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A Little Farm By Sheila Stogsdill
Ellen Dorsey’s “hobby” became a full-time occupation Ellen Dorsey started her goat career with Pygmy goats over two decades ago. By 2005, Ellen’s “hobby” became a fulltime business known as Dill’s-A Little Goat Farm, Dorsey-Lane Dairy Goats, and Dorsey-Lane Cattle Company in Chelsea, Okla,. The farm specializes in Nigerian Dwarfs, Alpines, Toggenburgs and black Angus stock cattle on their 24-acre farm located northeast of Claremore, Okla. The number of adult dairy goats fluctuates between 75 and 100 and the farm also runs 40 head of cattle. Many of the herd are award-winning goats with the American Dairy Goat Association, including Premier Exhibitor and Premier Breeder of the Nigerian Dwarf breed for many years at the Tulsa and Oklahoma state fair, and the ADGA National Show. Chris is the farm’s “operations manager” while Ellen does the milking, baby feeding, and general doctoring. “I like to tell him ‘he builds the operation, I build the goat,’” Ellen said. The family has six sons, Jason, Joshua, Jonathon, Justin, Jarred and Jacob. The four oldest sons have families of their own, while the younger sons, Jarred and Jacob, help on the ranch. Jarred and Jacob lead the grandkids as chief suppliers of hugs for the littlest goats. Dill’s-A Little Goat Farm, Dorsey-Lane Dairy Goats, and Dorsey-Lane Cattle Company provides dairy and milk, beef, and kid sales, as well as linear appraisal and production testing. The primary business is supplying kids to the breeding market. “Milk is a bonus part of what I do,” Ellen said. “Our goal is to produce a quality product for the market. We provide fresh sweet rich milk, and our beef is well-raised meat.” The move to goats reads live a romance novel. “I fell in love with goats as a species and then I discovered (Dwarf) Nigerians,” El-
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Ellen Dorsey has Nigerian Dwarf, Alpines and Toggenburg dairy goats, in addition to a cattle operation. She said the main goal of her dairy goat operation is to supply goat kids to the breeding market.
len said. “From there I progressed to the standard breeds and have a love for each one. “I like each one for a variety of reasons, but the Nigerian Dwarf has my heart and always will.
Chelsea, Okla.
“They make my heart happy.” The Nigerian Dwarf has the highest butterfat and protein among the miniature goat breeds.
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“I also find their milk sweeter than the other breeds which is the primary reason I bottle it for my ‘human’ customers,” Ellen said. Ellen describes the Nigerian Dwarf goats as “hardy animals” and easy to live with and care for, if you know what you’re doing. When the farm needs lots of milk fast, the Alpines and Toggenburgs are the “go to” animal for that task, she said. Oklahoma law allows the sale of 100 gallons of milk per month with no licensing required. The average production for of an adult does is 5 pounds per day for the Nigerian, 10 to 12 pounds per day for the Alpines and 11 to 14 pounds for the Toggenburgs. The Dorsey’s participated in a USDA study and found their program is collaborating nicely with little worm load in any of their pastures. “The highest was among the junior stock as expected since they aren’t in the milk rotation they don’t get near as much attention as the adult stock,” Ellen said. “The goats haven’t been vaccinated in recent years since we found nothing changed over the years,” Ellen said. “We do however vaccinate our cattle for a variety of things using commercially available products. We also take all of our heifers to the vet for brucellosis testing.” Ellen’s goats are show goats, so hoof trimming done on a regular basis is part of the farming routine, she said. “A dairy goat with good hoof maintenance milks better,” Ellen said. “She gets around and can feed herself pain free. It translates to more milk in the bucket.” While the Dorseys do not make soap, they have many customers who buy milk for soap making purposes, she said. The buck kids are typically sold as bottle babies to individuals looking for pets or to raise for meat. “I breed the way I know to breed and have enjoyed a lot of success as a line JUNE 7, 2021
