Goat Herd Lineage

Our herd of goats are as follows:

d= doe, B = buck, w= wither

(year of birth)

* 1st generation

** 2nd generation

*** 3rd generation

See these 5 boys born 2013  - Zeus, Poseiden, Pontus, Prometheus, Kashmere.
black one from Pearl, next is Artemis from Diana, Diana is the tall one center (a 2012 kid) - behind her is the other boy from Pearl and Promethus from Hygenia (Undie), and his brother is blocked out in back - named Atlas.

Boys born in 2015
Hercules - from Hera
Bacchus - from Khaos
Dionysus - from  Hygenia

Girls born in 2015
Gaia and Maia -  from Diana
Rhea and Thalia - from Further
Venus - from Hygenia


Further d (2009)deceased 2015

*kidded Undie d and Helios B (2011)

       **Undie kidded Hebe - deceased (2012-2012)

 *kidded Muses d sold &; Meander w (2012)

 *kidded Maia and Thalia

Sorrelina d (2009)

*kidded Khaos d &; Aether w (2011) deceased 2013

*kidded Diana d (2012)

*kidded still birth d (2013)
*kidded still birth d (2015)

Diana d 
*kidded Gaia and Rhea (2015)

Khaos d

kidded Aphrodite  d  (2012) 

Aphrodite kidded Aeos 2014

**Diana 
kidded Gaia  - our smallest goat ever! and  Rhea (2015)
kidded Artemis d (2013) sold 

    **Khaos kidded Aphrodite  d  (2012) had kidded Aeos 2014
 &; Achilles B (2012) deceased 2014

Pearl d (2009)

*kidded Ceres  d  (2012) and Cupid B (2012)

    **Ceres kidded Adonis w (2013) both were sold.

Clover d (2009)

*kidded Mercury w  (2012)and Apollo w (2012)

Butler B (2010)

Triton B (2012)

What to do when kidding: Goats

Here are some things I do when a kid is born:

give doe/Mom warm water
give doe/Mom Grain
put kid on doe's teat and hope it sucks the colostrum for overall strength, health, and immune system
check to make sure kid milks from mother on its own or repeat process
hold doe still as needed so kid can milk and doe accepts this
dry kid's wet fur as needed since goats are generally born in winter
cut kid's umbillical cord to a short length so it does not trip over it - the rest will fall off on its own
do not pull on the doe's after birth - it will fall out however slowly on its own
provide clean bedding so a kid does not sleep in wetness or manure
close up holes in pen at low levels because kids will somehow crawl out and end up separated

This photo was taken at a small goat dairy in South Carolina - the kids are put together in a pen and given self feeding nipples on a bucket filled with milk...

Other kidding facts

does
-generally have twins
-5 month gestation period
-will clean their kid(s)
-will eat the after birth
does are protective of kids and do not like dogs in the barn during this time
kids
-are fragile but get up on four legs almost immediately
-can be picked up and hugged and placed down gently - Mom's dont seem to mind!

preparing for complicated births:

we had our first complication in 2013 - where the kid was coming out of the canal with legs back - this is when their shoulders get stuck.
Pictured below is the proper position for goat birth - photo courtesy of the internet:

With a complicated birth - here are the things you'll need - I am not an expert so see better information from experts on the web and books
- being in the right place at the right time  - or the  kid and possibly the doe will die!  
- gloves - never go into the canal without them for your own protection and the doe
- surgical sterile lube or vaseline of you dont have the other
- warm hot water - I use hot water in the winter since it cools off quickly
- soap - this helps to lubricate also

Unfortunately, I was not able to save the kid - but did save the mother.  Life is hard sometimes ...Thank goodness Mother Nature works very well most of the time ( the sun shines more frequently than it storms!)  We really like Mother Nature that way.  

I really did not want this doe to get pregnant this year and my instincts were right.  My planned parenthood did not work - sometimes the desire of both the bucks and the does to mate up overshadows my efforts to keep them apart.  I need to make this more full proof! 

here are some links ti learn more:
http://www.littlecudchewers.com/Difficult%20Birth.htm
http://fiascofarm.com/

Goat Kids 2013

Adonis is Born 2/6/2013

"Gene welcomes Adonis."

It is during my late night chores in the dairy barn that I hear a strange sound - what is it?  I look into each doe's pen suspecting a newborn cry.  There it is - a kid - all white (Sannen) and perfect!  Born of Ceres, who was born to Pearl the year before.  It is a boy!

I have named the goat Adonis after the Greek God of love, beauty and of vegetation.

"It is said in Greek Mythology that the anemone flower sprang up from the blood of Aphrodite’s slain lover, Adonis."

Artemis is Born Feb 14

Horse Hound & Farm Rescue

Ommegang Brewery

I have not commented on this issue

"Fracking, short for "hydraulic fracturing," is a process for extracting natural gas from shale rock by pumping millions of gallons of pressurized water, sand and proprietary chemicals down a well...linked to earthquakes, sick people and livestock, poisoned water. "

I read arguments on both sides of the issue and have not sided with one nor the other.  

My life is modeled in adoration and reverence for nature.  So let me say this:

I understand the need for national security as it involves energy, and the comfort it provides.  We have ways to reduce and innovate energy utilization from all sources - coal, wood, gas, oil electric.  Landowners  have rights - eminent domain surpasses those rights - our choices are  regulated to protect neighbor's rights ie. noise ordinances, zoning laws etc.   the common good prevails.  Until there are no NEGATIVE impacts to people near gas drilling - we should not do it.  
Many small farmers LIKE ME have their lives built into their farms.
Everything we do has impact.  What will our footprints leave for future generations?

Talk about the weather! and Groundhogs!

We are  in Zones 3-4.  The groundhog predicts an Early Spring - a long time resident says if an early Spring than we'll have a wicked 15th of March - snow and frost etc.  ...are Groundhog predictions reliable? NO!

The river is choppy due to strong winds in January - but the ice is melted completely - very unusual.

Now it is Memorial Day weekend and 30 degree temperatures are in store for us Yet...

The beauty up here is endless but so are the cold and wintery months.

US Census of AGRICULTURE

Statistics reprinted from newsletter on US 2007 Census data published every 5 years:

"In 2007, farmers reported a total of 36,352 farms, spanning across 7.17 million acres. This shows a 2.4 percent decrease in the number of New York farms from the previous Census in 2002. New York’s farms accounted for $4.42 billion worth of farm products sold in 2007. The leading counties for cash receipts in 2007 were Suffolk and Wyoming with $243 million and $225 million, respectively. "