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.