"United we bargain, divided we beg."

Monday, January 18, 2010

Got My Goat Back


Storm Cloud, AKA the world's prettiest goat, returned to the farm yesterday.


I rented him out to a neighbor as a stud a month ago (which is when this photo was taken) even though he was pretty young still and I wasn't sure if he'd be able to "do the deed." I warned them that he was unproven and said I'd give them all the time they needed and unlimited breedings for $50 - a steal if he managed to breed all their does.

Meanwhile, I myself rented a mature, proven buck (Yanto) to breed my own does. He cost me $75 for a month - and as it turns out, I think that Storm had already bred most of my does before he even got here. Iris and Flopsy are both looking EXTREMELY pregnant. In some ways, this is annoying: I don't know when they will give birth, and I may have wasted $75. But in another way, it's very cool: I get a chance to see what kind of kids Storm throws, and I get early kids and milk sooner than I expected.

In any case, if I subtract the $50 stud fee for Storm from the $75 stud fee I paid out for Yanto, my total stud fee for this year is only $25, as compared to $150 last year. That's a big improvement, especially is Iris and Flopsy both throw twins, which looks likely. Iris could even throw triplets, she's that big already.

The only really bad thing is that Storm came back from the other farm with lice. They aren't the kind that are transmissible to humans, but they surely are transmissible top other goats and now I have to treat my whole herd. The dusting powder I get at the farm store works well, and it isn't expensive, so it's only a minor nuisance. That's the main issue of sending your animals off to another farm - you just don't know unless you are willing to become a complete control freak and inspect their animals and demand test results for everything under the sun.

I may get to that point if I feel it necessary, but I'd really rather not.

5 comments:

el said...

Wow, SC is quite the busy guy: I hope he didn't knock up anyone he was related to, the randy thing. So, you're aiming for, what, June kids? And...around here most goats are really seasonal in their heats, even Nubians, so I am quite surprised the girls were receptive to it all! Yeah that's why we're stuck with Jan-Mar kids here, right when it's really flipping cold. Our doe is due in late Feb., brr.

AND: there's a great trade around here in AI so the goats don't get infected with other goats' diseases during those conjugal visits. I can get the deed done for $15 per doe.

It's all such a big learning experience, that's all I can say. How many does do you expect to milk, Aimee, 4?

Spring Lake Farm said...

What a handsome boy!!!

Anonymous said...

he is the cutest goat....what kind is he? How big is he?
My kids want 2 goats as pets and We might just go for it, we have the land - I grew up raising Toggenbergs so anything smaller would be a cinch for me (besides nothing on earth could be as stubborn as the Togs we had) I'll keep reading to see if you have answers.

Aimee said...

I'm expecting my kids in April, though it now looks like earlier is possible. If SC did knock them up, then he bred his grandam (no big deal) and his very own... MOMMY (ewwwwww). Still not a big deal as next year's kids are all spoken for as meat.

I have three young, healthy does to milk, ands that's as many as I care to milk by hand, so I have no need to keep any kids at all. I won't sell a goat who might be too inbred, no matter how cute, so Flopsy's kid, at least, is absolutely doomed.

Spring - Thanks! I know! I love the spots.

Anon- nubians are pretty big. At least mine are. But they are not as hard top deal with as Toggs, so I'
ve heard. Goats are great! Get some!

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