Kissy, my favorite lady goat, is due any day now! With Nigerian Dwarf goats they tend to go into labor 5 days earlier than full sized (145 vs 150). Kissy is a Mini La Mancha, so half Nigerian Dwarf and half full sized. She is currently at day 146.
Unfortunately we had yet another parasite scare a week ago and because babies are due soon we had to take quick and serious action, so we set the herbs that I feel have not been sufficient aside and got a prescription from the vet. All does have been treated now and tomorrow they move to their new home.
No, we aren’t selling them (yet!), we are starting a new parasite prevention protocol. Clearly what we have been doing, both with herbs and chemicals these days, is not sufficient. So after much nagging from people on Facebook, we’ve finally figured out a way to pasture rotate; the very best way to ensure you don’t put your goats into a parasite overload situation. When you are able to move them to a different area every so often (some say 3 weeks and some say 3 months…what??) you can keep ahead of the worms. Then the pasture rests and the worms die off, and you can use it again in…3 weeks? 3 months? 6 months? 9? Seriously, again such a difference in opinion it’s confusing. Joel Salatin is the best resource for pasture rotation; he has so many cool methods of livestock illness prevention, but I haven’t gotten a chance to check out too many of his videos.
By the way, I’ve known about pasture rotation since we were living in the city, but a) we didn’t see how we could afford the fencing for 4+ areas and b) we didn’t know it would be THIS bad parasite wise. It has literally been a NIGHTMARE ever since the fall. In fact it has been so bad (especially after losing Mustachia) that we are talking seriously about moving to Arizona where I have my hot sunshine and Christine and the goats can have their drier weather. This hot and humid and rainy weather is a breeding ground for parasites and has made this whole experience so unpleasant this days. So unpleasant I’ve considered selling the goats so I don’t have this level of stress in my life. And the goats are my favorite thing on the farm, but I need health, not stress. 🙁
So our plan…6 of the does will move to the new area and Kissy and undecided Friend will go into another new pen closer to the house so we can monitor her. She will also sleep in the shed stalls that are perfect for birthing and nice and warm. It was in the 70s here a few days ago and today it’s been in the 40s. Tomorrow we will wake up to high 20s. By Sunday it will be 80. This weather is disgusting. To jump around like that makes animals and humans alike sick. Just wrong, this global warming.
We are playing guessing games about the babies. I am guessing Kissy will have just one, a buckling. Christine has guessed one doeling. And our 9 yr old has guessed “two bucklings.” What’s your guess?
And yes, we will be selling the babies and a few of the adults. We overbought and it’s been too much for us (though I did successfully take care of them by myself for 5 days with nothing going wrong; a victory!). We have agreed on the 3 to sell; I would have preferred to keep only 3 but we have different favorites so it seems we can’t narrow it down so much. The ones to go are the new goat who is a full sized La Mancha and the Mini La Mancha twins. If it were up to me we would just keep Kissy and the Mini Nubians; all 3 are easy to milk with excellent tasting milk and the Nubians stay in milk much longer. Christine’s obsessed with the Nigerian Dwarf doe, Felicia, who has terrible manners on the milk stand, and Mooey who is cute but full of vinegar and too small to be bred at the current time.
I almost forgot…look what snazzy thing we got so we make sure not to miss a goat birth! It is a fabulous camera day or night and waterproof to boot. We were concerned it wouldn’t work too well b/c the barn isn’t close to the Wifi but it’s great!
