Changing goals and speed

[AClark]

Spoiled has a funny story.
I had not intended on buying a goat at the auction...at all. So I did not come equipped to transport one. I had actually left some stuff at the auction and went to pick it up because it didn't sell.
Well, my items actually sold. The auctioneer keeps a look out for nice Boer goats for me and showed me her. Had I read my text messages instead of being swamped busy all day I would have seen where he text me a picture and would have brought something.
So, here I am with no containment and I bought a goat. Yes auction goat, but I know where she came from, a well known Boer breeder in the area had sold her to a show family, how she ended up at the auction I have no idea - she still has the breeders ear tag in. The auctioneer helped us wire down a cattle panel in the bed of the truck that should have kept her in.

So I'm 5 miles away, I hit my cargo light and she's under her cattle panel laying down. No problem. Another 20 minutes goes by and I hit the cargo light and I have a goat riding like a dog in the bed of the truck - on the freeway.
I generally have no problem letting goats ride on the back seat of the truck. However, I have 3 children back there and the only room is the floorboard.
So, Spoiled got to ride on the floor board for the rest of the hour and a half trip.

This is why I prefer dog gentle, had she not been, I can't imagine what would have happened. She was more than happy to be picked up and put in the cab and laid down and enjoyed being petted the whole trip home.

 

[Latestarter]

I had a flying pig, you could have had a flying goat. Great save!

 

[CntryBoy777]

Crusader is a really nice looking buck and should give ya some really nice young'uns....I really like the boers and would lean towards them if we lived in a better area for them. They seem to have a great disposition quite the characters. Spoiled looks really good to and I know they will be good performers for ya....just stay on top of the parasites cause they are suseptable to them.....

 

[Baymule]

I agree on hard culling or selling what isn't working for you. We have our animals for our enjoyment and if they are absolute little ^(^$#@% then we are not having any fun with them at all. Your new buck and doe look like lovely goats, glad that you have them. I love the moonspots!

 

[AClark]

Definitely, Josette was picked up last night.
You're right Baymule, heavy culling of animals that make you dread dealing with them is the way to go.

 

[Baymule]

I finally caved in and sold my mule last year. She stalked the dogs up and down the fence, I lived in dread that DD's little dog would slip under the fence and be reduced to a pancake. She pawed the fences, did damage, and hated everything that wasn't a horse, with a vengeance. I finally faced up to what a PITA she was and sold her on Craigslist within 15 minutes.

 

[AClark]

I'm down to only 1 obnoxious goat that will be heading out of here next month. We decided to get a couple of orphan lambs since I have 2 does in milk and am tired of Dolly's crap with milking. She's still obnoxious and slams herself down, but it's harder whe nI've tethered a leg to the fence. She's better about letting the lambs nurse than she is milking, and when they are weaned she's gone.
Ruby is taking well after losing her babies to the new lambs, I just have to feed her and she lets them nurse. We gave each doe a pair. One lamb is stunted but he's my 7 year olds birthday present, she really wanted a lamb and that's how we ended up with 4. It seemed like a waste to have her have all that milk and no babies, I milked out the colostrum too. These lambs are 3 weeks old - hair sheep mixed breeds, all rams. Of course they'll be wethered here shortly.

 

[Baymule]

I'm not wethering my ram lambs this time. One is exceptionally nice and I'm keeping him for my ram for at least one or two breedings. The others I'll have to keep separate from the flock until sold. It may be more trouble than it's worth, but we'll see. Sounds like you will be enjoying some lamb chops. Your 7 year old has her priorities in order-don't want silly stuff for her Birthday-she wanted a lamb! It will make a nice pet for her and might spark an interest in getting some ewes.....LOL

 

[AClark]

I'm wethering for grow outs, I don't have ewes and not sure I have any interest in raising "meadow maggots". They are darling little guys though. I figure wethering the pet stunted one will keep him being a better pet though. I don't know anything about sheep other than they can't have copper, and that they don't mind nursing off goats. "Close enough" I guess.
We were actually going to get her a different little lamb, but the lady said they had named the stunted one "Goober", which is my 7 year olds nickname so it was meant to be. She was so surprised to get home from school and have a little 3 week old lamb to love all over. Once he's bigger we'll teach him to lead and she wants to take him out to eat grass and play in the yard.

 

[Mike CHS]

My only experience with wethered sheep is the 3 we have here. They are tamer than any of our ewes and actually come up for contact. They may have gotten that way though from watching our ram getting all of his scratches and animal crackers.

They act 'pet like' but will still be going to someones freezer soon.