# Small herd. Clearer routines. > Practical smallholding notes for water, pasture, arrivals and the questions worth taking to your vet. Canonical: https://backyardherd.com/ --- ## Small herd. Less scattered care information. The app’s livestock positioning meets your everyday notebook: individual animal profiles, daily observations and species-specific questions, all in one place. [Get PawLine on iPhone](https://backyardherd.com/go/app/?to=ios&utm_source=goat-companion&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=auxiliary-guides&utm_content=premium-hero)[Get PawLine on Android](https://backyardherd.com/go/app/?to=android&utm_source=goat-companion&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=auxiliary-guides&utm_content=premium-hero) 30 days free. No payment info needed to try. Decide after the trial. Check your platform and store’s current offer. ![PawLine app, demo pet. Real general app screen.](https://backyardherd.com/app-demo-portrait.png) PawLine app, demo pet. Dakota horse hoof-care question, cropped from the real app. Horse example, not a goat or sheep session. Illustrates the conversation, not a care schedule for your animal. Ask your farrier and veterinarian. [Start with the first guide](https://backyardherd.com/before-buying.html) ![Editorial illustration for Backyard Goat and Sheep](https://backyardherd.com/hero.webp) Illustration, not a clinical example. ## Make your next care handoff easier A small starting list. Tick off what you have ready, then open a guide for the next step. Purpose / speciesSource / historyFacility workWater and feed plan 0 of 4 ready Planning only, not a health or safety assessment. Checks are kept only while this page stays open; nothing is sent or saved. ## The field guide 01[Before the first animal comes home](https://backyardherd.com/before-buying.html) Plan facilities, care contacts and running costs before selecting an animal. A small herd still needs a workable daily system. 02[Check the water system, not just the bucket](https://backyardherd.com/water.html) Fresh, clean water must be available. A filled-looking container is not proof every animal can use it. 03[Keep feed out of the dirty traffic](https://backyardherd.com/feeders.html) Choose and maintain feeders that reduce ground feeding and waste. Keep manure-covered footwear away from feed surfaces. 04[A pasture note with a useful memory](https://backyardherd.com/pasture.html) Record where animals grazed, what you observed and why they moved. Use the record to discuss forage and parasite management with a professional. 05[New arrivals need a plan before the gate opens](https://backyardherd.com/new-arrivals.html) Keep new and returning animals separate under a veterinarian-agreed plan rather than introducing them immediately. 06[Walk the boundary with a repair list](https://backyardherd.com/fences.html) A boundary check should produce specific repair tasks, not a vague statement that the fence looks fine. 07[Keep individual history inside the herd picture](https://backyardherd.com/herd-timeline.html) Use animal identifiers and dates so group observations do not erase individual changes. 08[A smallholding review before the season changes](https://backyardherd.com/season-review.html) Review water, feed access, boundaries and caretaker cover before a weather or workload change. ## What this looks like in your day **01** Keep individual context within the herd, not only a group-level memory. **02** Record observations around arrivals and seasonal changes. **03** Bring your notes to a veterinarian-led care plan. App guidance does not confirm pregnancy or normal labor. ## What PawLine lists - Animal profiles with breed, age, weight, conditions and photos - Daily health notes and a share-with-your-vet flow - Medication tools and chat history - AI chat for animal-care questions - Places discovery, including vets and pet shops Features verified in PawLine's website and iOS listing, not independently tested. Coverage and offers can differ by platform. The Android listing confirms species-specific guidance for pets, livestock and exotic companions. [PawLine website](https://www.pawline.inc/) [Full iOS feature and trial listing](https://backyardherd.com/go/app/?to=ios) ## Sources and method [Penn State Extension: raising sheep or goats](https://extension.psu.edu/so-you-want-to-raise-sheep-or-goats) [Penn State Extension: livestock planning](https://extension.psu.edu/business-and-operations/starting-a-farm/introduction-to-livestock/) Original planning worksheets informed by the sources above. No clinical review has been completed. Sources checked October 19, 2026. General guidance may not fit your animal or local rules. ## Latest from the blog [Copper: Goats Need It, Sheep Can Be Poisoned by It](https://backyardherd.com/blog/copper-goats-sheep.html) Goats require copper like beef cattle; sheep are sensitive to copper toxicity. Extension guidance on keeping one barn’s minerals straight. [Goat Gestation: Turning a Breeding Date into a Due Window](https://backyardherd.com/blog/goat-gestation-countdown.html) Goat gestation runs 145-155 days. Why the breeding date is the whole game for kidding prep, and two easy ways to run the countdown. [Know 'Normal' Before You Need a Vet](https://backyardherd.com/blog/know-normal-goat.html) Penn State Extension's advice on catching sick goats early starts with knowing what healthy looks like - behavior first, then baseline numbers. [All posts](https://backyardherd.com/blog/index.html) ## A reader’s experience > "comprehensive pets and farm animal AI Agent" Kelby Lesmana, Google Play review, February 8, 2026. Short excerpt; observed October 20, 2026. This is one person’s experience, not evidence of medical accuracy or a substitute for veterinary care. [Read reviews on Google Play](https://backyardherd.com/go/app/?to=android) [Rated 5.0 on the App Store (36 ratings, Oct 20, 2026)](https://backyardherd.com/go/app/?to=ios) US listing, observed October 20, 2026. Small sample; ratings change and do not establish clinical accuracy. Editorial team · Published October 20, 2026 [Editorial and sources policy](https://backyardherd.com/editorial-policy.html) ## Which planning tool should I use? | Need | Use | Limit | | --- | --- | --- | | Record observations | Field guides and worksheets | Not a diagnosis | | Prepare for a conversation | Planning tool | Not an individual care plan | | Health concerns | Your veterinarian | Do not delay urgent help for an app | [Open this site’s planning tool](https://backyardherd.com/tools.html) A PawLine editorial resource. Planning guidance, not veterinary diagnosis or treatment.