Goat Milk

Owner says dogs killed a third of his herd. He may pause production until November after losing 30% of his herd.

BUCKEYE, Arizona – Wendell Crow, who runs Crow’s Dairy in Buckeye, said an overnight attack killed more than 35 goats. The animals were kept in a pen, where a newly dug opening was found along the farm’s fence. Crow said he believed dogs were responsible, although he said he had no proof identifying the animal involved.

The herd consists of goat milk. Crow’s Dairy supplies goat milk and cheese to restaurants, hotels and households across the Valley. Crow said the deaths amounted to roughly 30% of the farm’s animals, leaving about one-third of the herd buried after the incident.

“It’s so disheartening to have something like this happen when you put your life into it,” Crow said. He added that the loss had affected the operation because the surviving goats would produce far less milk.

Crow said production might have to shut down until around November. He said the business would not be rebuilt from the beginning, however, because it still had products in stock. Those supplies would continue to be sold to restaurants, he said.

The farm owner attributed the suspected attack to loose dogs in the Rainbow Valley area. Arizona law allows livestock owners to protect their herds from dogs that chase or attack them. Dog owners may face charges and penalties when their pets are responsible for such attacks.

Crow has moved the remaining goats to the front of the barn so they could be monitored more closely. He was also considering an electric fence to deter animals from digging beneath the boundary. The farm has operated since the early 1900s and was featured on Jamie’s Local Love in 2020 and on the programme’s podcast in 2024.