So...

I have decided two things.  One, I am not very good at multi-tasking when in comes to technology; for some reason I can't seem to keep up with Facebook, Twitter and Blogger...obviously.  Two, it is going to be a pretty exciting year if I have learned anything about 4-H Meat Goats because we have the some of best kids on the ground that we have ever had!!

Kidding comes to an end...

...with the arrival of "Cocoa's" twins, born yesterday.

We wrap up kidding with a total of 11 kids; 4 sets of triplets and a set of twins. Unfortunately, we have had a tough year this year. We lost "Sadie", "Little Bullman's" first 4-H doe as well as 2 of her kids in addition to another newborn last week. I guess last year just made kidding seem too easy. This year just reminds me that kidding can be very challenging. There are increased risks with multiples and the weather is always a factor.

As kidding ends, spring show season begins. Now is the time where we start to evaluate where we are as far as show prospects and replacement does. Things look pretty promising right now but we will wait a few weeks before we make any final decisions.

It is that time of year....

...when we make several trips to the 'maternity ward'....and so far we have had two sets of triplets...

We haven't had the best of luck this year considering we lost 2 little does but with the weather we had we are pleased to report a 200% kid crop...with more to come!

We have had a lot of 'firsts' this year with kidding. They have included assisting with a breech delivery and tube feeding.

Let the fun begin!

Wow...time sure flies....

...and it seems that we aren't doing a very good job staying on top of our blogging....we have been busy with spring shows, summer sports, fairs and camps...and before you know it....time has has gotten away from us...again....

Just seven months ago we were preparing for our second kidding season. One of the most rewarding things about the breeding portion of the Meat Goat project is getting to watch the outcome and sometimes rewards of all your late nights and early mornings.

One of the 'family' goals of "Little Bullman's" breeding goats is to raise kids that he can later show and market. With market prices for show wethers ranging anywhere from $75 to $250 and even as high as $500 and $625, it appeared that it could not have been a better goal to have.

We had been happy with results of our first year kidding. We bred 3 does and raised two sets of kids that were competitive; one a "Rate-of-Gain" Champion and another a class winner. With results like that we felt we were on the right track with our does considering the most any one of our does cost was $85. So, this year we were hoping for similar results. We bred 4 does and raised 11 kids.

Early on it appeared we were on the right track. One of our early favorites was "Chip."

He was out of "Dora", the doe that produced both "Spot", our class winner from last year and "Cocoa", a pretty paint doe we kept to increase our herd.

With baby goats it usually takes a couple of days to tell what you have because like most babies they come out a little 'wadded up' especially since they are usually sharing their space with one or more siblings. But what a difference a few days can make...but what an even bigger difference seven short months can make!!!

We consider ourselves "goat newbies," not ever really knowing what we have till we get in the show ring but we decided to take "Chip" and a couple of the other kids to some spring shows. As it turned out "Chip" was always competitive until his last spring show where he finished his class in last. Even as "newbies" we know every judge has an opinion and every show can be different as far as goats you compete against but we tend to rely on the judge's opinion to know what we have and where we need to go with the breeding program. Needless to say, last place left us a little confused as to what we should be doing. We decided we just needed to wait and see what happened once the summer fair shows started.

Our county has two fairs. One that is a county fair that includes both 4-H and open and a fair that is just 4-H. At the first fair the 4-H division is actually open to 4-H'ers from other counties so it is a nice 'test' before the county fair which follows about a week and a half later. We entered the first county fair not sure what would happen. We hoped "Chip" would show well but didn't really know what to expect.

As it turned out the judge had a tough time deciding but finally came to the conclusion that "Chip" put together the best 'package' that day and much to our surprise, selected him Grand Champion Market Meat Goat!

We spent the next week and a half reminding "Little Bullman" that it was one judge's opinion and could go a totally different way at the next fair. He finally ended the reminding by telling us we were more worried about the outcome of the next fair than he was.

We started the the second fair with the first of several surprises, "Chip" weighed in at 88 lbs. We felt like that was a good weight for "Chip." We found out later on that day that "Chip" had earned the Champion "Rate-of-Gain" honors for the meat goats. We had decided at that point that if all else failed that "Chip" was a winner in our mind and we were pleased and even honored to have to raised him.

"Chip" spent the rest of the afternoon nibbling and filling up on wood chips. I guess we shouldn't have expected anything less of the "Rate-of-Gain" champion but now I know why they make those little feed masks in goat and sheep sizes.

Even with a belly full of wood chips, "Chip" went on to be named Grand Champion Market Meat Goat.

I get a little teary eyed thinking about all that "Chip" was able to achieve and all of the experiences that "Little Bullman" had because of him. I have a hard time believing we will ever have another "Chip," but we can only hope we would be that lucky again.

As I sit here blogging, time continues to fly by and we have to start planning for next year. It is already time to take the first round of does to meet their "companion" so come January, we can have some more of these....

and then in July maybe we will have another one of these...

Goat "dogs"

Hey, it's me "Little Bullman"! My cousin, boy Devin (I have two cousins named Devin, one boy and one girl), came over and he saw my baby goats. He was out petting the babies. About an hour of messing with goats, we were rounding up all the goats. Then Devin said "lets try to cut one off the 'herd'." So then Devin and I were trying to cut of one of my yearlings, "Cocoa." She was way too fast! One thing my goats can do besides (maybe) win is run! Then we tried to cut off "Chip"...too fast. Then we tried "Fancy" (what mom calls her). We finally succeeded. So technically, we are goat dogs...talk later, bye!

Baby "Star"...

There are three little does in the last set of kids born, "Scout", "Socks" and "Star" (on the far right). Their mother is "Goldie," a first time mother. She is doing well but we have encountered a common problem with first time mothers and animals in general. "Goldie" has decided to do some "culling" of her own and is not taking care of "Star" as well as she is taking care of the other two little does. We have been lucky this hasn't happened before now (knock on wood). "Goldie" will let "Star" nurse if the other two are nursing but otherwise will butt, wiggle and hop out of the way of little "Star" whenever she comes looking for a snack.

I think there are a couple of reasons this has happened. One, three kids are a lot for any mother but especially a first time mother. Two, on one of "Star's" outings she fell in the chickens' water and no longer smells like she used to.

While on Spring Break, I decided to help "Star" out a little. So, now I am "Star's" new best friend because three times a day I bring her joy and happiness in the form of a bottle. Luckily I had made some preparations if the day would ever come that I needed to bottle feed or supplement a kid.

My preparations started last year when "Sadie" had a single kid. After reading about "floppy kid syndrome" (a metabolic/bacterial imbalance that is caused from the kid getting too much milk) and noticing that "Curly" preferred one teat over another I decided it would be best to milk "Sadie" so "Curly" wouldn't eat too much and get sick and "Sadie" wouldn't ruin her udder. I had read some where that another goat breeder froze milk in plastic pop bottles since the preferred nipples would either screw on or fit right on the bottle. I'll be the first to admit I drink too much pop but now I had a new found purpose for my "addiction" and started drinking pop from plastic bottles.

I then set out measuring and marking 12 oz pop bottles with the important information: doe name, date, amount and "day" (after birthing that the milk is collected). Now I have a nice little "stockpile" of milk to use as needed. Everything I have read says the milk is good for 2 years.



For premature kids and newborns, most breeders will tell you they prefer the "Prichard nipple" (red nipple). Since "Star" is older and nurses off her mother too, the gray "lamb nipple" works well. To be prepared we have both.

Since I am just supplementing "Star" I am using milk I froze last year and using the later "day" milk. In other words the milk with the least amount of colostrum (the all important antibody-rich "first milk") in it. I will save the "first milk" for an emergency. I started feeding "Star" about 4 oz of milk 3 times a day and I have now progressed her up to about 6 oz. Over the next couple days I am going to start giving her milk replacer mixed with real milk so I can save the "good stuff" for a real emergency. I am also hoping to work "Star" up to two feedings a day since I go back to work next week. That schedule should work out fine since "Star" and her sisters are starting to eat grain and hay now too.

Spring Break!!!

It is Spring Break and we have been busy with the goats....

Earlier this week the "Big" kids got their booster shots of CD&T and the little bucks got a special "treatment." At 8 weeks old it is time to start the change from little bucks into little wethers. So, they are all laying down a little more carefully while their new bands take care of making the "switch."

We are also happy to announce that all the kids have names now! It took a little thought and switching some names around but here they are....



Introducing "Chip" and "Mocha"...they were the first set of kids born on January 16th. Their mother is "Dora". "Dora" is an old pro at mothering. After raising triplets last year, twins must seem like a vacation (if that is possible ;-)).



The second set of kids were also born on January 16th. My mom jokes that "Little Bullman" should be able to remember their birthdates if the judge ask him....;-)... They were out of "Sadie", "Little Bullman's" first 4-H doe. From left to right, "Pip", "Rambo" and standing guard is "Blaze"...Yes, "Blaze" was actually "Mocha's" name first...but after much discussion "Little Bullman" changed his mind.



The "Little" kids are 2 1/2 weeks old and are running with the "Big" kids. "Fancy", "Spike" and "Cubic" seem to be doing well and "Ruby" has adjusted to her new responsibilities nicely. We had orginally thought that "Ruby" would retire from the show ring after having kids, especially triplets, but we will have to wait and see.



Finally, "the Babies"....We have decided that a couple of "the Babies" were actually premature, which is possible with multiples. We have left the "the Babies" in the "maternity ward" a little longer than normal. We let "Star", "Scout" and "Socks" out daily to get some fresh air and exercise. "Goldie" is a first time mother and she is doing well all things considered but she has decided to do a little "culling" of her own in that she isn't letting "Star" nurse as often as "Star" needs to. So, that adds bottle feeding to the list of "to-do's" during Spring Break in the hopes of getting "Star" caught up with the rest of her family.

Nothing says "Spring" like baby goats!