Whether Stabbed Nanny

[Ridgetop]

I think you misunderstand the meaning of the word "cull". It means to remove her from your herd and breeding stock, not necessarily kill her. I suggest you retest her for both diseases with Washington State University. I also suggest you look up in detail what Caprine Arthritc Encephalitis and Caseous Lymphadema are. Read up on the advanced symptoms of the diseases as well as the minor symptoms.

There is a reason why breeders are strict about not wanting these diseases in their herds. If this doe continues to test positive for either disease, and you want to keep this doe, you may need to buy a buck since few breeders will knowingly breed to a doe that has either of these diseases. Most will not want the animal on their property. This is why many breeders close their herds and will not breed to strangers' animals.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Yes, I've made the person I'll be breeding her too later on aware of the test results. She is one of the ones that has had a false positive result as well for both diseases. She sent the kid off for necropsy to confirm and the animal had no signs of either illness.

As far as the term "cull" for me, it would be kill. I will not send her to someone else knowing that she has tested positive and I do not have a separate area that she can stay. So, I will not cull her from my herd unless she starts showing some of the other symptoms.

She's going on 5 to 6 years (according to previous owner) old and has not shown symptoms of either illness with the exception of this isolated incident with the wound.

Which, I saw the wether try to do gouge her again today. He is slated for Camp Kenmore sometime next week. The other wether is not showing any aggression at all towards her and runs from the other wether as well. It will be nice to have peace in the yard.

 

[Ridgetop]

It sounds like you have it all under control. Next kidding, keep a doe kid for company with her mom. If the doe is 6 years old, you will want to replace her soon and raising her replacement will be fun for your children and you. Please disbud. Would your breeder disbud the kids for you? We used to do it for the 4-h kids in my project. It really is safer without horns, especially with children. Sometimes a goat will toss its head in a hooking motion and can take out a child's or stab them eye. That hooking motion is not necessarily them trying to gore on purpose, it is rather a sort of backward toss over the shoulder hook with their horns sort of telling anyone alongside that they are in the lead and in charge. But that action can accidently hurt a child. I got hooked in the leg by a pet dwarf goat and it was not fun. The wether hooked back with his head as I walked alongside to feed and got me in the thigh. OUCH! Luckily I was wearing heavy jeans, so just tore them and not too much damage to me, but a child? Please disbud.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Oh yeah, disbudding is an absolute necessity. These 2 wethers were always destined for the freezer so didn't think it was that big of a deal. Then I got attached to one. The other has always been a jerk so he'll be going. The other will have preventatives in place.

Even if the breeder won't disbud for me, I will find someone who can and does a good job of it. No more horns.

 

[Ridgetop]

Good - so relieved to hear it. Some people don't like removing horns, but I think the danger outweighs the few minutes of discomfort. Just cuddle the babies and give them a bottle afterwards and they are immediately over it.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

Also just found out that even wethers will mount a doe in heat. Guess that means she's in heat... great.

I don't even need her bred. She's still giving me over a half gallon of milk with 1x per day milking. Am I good to keep skipping having her bred?

 

[Latestarter]

If you're using the milk, by all means you can keep milking her as long as you wish and she provides. Some does are naturals and will continue to produce milk as long as you keep milking. You don't have to breed her if you don't want to.