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Barnyard Buddies:  All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)  |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 13 2010 : 1:51:23 PM
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oh fun on the farm today. went and bought my does boer crosses. both have 2 week babies. moms are wild. babies so cute took them out to pasture. the dexters chased them all the way around the field. then the baby bull had to jump around and show off. so now we hope they will be ok. papa is making a cattle gaurd. anyone know do goats respect cattle gaurds? gonna go cook some thing good happy days here sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 13 2010 : 4:10:06 PM
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I am going to have to go in the morning to the vet. I forgot. I wrote down everything I needed to do today but not that. Shoot. He's the kid I had to pull because he was coming out upside down. And he's huge. So I hope this will fix it.
Sherrye, goodness, you keep adding more critters to the farm! I don't know how ya do it. I have to do all this myself. But I do think I need a pig to help drink all this milk now. Kansas doesn't want to drink the milk. I don't know what happened to her. What's a cattle gaurd? Is it the thing that's in the ground that cattle won't walk over? I think goats would jump over them. But then again, I don't know.
Karla, maybe you could try again. I don't know if anyone else can delete them. Maybe the moderator but I don't know why they would do that. I just love Nubian kids. But my 2 are so skittish. I was not around when they were born and I think that has a lot to do with it. I helped Sadie and Faith deliver theirs and they heard my voice and got my scent and they follow me all over and are so nice and sweet. But I have to chase the little Nubian kids. And Sandy is rediculous if she can't find them. She goes balistic. I guess that's the Nubian trait? My Lamanchas could care less where their kids are.
Candy, shoot, another stinkin' buck! What's going on here? That's so funny about her licking another kid then having her own awhile later. Too cute. I remember one of my does trying to steall Sandy's first kids. She even let them nurse on her. I guess some does are just cut out to be mothers. Just like humans. And some just aren't.
I am not going to milk in the morning. I am full of milk in the fridge. I need to make cheese now but I am too tired. I might tomorrow.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 13 2010 : 6:20:23 PM
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well kris, you are so right. i have gotten a few. we figure even if we lose the house we will still farm. since the kids erik and angie have a lease on 80 acres we are doing this with them. so their land and their work. i oversee the animals. i feel if we end up off the grid goats are perfect. yes i will eat them. milk them. so here we have buttercup and maddie both cows. ginger will stay here lamancha. i will milk her this fall.betty boop my boer will go to pasture when bred. i think i will have to retire buttercup. not sure she will be ok with birthing this calf. vet did a preg check. found her uterus is deformed. said would not breed her again. so boy you know i need a heifer from her bad.she is bred to a mini jersey. the herd of dexters are our meat and income from the pasture. so trying to make it all pay. we will see. boy i hope i do better than you all. dang a lotta bucks out there. i could use a few boer bucks to raise.
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 04:58:31 AM
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Boy, you gals have sure been busy. I am going to buy a doeling, or 2 from the friends that bought all my Nubians a few years ago. I told them I need a small doe, which would suit them. I am going to bred her to my Nigerian buck. I have researching mini Nubians. I want get started on that project. They even already have a Mini Nubian Society. I have a fabulous Nigerian buck that is registered and came from show stock. I am excited about developing this new breed.
Of course, I'll have to deal with them stinkin bucks. LOL.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 05:56:01 AM
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Sherrye, how's the house business coming along? Any progress yet? I sure hope you don't have to mave. I can just imagine trying to load up all your critters and move them. How's all the breeding also?
Gena, sounds like you have a plan. I like the mini Nubians too. I wonder what their temperament is like though. I want to sell 2 of my Lamanchas and get another Nubian now. But I was looking in our Ga. market bulletin and they are SO expensive. Around $300 average. I wonder if someone might like to trade. I am going to put an add out and see what happens. I also need to start selling these stinkin bucks soon.
Ya'll have a great day. It's gonna be another warm one here. I need to get out there and do yard stuff while it's still cool enough.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 07:41:40 AM
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Kris, I sure wish you lived closer. I am sure my friends could sell you a Nubian cheaper.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 08:10:36 AM
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Oh my goodness. This has never happened before and I am so glad I was outside when it did. I was bringing up a few buckets of pine straw from out back and noticed lots of dusts out where the goats are now. So I looked again and thought one of the kids was taking a dust bath. But then I thought they don't do that. And I looked again and I saw it was Sadie. The only ditch out there and she somehow fell in and was on her back thrashing around. I have no idea how long she'd been that way. So I ran out there and grabbed her collar and pulled her out. It wasn't that deep either. And she didn't seem too hot or sweaty. SO I took her over to the shade and the water. Her kid ran to her and hugged her and loved all over her and she let him. It was so sweet. But man, I had no idea anything like that could happen. I had a horse once that I had out back and she fell down a little hill and Was down for a while before I found her. It took her awhile to get over that.
Gena, I might take a little trip up that way some day and see what she has. It's not too far. I would love to see some minis in person.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 1:19:33 PM
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oh kris how scarey is that. i am so GLAD you found her. we are getting ready to let our dexter herd out on about 40 acrs of irrigation ditches trees and what have you. kinda concerned the same could happen here. especially with the little calves. my neighbors tell me the mamas will keep them out.kris what are you using the pine straw for? sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 1:47:32 PM
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my blueberry bushes. I have a darn chicken that goes inthe garden every afternoon and scratches around the bushes so I have to go get more. I just saw the one doing it too. One of those darn game hens. She flew out when she saw me coming then Jimmy Buffet flew in to see what the comotion was all about. So I had to chase him all over the garden to get him out. So now I'm tired and hot. I hope your calves don't get stuck out there. I just made some feta. I'm going to keep some of the whey to make bread with. I hate to thorw it out but I don't feel like making riccota right now.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 3:26:22 PM
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the cheese sounds good kris. those darn chickens get everywhere. i went out there today and they all flew the coop.lol running everywhere. fun on the farm sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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SassyCasie
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
Casie
Canonsburg
Pennsylvania
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2010 : 8:07:08 PM
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To increase milk production for who ever was wondering, take the calf off of the cow the sooner the better. Also you want to make sure that you have a rich mixture of feed for the cow to eat. Also make sure she has plenty of hay if she is kept inside. Our cows are given mixed feed that we portion with a mixture of corn, corn gluten, and numerous other things depending on the season and what we need the cows to be eating. We also let the cows after they are done milking in the morning go out to the pasture. If the cows are solely on pasture we feed round bales to help them stay healthy and full along with some feed. We also feed silage. Sometimes the time that you are milking and feeding can affect the milk production so be sure to keep it as consistent as possible. If you milk earlier you can try to slowly bring them to a later milking time in the morning, for us we went from midnight to about nine at one point and sometimes that will increase the milk production. Now we are back to milking at midnight and are done around 6 a.m. and then start the second milking around 9 a.m. You have to moreless do trial and error until you figure out how your cow is going to milk in different settings.
Hope this helps, I'm sorry I am a cow farmer but when it comes to a lot of the technical things like grinding the feed and knowing how much of what to put in it I am unsure because sometimes it changes day to day or month to month depending on what we have available.
Sassy Casie |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2010 : 12:30:10 PM
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Kris, I am soo glad you came to Sadie's rescue. If you have the kinda luck I have, if it can happen, it will happen!!
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 15 2010 : 1:40:03 PM
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Gena, it was pretty scary for sure. I am so glad I was here and outside. She is just a mess, that silly goat. I went to the vet today to get a shot of selinium for her kid. I really don't think now that is what it is. When I was holding him to give him the shot I felt his chest and lower throat area. It's very big, like a handful, and real mushy feeling. I felt the other kids and they don't feel like his does. He also has loud breathing, like weezy. The vet said something about a resperatory problem so it may need looking into. She said I should see an improvement in 24 hours if it's selinium. If not then it's something else. And of course I am BROKE. This always happens when I am. So I hope and pray it's selinium and he's better tomorrow.
Cassie, you obviuosly have a dairy. But milking at midnight? Yikes! The dairy's around here start around 4 a.m. then again at 4 p.m. I am milking my goats around 7 a.m. then again at 7 p.m. That works for me. I like it to be daylight when I milk. Shoot, my goats aren't even stirring before that anyway. But thanks for the info. I plan to milk my 2 heifers when they have calves next year. And they are strictly grass fed til winter then hay. I will not feed them grain. I am going to try it this way. If it doesn't work, I won't milk them.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2010 : 09:22:03 AM
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YAY!  I started milking the goat again this morning for the season! Soon we will be awash in milk again! YAY!!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2010 : 09:25:12 AM
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oh i wish i could say the same. good for you sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2010 : 3:57:17 PM
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Candy, that's great! Is the milk good yet? I am still getting yucky tasting milk. Well, it's not really yucky but does have an off flavor. I am making some cheese with it. And have been making kefir. I made feta yesterday and Chevre today. It's about time to mold it. I have never made Chevre before. It looked pretty easy. I would like to put herbs in some. Do you make cheese?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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SassyCasie
Farmgirl in Training
24 Posts
Casie
Canonsburg
Pennsylvania
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2010 : 4:17:37 PM
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I don't make cheese but it sounds fun. Maybe I should give it a try. Where do I find a recipe?
And Yay for beginning milking again Candy!
Sassy Casie |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 16 2010 : 8:47:36 PM
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Cassie, I have a book I ordered called "Goats Produce Too". I use it all the time. There is a lady named Ricki Carroll that has really good easy recipes. Also check out the thread in the kitchen section about cheesemaking.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2010 : 07:12:30 AM
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Kris,
My milk is just fine. The only time I ever had an issue with off-tasting milk was when I bought a Nubian in milk from someone. They had the buck in with the does and I'm not real sure what they were feeding her but it took about 6 weeks before her milk was good. I was kinda worried about my Alpine's milk yesterday after reading your posts but her milk was just like always, perfect!
I do make cheese, usually the Traditional Queso Blanco from the Goats Produce Too! book. I occasionally make the French Style Chevre because it is so easy and uses a LOT of milk! LOL!! I sometimes put chopped pickled jalapenos in it or make garlic and herb cheese. The guys really like the jalapeno cheese! Very spicy! LOL!! And if you REALLY want a treat, make cheesecake using your homemade goat cheese, eggs from your own chickens and top it with some homemade preserves or canned fruit! Rich, rich, rich!! LOL!!
Candy C.
Farmgirl Sister #977
Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2010 : 07:19:30 AM
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Candy, darn, I am so wanting to make cheesecake now! Can I also use ricotta for that too? There is so much I could do with all this milk. I have a refrigerator in the milkroom that is old and I have noticed it is not cooling like it used to. SO I think I will use it for cheese strage now. I will start some hard farmhouse cheese and keep them in it. It is reading 48 right now and that is suppossed to be a great temp for cheeses.
I made chevre yesterday and this morning had about 3 cups. So in some I did fresh chopped chives, garlic powder and salt. It's too good! I want to make homemade Ranch seasoning and put that in some more. But it was so easy. That's the recipe I used too. My hubby would like the spicy cheese. Mom would too.
I think I need to move my does again. There is a very big area out back behind the house full of vines and blackberries. They need to go back there for about a week and clear that out. I am so afraid of snakes and it looks like a very nice spot for them.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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southerncrossgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
631 Posts
Gena
Harmony
NC
USA
631 Posts |
Posted - Apr 17 2010 : 1:50:01 PM
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I am going to look for that book. I have only made cheese one time, and it was terrible. I haven't made any since.
"A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes"==Cinderella |
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2010 : 11:18:29 AM
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I am finally done kidding for the season....hurray!!!!!!!!
My 10 year old doe Emma Bean that I didn't want to have babies kidded late into the night and boy was it a cold one out their too. She did pretty good and I am so relieved. I never had a doe that old have babies. I usually retire them before that. Anyway she did pretty good and she had a buck and a doe. They that she had a doe. Her udder is congested but her milk is good. She has bloodlines in her that are hardly around anymore.
Kristin I have the book Goats produce too. I love that book. That is one of the best books I have ever bought for goat cheese and recipes relating to goats. Its a super book.
So glad you found that doe. I have heard of people losing animals that way. Thats weird how they get stuck like that.
I had told you all about Snack Cake and her horrible delivery. I haven't updated on her lately but she is walking almost normal now. She did end up with stress foundering on all 4 feet but its not super bad.....but her hooves are much thicker and harder to trim. But overall she is doing great !!! I was so afraid I would lose her because of the nerve damage in her back end. I think I spent half my days at the barn working with her for over four weeks. Her little doe is so huge. She drinks all her mothers milk whick is alot. She is only 6 weeks old and I can hardly pick her up. I have never seen anything like it. I am thinking about calling her Moon Pie. Anyway just wanted to share some good news.
I can't wait to get some milk but will be awhile until the babies are old enough to wean. I am up to 6 girls and 7 boys.Well been up all night. Need to get a little rest before I fall down..........lol. Take care.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2010 : 7:21:33 PM
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linda i was wondering how your goat was. that is so great both mom and baby are good. i am shopping for a kid to go with one i just bought. wish you girls were closer. sherrye kris now you have milk and i dont. drying off buttercup cow. waiting on maddie next 8 weeks training.i do not even have goat milk. bummer sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Apr 18 2010 : 7:33:17 PM
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Linda, that's great about you Snack Cake. I have been reading about alot of sick animals lately and all the care ya'll are giving them to get them back to health. I am so glad there are people in the world that care enough to spend so much time on their animals. You have done a great job caring for her. She is one special goat. I am so glad she's better now, thanks to you. And glad you're all done with the kids. So how many does did you end up with? And I love the name Moom Pie. That's so cute.
Sadie's kid is huge. He's just 4 weeks and he's way bigger than the others. And very heavy. I can hardly pick him up. I still don't know what's wrong with him. I thought it might be a selinium difficiency and gave him a shot Thursday. But he's still the same. His chest is big and mushy. Do you know what could cause this. The others are fine and normal.
Sherrye, I looked on the calendar and Abby's kid is 5 weeks today. The rest are right after him. I am still getting crappy tasting milk. I have just about given up on them. But next week I will start really milking every morning. Then I'll start trying to wean the kids and try to sell them all and get them out of here. I think it's all the buckyness here that makes the milk taste bad. Or the grass. I don't know. But I am tired of it. The cheese is good though. I moved the goats back to the back today. It's grown up pretty good back there.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Apr 19 2010 : 07:46:55 AM
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kris the other web site has a discussion about wild onions. do you have them? i think the business of it all does put taste in the milk. the whole hormone thing too. right now there are 5 girls here with the borrowed buck. plus baby smoochie and the buck. its been about 2 weeks. 2 more and i send them all home but smoochie ginger and betty boop then smoochie goes to jezie and betty goes to pasture. i need a friend for ginger yet.i may send ginger with smoochie. not sure yet. i think i would miss her too much. any hoots i hope your milk clears. i think you said the buck was close. i think i can always taste that in milk. the girls might still have him on them? these goats out here all smell like the buck. when the vet came he was impressed with this borrowed buck.he is a sweet goat not pushy with the girls. happy milking sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farmgirl #1014
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Barnyard Buddies: All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep) |
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All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)
