Porkchop48 kidding thread-Updated.Last one for while, did not go well.

[Mamaboid]

I swear I will get pics this weekend.

Just got done butchering a cow and quite a few deer so busy has been an understatement. Mini Me's belly has dropped and she had some goo going last week. She is turning into her lovey dovey pre kidding self. Any time you try to sit down or lean to take a tiny break she is right in your lap.

Super goat and Mama Goat are getting some nice udders. A little over 2 weeks until they are due. Looks like their bellies have dropped a bit.

No udder development from Presley yet( my fainter) but I am not sure when she was bred. She has not come back into heat so I am just keeping a close eye on her. Atleast she is easy to catch. Even is a goose walks by her she faints. If she sees the food bucket she faints. Poor thing... Wonder how kidding with her will go.


Going to re-read a bunch of kidding threads to rejar my memory and keep fingers crossed for nice easy births and happy and healthy mamas.

I have a fainter like that, it is a buck with great big horns, and he falls over and gets his horns stuck in the ground. He lays there and hollers til somebody goes and helps him up. My female fainters are all about a 4 or 5 on the scale, and the doe that is due next week is an awesome mom. She raised trips last year all by herself.

 

[porkchop48]

Is the scale posted some where? I have wanted to check out how they scale them since I got this pair. Elvis her mate just stiffens on occasions. Her on the other hand falls over if the wind blows too loud.

 

[Mamaboid]

STIFFNESS The stiffness of these goats relates to their myotonia congenita, which is an essential portion of the breed type. The various levels of stiffness are arbitrary, but a general guide is useful for breeders.

1. Never observed to stiffen, but other type traits are consistent as is pedigree.

2. Very rarely stiffens, never falls.

3. Stiffens only occasionally, and rarely falls.

4. Walks normally with no swivel. The rear limbs lock up readily, the forelimbs less so, and goats with this degree of stiffness rarely fall to the ground.

5. Animal walks relatively normally, although somewhat stiff in rear and with a swivel at the hip. Readily stiffens when startled or stepping over a barrier.

6. Animal always moves stiffly to some degree, and readily becomes locked up when startled or stepping over a low barrier.

Comment: The stiffness is integral to the breed and its character, but this breed is much more than stiffness. Genetic consistency and type traits other than the stiffness are equally important to the stiffness when evaluating goats for breed type. Extreme level 6 stiffness can impede a goat from using the environment well, and extreme stiffness is not necessarily desirable (that is, stiffer is not necessarily better when evaluating goats). Level 6 is stiffer than is usual in most of the breed. Levels 4 and 5 are most typical of the breed. Levels 2 and 3 are useful in purebred herds, and when these levels are combined with heavy muscling they are entirely typical. Level 1 goats are referred to as limber or limber leg, and should be scrutinized. They only rarely have a role to play in breeding programs, and should be discriminated against. Any limber leg goat that is used in breeding programs should be excellent in all other traits typical of the breed and even then should see only minimal use. Level 1 sires should not be used since they are not typical for the breed. Breeders should avoid both overly stiff and non-stiff goats. However, each of these classes will be of occasional use to some breeding programs, and therefore, if they are used at all it needs to be done with much thought and care.

This is copied from this website.
http://www.myotonicgoatregistry.net/MGRbreeddescription/MGRBreeddescription.html

 

[porkchop48]

I think Presley would definately be a 5 then. And Elvis a 2.

Kidding update. .... Looks like it will be starting soon.

Mini me is doing the loner thing. Hanging out a bit by herself. Still eating though. Her ligs are really loose but still there. Not much of an udder but she did not really have much of one last year. I am going to head back out in a few hours and see how she is doing. She had such a hard time last year with that huge buckling I hope things go better this year. She should be bred to the red headed boer I had here for a while. Fringers crossed for a nice doeling I can keep. She can technically go any day after today so I hope she starts off the season well.


I have some frozen milk and colostrum in the freezer and hope to not have to use it but will if need be. This year I plan to stock up more in the freezer. Mama Goats was such a good milker last year so I should be able to put quite a few gallons away this year.

 

[Mamaboid]

 

[lilhill]

Hoping for uneventful kidding and lots of doelings for you!

 

[porkchop48]

Sorry for the bad quality cell phone pic. Theses cold days zap my camera battery too quickly to leave in the barn.

Day 147 for Mini me. Poor thing is miserable and hating the other goats so I finally penned her up by herself. Of course there is a show I really want to watch tonight at ten... Great time to have it.

Please excuse her bad hair do. She gets it every winter and loses it in the spring.

 

[pridegoethb4thefall]

STIFFNESS The stiffness of these goats relates to their myotonia congenita, which is an essential portion of the breed type. The various levels of stiffness are arbitrary, but a general guide is useful for breeders.

1. Never observed to stiffen, but other type traits are consistent as is pedigree.

2. Very rarely stiffens, never falls.

3. Stiffens only occasionally, and rarely falls.

4. Walks normally with no swivel. The rear limbs lock up readily, the forelimbs less so, and goats with this degree of stiffness rarely fall to the ground.

5. Animal walks relatively normally, although somewhat stiff in rear and with a swivel at the hip. Readily stiffens when startled or stepping over a barrier.

6. Animal always moves stiffly to some degree, and readily becomes locked up when startled or stepping over a low barrier.

Comment: The stiffness is integral to the breed and its character, but this breed is much more than stiffness. Genetic consistency and type traits other than the stiffness are equally important to the stiffness when evaluating goats for breed type. Extreme level 6 stiffness can impede a goat from using the environment well, and extreme stiffness is not necessarily desirable (that is, stiffer is not necessarily better when evaluating goats). Level 6 is stiffer than is usual in most of the breed. Levels 4 and 5 are most typical of the breed. Levels 2 and 3 are useful in purebred herds, and when these levels are combined with heavy muscling they are entirely typical. Level 1 goats are referred to as limber or limber leg, and should be scrutinized. They only rarely have a role to play in breeding programs, and should be discriminated against. Any limber leg goat that is used in breeding programs should be excellent in all other traits typical of the breed and even then should see only minimal use. Level 1 sires should not be used since they are not typical for the breed. Breeders should avoid both overly stiff and non-stiff goats. However, each of these classes will be of occasional use to some breeding programs, and therefore, if they are used at all it needs to be done with much thought and care.

This is copied from this website.
http://www.myotonicgoatregistry.net/MGRbreeddescription/MGRBreeddescription.html

Had a vet tell me recently that it is painful to a myotonic goat to 'faint', or lock up. Is there any truth to that? Just curious because we have a fainter doe we just bred to a nigerian dwarf buck. She is our only fainter, and I would rate her between a 5 and a 6 on the scale above. I don't feel real good about any animal being in pain, and sure don't like to think that I am breeding more animals that will just be in pain all their lives.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Interesting. I wonder your vet is basing that on. I think with people who have myotonia, it can be painful but part of that is because it causes them to have their joints distort into abnormal position and because some people cannot come out of the twisted positions it places them in (it looks horrible and I can't imagine living with something like that). With goats, it doesn't seem the same though.

 

[Fluffygal]

Sorry for the bad quality cell phone pic. Theses cold days zap my camera battery too quickly to leave in the barn.

Day 147 for Mini me. Poor thing is miserable and hating the other goats so I finally penned her up by herself. Of course there is a show I really want to watch tonight at ten... Great time to have it.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii285/porkchop48/wideload_zps49c9569d.jpg

Please excuse her bad hair do. She gets it every winter and loses it in the spring.

She is really round. She looks like she could pop at any moment.
Hope you get some healthy doelings.