Raising Goats Naturally

Sometimes raising livestock means you dive in headfirst and encounter a steep learning curve. Lots of mistakes usually occur as well, unfortunately. But it seems that is just a fact of life. There are some pursuits that are more likely to have well-researched information and those that don't,  so it's nice to see someone publish a resource on raising goats that is based on natural practices and direct experience. Raising Goats Naturally, the Complete Guide to Milk, Meat, and More by Deborah Niemann seems to fit the bill and would be an ideal book for someone just getting started with goat ownership. I have to totally support her statement, "Even if we owned goats for a hundred years, we would still be learning."  So true but so hard to grasp when you just want to know how to do something right! Even when we help out with other farm's barn chores from the same 4H club, there are so many different ways to achieve the same outcomes depending on your space, available feed, and mix of animals in your herd. Regardless, Deborah's chapter "Day-to-Day Life With Goats" would be an awesome read for anyone wondering if new goat ownership is right for them. For myself, I particularly enjoyed her chapter on feeding. She made several points that I plan on considering with our own herd, namely feeding alfalfa pellets for more economical usage of alfalfa...our girls waste so much of their alfalfa...and sourcing a concentrate with higher amounts of copper. Good food for thought for sure. Since the majority of our goat herd has Nigerian Dwarf influence, I also enjoy her anecdotal stories from her own Nigerian Dwarf herd as many resources do not take this breed into account. Overall, I would definitely consider this book as a permanent part of our household library. Read and enjoy!

Spring Kidding Season

When the first week of April rolls around, we will officially begin our 2014 kidding season. We have seven bred does this year, ranging from our foundation miniature Toggenburg doe, Kari, down to our newest Nigerian doe acquisition, Sweetie. The whirlwind should be over by the end of April, and we will be bursting at the seams with plenty of goat kids to fit a multitude of purposes...from city goat to homesteader and everywhere in between. Stay tuned...

Spring Chores on the Farm

The hobby farm is unique in that it is not the only occupation one might have. Mother. Teacher. Wife. Chauffeur. But nevertheless, time must be carved out to tend to what needs to be done. Take this past Saturday...



As we are getting close to our four miniature goats kidding at the end of March, it was time to give everyone here their annual CDT booster. That would include Mr. Mo the buck, all dry does, plus the mamas-to-be.

The buck pen was in desperate need of cleaning. His granulated minerals needed refilling. New water buckets set out so that the others could be put through a cycle of cleaning. His salt block needed to be refreshed. Just all the little things that need time and attention to keep your animals healthy.



Only one of our Indian runner drakes has survived the predators around here but at least a wild mallard has currently befriended him...completely another story. Regardless, they needed moved back to the garden area after their last escape so that they could begin again to conquer our slug problem there. There is plenty of foraging there for them, but they still do need a water source, so locating and setting that up was added to the things-to-get-done before it starts pouring rain again list.



At this point in the year, if the sun does manage to come out, we might actually creep up to 50 degrees or so. When that happens, the horses do like to get out of their blankets for a good roll in the pasture and a little more surface area to soak up those warm rays without getting sweaty and sticky under their blankets. And that was the case on this Saturday. Off came their blankets and did they ever sure enjoy it. But of course, the flip-side is to remember to get them back on before nightfall. Nature dictates that one, it will either start raining again, or two, the skies will remain clear and then the temperatures will drop. Blankets back on regardless.

So as enjoyable as our backyard homestead is, it does come with a certain investment of time and effort. But compared to being stacked like cord wood on a small city lot somewhere, I just smile and am perfectly content.

County Fair - Day Four and Still Functioning

Have you been keeping up with us? It's County Fair time. Head over to our family blog SixintheNorthwest.blogspot.com and read all about it...County Fair - Day Four and Still Functioning.

County Fair - Day Three...Keeps Getting Better

It's County Fair time for us. Head over to our family blog SixintheNorthwest.blogspot.com and read all about it...County Fair - Day Three...Keeps Getting Better.

County Fair - Day Two and a Great One at That!

It's County Fair time for us. Head over to our family blog SixintheNorthwest.blogspot.com and read all about it...County Fair - Day Two and a Great One at That.

County Fair - Day One and Counting

It's County Fair time for us. Head over to our family blog SixintheNorthwest.blogspot.com and read all about it...County Fair - Day One and Counting.

Time for a Little Maintenance

Today's goal, as has been for about about a week now, is to update our Goats for Sale page. We are down to only three does for sale at this point of the year. But that is soon to change...

This week marks the beginning of our kidding season, and we are likely to see our herd double in size quickly.

Our Nigerian herd sire, Mo, already has a mini Ober with almost no white on her on the ground from a breeding we did outside of our herd. Looks like a sweetheart.

More posts will be coming shortly with the results of his other breeding in our herd. The clock is ticking...

2010 Goat Kids

HM Kari's 2010 triplets

For other links about Kari, click here.

Weaning Goat Kids

The sun is out today, and there is promise of no rain for a few days, so it's goat kid weaning day. Our first six kids of the year to be born are a little overdue to be separated from their mothers. We usually wean right around three months of age. But since we have been having torrential downpours and experience tells us that the kids will stand outside and holler, waiting until the weather moderates is in their best interest. The two does whom we will begin to start milking ourselves are experienced mothers and don't seem the least bit worried that their kids are starting to holler just on the other side of the fence. They look just a little bit secretively relieved to be off mother duty at three kids a piece. The kids about now though are pretty convinced that day-camp is over, and it is time to go back to mom. I do believe it is going to be a pretty noisy night outside later on.

Our 2010 herd sire Mystic Hollow Geronimo

We are pleased to introduce our 2010 herd sire,  Mystic Hollow Geronimo, a registered Nigerian Dwarf buck. He was added to our herd last fall as the primary buck for our dairy does. He successfully bred our four miniature dairy does as well as our Oberhasli doe producing a first generation miniature Oberhasli with that breeding. We just received word that his sire Copper Penny MTB Money To Burn "Burnie" just received 2010 Best in Show at the Mega Buck Show. Good bloodlines through and through.

'Mo' has to be the friendliest buck I've encountered. He's easy to handle, has a great disposition, and a cutie besides. We have five sets of his kids on the ground and are pleased with everyone...7 doelings and 2 bucklings. Not a bad ratio at all either.

Busy Season

This is definitely one of the busiest months of the year for us. Family visiting. Church camps. 4H horse fair. Lots of garden harvesting. Berry picking. Animal and house sitting for others. Goat kid weaning and sales. Extra milking.

Therefore, posting here may seem sporadic but should start to improve. I still update our daily harvest here and am just keeping a daily journal posting over at our home blog site, Six in the Northwest.

In other words, don't go away. So many wonderful and interesting things happen around here but there just doesn't seem to be the time to get them posted. Working on that though.

Off Flavor Goat's Milk Solved

Do you remember my post from last week? The one about the nasty goat's milk we'd been getting from our normally fantastically fresh and sweet milk producer? Well I proceeded to play scientist and start to go through my list of potential taste offenders. Here they were:

1. Checking milk taste now that stainless pails have been sanitized with acid detergent. Also tasting the milk immediately after milking will determine if milking containers, our cooling process, storage jars, or shelf life are affecting the taste.

2. Comparing taste of milking doe's milk to that of other does still with kids to see if the unpleasant taste is there as well indicating that it could be their intake of the different hay. I will also compare the milk taken before feeding in the a.m. to that taken in the p.m. after feeding.

3. Purchasing B vitamins in injectible form to combat any potential deficiency, and reviewing mineral content of their supplement.

4. And lastly, if the taste suddenly dissipates regardless of the above, perhaps residual from the wormer was the cause.

I started at the top of my list and immediately found out that the taste of the milk directly after milking was delicious, just like it always had been. I again milked before feeding and even several hours afterwards. Guess what? The off taste couldn't have anything to do with the hay.

I grabbed some milk from another doe. Her milk was fabulous too. Definitely not the hay.

I went back on-line and checked around for some specific descriptions of the taste I had been experiencing after the milk had been processed and refrigerated for several days. I stumbled across several sites which went way in-depth as to the different off-tastes that milk can take on. This is almost a full-time profession for some it would seem. The best way I could relate the taste of the milk was the equivalent of tasting the smell of tallow. I learned that oxidation of the milk can be a common cause for this taste. I also noticed a small comment. Milk that has been warmed above the temperature of 50 degrees and then recooled can dramatically alter the taste.

Light-bulb moment. I had gotten lazy and had been pouring fresh strained milk into some half-full akreadt cooled quart jars. Guess what I had been doing? Raising the temperature of the milk by pouring in warm milk. Bingo.

Let's face it. Sometimes we get sloppy when we feel it doesn't matter or affect anyone else. If the milk were intended for someone else, I would've never dreamed of treating it so. Why is it that we allow ourselves to take shortcuts when we're well aware of the risks or problematic outcome? Not to get too philosophical here, but it made me do some thinking. Perhaps this experience...that nasty taste will not be soon forgotten...will stick with me long enough to remind me to take care in all areas of my life - family, friends, faith. No more thinking it won't matter or taking the easy way out.

Miniature Dairy Goat Kids for Sale

That time of the year has come around fast...weaning and sale time for the kids born at Abernethy Creek Farm. Of the seven mini kids born here this year, we still have three available for sale. We will also have for sale one of breeding stock does, Maddie, who will still be in milk from her first freshening this year.

Here are details and photos:



Maddie - Miniature Toggenburg Dairy Doe - $175

Maddie is a two-year old miniature dairy goat. She was bred last year and freshening with twins this past April Fool's Day. She is the perfect size for someone looking for a small dairy goat for home milking. As miniatures are a cross-bred dairy goat including the Nigerian Dwarf breed, she would also make an excellent pet or companion animal as the Nigerian dwarf breed is very personable in nature.



Edward - Miniature Toggenburg Dairy Wether - $75

Edward is a wether out of our miniature Toggenburg doe, Kari. He is the largest of our miniature kids born this year and has great coloring. Edward would make a great pet or companion animal.



Alice - Miniature Toggenburg Dairy Doe Kid - $150

Alice is one the triplet kids - sister to Edward above - born this year to our 4H champion miniature Toggenburg dairy doe, Kari. As all of Kari's kids tend to be, she is friendly as they are handled daily by our children. With her dam's great udder in her breeding, she would make an ideal doe for someone looking for a dairy doe for home milking.



Bella - Miniature Nubian Dairy Doe Kid - $150

Bella is miniature Nubian dairy doe born this year to our miniature Nubian doe, Wroxy. Wroxy's kids tend to be the quietest of the bunch and very laid-back in personality. Wroxy too has a great udder so Bella should make an equally good dairy doe for the home milker as well as companion or pet animals.

We are also liquidating some of our percentage and Boer goats as well. Please contact us by email (click on PROFILE link under blog header) for additional information.

Disbudding Goat Kids

Photo courtesy of Cornell University

Well today's blog topic is not one of my favorites but falls under the category of necessary animal husbandry...goat kid disbudding. Today all seven of the miniature dairy goat kids were disbudded by CamoQueen. This is her second year taking care of our disbudding needs, and I am eternally grateful. GoatPrincess assisted her, and I simply fetched and returned kids as needed.

What is disbudding you say? Well it is the process of cauterizing the blood flow to the kid's horns so that they will no longer grow. Dairy goats with horns in tight quarters can cause damage to udders and get caught in fences. Our local 4H program does not allow kids to show or handle dairy goats with horns, so it is a simple necessity that must be dealt with each and every kidding season.

I found a great photo link from Cornell University that outlines the disbudding process if you're interested or are not familiar with it.

Two More Miniature Dairy Goat Kids Born Today

Today we were surprised by the kidding of a first-timer out in the main goat yard with no advance notice. While going out to check the kids born yesterday, we heard a kid scream but it wasn't coming from the house where yesterday's kids were. It seemed to be from the goat shed. Looking out towards that way, I was sure I saw something little and white. We don't have any goats that color. I quickly shut the door to the goat house and slugged through the mud - in the wrong shoes I might add - to find Maddie furiously cleaning a newborn kid. What caught my eye though was another kid face down in the mucky hay on the outskirts of the shed, bottom stuck up in the air, and not moving. I grabbed it quickly and found it alive and breathing. Calling for reinforcements quickly, I stuffed it in my coat to try and warm it immediately. It had not been cleaned off at all.

We moved the momma doe and the two kids down to the barn out of the wind and rain to see what we had. The littlest one was a doe and the kid up and moving around was a buck. We brought down towels, heating pad, and portable heater along with supplies to tube feed the littlest if needed. When presenting Maddie with the kid she had originally ignored, she took no interest in licking it off at all, so we stepped in and got her cleaned off as well as some good rubbing to get her circulation moving. By placing her on a towel over the heating pad, it did a good job of warming up her extremeties which were very cold to the touch while we briskly rubbed her body and head to warm/dry her off. As she perked up, we moved her closer to Maddie who suddenly took interest in the kid. We think she was a little overwhelmed as a first-time mother and didn't know how to address the fact that she had two kids to deal with. Now that Maddie was open to accepting the kid, we felt that a major hurdle had been crossed.

With the doeling too weak to appear interested in nursing as her robust brother had been for the past hour, we went ahead and milked out some colostrum and tube fed her. The first kid we ever tube fed was Maddie which seemed coincidental of sorts. Sure enough after some warm milk in the tummy, the little one tried standing and shuffling along. She was pretty pathetic to watch but very determined. Once on her feet, Maddie stepped in and gave her a thorough going over.

Goat Princess stayed all afternoon to watch Maddie and her kids to be sure everyone stayed warm. After checking in on them just before dinner, Goat Princess reported that the little doe had been nursing on her own and walking pretty good. Excellent sign.

Tonight we moved the little family in with the other two does and their five kids who have been in the warmer goat house. Only concern of mine was that Maddie would get overwhelmed with the other does and kids, but after spending some time observing, everything looked great.

Tomorrow will be exciting to see how much more active these two kids will be and the fun they will have interacting with each other. Seven little kids together should be a riot!

Five Kids Born Today

Today was a busy day here.

Kari started off April Fool's Day by delivering a doe kid quite suddenly. Her due date was yesterday, but her udder was not filled to over-capacity as we usually use as a sign as to when kidding will begin. Within a short while, she delivered two buck kids right after another...all alive and healthy...a good thing around here. We were surprised that only one of the kids took on the gypsy markings of their tri-color Nigerian sire.



Within a few hours it was obvious that Wroxy was going to deliver. We had suspected her from the night before even though her official due date wasn't until tomorrow. Wroxy delivered her kids easily as well with both being doelings. Once again, we were surprised by the lack of color but they are beautiful just as they are.



We are anxious for the five little kids to get strong on their feet so they can be introduced to Corona, Vega's doe kid, who has been anxiously awaiting a 'playmate' for some time now.

Check the sidebar post to the right for a slideshow of the kids and their moms.

Goat Kids Due This Week

This should prove to be an exciting week around Abernethy Creek Farm. We have a total of three does due to kid this week. There are two miniature dairy does - 50/50 full sized dairy with Nigerian - that are due. Kari freshened last year with quads and Wroxy with triplets. We also have another first freshener miniature dairy doe - 25/75 full sized dairy with Nigerian - who is smaller than the 1st generation miniature does. We are anxious to see the size of her kids. We're anticipating that they will resemble good-sized, full term Nigerian dairy goat kids. Pictures will be up as soon as we can get them once those kids are here.

HPF Rose - Story of our unsuccessful Boer goat kidding

Now that it has been a week since our Boer doe HPF Rose unexpectedly kidded, and she's now on top of the game, I'm able to post about it. A little background is in order.

Rose's first freshening two years ago brought about a stillborn runt buckling, a live buckling, and yet another stillborn buckling. The first kid was presented butt first but delivered in that position with just a tiny bit of assistance. He was only about two pounds but fully developed. It was my first kidding by myself without CamoQueen to assist. GoatPrincess was there but we were flying blind. I blamed myself for the two stillborn kids as these were the prize kids that were to be delivered by CamoQueen's two-time county fair champion Boer doe. It just wasn't right. Long story short, the buckling was sold and kept as a buck and has thrown some great kids.

The following year we bred Rose to the same buck and brought about another pregnancy. She was as big as a house again this second year and all appeared normal. Normal that is until she got close to her delivery date and did not develop an udder. Strange we thought. During a cold spell near her due date she developed what we thought was ketosis, standing in the blowing snow - not coming in to eat - rather dazed in appearance. We noticed her backside was completely wet and thought that odd. We treated her for ketosis and watched her. No udder. No labor. It was then we realized that she had lost her baby belly and was back to normal size. What had happened? A little research brought us to realize that perhaps she had experienced a false pregnancy. One of those oddities of nature where their uterus will fill with fluid, they will not come back into heat, and take on all aspects of being pregnant only to deliver a burst of fluid. Very strange.

This last year we bred Rose to another buck fearing that the last two breedings were not bringing about compatable pregnancies. This time she came back into heat after the first breeding so we took her back for another weekend with the buck. We changed her due date and were hopeful. Last week, one day after her original kidding date, we heard her out in the goat yard. She was down in the shed pushing. All panic broke out and we decended with towels. The kid was delivered just fine but stillborn. We were devastated. Not being sure if there was a kid number two, we took her into the kidding stall to observe. During a quick trip back up to the house, she did deliver kid number two - stillborn as well. She had cleaned it off and was lying next to it but it gave no appearnce of having been born live. We were absolutely crushed. But our next concern was Rose herself. She did deliver her placenta but refused to eat or drink and continued to grind her teeth. No temperature. No ketosis (used test). Just looked poorly.

It was then that we made the connection between the way she was acting now to that of last year...same depression, lethargy, lack of interest in anything. Remembering that lavendar oil last year seemed to lift her mood, we placed a few drops on her forehead and left her in the kidding stall with our latest doe to kid along with her kid. We drenched her with a goat Power Punch and hoped for the best. It took nearly four days for Rose to finally perk up and seem interested in life again. Is there a medical term for this? Perhaps a bad case of baby blues and depression? Perhaps we will never know. And the question still remains, why did she come back into heat a second time and permit herself to be bred but yet delivered full-term kids from the first breeding?

Today Rose is backing to eating with the herd again. It is so good to see her standing there, finally contentedly chewing her cud...my indicator for a happy goat. I think I felt as poorly as her lamenting for her lost kids. There's no doubt in my mind that the maternal instinct in some animals is very high and they do mourn. I'd like to research this topic a little more and hear from other animal owners of their experiences in dealing with this.

Preggo or Not?

Time is ticking away, and I'm beginning to think that our black and white Boer doe is not really pregnant. Her and our last doe to kid were with the Boer buck for four plus weeks, and we had reason to believe she was bred fairly close to the same time as Vega. So far, no udder on Tori. The buck didn't go home until the first of October, so there is possibly still time for Tori to kid. Personally, I'm just not sure that she will due to the lack of any udder development so far and no baby belly. A surprise would be nice though. We'll keep you posted.