Breeding Time Reading

http://www.dairygoatjournal.com/89-2/understanding_good_rump_structure_in_a_dairy_goat/

Paradise Rhinestone Cowboy

Look who we brought home today

3rd gen. He's powerfully built and large- a little over height I'm afraid but the milk genetics.... The ears and the chest.... I can live with a tall guy. Creamy milk and healthy, friendly, well-bred kids are what I'm asking him to help with.

Tasha Tudor

One of my favorite coffee table books is The Private Life of Tasha Tudor. Tasha was a children's book author and illustrated them beautifully.

I love the photos in this book because she lived so peacefully and simply in her old age in a home her son built for her in Vermont, and the photographer communicated that so well. She was surrounded by her animals and lovely gardens and I very much relate to that aspect of her life being something she loved and chose.

 I knew I would name a goat after her this year and had already ordered the engraved name tag. Today I brought her home. She's a pretty little thing, and  related to some of my girls, sharing a mutual grand sire.

I love her chocolate color and white head with dark ears.

Welcome, Little Angels Farm Tasha Tudor.

Her sire:

She and her sisters. Triplet girls are always good!

I think she will settle in here nicely. I plan to breed her to Paradise Rhinestone Cowboy.

Her herd was tested for all the nasties and clean 😄

New Doeling

I keep a closed herd but on occasion I add new lines. I found a local girl from a disease free herd with some very nice blood lines. She's a 3rd generation Minuature Nubian. I'm going to pick her up Tuesday. Friday Paradise Rhinestone Cowboy will be coming home, he's also a 3rd. Generation. I'm all set for fall!

The little girl has unique markings and I'm registering her as Little Angels Farm Tasha Tudor

Her dam:

New doeling:

Yakima Co-Op Goat Seminar

This seminar features a rep from Purina, me, and Dr. L Rowan- join us if you're local!

I love that our own beautiful Collette is featured in their flyers and posters and social media, but she has totally changed colors to massive white moonspots.

Natural Goat Care...Dolomite

I have a two year, 1st generation Miniature Nubian 2 year old first freshener (first time kidding and milking) from heavy milk lines that started out giving over a gallon of milk a day. She had twin boys and once I had them weaned at 2 months and regularly weighed her milk she was giving an average of over #8 per day. This is quite a bit for a Miniature, let alone a first freshener.

As a matter of fact, I think because of the early spring and mild winter, all of my girls were giving generous amounts of milk this year. One 2 year old 2nd freshener (I sold her- ugh!) was giving about #9 daily. They were putting all their calories into milk and were all on the thin side this year so I beefed up their grain rations and included BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) which is high in protein, among a few other things. Over time I believe this was a mistake because their high protein diets caused lots of loose stool and the one heavy milking young girl had a case of chronic mastitis. THis was likely due to our wet and muddy conditions during kidding in February. We are usually still frozen with snow on the ground but this year our weather was wet and relatively warm, and the barn was flooded for weeks. Not ideal for kidding season! We constantly fought the wet conditions. The girls laid down in the muck and I think that's why Phoebe got mastitis. She got nasties in the orifice of a teat and then it was on. I treated her with LA 2000 twice before I stumbled onto an old article in my notebook on the usage of dolomite lime in organic cow dairies. It said in essence that farmers used it to prevent as well as cure mastitis. I figured at that point we had nothing to lose so I found and ordered a 20# bag on Amazon and within 3 days of sprinkling it on her grain (which I pared way down and excluded the high protein extras) her milk was no longer pink and now two weeks later she has no mastitis. I give it out free choice along with baking soda now to all the girls as well as sprinkle it on their grain on the stanchion. I'm a firm believer in dolomite now, and in fact it's often the case that the old farmers know best. :)

Dolomite is a mineral rock composed of 2/3 calcium and 1/3 magnesium carbonates. It is a strong alkaline that can help overcome acidity. For diarrhea (scours) in an adult goat, 1 tsp. of Dolomite, 1/4 tsp. of copper sulfate, and 1 tsp. of Vitamin C powder is recommended. This recipe is also suggested for treating many problems including the prevention, control, and cure of mastitis. Dolomite can be safely added to the daily ration.
(from Hoegger Supply)

This article on the natural diet for goats was a pretty good read.

as was this one.

Current MDGA Virtual Show

For anyone interested the current MDGA Virtual show is happening! This is the Miniature Dairy Goat Association's online virtual show. I have 3 goats entered and two more from my herd owned by others are entered as well!

 

http://www.miniaturedairygoats.net/V-show/vshow_current_show.html

Pet Tags? Yes.

I just ordered engraved pet tags for my does and doelings. I'll get the boys next time around. My little girls like to wander a bit, and aside from that, when I have an occasional "guest milker" (rare!) they will be easy to identify.

 

The best deal I have found is on Etsy, Jeffrey's Pet Tags

These are extremely reasonable. I found so many really cute boutique type tags, but let's face it, the goats need something that won't wear off with barn life. The tags I found are plain and sturdy and engraved, not plastic with ink, like the really cute ones.

 

 

 

Moon spots and Blue Eyes

Proverbs 31 LB Isobel Blue XN04496

2nd Generation Miniature Nubian

64.45% Nubian 35.55% Nigerian
 

 SALE PENDING thank you Patricia Keeney
 

is a 2nd generation little doe with beautiful blue eyes and moonspots. She has airplane ears but will bring lovely genetics for milk and udders in a colorful package. Her dam, Lola has blue eyes, a fantastic udder and lots of creamy sweet milk.  I'm thinking Isobel will follow her footsteps. 

her sire is AC Farm's Blackstrap

I had meant to keep her but this next year will be taken over by college classes and surgeries in the family. I simply must pare down again.

See Lola here

CAE/CL negative tested herd. 

Isobel has been bottle fed and at 3 months is still getting milk at night. Disbudded *but has a little bit of scur. (a number of mine scurred this year)

 

$325

$50 non refundable deposit will hold until transportation is arranged

This little girl is super friendly and sweet. I hate to part with her, it makes me feel sick but I just can't part with any of the adult does, I get so attached. If this girl doesn't sell I won't be disappointed. I would gladly let her stay but I am over the amount of goats I should keep as it is.

Color Chart

Colors and markings chart for Miniature Goats here

Our First Milk Test Results

Spring!

Enjoying spring and a green 10 acre pasture!  7 does kidded this year and 14 kids were born. Only 5 girls! 

Herd on pasture

Collette

Herd and baby

Collette

Obie

The Yakima Coperative Event

Saturday was fun! We sold out completely all of our soap stock. Next year I better have more. The goat kids were much admired and the human kids had a great time  as well. The reptile man was a hit. I got to hold the alligator but the little kids hogged the caymans and baby turtle. 

Our next event will be the Central Washington state fair. Oh boy!

Remember To Come See US

This coming Saturday we will be at the Yakima Co OP Customer Appreciation Day Event!

10-2 We will be selling soaps and displaying some of our gorgeous Miniature Nubians.

 

In the meantime read about the benefits of Goat milk here

Milk Weights And A Beautiful Blog Post

The girls are staying fairly consistent so far with milk weights. I'm going to post them every so often to keep them fresh in my mind and I'll let you know that these little beauties deserve their milk stars so I'm working on that next.

 

these weights are with kids on daily  but locked up for roughly 11 to 12 hours at night. I would get highrer butterfat milk in the evenings I 'm sure but I'm letting the kids have the good stuff while they grow. I'll get mine later.   *U*

 

Luci 5.80

Lola 5.70

Phoebe 5.65

Miss Kay 5.65

Stella 4.75

 

There's a beautiful blog post here. I want to jump up and say "me too!" because the woman the post is about could be me. I love my life and my goats are a huge part of that.

 

 

Come See Us!

Barn Records

I finally got a verifiable scale to weigh our milk and I'm like a kid with a new toy!
Here's what the girls did this morning:
Luci 6.20 33 days fresh 1 buckling on her
Lola 5.45 36 days fresh with triplets but only 2 bucks on
Phoebe 5.05 35 days fresh with twin bucklings on
Miss Kay 5.30 34 days fresh with twins on (1buck 1doe)
Stella 4.45 34 days fresh with a single doeling
 

The Drunken Cheeses of Caseificio Carpenedo, Veneto, Italy

Kefir Grains

My website to order

Read about the benefits here

Artisan Cheese On The Farm: Episode 6

Morning Chores

12 healthy kids so far this year. I'm so grateful!

Lola is only feeding two this year. I took her girl to bottle feed.

In about a month or so I will have the luxury of turning this into Crottin and Tommes!

Phoebe as a first freshner has wowed me with her attachment, capacity and test placement and size. She gives two quarts every morning before I let the boys back on her. I would like to improve the fore udder.

Dairy Goat Journal. | raising goats | goat business

Dairy Goat Journal. | raising goats | goat business

Essential Oils

I'm using DoTerra OnGuard essential oil blend in water for teat dip. This stuff is reported very powerful and I think it's worth a try. Any comments, thoughts or opinions?

Payments

In addition to PayPal I can now take payments via Square. This is a reliable and safe way and used by many small businesses.

FF Udders 2015

Here is my lovely string of first fresheners

Phoebe, Miss Kay, and Stella

all just about 2 weeks fresh

 

 

Miss Kay kidded on 2/23 not bad!

This is My Next Project!

after making some soap of course. The goats and I and our soaps have been invited again to be part of the Co-op's Customer Appreciation Days on April 11th. The Co-op is our local feedstore. They set up a new and clean, wonderful pen for the goats in the warehouse and a table and chairs for me. It's a super fun day, with a petting zoo, horse clinics, and the birds of prey and honey bees and the Reptile Man all there. Of course there's food- BBQ in the parking lot and the local radio station, prizes, free samples, etc. It's going to be a good day! Come by and say hi! (and buy some soap)

 

 

 

 

http://www.cheesemaking.com/Crottin.html

(want to know how to say crottin? here's a link)


 

2015 Kids Are Here!

 

 We have brand new udders and every one of them is lovely. We have a dozen kids- calico colors, moonspots, blue eyes and jet black even. There are some beauties!