rachels.haven's Journal

[rachels.haven]

I like her capacity except would like to see a stronger medial.

Let's check back with her in a week. She's still not milking out right. She's got that edema feeling and the area around the base of the teat is still indented.

 

[rachels.haven]

Kidding season is OVER.

Pete is a mega daddy (not of the above kid, the buck behind him is he sire of the kid up there).

Snowflake had gold buck/doe twins. I let her keep the buck and she's not a dummy.
Iris is on the edge of keytosis/toxemia and despite being fully dilated couldn't kid until I put free choice sweetfeed in front of her to snack on and then time to let it sink in. Somehow we got twin does out of that. I'm still working on perking them up-one round of tube feeding done-but Iris is doing better.
Somehow I must not let Iris become obese this year.

Lily has someone who wants to pick her up on Monday. Her buck will probably go with the remaining extra bucks that I shouldn't keep to the meat man later or if I want to put in the work, to our freezer.

After two hour checks all night long (only to have iris kid after 10 am) i am pooped and foggy headed.

 

[Baymule]

Beautiful markings on the kid! Glad Lily has a new home, that’s a problem gone.
Iris had twin does, you really have to help the does a lot. That makes me love my sheep that much more. LOL

 

[rachels.haven]

Beautiful markings on the kid! Glad Lily has a new home, that’s a problem gone.
Iris had twin does, you really have to help the does a lot. That makes me love my sheep that much more. LOL

When I got those CAE positives back in March last year I quit milking. Iris is a doe that must always be milking or she becomes obese on average forage. She could probably help keep a family in milk while feeding her kids. As it was she kept filling her udder until I felt safe with enough tests behind me to milk her again and then she picked up like I'd never stopped. She milks and milks well. I didn't respect that she is a milky doe and she must milk so she blew up like a balloon and became obese leading to ketosis/toxemia. Totally my fault...also my tough call because milking spreads cae and I wanted as few potential points of spread as possible. She'll do better next breeding season. Especially if I don't let her carry a standards kids.

 

[Baymule]

I think I may have over fed my ewes this past summer. I dry lotted the whole flock for almost 3 months, and fed them due to drought. I had to help a couple of ewes, just a gentle pull. But probably too fat. LOL

 

[rachels.haven]

I think I may have over fed my ewes this past summer. I dry lotted the whole flock for almost 3 months, and fed them due to drought. I had to help a couple of ewes, just a gentle pull. But probably too fat. LOL

It's always possible. I'm glad none of them went down with ketosis on you! From what I understand if they are fat and nutrition level doesn't keep going up (it can't forever) their bodies can have a pregnancy metabolism crisis and they crash and start poisoning themselves and their kids with byproducts of breaking down their fat. Not pregnant they can handle thinning down from fat, but especially while late pregnant losing weight is supposed to be off the table and a very bad thing. (And age makes them more prone to it too.) This was definitely an eye opening learning experience for me.

 

[Ridgetop]

Very heavy milkers can experience milk fever after kidding as their bodies try to pull enough calcium from their systems to accommodate the sudden output of large amounts of milk. In milk fever the goat or cow will collapse and only the prompt administration of IV calcium gluconate into the blood stream. we fed alfalfa which has high levels of calcium so never experienced this.

Ketosis is different. It usually happens to an overly fat goat whose body refuses to break down the excess fat to release the energy she needs for milk after kidding. The treatment is similar, get easy to digest nutrients (sugar) into the goat to keep her going until her body adjusts to break down fat reserves. In this instance drenching with propylene glycol is the old treatment. Too high a does given too often can be dangerous. Dosing with bicarbonate of soda along with the propylene glycol is recommended. After the first couple doses of propylene glycol has been given a sweet feed can be given for several days until the doe is properly milking and burning her fat reserves.

I used to keep a gallon jug of propylene glycol available as did other goat breeders just in case. Never had to use it. I wonder if I still have it or if I gave it to another goat breeder when DS2 and 3 sold their herds. By the way, both ketosis and milk fever can occur in any lactating animal who has just given birth.

 

[rachels.haven]

Little spring patio garden haul.
To prove I can do something besides goats during kidding season.

 

[Ridgetop]

Are those mushrooms? Look like a specialty kind - or else deadly poison! If they are specialties maybe you can supply some high-end restaurants!

 

[rachels.haven]

Are those mushrooms? Look like a specialty kind - or else deadly poison! If they are specialties maybe you can supply some high-end restaurants!

I grew gold and pink oyster and lions mane mushrooms. I have a few more types in the works but this was my first harvest. They grow on oak hardwood pellets from TSC for $6/bag with a little soy hull pellets thrown in.