| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Apr 17 2009 : 05:51:39 AM
I just went out to check on Faith, who looked like she was going to kid yesterday, and she just got done having 2 cute little bucklings about 7:30 am. One is white like the daddy and the other is just exactly like her. All black with the tan stripes on his head and a little on his legs and belly. They both have gopher ears, too! So cute! But boys. Oh well.
So here we go. Last year we had 5 bucks and only 3 does. I was hoping to have more girls this year. The others are still up front showing no signs of having theirs yet. This is day 153 so we could still have a ways to go.
This is just too exiting! I love kidding time on the farm. When my daughter Abby gets home tonight I will get her to put pictures on photobucket for me so ya'll can see the little cuties.
I know I saw on someone's blog where they were naming their kids after characters on Lonesome Dove. I had been thinking about doing that, too. So I hope you don't think I'm a copy cat namer but these 2 are just asking to be called Gus and Woodrow. That's my hubby's favorite movie ever and we will probably keep these guys. I want to train them how to pull a cart and they look like they'll be able to.
So here we go!!!! (And her udder is HUGE!)
Kris
Life is what you make it. Always has been. Always will be. |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Beverley |
Posted - May 21 2009 : 8:19:59 PM
Hi Ladies,
I have been reading the forum here and just had to put my 2 sence in. I have a really good vet who has been in business for 40 years so he has done a lot of this stuff because he is a large animal vet as well as a small animal vet and he says you should band at birth if you know you are going to wether. and give cdt shots at 1 week because it should be done a week at least before doing the disbudding and he says that should not be done after they are 2 weeks old because you will get scours and such after that time. He has always done my disbudding and banding and I have never had any trouble with either. Now I have have had nigerians and when you give the cdt you do 1cc even though the bottle says give 2 cc because the 2cc dose is for the larger goats. Now just to save money I give my goats their cdt at 1 week old and then take them in to the vets at 2 weeks and he disbuds and bands at the same time. and have never had any problems at all . Hope this helps some.
Folks will know how large your soul is by the way you treat a dog....Charles F. Doran
beverley baggett Beverley with an extra E...
http://bevsdoggies.googlepages.com/ |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 21 2009 : 04:47:38 AM
The Nubian buck that I banded myself was a few months old. And it was in summer. And I did not spray with the Furall spray. Lots of things I didn't know to do. Anf I also think I went up WAY too high on the poor little guy. So those were all things that worked against my first time banding.
And the girl that did all this the other day works for a vet and they do this all the time. She uses a very sterile razor blade. I didn't look the first few times because I thought there'd be blood all over. But she showed me the little tiny tip of the bottom she cut off and there was no blood then. She sterilized the razor and washed her hands every time, too. And there is less uncomfortableness this way. So, yes, I think this is the way to go for me from now on. People do cats this way, too. And something about the tearing is better than cutting, too. She explained how when women give birth it's better to tear naturally (although having something pulled is not natural) that to be cut. It heals faster and better. That maked total sense to me.
When we had some Jersey bull calves a friend of ours had one of those other things. He just crimped the testicles and that's all. So maybe it was something different. There was no cutting or blood. The testicles just died and dried up and fell off.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - May 21 2009 : 03:41:36 AM
I have always banded my Nubians and I will my Nigerians also. I guess as long as I don't have a problem, that is what I will continue to do. I think people just get accustomed to doing things the same way. I know I do.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
| Mother Hen |
Posted - May 21 2009 : 12:47:16 AM
Tracy, with ours, we have inadvertently waited until you have to pull then through the bander as they are too big to just slide through on their own. They haven't all been this big, but there have been several over the years that have been. Little billies and little bulls alike. I just know that I couldn't cut them if I had to do it that way, I would end up with all billy goats instead of wethers.
The device you mention, I'm not sure I could use that either. I know I'd have my legs crossed so tight in sympathy I wouldn't be able to stand straight to do it.
Cindy
FARMGIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1 |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - May 20 2009 : 9:59:39 PM
Ok, please excuse this question ladies, but it's one I MUST ask! --- How big are the testicles you are banding? I've ALWAYS banded my boys and never had a problem with infection (but I have with a lamb tail or two). If they are too big for the bands, then yeah, I can see a problem (that's why the lamb tails got infected-- they were a little too big for the bands to constrict properly). But, as I firmly believe-- Do what works best for you and your animals!
I've seriously thought of buying a Bordizo (SP?)-- though I'm not so sure I'd have the stomach for it. It's a really narly looking tool that crushes the "Cord" AND cuts off the testicles, but it's supposed to be less bloody than the "traditional" methods. Is that what your friend uses Kris? Or does she just use the good old fashioned KNIFE? Oh I'd SOOO hate to be a BOY in the barnyard!!!!!!! OWWWWY!!!!
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| Mother Hen |
Posted - May 20 2009 : 9:05:20 PM
Thanks Kris, I knew you were my "go to girl". We've never had any problems with infection on banding. DH does give them a shot of tetanus when we do it. I haven't paid attention to how long it takes for them to fall off. I only notice it when the dog starts roaming around in the pasture finding "treasures".
Cindy
FARMGIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1 |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - May 20 2009 : 10:54:09 AM
Well, that does make good sense. Thanks Kris for letting me bounce ideas off of you
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 20 2009 : 05:56:51 AM
Cindy, I have had some bad experiences with banding. I banded a nubian buckling a few years back. After a few weeks I noticed he was walking weird and didn't have much energy. I looked at his rear and it was all infected. Really bad. So I took him immediately to a guy up the road. He gave him antibiotic shots and put some stuff on it. Gave me a few more shots to give him for the next few days. I ended up taking the poor guy to the vet the next day. So I said I'd never band a goat again. I wish I had kept him, too. He was beautiful. But I sold all the meat goats ans he was the only boy left and the dairy goats were so mean to him. I gave him to a friend who then gave him away to a little girl. And he ended up being killed by some dogs. Awful ending to the poor guy.
Then when it came time to do something to the little bull, I banded him with help from the SIL. And of course they ended up getting infected, too. I just kept them sprayed with Furall and gave him a few antibiotic shots and he was ok. But it took about 4 months for the testicles to finally fall off. So I will not do that again, either.
As far as age goes, all mine were from 1 monthe on down. The girl who did it works at a vet and she said that's what they do there. She said it's just so much quicker and less pain for them. It's awful at the time. But 2 days ago we did it and they are all just fine now. No problems. I did give them all the CDT shots last week just as a precaution, though. And I will never band again. And Kendra said you can castrate pretty much whenever. Probably as young as possible is better than a year old.
Gena, if all your other goats have horns then I would not disbud these guys. It wouldn't be fair to them. I do it because all the rest are done and these are milk goats and their head fits better through the holes in the stanchions. The doe I am borrowing has horns and believe me she uses them. A very unfair advantage for the others. She's 2 years old so there is no way for them to be taken off now.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - May 20 2009 : 04:01:46 AM
Kris, My husband and I talked about it over breakfast, regarding disbudding the little twin Nigerians. I have almost decided to let them keep their horns. They are sooo small, we don't have the heart to do it, even though they are soon going to be 2 weeks old. The adult does all have horns even though the lady I purchased them from as babies, said they had been disbudded. So far, we haven't had any problems with their horns getting stuck in the fence. I didn't feel so bad with the Nubians, they were so much larger.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
| Mother Hen |
Posted - May 20 2009 : 12:19:05 AM
Kris, as I was reading about your castration(of the goats that is) I was wondering if you cut or banded, then I figured it out. Is cutting your preference for a reason? Just wondering. We band the cattle so we just decided to band the goats too.
What age do you cut yours?
Sometimes, I think we wait too long and I haven't asked how young is too young yet, but I am now.......if you know.
Cindy
FARMGIRLS CAN DO ANYTHING!!!
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1 |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 8:15:33 PM
Gena, last year I had to take all 5 of my bucklings back to redo the horns that grew back. And then even after 2 times a few got the little scur things. It was a bad year. She actually had to do several more bucks, too. I had one set of twins this year, a buck and a doe, that were totally opposite. She could not do the buck because his were too big but the doe's were just right. I hope none have to be done over this year. And with the triplets, the bucks were done but the doe hardly had any yet.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 5:14:43 PM
Thanks Kristen. I will check on the other thread. I am glad the little guys are doing well.
Have any of you had trouble with the disbudding as far as that they just still grew anyway? We seem to have trouble with the little bucks.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 05:24:38 AM
It says 2ml's on the bottle. So that's what I give them unless they are smaller. So some of the younger ones only got 1.2ml. I have never had Nigies and they are very little. I hope someone else knows. Have you asked over on the Sheep and Goat thread yet? I know someone over there will know. And it is a sub Q shot.
They are all fine this morning, thank goodness. I was alittle worried about the boys that were castrated. But there is no blood now. There were 2 that were dripping pretty good after Kendra left.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| southerncrossgirl |
Posted - May 19 2009 : 04:22:19 AM
Hey Everyone, I just caught up with this thread. When you guys give CDT to the little ones, do you give it orally or inject? Do you adjust dose for the small Nigerians. In the past I have had Nubians, this my first year with Nigerians.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 18 2009 : 6:29:12 PM
Ok, all but 2 of the goat kids were disbudded today. One of them was too big and the other too small to do theirs. We also castrated 5 of the boys. That was awful, poor guys. I am such a wimp and I had to hold them when she did it. OMG, the first 2 weren't that bad but the other 3 were a little tougher to do. And they are all just pitiful and shaking and walking funny. It's not a fun thing. The disbudding is fine. They are all ok in just a few minutes, but not with the other part. I just hate to have to do all this. But I don't like horns, so it has to be done. Anyway, it's all over except the one littlest doeling. I'll have to take her in a few weeks.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - May 16 2009 : 11:48:22 AM
I keep the Pepto on hand too (pretty much the same as Kaopectate and ok for goats too). I've had the same issue with two kids, twins, but they too are doing better. NOT fun to deal with! Thank goodness my goats are small! (I have Nigerians and those two are especially tiny-- as is their mom). It does make dosing a little hard to figure though.
For shots, my vet recommends 1/4 cc of Be-Se (vitaman E and Selenium for those who don't know-- which you buy from the Vet), and 1cc (1/2 dose) CD/T at 10 days old, then a full dose of both 3wks later. (The initial dose of Bo-Se might be a little higher for larger kids)
I do all my own banding on the boys. Not a fun thing-- for the boy OR me! but a necessary evil if you don't want a million testosterone driven males runing around. The disbudding has now become my husband's job. He's actually rather good at it, but it's a task I will ALSO undertake since I am at the mercy of HIS time schedule when it comes to such things, and, as you know with horns, timing IS everything! (as proof of all the single horn, full set WIERD looking horned, etc.... babies I have running around. What a DISASTER!!!! but, it was our first experience with dehorning so I guess it was to be expected. AND a good lesson learned!)
Oh, and I agree about the vet! Even though mine only charged me $28 for the first kid, then $12 for each additional kid (per visit that is), it was getting a bit pricey to have him do the dehroning. All total there are about 21 babies that needed the job done-- he did the first 8-- I was looking at a big chunk of my "Allowence" gone and I just couldn't afford it. Even if he is the most REASONABLEY priced vet I've ever come across-- and one of the BEST!
Glad all went well with your "Shot Clinic" Kris (sure feels like that doesn't it?). The kids should be fine. Usually if there is going to be a problem it will manifest itself pretty darn quick. A shot of Epi (also have to buy from the vet) is usually effective-- though I have to say I have been fortunate and never needed to use it myself. At least not on an ANIMAL! (work was a different story!) ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 14 2009 : 08:03:08 AM
Basically it's diarhea. Just runny poop. It could mean alot of different things. But I think it was because Ocho, his momma, had a little udder problem and the milk was bad. She's good now. And he cleared up in a few days with the Kaopectate. That stuff's great. I always keep some handy.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| Especially For You |
Posted - May 14 2009 : 07:31:14 AM
Kris,
What is scours?
Tina |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - May 14 2009 : 05:57:31 AM
I just gave all the kids CDT shots. I didn't want to but thought I'd better since they will all be disbudded and most of them will be castrated, too. My friend will come next week to do most of them. I already had to do one of the bucklings last week because he had scours. So I gave him the shot and some Kaopectate, too. He's good now. But just to be on the safe side, I decided to go ahead and do this.
My oldest DD, Heather, helped me. She is NOT an animal person at all. Never really has been. So for her to go out in the goat yard and actually hold a goat kid was a miracle! The first one she almost dropped and she didn't want to do any more but I was not going to let her quit on me. So she bucked up and did it. I was very proud of her. One of the bucklings got loose and we both said the same bad word at the same time. Oppss! That was funny. But she done good and we did it. Now I hope they are all going to be ok. I really hate giving shots. But it's gotta be done and a vet would be a fortune.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Apr 30 2009 : 05:57:47 AM
Thanks, Tracy. I wish I could disbud, but it just breaks my heart to hear the poor little guys. They're ok after a few minutes but it still hurts. I do have an iron and I might get her to let me do one just to see if I can.
She is going to come here this time since I have so many.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| shepherdgirl |
Posted - Apr 29 2009 : 8:11:08 PM
Oh Kris! If I lived closer I'd be there in a HEARTBEAT to lend a hand! I know how HAAARRRDD it is to try and do all that by yourself. It's nearly impossible in fact, but a true blue shepherd girl is VERY inventive and usually overcomes the IMPOSSIBLE.
Hope things work out for the best and you find the kids GOOD homes! That's the wish for my own as well. Hugs! ~~~ Tracy
Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. ~~ George Carlin |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Apr 29 2009 : 7:19:42 PM
I just talked to my friend who does the disbudding for me. She is going to castrate and she just cuts. One guick small cut is all it takes and she pulls the testicles (?) out. She's never had a problem doing it this way. I figure with this heat and flies it will be better than banding which so uncomfortable and takes so long to fall of and there is more chance of infection. So I think I'll go that way this time. I will give them shots when they are 2 weeks then when they are about 3-4 weeks we will start the castration and disbudding.
I just remember banding my bull and how long it took for them to finally fall off after becoming infected and having to give him antibiotics and keeping them sprayed. I'd just rather get it done quick and be done with it. Poor guys.
I have all the syringes and the CDT meds. I'm all set. Just need help now.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
| kmbrown |
Posted - Apr 29 2009 : 6:51:39 PM
My husband takes care of all that castrating stuff!!! We use the rubber band method and we got our equipment from Hoeggers Goat Supply. We give tetanus shots at 3 days...right before we disbud our baby goats. You should be able to find the meds and syringes at your local tractor supply. We also got our disbudding machine from Hoeggers and my hubby does that job as well!!!
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| twzlrwho |
Posted - Apr 29 2009 : 5:24:17 PM
Oh man I have no idea. I would like to know as well though.
 Christina
Work like you don't have to, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like nobody is watching :) |
| twzlrwho |
Posted - Apr 29 2009 : 5:21:08 PM
LOL That is too funny. I couldn't imagine having to keep up with all those kids. Do you tag their ears like cattle? It sounds like you are busy busy. Have fun but don't forget about you. Stay rested.
HUGSquote:
Originally posted by kristin sherrill
Thanks, Christina. Now the only problem is I can hardly tell most of them apart. Too many white and beige colored kids. Until they go to their mommas then I know. I put a little red collar with a bell on Adabelle today. And I'm constantly counting kids. I still have Holly in the stall with her 3. When she comes out with hers I will for sure not be able to tell them all apart. Oh well, hopefully they will all sell fast.
Kris
Life is what you make it. Always has been. Always will be.
Christina
Work like you don't have to, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like nobody is watching :) |
