Baymule’s Journal

[Mini Horses]

Ahh, yes....I just dewormed everyone Monday. Rotating pastures, all that. It's a battle. Wormer products are $$$$. So are losses! It happens so fast. Using different combos of 3 types when I dose. Plus any & all organic weeds i can feed that help. There's no perfect fix. Goat browsing helps in weed/tree leaves.

 

[Baymule]

I’ve had it with rain. Looking forward to next week.

 

[SageHill]

My concern now is another %#}?@& worm parasite bloom.

OK - I know this isn't the best practice - but ~could you worm every x weeks, perhaps using a different wormer every x or 2x weeks? I know parasite resistance and all but this is not a normal year either. Just thinking outside the box.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Using different combos of 3 types when I dose.

What 3 are you using? I've been using a Valbazen and Cydectin together. I'm about to add Prohibit into the mix. We were doing pretty well, even with all the rain, until the last couple of weeks. Goats are as sick of the rain as I am - probably more.

 

[Baymule]

OK - I know this isn't the best practice - but ~could you worm every x weeks, perhaps using a different wormer every x or 2x weeks? I know parasite resistance and all but this is not a normal year either. Just thinking outside the box.

I try not to worm without a fecal test first. If a sheep is resistant, I don’t want to screw that up by unnecessary worming. Sometimes they need a little help, but mostly do ok. I have a few I have to watch closely. The parasite bloom earlier this spring/summer totally blindsided me. It seemed to hit all at once. Next week will be sunny. Sloppy and muddy, but sunny. I’ll be testing some ewes!

 

[Baymule]

I have triplet sisters, born 2-4-21 they are white. Daughters of Miranda, one of my first ewes, and Ringo, both are gone now.

Miranda. I loved her color!

The triplets are white. Hard to believe they are 3 years old.

Since January I’ve had almost non stop rain. Pastures saturated, standing water, mud, wet sheep, it’s been awful. The triplets, Nora, Nova and Tiny had funny spots that just didn’t look right. When @blessedfarmgirl was here in June, she thought it might be some sort of skin fungus due to the terrible weather. I thought so too. They shed out their soggy winter wool and were all blotchy looking.

Well it wasn’t a skin problem or a fungus.

This is Nora. Her skin is speckled!

This is Nova, her hair has grown in better than her sisters, but she has speckled skin too.

I had to look close, she has a few brown freckles.

This is Tiny. Big blotches!

Closer inspection reveals tiny black spots.

Their skin WAS pink. I don’t know when it changed to dark blotches and speckles. Does this mean they are developing spots?
I was disappointed that I never got lambs that looked like Miranda. Her lambs were usually white. The triplets lambs are usually white but they had some brown lambs in the spring. So who knows? Maybe some day a Miranda speckled, blotchy, spotted lamb might show up.

 

[Margali]

@Baymule Freckles? Each summer with thin coat letting UV to skin causing the change?

 

[Baymule]

They have never had a thin coat like this. Their winter wool was so thick, soggy and gross. Maybe I peeled it off too soon? But they sure did enjoy getting it off. Nova’s coat has recovered better but I expect Nora and Tiny to catch up to her. They have always been WHITE, now are sporting tiny spots!

 

[Weldman]

@Baymule Freckles? Each summer with thin coat letting UV to skin causing the change?

I was thinking the same thing and I never owned goats. Seems same thing happen to men as they bald sometimes.

 

[Baymule]

Chris came over yesterday, pumped diesel out of the tank, dropped it and there was a rotted vent hose on it. 2 vents that don’t go anywhere, they are connected to each other. He had a fuel hose that he used to empty the fuel tank and miraculously it was the right size to put back on the vents!

The hurricane tore a piece of trim that goes at the peak of the roof of my home. I found it out in the back field. Pure luck. I didn’t think it a good idea o be on an extension ladder to the peak of the roof, being here alone, so I had Chris do it. LOL

I picked up my tractor wheel and tire today. Jamie said that dirt had gotten in the wheel, between it and the tire and broke the bead. He charged me nothing.

Chase is coming over tomorrow to borrow my flatbed trailer and will put the wheel/tire back on my tractor. I’ll be rolling again!

Weather is sunny for next 10 day forecast! I’ll load sheep Wednesday evening. I invited a friend to go to the auction with me and she is all excited, never been to one, so we’ll stay and watch the cattle until she’s had her fill.

This week is sure off to a better start than the last 2 weeks!