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Barnyard Buddies:  All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 07:10:27 AM
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Good for your hubby! He is a good guy for sure. I love to hear how the guys help us out with all our critters. Of course they get all the good benifits too.
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 - Aug 26 2010 : 07:57:12 AM
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miss kris, that is so great he is helping you. papa helps me around here a LOT. do you have chickens already? sorry i just dont remember if you do. maybe you could post a pic. glad your back happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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miss kris
True Blue Farmgirl
118 Posts
kris
mi
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 08:43:36 AM
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We bought quite a few chicks last year - we had to many so gave a bunch to a fellow farmgirl - she loves her chickens. We have 7 or 8 now, I think.
the chickens will be loving their being out of doors - I can stop thinking about it. Sherry - I am the worst picture poster as I have no idea how. They are black and white spotted with on tiny banti (spellling) who rules the roost. See yous---Miss Kris
For I know the plans I have for you...Jer.29:11 |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2010 : 10:33:53 AM
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hi, maybe they are barred rocks. i just decided i am going to move my chickens to a different coop. i smell them when i milk. yuck. so scooping chicken poop from 75 birds is not fun. i let it go in winter. we are going to spread it on our pastures we use. love poop happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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LenaSassafrass
True Blue Farmgirl
69 Posts
Leanne
Hamilton
Montana
USA
69 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2010 : 11:02:47 PM
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So we got our baby goat! Still no name yet lol. She is such a sweetheart...she has finally caught on to drinking out of a bottle. She makes noise whenever she sees me and Sass moos because she knows I'm the gal with her yummy milk. She is about 6 weeks old and I'm giving her cows milk right now. She seems to be doing pretty well but when my co-worker gets back from vacation I'm going to ask her about trading some cows milk for fresh goats milk so that baby will have exactly what she needs! She is too cute and so loveable!
Leanne
Maizy-brownswiss/jersey
Sassafrass-06/20/10 |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2010 : 07:18:00 AM
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leanne yipee, bet your having fun. i just came in from feeding the calf. happy days for you sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2010 : 2:35:05 PM
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What kind of goat did you get? And be careful switching from one milk to the other. If you are giving her cow's milk now and are going to switch to goat milk, you should probably mix the 2 together til you have all goat milk. Otherwise she could get loose runny bowels. You might already know this. But just thought I'd say something. I hope you are bnding with her. Will she be a milk goat? Or just a pet?
Sherry, how's the calf? And are you into full time milk now?
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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kofarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Kandra
Hedley
Texas
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2010 : 1:11:04 PM
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| Ok, I am so sorry sherrye, no I did not get a cow. I think for now I will stick with Pippy. She is much easier to handle. But someday I am hoping for the cow. I would love love to have the cream. We had to go out of town this past weekend and our Ag teacher milked for me. His response was hilarious! He said that his hands cramped up so bad, and that milking was such hard work. He has been telling his classes that if they want a super strong grip then they just need to milk a goat!!!! I made yogurt yesterday and it turned out Yummy. I added the powdered milk for a thicker consistency and it did great. Now I have some of the yougurt hangin for lananeh cheese! I will let you know how it turns out. In the cheesemaking class I went to it was delicious! |
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kofarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Kandra
Hedley
Texas
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2010 : 1:12:05 PM
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| ok i really can spell. Sorry Labaneh cheese |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Aug 31 2010 : 5:27:23 PM
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i am so into full time milking. 2 times a day. yum. calf gets 2 gallons a day. we are getting about 5 gallons a day. just getting my customers set up. i have one gal that buys 5 gallons a week. made cheese this week too. colby. loving all the milk happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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wooliespinner
True Blue Farmgirl
1311 Posts
Linda
Manchester
Ohio
1311 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 07:33:22 AM
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Hi everyone,
reading and getting caught up on the last few pages. Haven't been on in awhile. Sounds like milk is everywhere....lol. So glad everyone is doing well and sounds like everyone is super busy.
Congrats on your new calf Sherry !!
Leanne congrats on your new goat !! Sounds like she is going to be fun for you. Nubian crosses usually are great milkers.
Kristin chevre sounds so good right now. I have been so busy that I have not made any in awhile. Need to get enough milk and make some.
I finally sold 3 does and am down to 16 goats..........3 of them are bucks. They smell so bad right now. So I am down to 13 does total. I would still like to sell 2 more. The rest I just can't part with. The very old ones of course will never leave but 5 of the new does kids are just to darn cute to give up right now.
I did cut the grain ration by half this past week and am only milking 2 does right now every other day. The dry does are just getting a little grain a day. But everyone is fat and happy. Am glad to have my feed bill reduce down finally.
We are so dry here that our pasture behind the house is turning brown. All summer and spring we flooded and then the past couple of weeks it just stopped. Hope we get some rain this Thursday. After that they are not calling for any rain for awhile again. My backyard looks like I took a match and burned the Yard.
Everyone have a great day.
Linda
Raspberry Run Farm
Nubian Dairy Goats |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 08:27:58 AM
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Kandra, can you tell me how you make your yogurt? I never can get goat milk yogurt thick. So I don't try anymore. I make kefir so I guess that's all I need. But it would be nice to have some yogurt every now and then. And that's why I decided on goats instead of a cow. Goats are so much easier and smaller. But I am going to try to milk Mazie when she calves in the spring.
Sherry, how's the calf? I bet she's fat with all that milk. That seems like an awful lot to give her right away. When I got my day pld calves, the dairy guy up the road said just one calf bottle each twice a day and that's plenty. Then when they got older of course they needed more and I went to the buckets. But the first calf I got I way over fed the poor thing and she got sick and had scours and she never did make it. S I said no matter how much I think they are starving, that's all they would get. And it worked and they both grew like weeds. Mazie is huge now! But I saw this yesterday and wanted to say something then. I know you have been doing this a long time so I hope you don't mind me saying this. And I know you are enjoying all that milk too.
Hey Linda. Isn't it nice to be able to sell a few goats and not have so many to feed now? I only have my 2 goats but am wishing I had more now. These guys cannot keep the grass and weeds eaten down fast enough. It's never been this weedt around here. So I am thinking about getting some sheep to help out. I want at least 3 ewes. They will eat alot of the things the goats won't. And I can put them with the cows sometimes and they will clean up that pasture too. Now I just need to figure out which kind to get. I think I want a meat breed and possible a hair sheep. But I might want one fiber sheep for the wool.
I hope you get some rain, Linda. We are supposed to get rain here Friday then it's going to cool down!! Yay! My DD Abby is getting married Friday so of course it will rain. But we really need it. I am tired of watering.
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 - Sep 01 2010 : 12:33:39 PM
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kris i hear you on the milk. she gets about 3 pints at night for bed and during day 2 pints every 4 to 5 hours. vet said it would be ok.she goes awhile in the night. since i get up sick i have to care for me first in the am. so she has to wait quite awhile in morning. no scours she is starting to have cow poo. so she will get a goody tray. not sure what yet. she has no gmo in her and no gross things have been fed to her. so i am trying to figure out a calf starter that is grain free and gmo free. any ideas girls? thanks happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kofarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Kandra
Hedley
Texas
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 4:35:46 PM
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| kristin, the yougurt I made was from the goats produce too book. I just heated to 180 then let it cool back down to 115 to 120. For two quarts I put 2 tsp dannon yougurt and 1 cup of powdered milk. When the milk cooled to the 115 - 120 range I added the yogurt and powdered milk, stirred and poured it into a half gallon jar, put the lid on and set it in the ice chest with blankets around it for about 6- 8 hours. The powdered milk helped to thicken it but at the cheese class I went to in Waco, they said to add a little rennet if you wanted it thicker. I may try the rennet next time. |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 01 2010 : 5:54:32 PM
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Thanks, kandra. I have that book. I use it alot. I just made the French Chevre. But apparently you can't use the rennet from the first batch to make a 2nd batch. It says to put 3 drops rennet in 1/2 cup water and use 2 T. I made one batch last night and decided it might not be enough so made more this morning. It takes 5 qts of milk. So I just used 2 T from what I had already mixed up. It has not thickened up at all as of almost 12 hours later. That makes me mad becasue that's alot of milk wasted. Well, the chickens will get it. But still. Now I'll have to buy some store cheese. Oh well. That's life.
Sherry, I know you know what you're doing. I'm sure she is just fine. Are you going to start feeding her already? Or were you just asking for later? I only fed my calves a little pelleted calf feed when they were just getting weaned and then only used one bag. They went straight to just grass and hay. Mazie hasn't had any grain at all since that. And Roxie hasn't either. And they are both just fine and healthy. I didn't know you were sick. I hope you feel better. DOn't you just wish the critters would be ok til we got better? But no, they still need to be fed and milked, don't they? Get better soon. You can't be sick too long, ya know.
A friend of mine is selling some of her goats. One of them she had let come stay here last year for me to milk because she didn't have time. She's the one with horns that caused so many problems. So I will think about getting her. She's an easy milker but she used those horns on my girls. Really though. 2 goats is not enough to keep all these weeds down around here. So I need to do something.
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 - Sep 01 2010 : 7:15:45 PM
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thanks kris, i am not feeding her yet. just milk. i am trying to plan ahead. i sold 4 gallons tonight. yipee happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kofarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Kandra
Hedley
Texas
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2010 : 12:44:33 PM
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| I know what you mean about the wasted milk! My husband says if the animals get it its not wasted. I plan on making the chevre tomorrow. We will see how it turns out. Kinda disappointing that my chesse isn't coming out right. I will just keep trying |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2010 : 5:29:25 PM
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kandra we also give it to all our chickens and pigs. they love milk. so we are now considering getting a new cow. we will let isabel just be a cow to have calves. i will get me a fine 4 teat milker. it costs as much to feed a 2 teat cow as a 4 teater.lol so i love isabel but she is having problems with the back quarter that is good. some stuff in my filter. mastitus looking stuff. jake my vet is coming tomorrow. so i have been on line looking for a great milk cow like lisas. this will be fun. i would not have even considered another cow if i thought we were going to have to leave here. since we have approval for the loan mod. we feel we can have a great milk cow here. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2010 : 7:45:48 PM
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Kandra, I got 2 pounds of chevre from 5 qts of milk. That's a really good yield for cheese. And I think my chickens are pretty healthy with all this raw milk and kefir they get. I need to give some to the turkeys too.
Sherry, I am so glad ya'll don't have to move now. And you're going to get another cow? Wow, you will be a busy bee. I am thinking about getting another goat. I hope Isabelle is ok. I bet the calf is beautiful.
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 - Sep 03 2010 : 2:49:17 PM
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hi girls, the vet just left. is name is jake. nice guy. anyway all is good. he says she is kicking me because she can. so papa went to get me a cow cant kick tool. my shoulder is bruised and my legs and she stepped on my foot. lol papa also moved the stanchion over to the other wall. this way i will not get squished. she likes me to milk from the right. that is where her 2 good quarters are. he also said no mastitus or udder problems. he believes the 3 gallons a milking out of 2 quarters is fantastic. so i am relieved that she is ok. when he gets back from vacation we are going to draw blood and test her so i camn feel good about selling the milk. yes i am going to save my money and buy another cow.we have a little guest house here. we are going to make it a kitchen for milk and cheese. papa is being very supportive. he is such a great guy.our little sophie is sooo cute. yes kris vet said to cut back on milk and put free choice calf starter down. she wont eat much but will get her around and used to it. so now i have to decide if i am going to give her grain such as calf starter. i think teresa or someone does not feed grain either to their ruminants. if so i sure would like input on feeding a dairy calf. just thinking and hoping for a little help from my sisters. thanks happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2010 : 6:07:25 PM
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Sherry, how's the milking going? And how's the baby calf? I bet she's grown a lot already. She's about 2 weeks old now. I gave my 2 calves calf starter pellets as I was weaning them. Then they got the feed for a few weeks after weaning. Then I gradually cut the feed back over a few weeks til they were just grass and hay only. They never missed the feed. And still don't. Mazie is huge now. 26 months old and probably 1000 pounds. She is fat. But she is 2 months pregnant too. Roxie has never had grain here since I got her in Jan, and she just turned 1 a few weeks ago. When I milk Mazie I will just give her some good hay.
I went out this morning and saw Mazie in the garden. She had gone through the fence and just walked right in. It's all done in there but I do have a few blueberry buches and 6 grape vines and 2 blackberry vines. They nibbled on the grape leaves. I had to shut the bottom gate to keep them away from the apple and pear trees. So I guess they can stay in there and clean it up for me. I'll have to fix the fence she messed up now. But that's life with animals. There's always something to fix, right?
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 - Sep 07 2010 : 07:15:00 AM
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well i feel like the old gray mare. she aint what she used to be. the mind is willing the body NOT able.lol well belle is finally settling down.i also wrestled the donkey again for the sarcoid treatment with the vet. so one more time i pulled my shoulder and rib cage. man i hope we are done with that. i need to find her a calf squeeze chute for the mini donkeys and goats. girls do you think a goat and donkeys would work in a calf squeeze chute. not sure. well i am getting 6 gallons a day now. wow it is so good. no grain here for belle. i bumped up her grass and cut back on alfalfa and i am getting more cream. joanns book kfc says this is so. i have seen it myself now. i was free feeding alfalfa per vet jake. i stopped she gets it in the milk room now. while i milk her she gets sunflower seeds and rolled pellet alfalfa on top of alfalfa hay. she was getting apples. dr. jake said will give her bloat if she gets too much fruit at a time. especially apples
Kris you are so right about fixing things. we had to move the milk stanchion to a different wall, move the surge milk pump and air pipe so she could fit in my little barn. she has to almost stand on her head to get out. she does and can.lol i am swimming in milk today. everyone gets some. the fryers are going to taste so good. milk and worms for food plus yummys from the garden. all the layers love just regular milk in a pan. i just pour it in and they drink it up. so today it will be moving the hens i think. papa pulled a muscle in his back yesterday. so may be a few days before we can start the clean room for milk. looked like he was hurting last night. we are a mess of broken sore muscles.its still FUN though. i made mozz. it was delicous. so when are you going to butcher roxie. you will get a good amount of meat for sure. yum. ours turned out great. we hung it for 21 days.
Kandra keep working on your cheese it will. i am super exact on my temps. i do use fresh frozen bacteria for mine. let us know how it goes for you. kris has been doing this a lot longer and more than me. these farm girls on here are so full of knowledge and help. it is a fine thing.
Well gotta go feed sophie. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kofarmgirl
Farmgirl in Training
19 Posts
Kandra
Hedley
Texas
USA
19 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2010 : 08:45:53 AM
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| Well, my chever turned out! It was rubbery so I added some olive oil and spices and blended it for a treat for the crackers. My oldest daughter asked if this would be a regular occurance because she loved the cheese. I didn't know how to convert the liquid rennet of 3 drops to 1/3 c water to tablet form. Guess I used to much. Tasted good anyway. Making yougurt today. Going to add the rennet in to see if it gets thicker. I was going to do it yesterday, but my family drained half a gallon of milk! Thats ok, its good for them!!!!!!Sherrye I am so glad your mozz. was yummy, I am going to try that again. All of your farms sound great! |
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sherrye
True Blue Farmgirl
3775 Posts
sherry
bend in the high desert
oregon
USA
3775 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2010 : 11:56:41 AM
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good job kandra, i think its 1/2 a tablet in the water. i am now trying to make a creamy ice cream. its ok if it has a lot of sugar and cream. any ideas? let me know how your yogurt turns out. then on to searching for cheese presses. happy days sherrye
the learn as we go silk purse farm
farm girl #1014
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Sep 07 2010 : 3:49:54 PM
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Sherry, you make me tired! You must have a big farm. I hope you are done with pulling muscles and hurting ribs too. But I bet if you sat for too long, you would hurt worse. That's alot of milk. Are you selling some too?
Kandra, I love cheese and crackers. The first batch of chevre I made for the reception turned out awful. I could not serve it. But the 2nd batch that I thought wasn't going to be was really good and creamy. I made some ranch mix and put that in it. It is really good. So I gave the yucky cheese to the chickens. Thank goodness they'll eat just about anything. Especially dairy products.
Well, first thing this morning Mazie's back in with the apple and pear trees. She didn't eat any. So me and hunny had a roundup and got them over to the other side in the big garden where the turkeys are. I was gone all day and when I got home I saw one of the cows had been in the turkey pen. I'll just have to keep the door shut closer. They should be ok over there. And all but 1 turkey was in the other garden. But they are so easy to herd. So I hope everything will settle down here.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Barnyard Buddies: All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep) |
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All Things Dairy (Goats, Cows and Sheep)
