Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter

[misfitmorgan]

I feel the same even about using pesticides on plants, I try to do everything without any chemicals, be it for animal or plant. But there are times (even with being a bee keeper) that I bring out the big guns for aphid control as it is either do it or lose the entire plant and crop.

I could never afford to go organic as organic alfalfa is off the chart expensive, if I can even find it.

What the heck is organic alfalfa? I've never heard of such a thing.

Far as the polled genetics go I don't think it's actually linked. There is someone locally here who bred goats for about 15yrs and I talked to him said his herd ended up almost completely polled so that means they were homo dom polled. His herd when at it's largest was 25 goats so by no means a huge pool but he only ever had 2 herm goats and one had horns. He only had two left last time i was there and that was maybe 6 months ago now but he made his own "breed" Both where polled, blue eyed, medium size, nice udders and some crazy coat patterns. If I ever find another polled buck I will be trying to breed polled in.

 

[babsbag]

I have suspected that it isn't related as well, but ONE study was done and everyone jumped on the don't breed polled to polled.

I know of one person that grows their own alfalfa and it is not sprayed and it is non-GMO. She had an organic dairy and could only do it because she grew her own hay.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

The local cow dairy that farms around us also raises all of their own alfalfa so that it is organic also.

 

[Bayleaf Meadows]

I was contacted by a farmer looking for a homozygous polled buck. He was a longtime breeder of polled goats and said he had no problems with hermaphroditism. I wasn't sure why he didn't have a homozygous polled buck among his herd. But polled is dominant and most people don't breed polled to polled, so that means the babies will always carry a recessive gene for horns.

 

[farmerjan]

The local cow dairy that farms around us also raises all of their own alfalfa so that it is organic also.

Many of the dairies here raise their own alfalfa, but it is by no means organic. Certified organic does not allow for use of GMO seed except under some very special circumstances; it cannot be fertilized with standard chemical fertilizers, it cannot be sprayed for weevils if they suddenly hit it, it has to be raised on fields that have had no chemicals used for at least 3 years... there are alot of restrictions. Our orchard grass hay will not meet organic standards as it does get conventional chemical fertilizers sometimes. In fact the poultry litter we use is not from organic poultry houses so does not comply; even though it is "just chicken s@#t and shavings, because those birds have been fed feed that may contain ( and very often DOES contain) antibiotics, or have been water treated with antibiotics, and the feed is not organically grown. So the manure possibly contains trace amounts of antibiotics in it. Certified organic is very strict if you follow it the way it was intended to be. Since the GOV'T got into it, there have been many "shortcuts" taken, but the only ones that get away with that are the big boys.... It also requires a ton of paperwork....

 

[babsbag]

I have people that won't buy my milk and eggs because my animals eat GMO feed. I could find and probably afford non GMO chicken feed but alfalfa is another story all together. Can't please everyone.

 

[babsbag]

The longer I milk my mini Alpines the more I like them. And they sure do stay in good body condition. Someone please tell me that I shouldn't start the transition to minis...please, please, please convince me otherwise. I would have to keep a whole mess of kids this year.

 

[Bruce]

@babsbag You should not transition to minis.

OK, I told you. Ignore the fact that I have NO knowledge or experience for making that claim.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I shouldn't start the transition to minis...please, please, please convince me otherwise. I would have to keep a whole mess of kids this year.

If they're working for you....why not? Just sayin'...

 

[Latestarter]

What's having 120 goats for a year or two compared to 50-60? Think how good you'll feel 2 years hence when you sell 1/2 the herd!