Sometimes it's just easier to accept certain things as truth, without evidence, trial or firsthand knowledge. For example when we first moved out to no man's land, we decided a dual purpose ATV would best suit our needs for 'working the land' as we had not yet begun collecting our gaggle of animals or planting hay. ATV's are kind of a 'boy' thing, so when Rog explained that we'd need the biggest engine possible to pull a mower or a tiller, I agreed without hesitation. Now I know better. Our ATV can pull a truck or a small plane. It barely lunges when pulling a FULL hay wagon. I got roped in to supporting the purchase of a beast that tops out near 70mph. After all this time you think I'd learn my lesson.
1) Not all pitchforks are created equal.
Mine on the left, his on the right. He is very protective of his pitchfork. When we clean stalls he grabs it and holds on tight. Mine is newer, shinier but generally sucks at 'pitching' as it is intended to do. All the while someone is belittling me for picking up wimpy loads or failing to pitch at the appropriate depth. I just accepted as truth that Rog is a better and faster and more efficient stall scooper than I. I found fault more with my technique and less with my pitchfork. Until Saturday.
Rog was out hooking up the manure spreader while we cleaned and rearranged pens yet again. Unbeknownst to me I had picked up his pitchfork instead of my own. Stab-slide-lift-toss. Stab-slide-lift-toss. Load after beautiful load was tossed with minimal effort in to the waiting spreader without much effort on my part. No tangling of the tines in the wet bedding, no struggle to find the separation of layers between straw and shavings.
"That's my fork."
"You bastard! All this time I thought it was me and I clearly have an inferior pitchfork!"
"It's not the fork, it's the operator." (Said as he struggled to work a load onto the malfunctioning fork)
With a sneer I gave him the magical fork and stomped off. I came right back though, it was just time for a Coke. As we finished scooping out the last remnants of wet bedding, I gleefully claimed the 'good' shovel and all was right in the world.
I have witnesses. Blessing and Massey watched the whole debacle.
I have witnesses. Blessing and Massey watched the whole debacle.
2) Conformation always overrules cute.
So not true. I'd like to say it is, but it's not. We plan breedings and pairings to better our herd in genetics and production. Yes, we do show the animals but I like to think I'm marginally serious about it. If I go, I go. If I win, I win. If I don't, it's not the end of the world. Goat show wins do little to boost my self worth, if anything they help make the drive worthwhile. Luna is one of our older does, a black and white pied (resembling a Holstein) with a recessive and extra cute pink nose. For 8 years I've been waiting for more spotted alpine kids to keep. We've had a few, but they've all had penises, unfortunately. No doelings to bring color to our herd. Every year I jokingly pray to the goat gods for a pied doe with a pink nose.
Chicory gave birth last Saturday to a single doeling out of Bonner, our new Alpine buck. She is a nice doe, and is growing a nice little udder so when this holstein-esque girl popped out, needless to say I was very excited. Her nose isn't purely pink but is certainly bi-color so we'll take it! It's a bonus that so far her conformation looks good as well, but lets be honest, she is staying, regardless. Out of our 'Ch' name line, we are naming her Charming, Charm for short as we are currently engrossed in the final season of Sons of Anarchy. Who wouldn't want to name an exceedingly cute baby goat after a fictional town teeming with bikers murderers and prostitutes??
Delfina gave birth to a single doeling on Saturday as well, also sired by Bonner although this one is saanen in appearance. Delfina is proving to be a productive milker albeit she is a bit of a gate crasher and food hogger.
Chicory gave birth last Saturday to a single doeling out of Bonner, our new Alpine buck. She is a nice doe, and is growing a nice little udder so when this holstein-esque girl popped out, needless to say I was very excited. Her nose isn't purely pink but is certainly bi-color so we'll take it! It's a bonus that so far her conformation looks good as well, but lets be honest, she is staying, regardless. Out of our 'Ch' name line, we are naming her Charming, Charm for short as we are currently engrossed in the final season of Sons of Anarchy. Who wouldn't want to name an exceedingly cute baby goat after a fictional town teeming with bikers murderers and prostitutes??
3) You can't win them all.
Macy fell ill suddenly this past weekend with little warning. She showed signs of gut discomfort and quickly became hypothermic and her rumen stopped functioning. We pumped her full of calcium, supportive medications, IV fluids and pain medication but ultimately we had to put her down on Monday as she was in obvious severe pain and failing despite treatment. In the photo there is a liter of LR with dextrose running with calcium gluconate at a very slow rate. The headlock is both for safety (have you ever told a goat to hold still for an hour with an IV catheter in their jugular vein?) and to comfort the doe, as goats are sensitive and affectionate when ill. The cause of death was likely clostridial gut infection per necropsy, despite vaccination only 6 weeks ago. Ick.
Its always hard but loss is certainly a part of life, in livestock or otherwise. Despite our steadfast care and best intentions, death happens. More so as our flocks increase in number. Macy was born here, was an excellent mother to her kids and was an excellent producer of milk, nearing 15lbs (2 gallons-ish) daily. She was such a good mother that she mothered everyone elses kids as well often babysitting in the pasture as the kids romped and the other nursing mothers napped. She would have let the llama nurse from her, had she tried. From a more superficial standpoint, Macy was a good quality show goat as well, having finished her permanent championship a few years prior and produced several lovely daughters winning in other herds as well. She was petite, yet very correct, a voracious eater and an affectionate companion.
Of note, standard hospital issue IV tubing clips perfectly on livestock fence panels. I'm sure it was intended this way, right? A lesson learned under negative circumstances is still a lesson learned.
Macy fell ill suddenly this past weekend with little warning. She showed signs of gut discomfort and quickly became hypothermic and her rumen stopped functioning. We pumped her full of calcium, supportive medications, IV fluids and pain medication but ultimately we had to put her down on Monday as she was in obvious severe pain and failing despite treatment. In the photo there is a liter of LR with dextrose running with calcium gluconate at a very slow rate. The headlock is both for safety (have you ever told a goat to hold still for an hour with an IV catheter in their jugular vein?) and to comfort the doe, as goats are sensitive and affectionate when ill. The cause of death was likely clostridial gut infection per necropsy, despite vaccination only 6 weeks ago. Ick.
Its always hard but loss is certainly a part of life, in livestock or otherwise. Despite our steadfast care and best intentions, death happens. More so as our flocks increase in number. Macy was born here, was an excellent mother to her kids and was an excellent producer of milk, nearing 15lbs (2 gallons-ish) daily. She was such a good mother that she mothered everyone elses kids as well often babysitting in the pasture as the kids romped and the other nursing mothers napped. She would have let the llama nurse from her, had she tried. From a more superficial standpoint, Macy was a good quality show goat as well, having finished her permanent championship a few years prior and produced several lovely daughters winning in other herds as well. She was petite, yet very correct, a voracious eater and an affectionate companion.
Of note, standard hospital issue IV tubing clips perfectly on livestock fence panels. I'm sure it was intended this way, right? A lesson learned under negative circumstances is still a lesson learned.
4) Most losses do, indeed provide a silver lining.
The loss of Macy at 6 years old raises many questions. Why on earth did I sell last year's daughter? I should have kept her. Why did she have to have triplet bucks this year when I was so looking forward to a doe kid from her breeding to Firebird?
Wait. . . she had 3 buck kids from Firebird. Two are being raised by Elina, one we are bottling because he was a bit of a 'runt' at birth and was a good companion to Sicily (Sofia's little princess). And this buck kid from Macy is not too closely related to my other toggs. . . and he is sweet and personable and quite lovely in stature and conformation.
After consulting with my Togg-expert friend Jody, we decided it would be wise to keep him as his sire is more than promising and Macy had many positive features I'd like to somehow keep in my little herd. And so he is Max, for short. Capra Lane M Fire Maximus will stay on to be sire of toggs, friend to Bonner, stinker in the fall breeding season.
The loss of Macy at 6 years old raises many questions. Why on earth did I sell last year's daughter? I should have kept her. Why did she have to have triplet bucks this year when I was so looking forward to a doe kid from her breeding to Firebird?
Wait. . . she had 3 buck kids from Firebird. Two are being raised by Elina, one we are bottling because he was a bit of a 'runt' at birth and was a good companion to Sicily (Sofia's little princess). And this buck kid from Macy is not too closely related to my other toggs. . . and he is sweet and personable and quite lovely in stature and conformation.
After consulting with my Togg-expert friend Jody, we decided it would be wise to keep him as his sire is more than promising and Macy had many positive features I'd like to somehow keep in my little herd. And so he is Max, for short. Capra Lane M Fire Maximus will stay on to be sire of toggs, friend to Bonner, stinker in the fall breeding season.
5) Cute makes the long days of spring more bearable.
Birth, death, work, shovel, scoop, milk, feed, water, shovel, scoop. Trudge through rows and ruts of mud, ice and muck. Feed more hay, buy more hay. Trim the hooves, shave the udders. Disbud the heads, tattoo the ears. Hoist up the uncooperative rears onto the stanchion. Fetch the wayward wanderers who rush the gate and charge into the barn. Clean the stalls and start again.
Why do they have to be so damn cute??
Birth, death, work, shovel, scoop, milk, feed, water, shovel, scoop. Trudge through rows and ruts of mud, ice and muck. Feed more hay, buy more hay. Trim the hooves, shave the udders. Disbud the heads, tattoo the ears. Hoist up the uncooperative rears onto the stanchion. Fetch the wayward wanderers who rush the gate and charge into the barn. Clean the stalls and start again.
Why do they have to be so damn cute??
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