Daphne is my favourite. She is sweet natured and a little shy, but comes for treats. Two of her daughters are part of this herd as well. She usually has triplets, but has had quads and has a lot of milk. She is almost full Nigerian Dwarf and is bred to Pygmy/Nigerian Dwarf black buck,
Robbie watches the bred goats as they go to their shelter. It is easy to see the round bellies on the little girls. On the right, Celia is very large already. Last year she had quads. They are bred to the tiny Nigerian cross buckling in the middle, the black one, and the kids should be amazingly cute and tiny. The Angora will likely have a single white tiny baby.
Celia is wondering if the camera might be something tasty.
Little Daria is a yearling and this will be her first kidding. She is the white one with the black markings on the right.
There are five goats that are bred this year. Celica will likely have quads and Daphne triplets. Sheri and Cocoa should have twins and the Angora, a single, so that will be 12 babies.
It does not take long to increase a goat herd. Last year there were 19 babies born. This year, there are only five does bred. Angora goats seldom have twins or triplets, and this goat has only had singles for her first two kiddings. The buck is very tiny so the kid should be white and fluffy and tiny, since white is the dominant colour here.
Sheri and Daria are Daphne's girls from the past two years. Daphne is the most beautiful friendly goat and her kids are always the first to sell. I have kept these beautiful girls back, but will likely sell them next year and just keep the mother and Celia, plus the Angora. I also have two Nubians and several Nygoras from last year's kidding. They are not being bred this year and in another pen away from the buck.
Celia is very large already and likely will have quads again. She usually has twins and two non related babies. Unfortunately, one of the babies of each litter has not survived, even being taken from her and bottle fed. The babies are not removed otherwise and she has raised the remaining triplets with no problem, as has Daphne. Daphne is a little thin currently, but Celia is nice and round and in great condition.
The goats all need copper because the iron in our water causes the copper not to be absorbed properly. I have ordered copper wire filaments to bolus the goats with. The bolus will also reduce any barber pole worms, since they do not like copper and leave the body. I was reading a new article today that indicated that sheep also benefit from copper bolus. It has been thought previously that any copper was detrimental to the sheep and should be avoided at all costs.
Cocoa had a single baby last year, but was clueless as to what to do with it. I am giving her a second chance this year, but if she walks away from her kid, then she will be sold. The little buckling might stay on to breed the girls next year as well, depending on how many of his daughters I keep as replacements. The idea was to milk the goats, but I have not done it. I tried, but they kicked the bucket over, kicked me and were terrible. I need a better stantion where I can tie their legs at first too.
Anyhow, the goats are bred and getting big even though they are not due until May. Basically they are only half way through, and the dates cannot be wrong because the buck was not introduced to the ladies until December. Let's hope the weather in May is nice and warm. Last May we had some terrible frosts and the babies were born on some of the cold freezing nights. Cocoa's baby was nearly lost that way. I picked her up half frozen since Cocoa did not mother her at all, but she did make it. Thanks Mamma Goaties. Your babies and your lives are honoured here at the Fat Ewe Farm.
Sheri and Daria are Daphne's girls from the past two years. Daphne is the most beautiful friendly goat and her kids are always the first to sell. I have kept these beautiful girls back, but will likely sell them next year and just keep the mother and Celia, plus the Angora. I also have two Nubians and several Nygoras from last year's kidding. They are not being bred this year and in another pen away from the buck.
Celia is very large already and likely will have quads again. She usually has twins and two non related babies. Unfortunately, one of the babies of each litter has not survived, even being taken from her and bottle fed. The babies are not removed otherwise and she has raised the remaining triplets with no problem, as has Daphne. Daphne is a little thin currently, but Celia is nice and round and in great condition.
The goats all need copper because the iron in our water causes the copper not to be absorbed properly. I have ordered copper wire filaments to bolus the goats with. The bolus will also reduce any barber pole worms, since they do not like copper and leave the body. I was reading a new article today that indicated that sheep also benefit from copper bolus. It has been thought previously that any copper was detrimental to the sheep and should be avoided at all costs.
Cocoa had a single baby last year, but was clueless as to what to do with it. I am giving her a second chance this year, but if she walks away from her kid, then she will be sold. The little buckling might stay on to breed the girls next year as well, depending on how many of his daughters I keep as replacements. The idea was to milk the goats, but I have not done it. I tried, but they kicked the bucket over, kicked me and were terrible. I need a better stantion where I can tie their legs at first too.
Anyhow, the goats are bred and getting big even though they are not due until May. Basically they are only half way through, and the dates cannot be wrong because the buck was not introduced to the ladies until December. Let's hope the weather in May is nice and warm. Last May we had some terrible frosts and the babies were born on some of the cold freezing nights. Cocoa's baby was nearly lost that way. I picked her up half frozen since Cocoa did not mother her at all, but she did make it. Thanks Mamma Goaties. Your babies and your lives are honoured here at the Fat Ewe Farm.
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