Dairy goats Sadie and Ariana recently welcomed two kids to the University of Maryland campus farm.
Mother and daughter Oberhasli goats Sadie and Ariana moved to the campus farm in January, according to animal and avian sciences senior lecturer Monica VanKlompenberg. Sadie’s kid arrived Wednesday, April 16, VanKlompenberg said, and Ariana gave birth two days later on Friday, April 18.
“Goats give a really fun approach to understanding animal science,” VanKlompenberg said. “They’re very curious. They’re easy to handle and work with.”
The kids are currently unnamed and referred to by their identification numbers through the American Dairy Goat Association, VanKlompenberg said. They will likely remain unnamed until it is determined whether or not they will stay on this university’s farm, according to sophomore animal sciences major Brian Salmeron.
This semester, VanKlompenberg is leading this university’s pilot goat management course through the agriculture and natural resources college. The 10 students in the class usually have lectures twice a week and lab once a week, VanKlompenberg said. In their lab, the students often visit the campus farm and put their knowledge into practice.
“It’s really good to be able to actually use our knowledge and use what we’re doing in class to raise animals and see them grow,” senior animal sciences major Ayeesha Fadlaoui said.
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The pregnant does were donated by La Chevre d’Or Family Farm in Rocky Ridge, Maryland, with help from Cheyenne Van Echo, whose family owns the farm. Van Echo graduated from this university in 2024 with a degree in animal sciences.
Ariana is a first-time mother, while Sadie has previously birthed numerous kids, Van Echo said.
This is the first time on record that this university has had goats as permanent residents on the campus farm, according to VanKlompenberg. Sadie and Ariana replaced two cows that had previously been at the farm, she said. Having goats continues to allow students the experience of working with dairy animals while also utilizing the small available space, she added.
“The goats are a little bit more approachable than a large cow,” VanKlompenberg said. “It gives [students] more confidence that they can go in and work with animals in future careers.”
Anticipating the kids’ birth, goat management students did farm chores and night watches, where students stayed on the farm overnight to watch for signs of kidding or difficulty from the does, according to junior animal sciences major Thu Nguyen.
Nguyen thinks caring for the goats with a small class size allows students more teacher interaction and closer relationships with peers.
“I’ve gotten to know everyone on a much deeper level,” Nguyen said. “That’s been nice, getting to know everybody individually.”
VanKlompenberg grew up participating in 4-H, a nationwide network of various youth education programs, where she got involved in breeding and showing her own goats. She also worked with dairy goats while completing her doctoral degree at University of California, Davis. She enjoys being able to share the experience with her students, she said.
Fadlaoui, one of the students in the goat management class, also participated in 4-H growing up, but was never directly involved with livestock projects. She wanted the opportunity for hands-on livestock experience at this university’s campus farm, she said.
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“Having the experience of handling animals at varying stages of development … is a really great experience to prepare yourself better for a career that studies animals in really any capacity,” Fadlaoui said.
Various opportunities to work with animals through an on-campus farm is not something that is offered by a lot of universities, Fadlaoui said. The ability to experience handling animals as a student was a major reason why she chose to attend this university, she said.
Nguyen’s work with the goats has also been a source of stress relief for her, she said.
“It’s just nice to be taken away from your typical STEM classes,” Nguyen said. “Spending time with animals … and seeing them grow up is really rewarding.”
Goat management students are creating informative displays about the goats to present at Maryland Day on Saturday. Their presentations will detail information such as facts about the species and the uniqueness of the goat industry.
Sadie and Ariana, and possibly their kids, are also expected to make a public appearance on Maryland Day.
