Doe Care
Our does are fed free choice alfalfa and a 16% Artois Dairy Grain as long as they are in milk. Updated 2015: With hay prices out of this world now, we have switched to Chaffhaye for a full time feed, morning and evening, and a flake or two of alfalfa in the afternoon.
Milkers are in milk 10 months of the year and are dried off 2 months before they kid. At this time they are either kept on straight alfalfa or put on a 50/50 alfalfa/grass mixture.
Doelings are fed straight alfalfa as long as they are growing and a big handful of dry cob.
Does that are not bred or milking, are fed either a 50/50 or alfalfa grass hay or a 80/20 grass alfalfa and no grain.
All does have free access to all the colors of the salt licks, baking soda, Redmonds loose salt, Manna Pro loose minerals, and kelp meal. They are given between 1-2 pounds of dairy grain on the milk stand.
Pregnant does after they are dried up, are given a small amount of dry cob. They are also given a small pinch of Red Raspberry leaves about a month before they kid, and this is increased to a large pinch by the time they kid. Dry cob is increased the last 3-4 weeks unless it is from our Logan line (this line produces a really large baby, so we keep the grain down). Does are also started on Fir Meadows Prepare three weeks before they kid.
When labor starts, we add Fir Meadows EweTerN tea at the beginning of labor, after kidding, they get another bucket of hot water with the tea mixture and molasses added.
Wether Care
When the babies are weaned, the boys stay on alfalfa and browse till they are 2 years old, they also get 1 cup of dry cob, 1 cup of a meat goat pellet, a handful of BOSS, 1 oz. ACV (apple cider vinegar), a pinch of cayenne, and a tsp. of AC (ammonium chloride) this is upped to 1 tablespoon as they get older.
All the boys have access to free choice loose minerals, Mana Pro loose minerals, and Redmonds loose minerals. They also have access to all the colors of the salt blocks in addition to loose salt and loose Himalayan salt.
At 2 year old, the wethers are assessed and diet will stay the same for another year or they are put on a 50/50 alfalfa grass diet. They still get their 1 cup of the above mixture.
At 3 years of age, the wethers are put on a 80/20 Grass/alfalfa hay with the grass being the highest percentage. They still get their 1 cup of the above mixture.
Hoof Trimming
We trim feet once a month or more often if we have a goat that has fast growing hooves.
Worming
Worming is done on a as needed basis. We do monthly to twice monthly fecal checks. This way, if we happen to have worms, we will know what kind of worms they have and can treat accordingly. Usually we don't have to worm our goats, they get lots of carrots and have access to lots of pine which are both natural dewormers.
Kid Care
Shots: Kids are given their first CD&T shot at 6 weeks of age
2nd at 9 weeks and final CD&T at 12 weeks, as long as they are here. They will need a booster shot once a year to protect them from Enterotoxemia & Tetanus. Any shots needed after purchase, and their yearly booster, will be up to the new owners to provide.
De-worming: Kids will have gotten their de-worming prevention four times before they are weaned if they are still here. We use Valbazen, Cydectin or Ivomec on all kids. We worm at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks and 12 weeks.
Coccidiosis: Kids are bottle raised & given Deccox-M in their bottles starting at 3 weeks of age and continued till they are eating all their medicated pellets.
Selenium
Our area is very deficient in Selenium. We give all the goats Bo-Se or Mu-Se shots twice a year.
Weaning: Kids, as long as they are here, are weaned at 12 -16 weeks old.
Feeding Babies: At 1 week, kids are left free choice alfalfa, dry cob, medicated grower pellets, loose minerals and baking soda. The loose minerals that we use are Manna Pro Loose minerals and Redmond Loose Salt.
The feed they are given is either Noble Goat medicated goat pellets or Show Masters Sales Edge. We also add black oil sunflower seeds, Calf Manna, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne, and Ammonium Chloride.
They also have access to all the colors of the salt blocks and a Redmond Rock.
Our does are fed free choice alfalfa and a 16% Artois Dairy Grain as long as they are in milk. Updated 2015: With hay prices out of this world now, we have switched to Chaffhaye for a full time feed, morning and evening, and a flake or two of alfalfa in the afternoon.
Milkers are in milk 10 months of the year and are dried off 2 months before they kid. At this time they are either kept on straight alfalfa or put on a 50/50 alfalfa/grass mixture.
Doelings are fed straight alfalfa as long as they are growing and a big handful of dry cob.
Does that are not bred or milking, are fed either a 50/50 or alfalfa grass hay or a 80/20 grass alfalfa and no grain.
All does have free access to all the colors of the salt licks, baking soda, Redmonds loose salt, Manna Pro loose minerals, and kelp meal. They are given between 1-2 pounds of dairy grain on the milk stand.
Pregnant does after they are dried up, are given a small amount of dry cob. They are also given a small pinch of Red Raspberry leaves about a month before they kid, and this is increased to a large pinch by the time they kid. Dry cob is increased the last 3-4 weeks unless it is from our Logan line (this line produces a really large baby, so we keep the grain down). Does are also started on Fir Meadows Prepare three weeks before they kid.
When labor starts, we add Fir Meadows EweTerN tea at the beginning of labor, after kidding, they get another bucket of hot water with the tea mixture and molasses added.
Wether Care
When the babies are weaned, the boys stay on alfalfa and browse till they are 2 years old, they also get 1 cup of dry cob, 1 cup of a meat goat pellet, a handful of BOSS, 1 oz. ACV (apple cider vinegar), a pinch of cayenne, and a tsp. of AC (ammonium chloride) this is upped to 1 tablespoon as they get older.
All the boys have access to free choice loose minerals, Mana Pro loose minerals, and Redmonds loose minerals. They also have access to all the colors of the salt blocks in addition to loose salt and loose Himalayan salt.
At 2 year old, the wethers are assessed and diet will stay the same for another year or they are put on a 50/50 alfalfa grass diet. They still get their 1 cup of the above mixture.
At 3 years of age, the wethers are put on a 80/20 Grass/alfalfa hay with the grass being the highest percentage. They still get their 1 cup of the above mixture.
Hoof Trimming
We trim feet once a month or more often if we have a goat that has fast growing hooves.
Worming
Worming is done on a as needed basis. We do monthly to twice monthly fecal checks. This way, if we happen to have worms, we will know what kind of worms they have and can treat accordingly. Usually we don't have to worm our goats, they get lots of carrots and have access to lots of pine which are both natural dewormers.
Kid Care
Shots: Kids are given their first CD&T shot at 6 weeks of age
2nd at 9 weeks and final CD&T at 12 weeks, as long as they are here. They will need a booster shot once a year to protect them from Enterotoxemia & Tetanus. Any shots needed after purchase, and their yearly booster, will be up to the new owners to provide.
De-worming: Kids will have gotten their de-worming prevention four times before they are weaned if they are still here. We use Valbazen, Cydectin or Ivomec on all kids. We worm at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 9 weeks and 12 weeks.
Coccidiosis: Kids are bottle raised & given Deccox-M in their bottles starting at 3 weeks of age and continued till they are eating all their medicated pellets.
Selenium
Our area is very deficient in Selenium. We give all the goats Bo-Se or Mu-Se shots twice a year.
Weaning: Kids, as long as they are here, are weaned at 12 -16 weeks old.
Feeding Babies: At 1 week, kids are left free choice alfalfa, dry cob, medicated grower pellets, loose minerals and baking soda. The loose minerals that we use are Manna Pro Loose minerals and Redmond Loose Salt.
The feed they are given is either Noble Goat medicated goat pellets or Show Masters Sales Edge. We also add black oil sunflower seeds, Calf Manna, Apple Cider Vinegar, Cayenne, and Ammonium Chloride.
They also have access to all the colors of the salt blocks and a Redmond Rock.