desRuhigestelle

**The end of an era. We are sad to announce that our last des Ruhigestelle Saanens, Elixir and WinClimber, passed away from age complications in 2023. In April 2013, ADGA informed me that I could no longer use the ‘des Ruhigestelle’ herdname. As a historic herdname, it could not be transferred from Fern when she passed away in 2012. So, the decision was made to simply move forward. The Saanens continue here as Tempo Passa, taken from Fern’s family motto, meaning ‘time passes.’

HELLO AND WELCOME TO OUR WEBSITE- It’s pretty plain, just simple pdf files. We don’t have links or buttons. Quite frankly, I’d rather spend my time upgrading our genetics and facilities than upgrading our technology. We have been breeding dairy goats for over 50 years, and our goals are fairly simple- breed the soundest, highest production dairy goats, with the most reliable consistency we can produce, all the while keeping them healthy, happy, and well cared for. So, while the goats are ‘modern’ dairy type, this isn’t a 'modern' website so much as just lists of our breeding herds (and some other fun stuff too!). Instead of buttons and links and pictures of babies, here you'll find lots of real records and as much information as will fit on a page. To view our herd lists, click on the ‘download herd list’ at top. Be sure to also download the Breeding and Price list, with our terms and conditions.

Contact info-

I am MUCH easier to contact by email, text or messenger than any other method. I hate talking on the phone! Our email is- myname (at) herdname (dot) com (Change myname to lauren and herdname to ruhigestelle. Automatic e-mail address sniffers and hackers are getting more sophisticated these days!)

I try to answer emails or texts/messenger within a day or two unless I am on the road. Please remember this site is about our goats and not a place to ask veterinary questions. If you must call, please remember that I am NOT a morning person, so PLEASE DO NOT CALL BEFORE 10:00 AM!! I am frequently not around a phone during ‘normal’ calling hours, and do most of my correspondence at night. Thus, it may take me several days to answer a phone call. Sorry, I do not carry a cell phone at home. I usually check messages after morning chores and again late at night.

2026 news-

August 4^th-

We had a slow year last year and decided to do some big things this year! We opted to go for the long haul to Nationals. Though we are no strangers to hauling, this was our longest trek. Over 6,100 miles round trip, 22 days on the road. We took it slow going out, with built in rest days out, and a faster trip home. We transported goats for our trusted friends, blending three herds as much as possible (dragons will be dragons, wherever they be!). Final count was 11 milkers and a dry yearling on the trailer. Most traveled extremely well, with only a couple that lost significant weight and production. For three weeks, the Rockin’ CB LaManchas Katana and Prose, and Grande Ronde Sable Martini were loved as if they were our own. It was great to see them win! We had hoped to showcase the Eltantor daughters, but long hauls and an early Nationals do not bode well for high production does less than 90 days fresh. So we made the easy decision to put their health first first and left them at work camp. Those that did go made us proud. We ended up with 4 Saanen milkers, which all placed 2^nd or 3^rd, then after placing 2^nd in Dairy Herd, they went on to win 1^st Sr Breeder’s Trio. Of our five milking Alpines, the lowest was 7^th, and the highest was National Champion! They also won 1^st in both Dairy Herd and Breeder’s Trio. While I love the competion of the National Show ring, the camaraderie of friends from around the country, and even from around the world, is what makes the trip so special. The bond you form with the goats you haul is equally special. Aside from the times when someone (thanks Pete!) offers to goat sit, we were with them literally 24/7, for the entire 22 days.

Between Nationals and a return to judging, there weren’t a lot of local shows we could attend. So it was great (and unexpected) to finish both Katli and Diesel, and to bring home 4 BIS wins from the 6 rings we showed, with 4 different does! It was very special for me to return to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds to judge the REDGA show. So many memories at that facility, and so many beautiful goats and wonderful people.

After a few years off, we reinstated our Grade A Dairy license this spring. Our milk buyer is a very small artisan creamery, so not really a viable milk customer, but we like to support small business. Since we are again producing a surplus of Grade A goat milk, we would be interested in any other potential buyers. Sorry, we can only sell to licensed facilities that produce Grade A products. In the meantime, we have continued to slowly decrease the herd. Many heartfelt thanks and best wishes to all the buyers that have supported us. We also owe huge thanks to Grande Ronde Dairy as they continue to support us through our transition era. We once again sent several does to ‘Work Camp’ at their dairy this year. Due to upcoming Linear Appraisal and concern over fires and air quality, we brought most of them home a little earlier than expected.

I was fairly amazed that mixing the work camp does with the goats (and people!) still recovering from the long haul to Nationals and the remainder of the herd that stayed home went completely smoothly. Within moments they were all relaxed and acting normal. Good thing, because LA was only four days later! It was so exicting to have an appraiser here whose experience includes milking dairy goats for a living. Yes, we learn from and respect all appraisers. They are all trained professionals. But having someone who truly understands what it takes for a high production doe to bring a full udder to the parlor every day for the entire lactation, year after year, was a great experience. The goats brought out their A game, with 6 total FS93, including 4 new ones, and 13 between 90-92. Not bad for a herd that of the 27 does scored, 11 had just come home from a 1,000 goat dairy and had a complete feed change only 4 days before, and another 9 had returned from the trek to Massachusetts less than 4 weeks before. Once again I was incredibly proud of them and amazed at their resilience.

We now look forward to a month of non-goat activities before our final fair this year. Then onward to breeding season. I am so excited to use a fun selection of young bucks!

OUR MISSION- I had an interesting discussion with Stephen Considine about Saanen history over 30 years ago. He made a comment that has stayed with me, as it really sums up my experience in breeding goats. He noted that we have been breeding the same type of dairy goat for years, regardless of showring styles. The only difference is now that is what the industry wants too. And it's true that we have been breeding for the same sound and productive type of doe, only now it is called a 'modern' type. We are trying to produce does that are long boned and dairy, and are true total performers. You won’t find mature show goats giving ‘a gallon a day’, or ‘2 gallon’ milkers with poor udders in our pens. Nor will you find obese goats, frail goats, or goats with severe structural faults. What you will find are sound, strong, highly productive does that milk well wherever they are, and rarely get stressed. We are an artisan Grade A dairy, so our goats make their own living by producing milk, and we take pride in producing genetic foundations for other commercial dairies, as we feel they should be the backbone of our industry. Our does are not pampered, even the best are treated as commercial goats. Pasture is an important part of our management, so our goats must be able to walk several hours a day. While we have our favorites, nobody gets special treatment, or special feed. (Okay, nobody under ten years old!) Some of our more well known does have traveled over 3,000 miles nearly every year of their lives, and continue to produce over 3,000 lbs of milk.

We have slightly changed our focus on production as we continue in the dairy industry. We are now looking for solid, consistent production rather than extreme lactations. For us, a doe that can repeatedly milk 3,400-4,000 lbs, has a flat lactation curve, and is willing to milk extended lactations is more valuable than a single 5,000 lb record or a 20 lb high day followed by 6 lbs at 270 days. Also, since we are a cheese dairy, components and milk quality are very important to us. So, we now look for does that can effortlessly produce 20,000 lbs in 6-7 years of production, and maintain good components and a low SCC while doing that. The great thing about breeding dairy goats is there is always something new to look for!

Most important, we simply enjoy our goats. I strongly believe in “coffee management”- that is simply taking the time to just watch the goats do goat things. If everyone took the length of time it takes to drink a cup of coffee (or tea, or wine, or whatever…) doing nothing but watching their goats every day, my work as a veterinarian would diminish greatly!! While we love our goats and their achievements, we do have other interests, and especially enjoy the wonderful outdoor recreation of the Pacific Northwest. Whether it is an afternoon spent hiking to waterfalls, cross country skiing, or simply enjoying an evening fire on our deck, we try to keep the goats and work in perspective and remember to enjoy the time we have together. While having a dairy means that we can no longer dry off in the winter, we do still work to keep December and January as free of goat activities as possible, choosing instead to spend the time with each other. We value the freedom and freshness the time away gives us. Having, and trusting, our wonderful employees gives us the ability to continue to spend some time apart from the goats.

We enjoy visitors, but ask that you call ahead to make sure we home. Please do not wear clothing or shoes that have been in other barns, including your own, and our guardian dogs request that you do not bring other pets. The coffee is always on, in fact I think I’ll take a cup out to the barn right now…

Lauren & John