollgate Farm 4-H Club.

#Caprine acres free

Breeding and showing goats was how the Stokes family spent their free time, and Sam loved spending her formative years learning from the incredible people in the dairy goat community.Īfter leaving farming for almost 10 years, a slew of serendipitous events brought Sam back to her passion for dairy goats and agriculture through MSU Tollgate Farm’s herd of Toggenburgs. Sam grew up on a hobby farm in Washtenaw County raising and showing Alpines (and a few token Toggs) in 4-H, club and national shows under the ADGA herd name “Charmed Alpines”. Melissa is passionate about practicing evidence-based medicine, supporting local farmers and sharing her veterinary education with others to promote happy & healthy livestock. She enjoys sharing her experiences as a veterinarian, farmer and beekeeper through local and national speaking engagements. Acres Farm, LLC a small livestock farm (with a focus on ADGA Nigerian Dwarf goats) and honey bee apiary in Northville, Michigan. Since 2016, in addition to her job as a small ruminant veterinarian, she has owned and managed Chubb E. She is a member of the American Association of Small Ruminant Practitioners ( AASRP), remains active in multiple small ruminant organizations, teaches small ruminant medicine through summer internships, and honey bee education through SEMBA beekeeping school and summer externships. After graduation, Melissa completed a 1-year internship at University of Pennsylvania and a 3-year critical care residency at Michigan State University.

She studied animal science at Michigan State University and received her degree in veterinary medicine from Michigan State University in 2006. She also offers zoom consulting/telemedicine when applicable. Her mobile veterinary practice services sheep, goats, camelids and honeybees throughout Michigan. Melissa Holahan started Caprine & Ewe (& Bees Too) Veterinary Consulting in 2022 because, as a small ruminant farmer & beekeeper herself, she realized that there were limited veterinary services available for these species in Southeast Michigan. Melissa is ready to work with clients to ensure that sick animals receive compassionate, evidence-based therapeutic care.ĭr. Melissa and Sam to address the three base levels of the pyramid, clients develop an excellent veterinary-client-patient relationship that not only keeps the herd more consistently healthy and productive, but makes it easier to treat clinical disease if and when it arises. Holahan’s uses veterinary expertise helps clients build on strong genetic bases and sound farm management practices by working with producers to implement effective preventative veterinary care. She also works at the farm management level of the pyramid, helping producers develop plans that optimize nutrition, herd/land management practices and husbandry to harness their herd’s performance and production potentials.ĭr. Using available genetic data and performance programs, Sam works with farmers to create breeding plans designed to meet their goals. Sam has a passion for helping small ruminant farmers meet the goals for their herds.