Sales Policy

How We Raise Our Kids: Co-Parenting & Socialization

At Mud & Mascara Mini Farm, we believe in a "co-parenting" approach to raising healthy, well-adjusted goats.

• Dam-Raised & Milk Sharing: Our kids are raised naturally by their mothers, and we milk share with the dams once the kids are established. We believe this natural start builds the strongest immune systems and healthiest rumen development.

• Our Bottle Policy: We do not bottle-raise kids unless it is medically necessary. In the rare event that we have a medically required bottle baby, that kid may be made available to go to an experienced bottle-feeding home around 4 weeks of age.

• Heavily Socialized: Despite being dam-raised, our kids are absolutely not wild! They are handled daily from birth and are heavily socialized with adults and children of all ages.

• Farm-Ready: To make their transition to your home as seamless as possible, our kids are raised in a bustling farm environment and are regularly exposed to chickens, pigs, and dogs.

Sales, Deposits, & Reservations

• The "Buddy" Rule: Goats are herd animals and thrive on companionship. We will not sell a single goat to a home that does not already have goats. If you do not currently own goats, you must purchase at least two from us.

• Right of Retention: Mud & Mascara Mini Farm reserves the right to retain any kid from any breeding at any time. If a deposit has already been placed on a retained kid, it will be fully refunded or applied to another available goat of your choice.

• Our Deposit Policy:

  • Once a deposit is received, we are committed to sending you frequent photo and video updates as your reserved kid grows!

  • If the buyer backs out, the deposit is strictly non-refundable.

  • If the specific goat you reserved is not born (e.g., if a specific gender or pairing is preferred but not available), your deposit can either be rolled over to the following year or applied to another available kid.

Bio-Security & Herd Health Status

• Our Closed Herd: We operate a closed herd, sourced only from other tested-negative herds. To maintain the highest health standards, annual testing for CAE, CL and Johne's PCR will begin in 2027. Test results will be happily provided upon request.

• Farm Biosecurity for Visitors: To keep our animals safe, we kindly ask that you do not wear clothes or shoes worn on your own farm or other livestock properties when visiting. Shoe covers will be provided if you are entering any of our contained animal areas.

Health & Herd Management

• Disbudding: All goats will be safely disbudded before leaving our farm. We do not sell horned goats.

• Vaccinations: All goats will be up to date on their CD&T vaccine.

  • Pregnant Does: Vaccinated 30 days prior to kidding.

  • Kids: Vaccinated between 6 and 8 weeks of age, with a booster 3 to 4 weeks later.

• Wethering (Banding): Bucklings intended as pets/companions will be banded no earlier than 8 weeks and no later than 9 weeks old, before leaving our farm, unless otherwise discussed and agreed upon. We will provide you with banding care tips to take home.

Registration & Paperwork

• MDGA Registration: All kids leaving our farm will be tattooed to reflect their Miniature Dairy Goat Association (MDGA) application. We will provide the completed MDGA applications; however, the actual MDGA registration and registration fees are the buyer's responsibility.

Pick-Up Timeline & Boarding Fees

To ensure the health of our kids and keep our farm running smoothly, we ask that you adhere to the following pick-up schedule:

• Bucklings: Must be picked up within 1 week of banding.

• Does: Must be picked up no later than 13 weeks of age.

• Late Pick-up Fee: A boarding fee of $5.00 per day will apply for any animals left past these specified timelines.

Going Home (The Transition Pack)

We want to set your new goats up for absolute success in their new home. Every goat leaving our farm is sent with a transition package and travel prep:

• The Transition Pack: Includes a bag of the hay they are used to, 2 gallons of our farm's water (to avoid digestive upset from sudden water changes), and 5 lbs of their current feed. They will also receive a medical record of any treatments received on our farm. 

• Travel Prep:

  • Toltrazuril: Administered 5 to 7 days before travel as a preventative against coccidiosis stress.

  • Vitamin B: Administered the day of travel and provided as an extra dose for you to give the following day.

• Post-Departure Health: We guarantee the health of the animal at the time of pick-up. Because we cannot control the goat's stress levels, diet, or environment once they leave our property, we offer no health guarantees after the animal has left the farm.

Terms of Sale

1. Right of Refusal & Ownership

• Seller's Discretion: We reserve the right to refuse a sale and/or placement of any animal at any time, for any reason, prior to the finalization of the sale if we feel it is not in the best interest of the animal or our farm.

• Property Retention: All kids and adult goats remain the legal property of the farm until paid for in full by the purchasing family and picked up from the property.

2. Deposits, Cancellations & Refunds

• Holding Deposits: A non-refundable deposit (typically 50%) is required to hold any specific goat. If the buyer backs out of the sale, the deposit is forfeited.

• Seller Cancellation: If an animal becomes ill, injured, or otherwise unavailable before pickup, the buyer will be notified immediately, and the deposit will be refunded in full or transferred to another available kid.

3. Herd Health & "As-Is" Liability Disclaimer

• Health Guarantee at Transfer: We guarantee that the animal is in good health, has a sound body condition, and is free of visible disease or external parasites at the exact time it leaves our property. Buyers are encouraged to inspect the goat fully before loading.

• Post-Transfer Liability: Once the animal leaves our hands and is loaded onto the buyer’s transport vehicle, the buyer assumes full and total responsibility for the animal's health, veterinary care, and safety.

• Stress & Environmental Factors: Because changes in environment, diet, water, and herd dynamics cause stress that can trigger sudden parasite blooms (such as Coccidiosis) or respiratory issues, the seller cannot be held liable for illness, injury, or death once the animal has left our premises.

• Adult goats are sold AS IS. Full transparency will be maintained, and all knowledge of pre-existing conditions or behavioral concerns will be shared. 

4. Transport & Pickup Timeline

• Biosecurity Regulations: Buyers must provide safe, clean, and well-ventilated transport crates or trailers for transport. For biosecurity reasons, buyers are asked to remain in designated farm areas and not enter animal pens unless explicitly permitted.

• Pickup Delays: Animals must be picked up by the agreed-upon date. Failure to pick up the animal within the designated window may result in daily boarding fees or the forfeiture of the deposit and the animal being placed back up for sale.